Personal clashes with program but a good experience. May 11, 2025
By Cristina M (Economics, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/02/2025 to 04/12/2025 with
CIEE: Barcelona - Economics and Culture
I learned how important it is for me to be academically challenged and that I am able to live in a foreign country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very easy compared to Wellesley, professors have lower expectations for work and give more time in class to complete assignments. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was glad to have my own single, having to commute an hour every day roundtrip to class or anytime I wanted to go into the heart of Barcelona was tough. |
| * Food: |
Decent |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I could have made more effort to interact with locals but I was mostly interacting with other study abroad people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no health issues |
| * Safety: |
The only issue I faced was being scared of theft and pickpocketing but no other safety issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would have wanted something a little bit more academically challenging, and I did not love the city of Barcelona. People there were more concerned with the nightlife. |
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) |
Spain was cheap |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to eat at home as much as possible and schedule trips in advance. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | A 300 level course |
| 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? | Do not speak in English to the locals and try to speak in Spanish with your American friends when out and about. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | To not take the academics so seriously. |
