Being in Valencia allowed me to finish my minor within a short amount of time Past Review

By (Nursing., Georgia College & State University) for

Georgia College and State University: Valencia - University of Valencia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes, I gained so much from my study abroad experience. Not only did I learn things about spanish, but I learned things about myself and about life. It was truly a life changing experience and something I will always cherish and never forget.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Universitat de Valencia (University of Valencia)
The term and year this program took place: Summer 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academic aspect was amazing. It allowed me to finish my minor within a short amount of time. Plus, I feel as if I learned so much more taking the classes in a country that spoke the language versus sitting in a classroom in America and learning the information because I was able to immediately apply what I learned to my surroundings.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were a couple of things that were unorganized once we were in Spain that caused the students some confusion, but overall it wa very organized and very well put together.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with all spanish-speaking students upon request and it was absolutely amazing. It was somewhat difficult at times because I had to communicate only in Spanish, but overall, amazing. <br /><br /> Very good.

* Food:

The meals were a mix between cafeteria food and local food. Some of it was interestng and some of it was very good.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were very good and there was a good balance between academic time and social time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Nobody really god sick or injured, so student health issues were not really addressed. I felt very safe throughout the entire program though.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I did not spend much on food since most of the meals were provided with the program. I occasionally ate at a restaurant or went out for ice cream, but that's it, so I maybe spent $20-$30 per week on food.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? none

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
Language acquisition improvement?

Living in a spanish-speaking country helped my spanish speaking skills improve greatly. I am so pleased with the results of the program.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be easy going and go with the flow with a positive attitude. That way, whatever happens, you're ready for it and get ready for the time of your life!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Grammar and Conversation

Course Department: SPAN 4110
Instructor: Adrian
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The course went into depth about the grammar of Spanish and we were required to speak about our experiences that we had with the program in class. I learned much about spanish grammar that I did not no prior to taking the class.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes, I had trouble getting the Registrar's office to accept the credit. I'm still waiting on the credit. Make sure that you know what credits you want and that all the credits will easily transfer, or else it's a pain to keep checking with the registrar's office.
Course Name/Rating:

Spanish Civilization

Course Department: SPAN 4450
Instructor: Maria
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This course was absolutely the best course I have ever taken in y life. There were fun homework assignments to get us acquainted with the culture but there were also difficult things to learn. It was an absolutely amazing course, and the way it was taught with lots of hands-on activities was the best.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.