Enamored with Barcelona Past Review
By A student (University of Missouri - Columbia) - abroad from 01/09/2017 to 04/27/2017 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
I gained a lot of insight into the culture of Barcelona and Catalunya as a whole, as well as experiences in different countries as I traveled during my stay. Also important – I learned a lot about myself and how to manage challenging/stressful situations.
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. |
The program was not academically challenging, but I did learn. It wasn't time-consuming, was flexible, and allowed me to explore and immerse myself in a new culture while still learning in the classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration and resources I had were very comforting. The folks working in the program really wanted to help you explore and succeed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was amazing! I still keep in contact with them. It's definitely a variable, because everyone has a different experience and relationship with their host family. |
| * Food: |
The food was incredible – from the dinners my host family gave me, to the paella, the calçots (a traditional Catalan dish), etc. I am gluten intolerant, so sometimes finding a quick to-go meal was difficult. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One flaw about this program is that they didn't do enough cultural immersion with locals. I did make sure to educate myself and talk with my host family, so I did feel like I learned a lot. However, I had barely any contact with the locals at times. That needs to improve. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The only health problem I had was when my eyes swelled shut for no reason (weird, I know). Luckily, there was a farmacía right down the street and they were very helpful! The Spanish healthcare system overall is way better than that of the US. It's more affordable and more accessible. |
| * Safety: |
The only issue is pick-pocketing. I never got pick-pocketed because I kept one hand on my purse while walking. Other than that, the program informed us of the areas to avoid at night and I had no issue with safety. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Yes and No. I am grateful that I had such a solid support system and easy transition into life in Barcelona, but I wish that I had more classes and experience with locals that the program did not provide. So if I was doing it again for the first time, I may have gone with the same program. But if I was returning for another study abroad experience, no. |
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) |
I spent 3.50 € per day on a salad or 5 € on a bocadillo (sandwich). Some students had credit cards so it was easier to spend money. I did not, so sometimes the money costs added up. However, Barcelona's food options are insanely cheap if you know where to go (stay out of the tourist areas!). |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30 € |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy food and make your own lunches! Save as many leftovers as you can. Also, be realistic about where you would like to travel in your off time. I planned a bunch of trips I didn't end up going on because of budget restrictions. |
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 |
I only used Spanish in my classes and with my host family. In the student lounge, everyone used English. |
| 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? | Spanish 3150 |
| 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 would converse with your host family as much as possible. I also met with some language partners as well throughout my stay. |
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 wish I knew about the lack of immersion with the locals. However, that does not detract from the incredible experience I had. The program definitely guided me in my first extended stay in another country. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
