The Girls from Gran Via: Barcelona and Friendships Past Review
By Samantha G (Communication and Media Studies., Trinity University) for
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
Some of the teachers aren't too understanding of your problems but I learned a lot about the Spanish Civil War.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt like the courses were more difficult than they needed to be. Also there were a lot less assignments with more weight. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I didn't realize my program would be as large as it was. Also I wish I would have known Barcelona isn't they best place to learn Spanish since it is very touristy. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very close to class and las ramblas. About a 7 minute metro ride and 20 minute walk. |
| * Food: |
My apartment cooked food most of the time restaurants are expensive and not all that good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Field trips were fun and you got to see a lot when IES took you places. Mallorca was great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There are a lot of petty thefts but I never feared for my life. It is still advisable that you keep in pairs especially at night and in certain "touristy" areas where the pickpockets thrive. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* 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 25 euro a week at an apartment if you split it amongst your roommates. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Not all clubs are cheap and many require a cover. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
We would play games and fill out homework sheets. We were expected to talk in group of students who weren't fluent in Spanish. The professor did not teach very much. He wanted us to talk to each other but often we would have questions. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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