Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Barcelona: Challenging Academics Combined with Amazing Cultural and Social Experiences Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Providence College) for

CIEE: Barcelona - Liberal Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Taking 5 Spanish classes was challenging, but worth it in the end. The entire study abroad experience in Barcelona was so wonderful including social, cultural, and academic areas. Living in a completely new place was scary at first but in the end I absolutely loved it and already wish I could go back. It certainly increased my cultural awareness as I got to see a totally new culture and society. Barcelona is a truly amazing city and to anyone who is considering it, I say go!

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Universitat Pompeu Fabra
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 work load was different because there were fewer assignments that were weighted heavily. Professors were harder graders than in America, as they believe a B is a perfectly good grade even though some American students might disagree.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

All the people I dealt with from CIEE were wonderful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Residencia Onix was spacious, and overall a good place to live. Did not need to buy much of anything to settle in. Very good location.

* Food:

Lots of good restaurants in Barcelona. Simply walk around and find ones you like, most are very good.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program trip to Granada was great.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I went to the doctor once through an appointment set up by CIEE and he was very nice and prescribed me what I needed. I was nervous about safety issues before going to Barcelona, but as long as you are somewhat cautious and make smart decisions, safety is not really that big of an issue.

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? Traveling costs add up really fast but they are worth it to explore Europe. One can save money by making lunch and dinner during the week and only going out to dinner on the weekends.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

I was in a residencia and did not practice the language as much as I should have. If you choose to do a residencia, try to practice with your friends as much as possible. It was necessary to use Spanish every day but a lot of people spoke little to a lot of English.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The CIEE staff
* What could be improved?
  • Preparation for classes at host institution
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I highly recommend this program, but only for students who are serious about learning Spanish. Taking all Spanish classes can be exhausting, but in the end it was truly rewarding. Barcelona was as amazing as I could have ever hoped for and I would suggest it to anyone.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Arte y Artistas
Course Department:
Instructor: Eduard Cairol
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: I learned a lot in this course but the exams were hard and the professor looked for very specific essay answers. Field trips to museums were helpful in understanding the artists better. Not a lot of participation opportunity. Interesting class but be prepared to work hard if you want a good grade.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Barcelona: Historia y Ciudad
Course Department:
Instructor: Merixtell Ferrer
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Learned a lot in this course but was a different part of Barcelona history than I expected. Field trips helped to make it more interesting. Professor was very helpful and understanding.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Movimientos Sociales
Course Department:
Instructor: Enric Prat & Jordi Mir
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Professors were nice but really did not learn anything in this class. Hard to pay attention and follow lectures most of the time without power points for 2 hours. Only take if willing to make a big effort to actively participate and engage oneself in class.
Credit Transfer Issues: