Barcelona: The Time of Your Life Past Review
By Sammie H (Sports Management and Early Childhood Education, The University of Texas at Austin) for
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
This trip was MORE than I could have wanted and expected. I met some amazing students from all over the nation, while also gaining the opportunity to immerse myself in the amazing Spanish culture and society.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload and the professors were perfect! There was still time to go out and have fun, while still learning! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES was VERY accessible and if there were any problems they were extremely helpful! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our housing was perfect location. I would recommend it to anyone! |
| * Food: |
Home stay definitely made eating much cheap and efficient and the food was AMAZING! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Make sure to do Spanish culture activties as well as the non touristy things. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The main issue is pick-pocketers. you have to be very aware and careful. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Home stay. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3 years of Spanish in High School |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I was required to speak the language in class, and since I was in a home stay I was forced to speak it at home as well. It fully emerged me in the culture and the language and I feel as though I learned more there then I could have in a classroom in America. |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Anopen-minded and adventurous student |
