A More-Than-Worthwhile Experience Past Review

By (Political Science and Government, Kenyon College) - abroad from 01/20/2015 to 05/22/2015 with

IES Abroad: Salamanca - Advanced Spanish Immersion

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The most important things I took away from my experience were a number of friends from different countries and a new appreciation for a different pace of living. I gained the first by joining an Ultimate Frisbee team and by being active in the social scene, and the second simply by walking around Salamanca and enjoying its beauty and the laid-back attitude of its residents.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

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? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish 363
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Flexibility
  • Variety
  • Facilitation of local cultural activities
* What could be improved?
  • More involved academic counseling prior to arrival
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had spent less time expecting that the experiences I had in Spain and the people I met would be so starkly different from those I know in the U.S.--in general, Spanish students are very similar to American students in their attitudes and values, and it is easy to identify with them.

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 Blazer
Craving 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.'