Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Buckle up July 10, 2022

By (Economics, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/03/2022 to 04/10/2022 with

CIEE: Barcelona - Business & Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Met a lot of great people and locals, learned how to travel with others and figure money matters out on my own

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I don't really feel like I learned a lot

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

this program was a mess in terms of admin, class size, field trips, etc

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Barcelona is super cheap, great airport, lots to do, good weather, and no classes on friday is AMAZING for traveling

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $1,200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? nope good luck lol

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 3rd year college
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? homestay

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
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • the people
* What could be improved?
  • housing location (35 min to class)
  • better organization
  • better communication
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You will simply not sleep at all and you will spend way more than you think

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.