Everything about my program was perfect Past Review
By Nicole Affleck (University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill) - abroad from 09/05/2016 to 12/21/2016 with
IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language
In addition to a massive improvement in my Spanish, I gained incredible friends, a sense that I have a second home in Granada (in the city and with my host family), and an incredible exposure to new cultures, new people, and new perspectives. It was unquestionably worthwhile.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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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? |
Yes
Every single aspect of my time in Granada - my homestay, the program administration, the friends I made, the city itself - was amazing. The small program size was perfect for meeting life-long friends and getting to know the staff. |
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? | Less than 50 euros (not including travel) |
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 |
4 out of the 5 classes I took were in Spanish, and I never spoke English at my homestay. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPAN344 |
| 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? | Don't be afraid to make mistakes! Just speak it as much as you can and soon it will become second nature. |
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? | That I didn't need to worry so much. All of the things I was the most worried about - making friends, liking my host family, and liking the city of Granada - each ended up being the things that were the easiest when I got there. |
