Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Me ha cambiado la vida - life changing. Past Review

By (University of California - Los Angeles / UCLA) - abroad from 08/31/2016 to 12/21/2016 with

Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Perspective on life and the world. Yes.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Edu and Germán do an amazing job at enriching the experience and providing advice and support for whatever is needed by the student.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living with a host family is a great experience. Highly recommend it to anyone.

* Food:

Spanish food is good, but gets repetitive after a while. Not much variety in Granada.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Was hard to communicate at the beginning, but felt very integrated about halfway through the 4 month trip.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Sol gave me all the tools to have the best experience

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)

$100 a week by choice - could have spent less if I wanted/had to.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? When traveling, buy and prepare food from grocery stores instead of eating out every day.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
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? AP Spanish, Jr. year of high school
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? Try to meet Spanish people and spend time with them. Use Intercambios.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Traveling
  • People
  • Classes
* What could be improved?
  • Communication prior to program beginning
  • This may not be something that can be controlled, but I wish there were more international students (Non-American) at the CLM
  • Activities to meet Spaniards - intercambios organized by Sol (CLM organizes intercambios but most students don't go out of their way to use it)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Can't think of anything.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Spanish History
Course Department: History
Instructor: Cristina Vera
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Not too challenging. Very relevant to surrounding Spanish culture. Participated in the class much more often than I would at home. The class turned around my view of the field of history. Went into the class not being very interested in the study, and left having made a full 180°.
Credit Transfer Issues: