Great Time in Alicante, Spain Past Review
By Jade R (LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES., The University of Texas at Austin) for
CIEE: Alicante - Summer Language and Culture
Yes it was worthwhile. I learned a lot and have a more global perspective than I did before.
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. |
The workload was manageable. The grading system was fair and comparable to the U.S. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I thought it was great. Everyone what worked for the program was very friendly and helpful. They were always available to talk to and would help in a prompt manner. The program size was good, not too many students. My expectations were more than met. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location of my host family was wonderful. It was right in the middle of the city in a very safe neighborhood. It was very close to the beach, the nightlife, and the shopping area. I did not have to buy items to settle-in, they were all provided by the host family. My host family treated me wonderfully and made me feel like I was a member of the family. |
| * Food: |
I always had delicious food and it was more than enough. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really enjoyed the trip to Granada. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did have to visit the university doctor once. The program brought me to the doctor right away and translated for me. |
| 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 wish I had known about transportation expenses. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with my Spanish teacher and my Spanish family that I lived with. I did use Spanish in everyday interactions with people throughout Alicante. Most people did not speak English. |
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? | I would suggest taking some Spanish classes before going. Would be best for someone wanting to improve their Spanish. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Beginning Spanish |
| Course Department: | SPN 508K |
| Instructor: | Amparo Zapata |
| Instruction Language: | English and Spanish |
| Comments: | It was challenging. I learned many things that I had not learned before. Yes, we did have a field trip to the ice cream factory nearby and the mercado which were very interesting. The teacher was very knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class more often because of the small class size. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I have not run into any issues. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Spanish Society |
| Course Department: | SOC 319S |
| Instructor: | Jaime Nieman |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | It was slightly challenging. There were quite a few assignments for such a short course. The class mostly taught the history of Spain. This was different from what the course description described. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
