La Vida Andaluza Past Review
By A student (Oberlin College) - abroad from 01/24/2018 to 05/24/2018 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
I learned that one of the best ways to grow as a student, traveler, and person in general is to challenge yourself and embrace discomfort. The experience went by very quickly, so it also taught me more how to live in the moment.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The PRESHCO-specific courses are great, have enthusiastic professors, and an appropriate workload (enough to understand the material, but not enough that you can't enjoy life outside the classroom). The UCO classes, however, are not at all accommodating for international students. It was an interest cultural experience to participate in these classes, but they cause me a lot of stress, and I did not feel like the program provided adequate academic support. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The equipo (administrators) are very kind and welcoming, and I felt adequately supported by them in every sense except academically. The way the director interacted with us felt quite impersonal, and it did not feel like there was a sense of trust. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living with a host family was an amazing way to experience Cordobés culture. While there were certainly uncomfortable/awkward moments in terms of communication, I think this is all part of the experience. My host my was very welcoming! |
| * Food: |
Traditional Spanish food is delicious (especially tortilla!), put there was not enough fresh produce available. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I met a few great Spanish friends that helped me feel more integrated into the local culture, but I feel like the program did not really facilitate that. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 euro |
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? | HISP 302 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? |
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? | Córdoba is not your typical Spanish study abroad experience. It has a much more local feel than a big city like Madrid and Barcelona, and that can be either a good or bad thing, depending on what you make of it. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
