Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The best 5 months of my life in Alicante Past Review

By (St. Joseph's College New York) - abroad from 01/06/2012 to 05/20/2012 with

Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience in Spain was more than worthwhile. It was easily the best 5 months of my life and completely changed my life. Before Spain I planned on coming home to NY, graduating and getting married in 5 years and living in NY for the rest of my life. Now, I don't have a plan and I don't believe in making plans. My number one goal right now is to keep practicing my Spanish and ultimately move back to Spain to teach English in 2 years. I learned that there is an entire world out there for me to explore and I learned that I am in control of my own future and I don't want anything or anyone else to keep me from that. I matured as a young adult and learned a lot about myself and the person that I want to be. I learned the appreciate the little things and not to take time or anything for granted. Spain taught me to relax and just enjoy the moment - to take life one day at a time. Probably the greatest things I gained were 1 - my improvement in Spanish and 2 - the friends that I made. I know that I will be friends with them for the rest of my life, no matter how far apart we live in the US.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

All of the professors were excellent and I learned so much.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was incredible. They made me feel right at home right away, I never felt uncomfortable, unwanted, or like a burden whatsoever. We had a great bond and they are a large part of what made my experience so amazing.

* Food:

The food was amazing! That's why I gained about 10 pounds...

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made so many friends and I never felt like an outsider in the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally never had any health issues, but a few of my friends who did never experienced any problems and were always taken care of immediately.

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe in Alicante until I got mugged on my last weekend. Fortunately I wasn't hurt and the only things stolen were my international phone and my camera.

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)

I spent more money than I would have liked, but I also did a lot of traveling, eating, drinking, etc.

* 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? 30 euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save as much as you can before you go, use your international phone and your bus cards sparingly

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

My host family didn't speak any English so I was forced to speak Spanish at home the entire time, which was great. I spoke English amongst my American friends, but mainly spoke Spanish with my international friends.

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? I am only 2 classes away from completing my major
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? Speak Spanish as much as possible with your American friends. Watch TV, read the newspaper, speak with your host family as much as possible, get a conversation partner. Don't rely on English. The more you practice, the more you improve.

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

  • 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?
  • Cynthia and Armando were very supportive. My classes were challenging but I never felt like I was in over my head. My host family was incredible. I felt right at home and was always taken care of. I made amazing friends. I learned so much about the culture. I was able to volunteer in a school teaching English, which is what I want to do in the future. The Camino de Santiago was an amazing experience.
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing, everything was great.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had been informed about my classes and my host family before I arrived in Spain, but other than that, Cynthia prepared me very well and was very supportive in answering all of my questions.