Review of a Summer in Alicante Past Review
By Caroline V (Human Biology- Social Aspects of Health and Disease, The University of Texas at Austin) for
CIEE: Alicante - Language & Culture
I'm glad to have an understanding of how another culture works. I wasn't a big fan of the States before I left, but spending time in Spain made me more aware of what I do like about living here. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain, but I sorely missed my job as a counselor at Camp Longhorn the entire time that I was there.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone who worked there was easy to relate to and genut.inely seemed to want to help us ou |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My biggest complaint was that my host mother smoked a lot (like many Spanish women) so being in a room with her when she did was uncomfortable. There was no air conditioner, so it was distractingly hot at times and the bed was quite uncomfortable. The neighborhood was great-- safe, nearby bus stops, a 10 minute walk to the beach. I felt like a family member sometimes, and like a silent guest at others when the family conversed among themselves too quickly for me to understand. |
| * Food: |
I would recommend that students avoid eating out as much as possible, as doing so in Spain is very expensive and comes with surprise charges. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program arranged a trip to Granada, and an outing on a catamaran. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city was quite safe (only one person in my program got pick-pocketed, but he was being stupid. I felt safe walking alone or in small groups at night. When people in my program needed healthcare, a program director went to the doctor with them to translate. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would not eliminate any aspects of the program. Most of my extra expenses came from traveling to Barcelona and Madrid-- book early and if you fly with Ryanair make ABSOLUTELY sure that your bag fits the size restrictions, or be prepared to be tricky or have to pay $60 at the gate to check your bag. Trains are better than planes! Be prepared for eating out to be expensive, and remember that there is no such thing as a "dollar menu" in Spain-- Spaniards like their food, they like to spend a long time eating it and they won't make it easy for you to eat cheaply and quickly like an American. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
My host mother was the person who I practiced with most. I had to use Spanish with most people who lived in Alicante. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Hogueras is awesome-- make sure to stay in town for it. But for all of the other weekends when it's possible you should travel because as great as sitting on the beach is, there's only so much you can get out of it. Eat Italian food at Spiga, gelato at Levanti and a chocolate croissant at Cara Bonita. Bring a battery operated fan and bug spray for the night, and a beach towel. Make the effort to get to know your Spanish madre-- you'll feel much more comfortable living in her home and you'll get more out of the experience. |
