One of the best experiences of my life Past Review
By Nicholas Haddad (Curry College) - abroad from 08/28/2018 to 12/22/2018 with
Instituto Franklin-UAH: International Studies Program
I learned what it meant to get out of your comfort zone and to try new things. I gained a sense of courage. I also learned that what you get out of your experience abroad is how much effort you put into it. It was definitely worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Some classes are long and move fast but as long as you take notes you will do fine. Do not be afraid to ask the professors to repeat what they said, they will be happy to because they want you to understand and learn. The professors understand how important your experience is there. |
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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? |
In my one semester I lived with two host family's. The reason was because my first host mother needed to have an operation on her knee that would require sometime to recover so I was simply moved to another host family. Each host family took good care of me and made me feel welcome. Remember to never miss your meals and do not be afraid to check in with your host family about how the week is going for you or them, talk to them. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This will be up to you because you have to be willing to go and explore/learn the culture yourself. There are plenty of ways to do it whether talking to the people or asking the school. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Late in the fall semester I had a really bad pain coming from one of my teeth. My face swelled up a bit which was a clear sign that it was an infection. I required a root canal procedure. Luckily, there is an Asisa Dental clinic not too far from the school that took excellent care of me and relieved me of my pain. The procedure was not that expensive, if I remember correctly it cost me no more then 400 euros or roughly 450 US dollars, much cheaper than it is in the US. Huge thanks to Eva Piqueras who lead me in the right direction to resolve my issue. |
| * Safety: |
Remember to keep your passport on you if you're going to leave your house because it is your identification. School ID's are not nor the metro ID. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
In my opinion Franklin Institute was the best choice I made because of the location, the schools history, the administration, the students I met( whether in class or Erasmus Student Network) and so much more. |
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? | roughly 75-120 euros each week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | save your change, there's a lot you can do with it manage your funds early and not too late make a list of what you need based on importance because you know yourself the best |
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 |
You're only going to learn the language as much as you use it while you're abroad. I highly recommend you try even if you do not know that much. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | High School Spanish |
| 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? | Talk to people, your host family, their kids, your classmates, Erasmus etc. Even if you mess up someone will correct you and you will learn from it, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TRY. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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?
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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? | The culture |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
