Life changing experience that everyone NEEDS to do! Past Review
By Hannah F (Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 12/13/2015 to 01/16/2016 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
Of course it was worthwhile! It was the best experience of my life. I had never been abroad before and I was honestly very nervous and scared. But after traveling and experiencing just a small other portion of the world made my eyes open and see what more the world has to offer.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The overall educational experience was perfect! The combination of the classroom setting and the public experience created the best way to learn! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was great! They answered every question and concern that we all had. They made it very fun and a great experience! I loved it! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was the absolute best! I created a great connection with them. It was very hard to say goodbye to them! It was a great experience. |
| * Food: |
The food was by far the best part! My host parents were amazing cooks and went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This was the best part! I gained the most knowledge outside of class. The day to day social experience was wonderful! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The health issues were addressed perfectly. My roommate abroad fell very ill and need medical assistance. The director along with our host parents took excellent care of her and helped her the entire time. |
| * Safety: |
I never once felt in danger or unsafe. Granada, Spain was an excellent city to study abroad in and very comfortable, |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Sol Education Abroad helped me throughout the entire process. They never left me feeling lost or confused. They were great! |
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 was a little hard to manage my finances because I had a certain amount to spend each week. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-$75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Create a GoFundMe account. That covered my flight and spending money. Apply for as many scholarships as possible! |
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 |
I hardly heard any English. I loved not hearing any English because it forced me to really be immersed and learn. |
| 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? | Spanish 201 - Intermediate Level 1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Do not be afraid to speak it. It is the best way to learn. I even kept a dairy that i tried to write all in Spanish. |
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? | I wish that I was not as nervous about traveling beforehand. I also wish that I was not afraid to speak Spanish at the very beginning of the trip. You just have to dive in! |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
