Noche Viva August 17, 2022
By Yesica C (Spanish, Berea College) - abroad from 07/01/2022 to 07/31/2022 with
KIIS: Segovia - Experience Spain Summer Program
I learned how to get around through public transportation and I also learned to appreciate the things I might sometimes take for granted in the U.S. like air conditioning, water, and electricity. I learned about the Spanish culture and how different it is than my culture. It was definitely worthwhile and an experience I will always look back to.
Review Photos
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. |
I took two courses on my study abroad experience. I wouldn't say the courses were necessarily hard but it was difficult to balance the courses I took, especially with the work load. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Melissa was such a good administrator. She was very informative, helpful and a joy to be around. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mom was very sweet, she cooked delicious food and was very helpful with anything that I needed. |
| * Food: |
I always had three-course meals at my house and it was always delicious. My host mom always made sure to give us dessert or find some type of sweet we could enjoy after dinner or lunch. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt pretty integrated, being that I have Hispanic roots. However, it was kind of hard to get used to the way they go about small things like customs in restaurants, using public transportation, etc. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was accessible and we were given emergency numbers in case we had to contact someone about any issues. Any health issue that arose during the program was directed. |
| * Safety: |
Segovia was probably the safest city we could've gone to in Spain. It was a very calm, peaceful, and beautiful city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would choose a different program just to get a different experience in a different city. Not that there was anything wrong with this particular program, but I would like to experience the culture and traditions in other cities. |
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? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat your home meals as much as you can, and don't spend too much on outside food. However, enjoy the night life as much as you can because it might be one of the only times you're out of the country. |
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 |
We were told to always speak Spanish and to practice it at stores, restaurants and with our friends. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 315: Intro to Spanish 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? | Try to get as much practice as you can with your peers and with the outside world too |
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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| 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? | I wish they told us the distances between the house and school, nothing too bad that we needed to know but it would've been helpful to know. I would've also liked to know a little more about what clothes or shoes to primarily pack. It would've helped if we knew more details about the excursions. |
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! |
