Take me back to Barcelona now, please. Past Review
By Libby F (Political Science and Government., Wellesley College) for
CIEE: Barcelona - Liberal Arts
YES. I became much more independent and had an incredibletime.
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? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I enjoyed my classes and found that they were not as easy as I had expected. I learned a lot, my language improved, and I was able to stay academically engaged. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The CIEE staff was excellent and went above and beyond in many respects. They were very helpful and responsive. LOVE them. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My neighborhood was located close to downtown. It was far from the clubs and school, but that was manageable. I loved my host family. They treated me as a mix of a family member and guest/client in that I didnt have to tell them when/where I was going, but they included me in family events and activities. |
* Food: |
I ate most of my meals at home, but my senora was an incredible cook. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Make Spanish friends, stay for the summer and enjoy San Juan de Verbena (Summer Solstice; June 23) |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
Be aware, but in general, Barcelona is a safe city aside from pickpocketing. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $40 between cabs, random groceries, lunches, and shopping |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you lose your metro ticket, it's expensive to replace. Travel is expensive. Cabs are also expensive. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I took 273 which was a Spanish history and culture class |
Language acquisition improvement? |
I lived with a homestay who did not speak English, so that helped. Many people spoke english, but certainly not everyone. |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
* 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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A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Try to mix it up with locals and experience the culture beyond the tourist clubs and Las Ramblas. It's a beautiful city. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Derechos Humanos |
Course Department: | don't know |
Instructor: | Barbara |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | The class was extremely challenging. The subject matter was difficult and then in addition, it was in Spanish with a native speaker instructor. The professor was extremely knowledgable but very very challenging. I participated about the same amount as I would at home. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I don't know about credit transfer issues. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Spanish Literature |
Course Department: | don't know |
Instructor: | Begonia Capollonch |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | I really enjoyed this class. It was a great introduction to Spanish literature. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I don't know about credit transfer issues. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Terrorism or Terrorisms? |
Course Department: | don't know |
Instructor: | Various: team taught |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | I would have preferred this class be more about terrorism in the world rather than just US specific, especially because Spain had terrorist incidents in the past 20 years. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I don't know about credit transfer issues. |