My Superb Spanish Summer Past Review
By A student (International Business/Spanish, University of Texas - Arlington) - abroad from 06/22/2012 to 07/28/2012 with
ISA Study Abroad in Salamanca, Spain
Language proficiency/experience. An appreciation of different cultures and the similarities we all share. A sense of being "out of pocket" which everyone should experience. Definitely worthwhile!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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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? |
Choosing to live in a homestay was one of the best choices I made on my program. It definitely made the study abroad experience much, much richer and allowed me to not only use my Spanish more frequently than students in residencias, but also to get some exposure to Spanish culture. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to get some medicine from the pharmacy to take care of a cough. No prescription needed and it was easy to communicate what I needed. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Salamanca during my entire stay. Although I heard of a few incidents (especially towards the end of my program), I never experienced any trouble or felt in danger and I walked home by myself a night or two (which I would not recommend). The best advice is to always have someone with you after 10:30 or so and use common sense - know where you're going and pay attention to your surroundings. |
| 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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~120, including souvenirs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My best advice is to have a budget before you go, and stick to it. Plan to use cash instead of a debit/credit card because not only is it more widely accepted, but it also helps you keep track of what you're spending and if you're sticking to your budget or not. Use your debit card to withdraw the money you'll use for two weeks (taking out two weeks worth at a time saves you on ATM fees) and then put your debit card away!! Also, if you're going to bring a credit card, investigate the possibility of getting a card that has no international transaction fee; that way you won't be charged a fee for using your credit card to make purchases abroad, just the conversion fee between currencies. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish Composition through Literature |
| 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? | MAKE SPANISH FRIENDS! The best thing you can do, BY FAR, is to get out around Spanish people and make friends. Intercambios are a great way to meet Spaniards, so definitely take advantage of them if they are available where you are. Other than that, encourage your American/English-speaking friends to speak Spanish among each other (especially out and about) and speak Spanish WHENEVER you have the opportunity to do so. Some Spaniards will try to speak English to you because they want to practice and/or they assume it will make it easier for you, but you can always politely say (in Spanish) that you prefer to speak Spanish. Practice makes perfect! |
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 importance of getting to know locals and how fast it will all be over. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
