I made lots of Córdobuddies in Córdoba Past Review
By Isabella Aldana (Smith College) - abroad from 01/24/2018 to 05/25/2018 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
I learned that I can do it. I had a lot of doubts about being able to study abroad in a country whose first language is not English. I am glad to have proven myself wrong. I have also learned that traveling and putting yourself out there (sometimes in uncomfortable social situations) is so rewarding at the end of the day. Finally, I learned so much about Spanish culture and history and customs and holidays. It is beautiful country and I have every intention of coming back some day.
Review Photos
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. |
The classes I took were not the most interesting and have little application to my studies at my home institute but for the sake of learning Spanish and taking classes in a foreign language, the professors were very kind, understanding and supportive. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
"The equipo" made Spain feel like home and were a huge part of helping me with the transition. Any doubts or questions that I had, they were there to answer whether it be in person or through Whatsapp messages late at night. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My physical housing was very accommodating but I had various issues with my host mother. Spanish woman are very opinionated and hard headed. |
| * Food: |
The food in Spain is amazing! Make sure to try all of their tapas. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Taking classes with the local university definitely helps integrate oneself into the culture. I also took dance classes and cooking classes while abroad (hosted by my study abroad institution). Nonetheless, I could have made more of an effort to integrate myself however Spaniards are a bit intimidating. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Going to a pharmacy here is like going to the clinic. The pharmacists are well educated and know exactly what products to suggest. I caught lice while abroad and had to go to a lice clinic. They were very nice and the establishment was very sanitary. As for the administrators of my study abroad program, they did all they could to help. One of them took me to the pharmacy and talked to the pharmacist for me. Others bought me products to use to prevent lice contamination. Finally, they helped perform lice checks. I am very grateful for having their help. |
| * Safety: |
Córdoba is a very safe city. Never once did I feel unsafe. Even walking alone at night was not a problem for me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I was originally thinking about study Spanish in a Latin American country. After having spent my semester abroad, I can now say that being in Europe was the better decision for me. I have every intention of still visiting/ working in Latin America however, because Europe is so similar to the US, Spain was a good stepping stone in my cultural exchange experiences. It was enough to be so far away from home in a country that is speaking a language I had not yet felt completely comfortable conversing in. I think the extra pressure of being in a country for four months whose culture is unlike the US would have just been another layer. This is not to say that I did not experience a bit of a culture shock in Spain, but it was very mild. I also had a very good experience with the people who are in charge of this program and made a lot of really good friends during the two week orientation tour. That is a support important suggestion. Make sure to make a community of support within the group you are abroad with because they will be your main source of support and encouragement while abroad. |
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) |
PRESCHO covers all your costs. This includes housing, three meals a day, transportation for school related events, books, etc. They even have a fund where if you spend x number of Euros (during my semester 350) on activities within Spain, you receive these as reimbursements. Finally, we have a program for "companeros." These are Spanish students who sign up to be your "friends" for the semester. This is a good way to work on integration. There are certain activities that you can plan with your companero that the program will reimburse the both of you for! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Very very little, close to none. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate courses. |
| 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? | For the sake of listening, learning new vocabulary, seeing grammar structures be created, and becoming familiar with accents, Netflix with subtitles is truly a gem. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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 had known when having problems with my host family, I should have mentioned something right away and not put myself through a semester of not feeling completely comfortable. It is literally the job of the program directors to help you feel adjusted so have no shame in raising concerns. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
