Finally Became an Adult in Barcelona Past Review
By Rebecca H (Business Administration, Fordham University) for
La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull: Barcelona - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Despite some of my complaints and struggles, my overall experience was worthwhile and very rewarding. I learned how to live independently in a foreign country, deal with landlords and apartment issues, fight for visas, etc. . . all in my second language. I feel that I understand Europe much better as a whole, and I know many more nuanced differences amongst its people groups. I understand more about how US citizens are viewed abroad, as well as Europe's part in the global financial crisis. I plan on using my language skills in my upcoming job (sales and trade with LatAm emerging markets), and I am also considering drawing upon my study abroad connections and experiences to write my senior undergrad thesis.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was less overall than I experience in the US, but the classes were still more challenging because of the language barrier. The grading system is very different from the one used in the US, and I felt that neither my Spanish professors nor my home university's study abroad office took proper steps to reconcile this difference. I think that I benefited overall from the challenges with the language and relating with my Spanish professors; however, the stress of getting my credits to transfer back to the US significantly hampered me from enjoying the remainder of my study abroad experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I liked the fact that the on-site advisors were always available to meet and tried their best to help out with any problems that I had. They were very accessible and friendly, and the program as a whole was fairly small, which helped with this dynamic. The program's key weakness was that the advisors did not know their own university classes well enough to give proper class recommendations for foreign students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was very central for nightlife and the major sights in the city. I loved living independently and learning to survive on my own in a foreign country. My apartment was already fully furnished upon my arrival, and my apartment manager proved very helpful throughout my time there. However, the neighborhood was not very safe, and I had to commute about 40 minutes to school. |
| * Food: |
You can save a lot of money by grocery shopping and cooking for yourself. There are many markets and small stores that make Spanish food very affordable. When out, you should treat yourself to authentic foods such as tapas and paellas. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My program provided very little of these experiences. I had to arrange them for myself. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
My program offered no health or safety help or advice. My advice is to find a doctor online before you go so that you're not searching for one while you're ill. |
| 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? | I spent about $200/week on average. If I had not been booking flights and travel to other countries, I could have spent far less. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | n/a |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPAN 2601 (Spanish Conversation and Composition) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the language mostly with my professors and local classmates. I needed to use Spanish in everyday interactions at school, but not in my apartment since I lived with an American. Most people could speak broken English if necessary. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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 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 chose this program because it was the only fall program in Spain that accepted all of my financial aid. If you desire Spanish fluency, have to study abroad in the fall, and need to save money, then I highly recommend this program. If you are able to go abroad in the Spring, I would suggest Fordham's Granada program or something that is more structured and involves more help from the university. |
