Unforgettable!! :) Past Review
By A student (Business Finance, Trinity University) - abroad from 05/19/2012 to 06/30/2012 with
NRCSA: Salamanca - EIS
It was definitely worthwhile. Having to navigate by myself in a country that I didn't speak the language definitely taught me a lot and was motivation to learn Spanish, which is why I went there in the first place.
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 went to Spain knowing zero Spanish and after 6 weeks, I can now hold a conversation. I LOVED Estudio Sampere and recommend it to everyone. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Esther was great; she helped with any questions we had and made sure she gave us thorough answers to everything. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Honestly I'm considering spending my entire summer next year in Spain simply because my host mom (Pilar Pascua) was absolutely wonderful. |
| * Food: |
Again, Pilar was amazing, she gave us authentic food and made sure we got to try a lot of different Spanish foods. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish I had been in Salamanca during the school year so there would have been more people my age, however I loved the people and the atmosphere of Spain. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The only health issue I had was with a pollen allergy, and I simply went to a pharmacy and they gave me what I needed. |
| * Safety: |
My apartment was in a quieter part of town and at night it was a little scary. At first I was taking taxis to the plaza at night but I quickly realized that it wasn't necessary. Salamanca was a very very safe city and I felt comfortable going out by myself and coming back home at any hour. I wouldn't say safety was an issue at all for me. |
| 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) |
My main problem with money was the conversion and ATM costs. I would take out 100 euros and it would take nearly $200 out of my account. Everything seems so cheap in Spain but once you take the conversion costs into account, on top of the fees the Spain banks and the US banks charge you, it adds up really quickly. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | My program didn't include lunch so I'd say around $150-$200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring cash and transfer it to euros (all at once so you only have one bank fee) and only use that amount. Only use your debit/credit card for emergencies because even though it's easier to use plastic, it costs you a lot more. |
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 weren't allowed to speak English or any other language other than Spanish at the school. Also, my host mom wouldn't let me speak English which is what made me learn so quickly. It was really difficult at first but I'm glad the school and Pilar forced me to practice so I would get better. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't speak English unless you absolutely have to, like when you don't know how to say it in Spanish. Even then, ask how to say it in Spanish so you can know for the next time. Practice is really the best way to learn. |
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? | It was difficult to go to other cities from Salamanca because you must go through Madrid first. Whether you want to go by plane, train, or bus, you have to get to Madrid first and that adds to your expense and time. |
