It changed my life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was reasonable, I had to study for exams and I had daily homework assignments. The workload was not excessive or to the point where I couldn't explore and enjoy the city and culture of Spain. The grading scale was much different; they based it on a scale of 1-10, although students RARELY get 10s (but it depends on the professor). I found the translation class to be the most helpful because he explained common errors that students make when trying to convey an english thought into a spanish phrase and WHY it is organized the way it is.

On-site administration of your program

The host institution was very organized and helpful. My baggage was lost for a month and Reme (one of the site directors) worked her butt off trying to get my bag back to me. Carmen (another site director) led a mandatory class on the culture and customs and how they differed from American culture, offered information about local events and encouraged us to immerse ourselves in the culture.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My house was central to almost everything in the city and I was able to walk to any destination. It took me 10 minutes to walk to class and about 8 to walk to the main nightlife plaza. The neighborhood was very safe and I never felt unsafe while I was there. The program provided my family with school supplies for me and the only items I had to buy were shampoo/conditioner when I arrived. My host family treated me as a family member and did everything within their power to make me feel at home. Leaving their family was a very emotional experience and I plan on returning to visit them as soon as I can.

While I was in Oviedo, i never had to pay for food because my host family provided 3 meals/day and my host mom gave me permission to eat whatever I wanted whenever I was hungry (unless she had it set aside for lunch/dinner). I never went hungry while I was there. I ate out at a pizzeria and a family-friends restaurant a couple times. The Doner Kebab shops were always delicious and filling as well.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There was a large awards ceremony (similar to the grammys) that was held at the Teatro Campamor and practically half of the city waited outside to greet the celebrities. There were also many Futbol games that our program encouraged us to watch in a sports bar so that we could get a feel for how seriously the Spaniards took their "soccer." They also took us to covadonga/el museo de sidra/llanes, which are all different cities within Asturias (the province we were in), these outings helped us understand the history of northern Spain and all of the changes that have taken place to make the culture what it is today.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Safety was emphasized-they didn't want us walking home alone late and told us that a taxi was a better choice than us getting hurt. Oviedo is a very safe place and I never felt unsafe. I did develop a sinus infection while I was there and Reme and my host mom took me to the Dr where I paid £40 and was later reimbursed by the program's health insurance. The healthcare was a lot more relaxed and it seemed more natural than the treatment in the U.S.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I could practice the language with my fellow AHA students, my host family/friends, the teachers, etc. In Oviedo, it was very rare to hear people speaking english, and when I did hear it around town, it was usually other AHA students that I knew. I was forced to use Spanish on a daily basis because in restaurants/cafes/stores/etc people only spoke spanish (generally-with VERY few exceptions). no one in my host family spoke english, but they were patient and helped me to improve my speaking skills.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family