Santander: Life in Another Language Past Review
By Ali S (Chemical Engineering., University of Tulsa) for
ISA Study Abroad in Santander, Spain
Study abroad has given me a greater appreciation for different cultures. It hasn't changed any interests or future plans, but I am definitely more open to living abroad for a significant amount of time. I am very happy that I chose Europe because I was able to see so many different cultures in such a small area.
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. |
The workload was very manageable for a study abroad program. They made sure that we were able to experience the culture and not just be bogged down by constant studying. The classes were much smaller than expected. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration in Santander was excellent. The directors were very knowledgeable about Spain and pretty much anything else we asked about. If they didn't know something, they were very willing to help us find the answer.They were also very available to us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was great. They welcomed me into the family. Because they didn't speak English, I got a lot of exposure to and practice in Spanish. The location was good for me because it was close to nightlife and a little farther from school. |
| * Food: |
My family was very accommodating. Unfortunately, this meant that I did not eat on my own very much. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
With ISA, I had an excursion every other weekend. This was a great way for me to see the other areas close to Santander. If it weren't for ISA I would not have explored northern Spain as much as we did. I also enjoyed that our director planned random trips around Santander for us to see the city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I was not directly affected by any health issues, but I know those that were had immediate access to healthcare. As to safety, Santander is one of the safest cities I have been to. Because it is a smaller town, I never felt afraid to walk alone. I never thought anyone was going to mug me or anything. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
By living in a host family and participating in intercambios, I was able to greatly improve my speaking ability. Also, in the city where I was, only Spanish was spoken. It would have been difficult for someone who only spoke English to get around. |
| 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?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Prepare yourself for small classes with individual attention. As to nightlife, there is not a ton, but Santander has some of the best natural sites in the country. Come to Santander if you want language immersion, because that is what you are in for. |
