Past Review

By (HISTORY., The University of Texas at Austin) for

IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
yes it was worthwhile I had a great time

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months
The term and year this program took place: Spring 2010

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

classes very easy, however it would have been better without friday classes

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were usually very helpful but I did not like how you had to sign up for the trips and events at the beginning of the program so it passed me and other students by very quickly and I missed out.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My house mother and her two kids as well as a roommate from the program shared an apartment. The family was great and I'm very glad I decided to stay with a host family because it enhanced my experience. <br /><br /> already described above

* Food:

My host mother wasn't the greatest cook but she always had dinner ready and in general the food in Spain was a little bland.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Barcelona is a great city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

People got pick-pocketed frequently, however I think they were just irresponsible, I never did. One person had swine flu but they kept them away from school.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? No

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 4th Semester Spanish
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

It was hard to speak to anyone in Spanish outside of my host family or class. All the students were American so anyone I hung out with we just spoke in Enlgish

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Americans
* 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? Don't go if you want a really international experience

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

The City as a Place to Live: The Barcelona Experience

Course Department: AH 360 - 01
Instructor: Isabel Sanchez
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very enjoyable, I learned a lot of interesting information about Barcelona and the differences between cities in USA and Europe and the instructor was very enthusiastic.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Catalan Language for Beginners

Course Department: CT 101 - 01
Instructor: Jose Ingles
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: It was cool to learn some Catalan, because all the signs in Barcelona are in Catalan and everyone speaks it, including my host family.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cities and Urbanism in Europe and the USA

Course Department: US 365 - 01
Instructor: Jaume Font
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting enough, the instructor was not very experienced but the subject matter was new to me
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Grammar and Usage I

Course Department: SP 301 - 04
Instructor: Nieves Borrego
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Typical university Spanish class
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Sports and Society in Spain

Course Department: AN 320 - 03
Instructor: Ian Stephens
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great course, I learned a lot and was very interested.
Credit Transfer Issues: