Overall Great Experience Past Review
By A student (University of Tulsa) - abroad from 01/11/2016 to 04/21/2016 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
I learned how to enjoy the present moment for what it is.
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. |
IES prides itself in being rigorous. This rigor comes from a set of requirements that each course has to adhere to, but does not always do so in the most efficient way. For example, having to write 7-12 page essays in most of your classes is not ideal when you wait last minute and have to study for finals. This was a problem many of my study abroad peers fell into. Most of the professors I had clearly laid out the guidelines for the course they taught. If they didn't, then that professor turned out to not be very organized and the course ended up being exceptionally easy (this happened with one course I took). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES staff are AMAZING. One member allowed me to use her personal scanner for documents I needed to send back to the U.S. ASAP, and yet another spent nearly an hour helping me plan an independent excursion along the coast of Spain. This kind of dedication to students is unmatched and I cannot speak highly enough of the amazing character of the IES staff. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I can only speak to my individual experience, as I had many friends who had quite different ones. I will admit that I had a rough homestay situation due to sanitary issues. The house was dirty and there was dog hair everywhere. However, the staff at IES were very willing to listen and help me in whatever way I needed. They spoke with my host family and I was given the option to move out. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Barcelona is very cosmopolitan. If you want to become completely immersed in the culture and be forced to learn the language, it is possible but you have to work very hard to do so. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I required healthcare three times during the program. IES staff set up my appointments and helped me every step of the way. I caught a very bad stomach virus during my time in Barcelona, but the staff and professors were very accommodating. |
| * Safety: |
Do not go out alone during the night. Barcelona is known for petty crime, such as pit-pocketing. Otherwise, the city feels very safe and secure with police all around. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Going abroad can be tough. Not everything is going to be just as you imagined, or wished, it would be. But the best way to make the most out of every situation is to make it yours. Studying in Barcelona was a fantastic experience made all the more better by the community of friends and IES staff that surrounded me. IES provided me the opportunity to see (and build) my first castelle, visit ancient Roman ruins, explore antique cathedrals, volunteer in a children's hospital, and run my very first 15k...in SPAIN! I enjoyed cultural excursions to ancient cities and took in the sights and wonders of local Barcelona city life. In fact, the amount of cultural excursions and day trips I went on were amazing! Many of my study abroad peers did not take advantage of these opportunities and severely missed out. I would highly recommend signing up for as many as you are interested in (and can afford). Most are well-organized and best to sign up for via IES. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes it could be just as easy (and fun) to get a group of friends and visit a place on your own time and dime. IES Barcelona is a very well-established program with exceptional staff. The reason I would not choose to go on this program again is because of the issues I had with my homestay (which will be different for everyone) and because of the location (which is not due to IES). I think I would have preferred a smaller city with a more immersive atmosphere. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Barcelona and made the most out of my experience by traveling independently and exploring other countries, cities, and landmarks. |
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? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Utilize the program-supplied food. It may not always be the best, but it will save you money for things you want to buy elsewhere. |
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? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate I |
| 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? | Practice with your roommates. Hold each other accountable. It is so easy to fall into the trap of speaking English with your friends, but forcing each other to speak Spanish is the best way for each of you to learn. |
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? | The amount of people attending the same program, including disciplines of study. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Sports and Society in Spain |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Ignasi |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Boring class, often cancelled. I was hoping for a more engaging course, but I think because they added this section last-minute that I didn't receive the primary professor for the course and missed out. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | no |
| Course Name/Rating: |
The American Century: US Policy in Western Europe |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Josep |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Amazing course, very detailed. I am not a history major nor am I required to take history courses (my major is biochemistry), but this course had great field studies and is taught extremely well and organized. You must write a research paper, but it is a topic of your own choosing and the professor is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
