Study abroad in Spain with FORSPRO Past Review

By Danielle C (Industrial & Systems Engineering, SUNY - Binghamton) for

Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was absolutely worthwhile! I don't care how much money I spent, I would never take it back. I did things I hadn't even dreamed about doing. I can't even believe it happened! I also learned a lot of Spanish and now when I hear people talk I can say "Oh my gosh I understand that!" And I'm going to be much more tolerant of foreigners here because I know what it's like to not understand the culture/language, yet be immersed in it.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	Universidad Complutense
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The workload was fair, as was the grading system. Because the teachers were American the educational system was run the same as it is here in the states.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The office was open for about 7 hours each day if we needed assistance with anything. They taught us how to use the public transportation, where to find restaurants, etc. There was no stone left unturned by the staff.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Colegio Mayor Mara dormitory. Single rooms with private bathroom, closet, shelving, wireless internet. <br /><br /> Hotel was close to nightlife, safe, friendly...everything you could ask for. The dorm was comfortable but far from the center of the city.
* Food:	Too much ham in Spain, but that's a cultural thing, not really anything to be done about that. The women at the dorm were good at making whatever we requested though. They varied the offerings as much as they could within their means.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Bull fight and salsa club. Those were the best two nights of the trip, and both activities were planned by program reps.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Police are all over Spain so I was never far from help in case of emergency. The program offered adequate health care but luckily I never needed it.
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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	100 euro, but I tend to spend more than I should and do not budget money well. I had friends who got by on about 20 euro a week for food and limited their souvenir shopping. I suggest checking out exchange rates before you leave and possibly going with a larger chunk of euro if the rate is good. Also ask if your bank will charge less to withdraw from an ATM or to simply use your card as a credit card.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	The bull fight was 5 euro which was cheap, but the flamenco show was 20 which is a lot. Clubs are also expensive (sometimes 30 euro just to get in) so if you like to go out, be prepared to spend.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	I had no prior knowledge of Spanish language and when I left Spain I could have a fairly decent conversation with locals.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hotel Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Someone who wants to see Spain (because you'll see so much of it!) and someone who likes nightlife (Madrid is the nightlife capital!)