CIEE Barcelona Past Review

By (Political Science and Government., Fordham University) for

CIEE: Barcelona - Liberal Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My study abroad experience was extremely positive, especially when it came to improving my Spanish.

Personal Information

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 extremely fair. The work load was less than what is expected in the United States, but it gives you a great opportunity to actually go out and see the city.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

CIEE was always incredibly helpful and availiable. I could not have asked for a better program.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

CIEE provided all kitchen supplies and sheets. The dorm rooms were nice, but the internet connection wasn't great and they have a strict guest policy.

* Food:

The food in Barcelona is great, but extremely expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Barcelona is known for having the best nightlife in Europe. The city also has a lot of festivals and celebrations during the fall semester. CIEE schedules a lot of cultural trips on weekends, and I reccomed going on all of them.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Watch your wallet. At least a quarter of all the students in my program were pick-pocketed at some point.

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 spent all of my money just on transportation and food. If you're on a budget, stay with a host family.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Span 2001
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

I took all of my classes in Spanish and CIEE set up inter-cultural nights to introduce American and Spanish students

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • the people
  • accessibility
  • planned cultural activities by CIEE
* What could be improved?
  • price