I had a Great Summer in Barcelona but it didn't Change my Life Past Review
By Claire G (PSYCHOLOGY., The University of Texas at Austin) for
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
I enjoyed studying abroad, but it did not change me or my future plans. I had lived abroad before and had had many of the experiences of learning to travel and be self-sufficient in a foreign country already. Barcelona was very touristy and very Americanized feeling and though there were a lot of places to seek culture, I did not meet a lot of people in my program that wanted to do that with me. I knew this going into the program, but needed to finish my Spanish credit which was the main reason I chose this program. Had I to do it all over again I would go somewhere less touched by the Western world that could have had more of an impact on me and my global outlook.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Everything was much more hands on in the sense that the learning took place in and outside of the classroom. In addition to this being obviously true for my Spanish classes and having to practice the language at all times, this was also true of my art history course. Rather than sitting in a classroom much of the art we were studying we went to look at first hand in the museums throughout Barcelona and Spain and it made the learning much more interesting and real. My studies have become a big stagnate in the States and having international professors, a small classroom, and a metropolitan enviornment that lent opportunities conducive to constant learning made the academic experience an enriching one. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program is very organized. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was very nice and the location was central. Much more spacious than I would have thought for Europe. |
| * Food: |
I just thought the Spanish food was too heavy |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I did not meet as many kids in my program with similar interests. However, I still had many great memories with the people I did meet and travelled to amazing places around in Spain. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | No, but some of the additional costs should be included after making you spend that much money to begin with. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish II |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
It was harder to practice Spanish in Barcelona because Catalan was spoken many places and the Spanish was a different sounding Spanish. Many times when I attempted to practice with locals on the streets or cab drivers they would just speak English to me. If someone wishes to learn the language I would first recommend studying somewhere such as Madrid or Southern Spain and also, live with a host family. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | if you want an exotic and very international experience, go somewhere less westernized that doesn't have such a focus on night life. it draws too many Americans |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Great 20th Century Painters- Dalí, Miró, Picasso |
| Course Department: | Art History 223 |
| Instructor: | Matthew Clear |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | It was challenging but very interesting. The course would have not been nearly the same had I not been in Barcelona and Matthew is an extremely knowledgeable instructor who I had immense respect for. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Intermediate Spanish in Context II |
| Course Department: | Spanish 202 |
| Instructor: | Josep Mª Contreras |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Fun and more hands-on than Spanish courses in the States. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
