Spain: A New Perspective on the World Past Review
By Oyinna O (English/Creative Writing, University of Houston) for
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I honed my cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I liked my teachers in Granada, and the workload was not any different from most American teachers would give in a full semester. One of my teacher wanted us to write a research paper and do a fifteen minute presentation in a 4 week program. I was a little overwhelmed by the work, not because I couldn't do it, but because my level of Spanish made it extra challenging. I did not know what to expect in my second class because we had two different teachers. The exams were very difficult for me. I did not learn much in my Oral Communication class, and I learned a lot in my Civ. and Culture class, but I don't feel like either of my grades reflect my learning experience. In some ways, I feel like my grades were too generous, in other ways, I feel like I could have made better grades if the class was more organized. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
SOL Abroad was willing to answer any questions and help with any situation. The onsite program director was awesome! His itinerary was highly organized, and the excursions he planned contributed to our overall learning experience, in addition to the fun we had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I love my host family. My host mom did everything to ensure our comfort. |
| * Food: |
The food was excellent! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went on many interesting excursions. My favorite was our visit to the Alhambra palace. I also liked going to Flamenco shows and hiking the Sierra Nevada Mountain. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Spain |
| 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) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A long term student would benefit most. I would recommend spending somewhere between 6 weeks or longer if one desires to learn the language. |
