I Survived Barcelona Past Review

By (Business, University of Colorado - Boulder) for

ISA Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Best 5 months of my life, I would give anything to go back. The friends I met I still keep in contact with and I'm very bad with keeping in contact with people when I'm not with them

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Autonomous University of Barcelona
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Pass/Fail.. Not as easy to get a 'C' Abroad as it is in the U.S. Wasn't expecting that my Spanish was 6 credits. Professors taught more then the class material, gave advice and shared stories about Barcelona, and Europe

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Paper thin walls. Also some of my friends had apartments where you could have 20 people in a room, shut the door and nothing could be heard

* Food:

I bought my own food at the store, I tried saving as much money as I could here so I could use it for traveling. I rarely ate out, but when I did the Tapas was sensational

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Started off with a trip to Madrid, I feel like it was yesterday. Hands down best nightlife in Europe

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Never felt unsafe even though I walked home a couple times from clubs at 5-7am

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
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? 1000% go abroad. Those who put themselves out there to experience the most they can would love this location. If you are one who sits at home on your computer every night, you will still have a good time, but you will be missing out on a lot. I had no computer the entire time i was abroad. Mine crashed 2 weeks into the program, and took 7 weeks to get back to the U.S.