Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Program as Heated as the Spanish Sun Past Review

By (KU) - abroad from 07/05/2015 to 08/01/2015 with

Oxbridge Academic Programs: Barcelona - Oxbridge in Barcelona

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I definitely developed my Spanish, which was my main goal. I earned many friends. It was definitely the best month of my life.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration of the programme was perfect. They were always available when we needed something or to simply speak to someone. They attended all our problems and solved them as quickly as possible. Our parents received e-mails about the activities we did periodically so they always knew what was going on.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We stayed in rooms of two. Our roommate was from another country and another major class. This allowed us to meet even more people. My roommate was from the US and I actually learned a lot about her country. Each room had two beds, two desks, two wardrobes and a bathroom.

* Food:

We went to a restaurant adjacent to our building for breakfast and dinner. We had different options and the dinner options changed every night. We had to find a place to eat lunch ourself but since there was a mall and many restaurants nearby, it wasn't much of a problem.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Every day, we were able to choose from multiple activities. There were dance classes, cultural trips, tapas workshops, guest speakers and even some trips to malls. At the end of the month, I felt like I had experienced the whole Spanish culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

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)

Since the dinner, breakfast and the activities we attended were included in the price of the programme, all we had to pay for was lunch and other expenses.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 80-90 $
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Some people went a little overboard with shopping. I tried to avoid going in the shops that were already available in my country. Also, asking the teachers about cheap but nice places to eat is a great idea since you don't want to spend too much on lunch but the cheap places might also get you sick.

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

Since I had a Spanish course, I already had to use the language but other than that, my friends and I tried to use more and more Spanish each day. We ordered our food in Spanish and spoke to the administration with a mix of Spanish and English. By the end of the programme, it turned into fully Spanish.

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had only taken the school course which is the beginner 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 use it as much as possible. Don't be scared of making mistakes or not being able to find the right word. Practice makes perfect.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The activities
  • My classes
  • The students that attended
* What could be improved?
  • More options for breakfast?
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? A single bottle of sunscreen wasn't enough. Be prepared. Carry water bottles with you at all times.

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 Linguist
You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Creative Writing - Major
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: The course itself wasn't challenging since the teacher nor the other students in the group judged others about their writing skills. We gave each other feedback on our short stories and actually developed our skills better this way. We didn't spend a single class in the classroom. Our teacher took us to cafes, parks, museums... We went to the places Spanish poets went to get inspired, we visited an art gallery and wrote a short piece on a painting that we chose, we went to a Cathedral and tried to write the story of someone who helped build it. The teacher was more than prepared. He knew exactly how to get us inspired and all the activities that we did were specifically chosen. The most homework we had was to type the stories we had written by hand during class time since all the activities were done during the class. I found myself enjoying the other four students and we all became good friends. I hadn't expected the classes to actually be fun as well as educating.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Conversational Spanish - Minor
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: We were separated into two groups based on our Spanish knowledge so the people in each group did different activities. This allowed us to be more comfortable since being around people who had been learning Spanish for six years would be encouraging for beginners. We spent half our class time in the classroom and the other half going out to speak to people. We had conversations with strangers, asked for directions, learned a paella recipe... At the end of the month, I could go through my daily life fully in Spanish without struggling much.
Credit Transfer Issues: