Past Review

By Lauren D (Business Administration, SUNY - Binghamton) for

Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

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

I thought my study abroad experience was not only worthwhile it was life changing. I was able to see the world from a global view and experience a culture that was so different from my own. I definitely plan on traveling more in the future.. I learned that there really is so much to learn and see about the world and the people in it.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	Universidad Compultense Madrid
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.	Very similar in all aspects.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	All of my expectations were met. Everyone was extremely helpful, available, and understood the wants and needs of the students. They ensured that everyone had a safe, enjoyable time abroad. I couldn't ask for a better program.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The housing was great in Madrid because it was a central location. However, it did not have air conditioning which all students agreed they would pay a higher tuition to stay in a place with air conditioning! Spain is very hot in the summer! <br /><br /> I did need to buy items. I bought a fan because it was HOT! other than that, most everything necessary was provided.
* Food:	I am a very picky eater and did not adjust to the meals in Spain. I opted for the vegetarian meals, but was served the same thing everyday. Salad, a hard boiled egg, and a piece of cheese. It became so routine that I could no longer eat there, and ate out at restaurants. Gino's in Madrid had a really good dinner special and many options.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Everyday FORSPRO organized an event that was optional. I attended a lot of these such as the flamenco show, bullfights, and nightclubs. Everything I experienced was new and exciting and I felt safe because I was with such a large group. We also went on an excursion to Barcelona which was educational and extremely fun.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I think that FORSPRO did everything and more to provide us safety advice. I also felt extremely safe living in the dorms. We had to show an ID card to even enter the building, and there was someone at the front desk 24 hours a day.
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?	I spent 2,000 american dollars overall, so roughly 333 dollars each week. It is very easy to spend less... I shopped a lot!
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	There were no unanticipated expenses. You can spend very little while abroad with FORSPRO if you wish, because the meals are included.

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hotel Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	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?	I absolutely loved it, so I cannot think of any type of student who would not benefit the most from this program! Maybe if you wanted to truly live among Spanish people, you should choose a different program where you can live with a host family and not be surrounded by American students.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	History & Culture of Andalucia
Course Department:	C2270
Instructor:	Ana Cabres
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was very much connected to our location and field trips. We learned about the history of Spain and where we were living, and also the history of the various places we visited such as Ronda and Seville. The course was not as challenging as the courses in Madrid, but it was smaller so our instructor could give us individual attention.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not so far.

Course Name/Rating:	Spanish Culture and Civilization
Course Department:	A2270
Instructor:	Orlando Moreno
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was my favorite of the three! It was just challenging enough, we had a perfect amount of outside work, daily readings and quizzes every few days. The material was relevant and interesting and allowed us to talk about what it is we were seeing and learning outside of the classroom. The class was full of discussions, past and present events, culture and even geography. I felt that I learned the most about Spain from this class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not so far.

Course Name/Rating:	Spanish Art
Course Department:	M2050
Instructor:	Darst
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course I found extremely challenging. Although it was interesting and I loved that it was coupled with museum visits where we could see the actual works of art we learned about in class, we had to write five papers and had an extremely difficult final exam all in four weeks. I thought that the workload for this class was a little too much for the short amount of time we were in Spain.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not so far.