An unforgettable semester focused on expanding my definition of adventurous. Past Review
By Shannon (Pacific Lutheran University) - abroad from 01/07/2016 to 04/22/2016 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
I had never lived far away from home (my college is within an hour from my family home) and this experience showed me that I could indeed live far away. Thanks to the great technology we have now, I was able to frequently message and Facetime my family and friends and so I never really missed them. I loved living abroad and having a new culture to get accustomed to, a chance to make new friends, etc. Without a doubt, it was worthwhile! Not to mention, now I can say that finishing up my last year at college and then going into an unknown chapter of my life is not nearly as scary, as I just lived abroad for 4 months without any hesitating what-so-ever.
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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. |
I enjoyed all 5 of my classes. My Art class on art in regards to international events (AH 230) allowed me to learn more than I ever would have on my own about the history of Barcelona. My Spanish language class (SP 362 03) gave me a lifelong group of friends that I will treasure forever as well as a professor that I would most definitely meet up with again if/when I return to BCN. All of my professors designed thoughtful courses, cared about their students, and really knew their material. I was very impressed by IES instructors and courses. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faculty and staff were nothing short of exceptional. So helpful, so fun, and genuinely great people. Some of my favorite memories include chatting with Cesar (the head of the program). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay family was phenomenal. They not only went over and beyond to make us feel welcomed, but they also challenged us to work on our language skills, engage in the culture, and to love Barcelona. The house was clean, my siblings were fun, and our parents loved us like we were their own. |
| * Food: |
Patatas Bravas, Sangria, Paella (or Fideua), Crema Catalana... what could be better?! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I tried my best to get integrated, but with all the weekend trips to other parts of Spain and Europe and the weekdays filled with classes and homework, there wasn't as much time as I would have liked. That being said, I did go to several festivals, saw both a Catalan and Spanish musical, became friends with a local, and volunteered in an elementary school. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Thankfully, I did not have any big health issues while I was in Barcelona. I did visit the foot specialist to be sure that I did not have a stress fracture from all the walking I did over Spring break in Italy though! I found that they had the whole process very streamlined and quick. Two of my friends ended up with tonsillitis and they said the visits to the doctors were super easy and very successful in getting them healthy again. |
| * Safety: |
Anytime there was a potential for any disruption to students, an email was sent alerting us and warning us what to do (for example, a strike of metros, or when the Mobile World was coming to town). When the terrorist attack in Brussels occurred and even the bus crash near Valencia, the IES staff emailed and texted us asking us to reply ASAP and even asked us to say who we were with. In the case of Brussels, my mom said she knew about the attack from IES before she even saw it on CNN. In regards to health, I thankfully only needed to go to the doctors for a non-emergency appointment for my foot, and IES set it up for me and gave me instructions on how to go. It was so helpful and made it go very smoothly. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this study away program. From the caring staff and faculty, to my incredible host family, to the interesting classes, to the life-long friends I made, I will never look back with any regrets. |
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) |
It really depended on the week. On a week where I was not traveling during the weekend, I spent probably $100, since I only had to buy lunch. Any time I traveled, it was a bit more since I had to add in paying for 2 more meals a day. |
| 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? | I'd say to set realistic budgets before going, like $10 for lunch, and then stick to it. If one day you spend more, just know that the next day you should find a way to eat for less. Maybe that means forgoing a fruit smoothie with lunch or packing a sack lunch. My friends and I knew when we splurged then we had to be cheap the next day. But, it all worked out, and I never went hungry! |
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 |
We all had to take a Spanish language class. As I was a Spanish minor, my class was a pretty high level, Conversational Emerging Independent Abroad II. In addition, I took a class in Spanish on Spanish Cinema. Aside from these, I felt like it was a very Americanized program. I would have liked to have needed to use my Spanish more. That being said, I could have tried to speak Spanish more with my friends but we always defaulted to English as it was easier (especially since some of my friends were beginner). |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had taken Spanish in college for 4 semesters |
| 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? | I suggest to really try. I am a perfectionist which definitely held me back. For my friends who were not, they progressed so quickly in becoming more conversational since they did not care if they were not perfectly right; everyone understood them enough. |
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? | I think knowing that Catalan is the official language and used most predominantly with locals would have been a good thing to know. In more cases than not, the wait staff in restaurants, the store owners, (everyone we came into contact with), preferred to talk to us in English versus Spanish since they never actually use Spanish (between Catalan and English). That being said, if I had actually researched before going, I may have discovered that. |
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. |
