La Coruña, hopefully see you soon! Past Review
By Nathalie Sanchez (University of California - Los Angeles / UCLA) - abroad from 06/16/2019 to 07/19/2019 with
Linguistic Horizons: Study Abroad and Intern in La Coruña
I learned that the only way to grow is to allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone! I was scared and intimidated to leave home, go to the other side of the world, immerse myself into a city where they speak only Spanish, and all alone! Would 10/10 do it again.
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. |
There were less than ten students in a classroom with one professor. Therefore, I was able to have multiple one-on-one conversations with professor, who was very approachable. The classroom size allowed for me to focus on improving my ability to confidently speak Spanish according to my personal level. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Nicole made the program stress free! She has everything planned out for you, literally. Although that may sound boring, Nicole structures your days so you have plenty of time to explore on your own and as a group. The Portugal trip is amazing, I 10/10 recommend. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing definitely makes you feel like a local. It is not luxurious, but honestly you'll most likely only find yourself at home to sleep and shower. The sun is out literally the whole day, use the extra sun time to explore. |
| * Food: |
TRY EVERYTHING! They cook bacalao(cod) in every which way possible, it's important to try them all. You won't be disappointment with the food here, I promise. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The extra cultural activities that Nicole had planned out invites you to participate in local events and traditions that give you a taste of what it's like to live there. Visiting any restaurant or taking a walk down the beach immediately immerses you socially, since everyone is speaking Spanish. I found myself getting into random short conversations with the regulars who would take the same train route I would take to my internship. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Although I did not find myself in the position to use the health care, Nicole let us know exactly where we needed to go or who we needed to call if something of that nature would occur. She also makes herself available, literally at whatever time, in case of an emergency. |
| * Safety: |
The safest and cleanest place I have ever visited. My posse and I would come back home late at night, 3:30ish AM, and we all felt comfortable walking back to our apartments. There are plenty of lights on all streets. |
| 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) |
It's very possible to live on a student's budget, especially if you know how to cook. Only reason I wasn't able to was because I agreed to an internship that was located in a different city. That cause me to take the train five days out of the week. That alone was expensive although totally worth it. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Little over 200 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook at home or go for tapas. |
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 |
Because La Coruña is a small city and tourism is not so high, majority of the people speak only Spanish. It basically forces you to carry out conversations in Spanish. This was something I loved because it forced me to become comfortable with the language and gain confidence. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Basic college level |
| 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 carry out common daily converstaions in Spanish before the program. Whatever you can't remeber, write it down, and incoorporate that into your daily convsertaions. Simply ask a lot of questions, watch shows in spanish, hear spanish music, etc. |
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 I would have done her program in Peru last summer! |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
