A convenient escape from San Antonio Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took all IES classes and no University of Salamanca (USAL) or Pontificial University of Salamanca (UPSA) classes because understanding the quick Spanish of my academic advisor during my pre-registration appointment was hard enough. 2 of my IES professors assigned a lot of work (plus it being in my second language dramatically increased the time all of it required), 2 were willing to modify the workload when we communicated our struggling and 1 was hot and cold. Due to the Spanish grammar (written and oral) placement test the program had us take the day after arriving (with jet lag, little to no sleep, anxiety from being abroad the first time) I was placed in the lowest of the three levels. At first I liked it because it left more time for me to work on my other classes, but eventually the juvenile exercises got boring and slightly insulting. As for resources, the computer lab located in the IES Center had consistent internet, a stapler, a scanner/faxer, and 2 printers, so that was good. I didn't use the libraries and internet cafés much, but I think the other students in the program did. The IES Center has limited hours of operation just like everything else in Spain but I was able to finish the things I needed to. Some of my classes required books which I bought at nearby librerías and donated to the small IES Center library (closet) right before leaving.

On-site administration of your program

I didn't interact with the administrators much but I heard other students talking about how they weren't understanding about academic struggles during November (the month when 8 page essays were due each Thursday). Also they were really strict about the "move out the day after your last final exam" rule, so it sucked for people with plane tickets many days after their official move-out days.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Well I did the homestay option instead of the residence hall option in order to get more cultural exposure and Spanish immersion. My bed was fine, I had a desk, bookshelf thing and wardrobe and I shared a nice bathroom with 1 housemate. My host was 82 but mobile. The house was usually cold so taking <10 minute showers was mild torture and I had to wear a lot of layers when I went to sleep at night. I should have asked my host for a desk lamp because at night the overhead light was pretty harsh.

At the beginning of the 3.5 months the food was 3.5 stars but by the end 2 stars. The Spanish breakfast was a joke: a cup of coffee or tea with some white-bread toast and jam. No protein to speak of, so I felt weak during my morning classes and my host got mad if I ate a snack in between meals but happy when I gorged myself uncomfortably on the large lunch. Eventually I asked her if I could eat yogurt for breakfast and things were going well until she mysteriously stopped buying yogurt...hmm. Once my housemate and I were served rice with seafood mixed in it that my host's extended family of 30 or so ate earlier for a son's birthday celebration. The seafood was rotten. We didn't say anything. My housemate scooped hers down the sink when the kitchen was vacated and I shoveled mine down my throat while chugging strong red wine in the hope of not tasting it. Moving on, the dishes that I did like were: >Crema de calabacín (con pan para mojar) >Pollo horneado con vino blanco y limón (+pan) >Pollo o pavo frito con harina >Patata, pimienta roja y zanahoria cocidas al vapor >Patatas fritas (with a lot of ketchup--that I added, por supuesto) >Tomate con sal, albahaca y aceite de oliva >Atún, tomate, maíz, pimienta roja, zanahoria triturada y lechuga >Yogur azucarado (marca: Asturiana) >Chorizo, lomo, jamón y la ternera se llama "brisket" (en inglés) >Sopa de fideo (+pan) >Espaguetis con salsa de nata y bacon >Espaguetis con la salsa casera de tomate y pimienta roja >Bocadillo de jamón ibérico >Macarones con salsa de tomate/pimienta y piezas de chorizo

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Haha...not very integrated. I didn't and don't speak Spanish fluently so that made it hard to develop friendships with locals. I also didn't take any USAL or UPSA classes, just IES classes, so I had no foot in the door with Spanish students. The University of Salamanca runs an informal "intercambio" program where you can meet for coffee or tapas with another student in order to practice your different respective languages, but I never felt masochistic enough to sign up. Some of the other IES students liked it though! I don't like alcohol or staying up until 4am very much so I didn't do the bars and dance clubs every night as my host abuela urged. I only went out twice during my 3.5 months abroad. The thrown-off sleep cycle is enough to make me useless the day after but the empty calories of alcohol are always the icing on top of the dysphoria cake. Although I'm under the impression that other young adults love 'partying'...so if you do, Salamanca is a great town for that (what with the two universities and 10 million bars). If you want to go out for tapas, churros con chocolate, hot chocolate, coffee, and/or ice cream a lot sign up for the residence hall instead of a homestay, because "3" meals are provided every day in the homestays so eating out wastes your money.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Thank goodness I didn't get pneumonia or break a bone, though if I did I could tell you something about the healthcare. Though I did get sick with several colds, maybe the flu, during my 3.5 months abroad so the 2-star rating applies to the limited hours of the pharmacies in Spain.

I was safe walking alone at 3 in the morning in the city because there are always other citizens on the streets then bar hopping or socializing. I think some IES students had phones or wallets stolen in bars/clubs in Salamanca but it was in Madrid where one's backpack was stolen. In Toledo a woman tried to steal my purse while I was trying to eat a delicious fruit tart...I yelled at her in English...but in Salamanca/Spain it's mostly pickpocketing and not stabbing/shooting.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

>Pay-as-I-go Movistar cellphone with sim card: 25 euros + ~30 euros in charge-ups >Ice-cream, pastries, chocolate, gummies, coffee, pinchos: 50 euros >Clothing bought in Spain: 150-200 euros (A good portion of that was the winter jacket, scarf, and hat) >Gifts for people including jewelry, candy, and soap: ~100 euros >Meals at restaurants in Spain, movie tickets: 80 euros >Cold medicine, cough drops, band-aids, hygiene products: 40 euros >Paris trip: expensive! 180 euros for flight, 50 euros for bus, ~30 euros for metro, 90 euros for hostel (5 nights), more euros for food and museums >School supplies/materials: 60 euros In sum, ~985 euros for 15 weeks is 66 euros a week which is $92/week.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program administrators and professors encouraged us to speak in Spanish but for the first month a lot of the 31 students didn't. It seemed strange to me because in all my Spanish classes (home university and highschool) English was banned.

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• Salamanca is a small city so when I got lost it wasn't life-threatening...
• I lived in a Spanish home with a Spanish woman and ate Spanish food so I have a greater understanding of the culture.

• Mandatory Spanish-speaking between IES students (unless it is an emergency situation)
• Better instructions for finding one's way around the city (memorize the orientation of the streets around the Plaza Mayor while using the large clock as a reference point)

The Academic or Linguist