Barcelona: Learning through Culture Past Review
By Emily C (Marketing., Providence College) for
CIEE: Barcelona - Business & Culture
I gained so much from studying in Barcelona. I was able to apply all that I have learned, as well as what I continued to learn in Barcelona in my day to day activities. Through traveling I was able to experience things I have learned about in the past and see things I never would have. I am much more culturally aware, more independent and self confident. I have now developed a further interest in international marketing and promotions. This has helped begin to shape my goals in my career for the future and opened my eyes to a lot more possibilities.
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 grading system is much different than it is here. I enjoyed the teaching methods and the workload was around the same as back at PC. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My expectations were exceeded greatly during my time in Barcelona. All the staff and administration were extremely helpful, friendly, and had a great deal of knowledge. The program size was large, but each group was split up making it easier to get to know other students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing arrangement was great. Great location, great feel, very clean and gave a lot of opportunities. It was mainly a student residence, allowing you to meet other students studying in the city. I did not need to buy anything, everything was provided. It allowed me to learn to live on my own, in my own room, while at the same time still living with a group of other students. |
| * Food: |
There are a lot of different types of restaurants in Barcelona, making it easy to find food that "reminds you of home." However, the diet in Barcelona is really great. I loved the seafood, the tapas. I think everything is worth trying! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The weekend trip to Madrid was really great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The only safety concern here is pick pocketing. As an American student you are extremely vulnerable. Even sometimes being aware, it doesn't always help. I thought I was aware enough of my surroundings and unfortunately was a victim of a pickpocketer who stole my camera. This was the only bad incident I had, luckily. Other than that, I think the overall city is pretty safe, with the exception of a few small areas. |
| 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? | Money and travel cost more than I anticipated. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I was able to practice my language every day while doing every day activities as well as practice in class with my peers. |
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 did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Someone who is looking for a more laid back culture and area, Barcelona has a lot to offer. A great deal of history, architecture, culture and beautiful landscapes are all in this city. I would say to take advantage of the time in Barcelona and Spain as a whole, the country has so much to offer, all different cities and all beautifully unique from the other. |
