Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Barcelona: THE TIME OF MY LIFE Past Review

By (B.S Business Administration, Trinity University) for

ISA Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Became more independent and realized how much I still have to learn and how much there is left to see.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Almost NO workload until the last 2-3 weeks of class. Grading system is VERY different, a 7/10 is considered a good grade. It is very difficult to get more than an 8. When studying for an exam don't expect a study guide and exams usually consist of 3-4 questions out of weeks and weeks of class and 300+ power point slides.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Super accessible, nice staff. They were always there to help you with whatever you needed, even if you just wanted a restaurant recommendation. Very nice people.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Beautiful apartment with a great location. Always felt safe. The apartment came with everything I needed. It was a bit far from class but just a 9 Euro cab away from the clubs!

* Food:

Cooked for myself or went out to eat. Grocery shopping is quite cheap.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Loved how ISA recieved us in Madrid it was a great time in a great hotel. The trip to Toledo and Valencia were amazing too.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

There is always the issue with pick-pocketing however this did not occur to me once in my 4 months in BCN. I guess you just need to be aware of your things at all time.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 200 Euros per week in groceries, eating out, partying, and shopping.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Partying is expensive.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My Apartment
  • The City
  • The Staff
* What could be improved?
  • University locations
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I am not American, therefore it was easy for me to break away from the people in my program. However I think Americans should try to mix more with the international students and locals. It will give you a greater perspective of the world. Also, don't drink to get wasted, that is not the country's culture and they mock the abroad students who usually take part in this behavior. Go out and have fun, but don't make a fool out of yourself. Students who are outgoing, adventurous and like to party will LOVE Barcelona.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Marketing
Course Department: INTL MKTG
Instructor: Gabriel Izard
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Teacher has difficulty with English. American students had trouble understanding him. His exam questions are difficult to comprehend since he cannot express himself well in English.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

A Greater Middle East
Course Department:
Instructor: Antoni Raja-i-Vich
Instruction Language: English
Comments: MESSIEST COURSE IN MY COLLEGE CARREER. Teacher goes off subject most of the time. Difficult to comprehend his train of thought. Brilliant man and interesting, however do not take this class if you want to get good grades.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Mediterranean Culture and History
Course Department: HIST
Instructor: Antoni Raja-i-Vich
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Same thing as above.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cross Cultural Management
Course Department: CCMGMT
Instructor: Jean Philippe Charles
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Easy class. You might get bored at times, however it is not difficult at all and it is sometimes interesting. Teacher does not like people who skip a lot of class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

International Business
Course Department: INTL BUSN 1
Instructor: Jorge Mongay
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Best professor out of the 4 I had. He actually knows what he is talking about and has the hands on experience to back it up. Challenging exams however you will be fine if you attend class regularly.
Credit Transfer Issues: