Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing program! Past Review

By (Smith College) - abroad from 01/25/2019 to 05/27/2019 with

PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a better grasp of Spanish, and how to manage myself abroad long term. It was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administrators of this program go above and beyond for you. They really do their best to accommodate any requests you make, from helping you to find a piano to practice on, to helping you find a summer internship in town.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host moms! They were amazing- one of my favorite parts of the program.

* Food:

Host mom cooking was amazing, couldn't have been better.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Living with host parents and direct enrolling in classes made me feel pretty integrated. Hard to make Spanish friends, but I know my program tried.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, but the staff seemed very willing to help should anybody need it, and I had a friend who attended the program last year who did have severe medical problems and couldn't speak highly enough about how the program directors treated the situation and her.

* Safety:

Felt totally safe the whole time.

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)

Given that you don't have to spend any money on food that you don't want to, no rent (all of this is paid beforehand through the program) the day to day costs aren't bad. Obviously if you would like to go out, travel, buy clothes, etc. that will cost you.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30 dollars was my highest cost one week, because it was finals and I kept buying myself snacks.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save up as much as you can, use the cultural funds they give you wisely, and be careful about how much you go out to cafes, and buy clothes.

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

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? 200 level courses
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Host families
  • The town
  • Food
* What could be improved?
  • Making friends with the locals
  • More Spanish grammar classes.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You have to decide that you're speaking Spanish. Don't be scared you can do 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 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!