Alicantinos Past Review
By Andrew V (International Relations And Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) for
CIEE: Alicante - Language & Culture
It has made me a global citizen. It has left me with an international state of mind. I can't really describe how this experience has changed me in a short summary. You just have to go see for yourself.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
it's very different |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CIEE in Alicante has a top-notch staff! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were located right next to a grocery store and campus. Convenient when you've had a long night downtown and want to just wake up and get to class without having to take the bus. We had maids clean our rooms once a week. It's a pretty sweet deal. Plus you get to meet all the other international and Spanish students. AND you get a lot of privacy... |
| * Food: |
some days in the diner was great and some days you just have to go out to eat tapas. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Spain has a ton of cultural holidays and fiestas! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
you will not get mugged in Alicante |
| 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? | Don't miss flights! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
With other Spanish students. No, but it was very much necessary in order to gain a higher level understanding of the language. Plus it was fun! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | If you are considering this program, then you have made a great choice. Alicante is not like Barcelona or Madrid. It is a smaller beach town. Do not expect the nightlife to be as crazy as it is in Barcelona. It is mainly bars. It will be more expensive to travel to other countries since all flights usually connect to Barcelona or Madrid. However, it is a lot cheaper to live here and the beach is very close to the school. The people of Alicante are a lot friendlier. You will benefit most from this program if you truly want to embrace the Spanish culture, travel, and save some money. |
