Indulging in the true Spanish culture Past Review
By Jacob L (Spanish Language, Literature, Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 06/01/2016 to 07/31/2016 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
From this experience I learned an incredible amount about Spanish language and culture. On top of that I was able to further develop my love for traveling and seeking out adventure in life. Through Sol one of the greatest experiences I gained was the relationships I developed not only with my new friends, but my host family, and onsite directors as well.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses I took in Granada were all able to transfer easily back to Texas A&M thanks to the help of my academic adviser and being able to communicate well with the adviser through Sol! All my professors were extremely friendly, and available for help if any study abroad students needed it! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the on-site directors communicated well with students and made sure everyone felt welcome and comfortable with the program from the beginning. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loved my host family! I still keep in touch with them today through Facebook. They brought my roommate and I into their home, and were as hospitable as I could have ever wanted. One of my highlights from the trip was getting to play soccer with their son and his friends! |
| * Food: |
The food in Granada was incredible! I would go out at least three times per week to get tapas with my friends, and every meal was provided for us by our host families including breakfast. There were only a couple times where my roommate and I had a difficult time eating what we were given, and when this happened our host family was eager to offer us other options! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Sol's program includes numerous cultural activities throughout the week, and even several weekend trips. I loved every part of experiencing the culture including horseback riding, and going to the Arabic baths! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never experienced any healthcare issues while I was studying abroad which was great. I know a couple other students in my program got sick while we were there, but the program directors and their host families were quick to help them out. |
| * Safety: |
I think Granada is the perfect size and I personally never felt unsafe. The locals are all very kind, easy to interact with, so safety was never a personal concern of mine. My only advice would be that when you are doing tours or activities with the program just make sure to stay with the group so you don't get separated. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I could not have imagined a better program to study abroad through. From the logistics of transferring my classes to the experiences of cultural activities, the structure of this program allowed all the students to enjoy every aspect of it to the fullest! |
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) |
I was able to live on a student's budget pretty easily. I never felt like I was struggling with my money, and the prices of food and expenses in Granada were very reasonable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $60 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I don't necessarily have any money-saving tips, but I do have some tips on keeping your money safe. I never felt that I was in danger of getting things stolen while in Granada, but if you travel to larger cities like Barcelona or Madrid have way of keeping your belongings safe. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | One thing that I did not know before going on the trip was that if you go more than one month, the second month does not include all the cultural activities. This sort of caught me off guard because I was planning on being able to go on the cultural activities again the second month, but they are not included. Although I did not know this going into the trip, it allowed me to plan and experience my own cultural activities and trips during the second month with friends. |
