Unforgettable Past Review
By A student (Spanish Language and Literature., University of Hartford) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 12/15/2012 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
It was absolutely worthwhile; I learned so, so much from living with a family and getting to interact with others in the community. I'm so much more comfortable in unknown places and more confident that I can do things on my own.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
We had a lot of work- very immersive and we worked really hard all semester. We had class when the University didn't |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living with families and volunteering in the community really helped in getting a sense of the culture and how people live, rather than just living in a dorm with other students |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Good, I assume- I had no health problems during the semester |
| * Safety: |
I always felt pretty safe; you just have to look out for yourself late at night, but that really goes for anywhere in the world |
| 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) |
Luckily, Granada is a pretty cheap place |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | maybe only around 20 euro? A little more if we went out on the weekends, but we always had food at home. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Just be aware of how much time you have left, just to be sure you don't spend a lot of your money early in the semester. Try to plan ahead a bit. |
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? | 300 university 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? | Read books or magazines, watch tv shows or movies, listen to music- anything. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | Not to worry so much about not knowing things- no one is really sure of anything going into 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 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! |
