Life Changing Experience Past Review
By Mi Z (Business Administration and Management, Berea College) - abroad from 01/09/2015 to 05/08/2015 with
CIEE: Alicante - Language & Culture
I got to learn so much about myself, the culture, the language of Spain. While I was abroad, I also got to walk the Camino de Santiago, which was a huge part of my abroad experience. My study abroad experience was more than worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academically challenging yet rewarding. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved our CIEE staff members; they would always go above and beyond to help us out. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was a huge positive aspect of my abroad experience. |
| * Food: |
My parents were excellent at making traditional Spanish cuisine. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the end of the semester, I felt like I was a local resident who gave out directions to tourists and knew the city on the back of my hand. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
We had access to our Universidad de Alicante's student health care services and other health providers and our program staff memebers were always willing to accompany students if they needed. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe and never once did anything happen to me nor my friends. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out all the time, especially if your meals are included with your program and beware of all the money that you will spend on coffee because they can add up very quickly. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
|
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 310 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Always speak in that language, whether you're at school or at home. It's hard to speak the new language with your English speaking friends but they are often the people that you spend the most amount of time with so try to speak the new language with them too! |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known how much harder it would be to come back to the US than leaving it. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
