Past Review
By Benjamin T (International Business., University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) for
ISA Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain
I learned a lot about European culture, particularly Spanish and Southern European culture. My Spanish skills also improved a bit, I learned a lot of new vocabulary specific to Castilian Spanish in particular.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Some of the major assignments didn't have rubrics so it made it difficult trying to understand exactly what the professor was looking for. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Neighborhood: Gracia, Barcelona Address: Carrer Denia 26 I thought the housing was good. I lived in a 4 bedroom apartment with another student and a host family. There were good meals everyday and there was cable tv and high speed internet at the apartment. <br /><br /> I felt the neighborhood was very safe, and the apartment I stayed at was only a few blocks from a metro station so it was very easy to come and go. |
| * Food: |
The host family prepared a variety of dishes and there was always plenty of food (usually more than we could eat). As for dining at restaurants in Barcelona - there were tons of little cafes and restaurants throughout the city as well as major American chains (i.e. McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.) to choose from. Generally you could have a full course lunch (menu del dia) for under 15 euro and tax/tip were included in the price. Many bars and restaurants also had small appetizers (tapas) for pretty cheap. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There was a ton to do in Spain while I was there. There were football (soccer) games, bullfights, museums/parks, etc. Barcelona is on the coast so there were beaches too. I took trips within Spain to Pamplona (for the Running of the Bulls), Tarragona (to go to the Universal Studios Port Aventura amusement park) and Costa Brava (for the beaches). Barcelona also had an amazing night life - tons of clubs and discotecas. |
| * Safety: |
A few people in my program were pick-pocketed, but generally they weren't very aware of their surroundings (i.e. one person was pick-pocketed while he was coming home from a club late at night and he was intoxicated at the time). If you were vigilant you probably wouldn't have any problems. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | My major expenses in Barcelona were entertainment (bars, clubs, etc.), transportation (Metro, taxi, etc.) and souvenirs (soccer jerseys and other clothing mainly, since I was there during the World Cup). Occasionally I would eat out with friends at restaurants but most of the time I ate meals prepared by my host family. I generally spent about 100 Euros a week give or take depending on the situation. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Everything in Europe is more expensive than in the states, so I would just say to keep that in mind when preparing a budget. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you are looking to improve your Spanish but would like to travel to other places in Europe while you're over there then Spain is perfect. |
