Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Past Review

By (Marketing., Providence College) for

CIEE: Barcelona - Business & Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was incredibly worthwhile. I gained a greater sense of myself there and of the world, and it has made me want to return there indefinitely.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: ESCI
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The grading system was frustrating for some classes because there was not a specific breakdown of how you did and there were only 1-2 grades for some classes, so it made it crucial to do well on those exams.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CIEE on-site administration was very helpful with everything students needed and reached out to us for excursions and other trips.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was in the Sarria neighborhood of Barcelona, with a host family in an apartment. I was given my own room, and was fed 2 meals a day. <br /><br /> At first my host family was an adjustment because they didn't speak much-any English, so it was a little difficulty, but it was a nice apartment and a nice family who made me feel comfortable.

* Food:

It took some adjustment to the meal schedule, but I wound up preferring a larger lunch and late/small dinner

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Some of the events were Dias de Los Reys and St. Jordi, which were Catalonian holidays and feasts, and there was a trip to Sevilla with the program which was great.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt safe in my city, and the safety advice was very helpful.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would say that you would need at least $5000 to live comfortably with traveling.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
Language acquisition improvement?

My intermediate Spanish course was conducted entirely in Spanish, which despite being difficult at first was very beneficial by the end as it helped me to develop the flow of the language. The only component I did not like was that it was the only class that met on Fridays, which limited travel opportunities.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would strongly recommend studying abroad, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and incredibly rewarding.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Marketing
Course Department:
Instructor: Quhyn Phan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was a little challenging in that we had a course project that was introducing an establish product/brand in Spain, but it was a good challenge. We also had a field trip to HP which was very interesting. The teacher was knowledgeable and experienced in the marketing field.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Legal Market of the European Union
Course Department:
Instructor: Nuria Sancho Fortuny
Instruction Language: English (not fluent)
Comments: The instructor did not have a firm grasp of the English language, which made the course increasingly difficult and hard to understand. There were only 2 grades, a midterm presentation and the final, which the instructor made herself, and since her grasp of the language was sub par it made the final difficult to understand the questions.
Credit Transfer Issues: