Summer in Granada Past Review
By Britney N (Human Development, University of California - Davis) - abroad from 07/01/2015 to 08/29/2015 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
So so very much! I learned about the culture, the language, really felt like a part of the family with my host family, the city is amazing, my teachers & classes were wonderful! They were so engaging and funny and really introduced the material in a way they don't really take the time to do in the US. There's so much I can say about this experience! I'd love to go back & I can't wait to one day. Thinking about studying abroad, even in the slightest? Just do it!!! Granada was wonderful.
Review Photos
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. |
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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? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have a direct experience with healthcare while abroad, so I cannot really rank a system/service I didn't use |
| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
It depends on how often you want to go out for tapas (which are wonderful!); you can get by with just the meals your host family makes for you, but I enjoyed going out for tapas, going out for the evening, buying clothes, etc. so it's doable to be on a budget, but maybe not preferable for some |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I think I allotted 20-40€ per week depending on what I was doing for the week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you don't want to spend money, don't. If you do, you're abroad & probably won't get this opportunity again! Just be wise & don't spend crazily |
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? | Advanced |
| 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? | An upper-division university course on Linguistics |
| 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? | Sounds obvious, but try to really limit your use of English while abroad. It's really easy to just revert to English with your friends, but try your best not to. Or if you do, spend extra time talking with your host family instead. |
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? | 0 |
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? | Girls, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR VERY COVERING CLOTHING as is depicted on online sites etc. I don't know why it says that online, but that is not a real thing. People do dress incredibly nice, so I'd recommend bringing nice, presentable things to wear if you are wanting to look more like a local. You will miss home and that is TOTALLY okay! (Just don't stay stuck in a pity party & miss out on the experiences around you) Also, TINTO DE VERANOOOOO!!! |
