Wow-its over?! Past Review
By Raquel B (Villanova University) - abroad from 01/10/2012 to 05/21/2012 with
IES Abroad: Madrid - IES Abroad in Madrid
That this world is a beautiful place with beautiful people. yes it was SO worthwhile.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad de Carlos III-Leganes |
| 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. |
The university was completely different from American Universities which is fine, I just wish I had been warned or better prepared. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES rocked! I wish they would have warned us about the difficulty of these classes, but overall just fantastic. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My senora cooked wonderfully, and was super kind. I just always felt constricted to my room, and a stranger in my own home. |
| * Food: |
My senora cooked SO well. Spanish cuisine in general was ok. But that is not any study abroad person's fault. The restaurants IES always took us too were GREAT. |
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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? |
not sure... |
| * Safety: |
I felt safer in Madrid than in my own home and my own university in the United States. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | between 30-70 a week. Depending if I traveled. It varied greatly |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Couchsurf! It is the best experience ever, and FREE. |
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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | AP Spanish in high school |
| 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? | Get away from americans, be bold and make foreign friends. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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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 it is impossible to pass classes in Spain. It takes 8 years to get a bachelors in Engineering-what?! I could be a doctor by then! |
