Unforgettable! Past Review
By Niru E A (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 05/21/2012 to 07/07/2012 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
Yes!!! I absolutely love Spain and I definitely want to live there someday. It fueled my passion for languages, people, new places and new experiences. It's given me much need guidance on how to invest my energies during my undergrad years
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. |
There were times when school work tended to be busy work. My grammar class felt redundant since I already had experience with the language. At the same time, class trips across Spain and within Barcelona made the overall experience very cultural and intriguing. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
If you really want to be immersed in the culture and learn the most Spanish you can, I recommend a home stay. My host parents were extremely kind and funny. Every day after dinner we would talk for about half an hour in Spanish; I learned the most from these conversations. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt pretty safe at all times. Just make sure you keep your wallet in a place were you can always feel it or stowed away entirely |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Around 30-40 euros. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you plan on being frugal, muster up your discipline and will power before getting Spain. Chances are you'll just feel like having a good time and forgetting about the money constantly leaking out of your wallet left and right. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Grammar and Composition in college |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | If you feel like watching a movie, watch it in Spanish. If you want to hear the news, listen to it in Spanish. If you want to speak, speak Spanish. Don't be afraid of not understanding or sounding awkward...both will happen anyway |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you plan on doing independent travel book cheap flights in advance that don't conflict with classes. Also, stay in Spain a little while longer or save up to travel with new friends after the program is over. |
