Study Abroad in Spain - Awesome experience! Past Review

By (Fort Lewis College) - abroad from 07/10/2017 to 07/01/2018 with

Linguistic Horizons: Study Abroad and Intern in La Coruña

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of clinical experience in my field of study and a lot of experience speaking Spanish. It was also very beneficial to be apart of another culture because I feel like it is very easy to get caught up in your own.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Both my internship and Spanish classes really pushed me to learn!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There was someone available 24/7 if you needed help with something

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I enjoyed the apartment and the people that I lived with, but it was at least a 40 minute walk for me to get anywhere.

* Food:

There were always good options, whether I was cooking for myself or going out

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I worked and lived with local people through this program and took Spanish at the local University so I was very well immersed.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any issues

* Safety:

There were some times when I was walking home late at night by myself that I felt a little scared, but other than that I felt perfectly safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Everything in this program is very personalized and they take very good care of you while you are there.

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)

If you budget, it is easy not to spend money. It was sometimes difficult though because everyone would go out for food/drinks and it is hard to tell yourself no.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50-100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? COOK YOUR OWN FOOD

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate Spanish 1
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? Don't be afraid to sound stupid. The best way to learn is buy trying and messing up.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Personalized
  • Full immersion
  • Take good care of you
* What could be improved?
  • Housing was far from everything
  • Spanish class content
  • Activities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The Spanish in Spain is a lot more difficult to understand than South/Central America