Hot, Sunny, Beautiful Spain! Past Review
By A student (Psychology, spanish, Stephen F. Austin State University) - abroad from 07/12/2014 to 08/12/2014 with
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA): Spanish Language and Culture in Madrid, Spain
I learned a lot about history, language, and culture. It was an incredible experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
We learned A LOT during the month in Spain. There was definitely a lot of studying and hard work involved. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were wonderful, friendly, and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was very good to me. |
| * Food: |
It was great at my house, but not great elsewhere. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was difficult and I felt we didn't have enough free time to really explore and get to know the area or the people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did not feel threatened. Just be very aware of your surroundings and your possessions. |
| 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) |
I've had practice, plus our host families cooked for us. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be picky about who gets souvenirs. Budget beforehand. Make allowances each week to stay in budget. Research beforehand. Ask another traveler who went to the particular location. |
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 |
All the time |
| 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? | SPA 445 |
| 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? | Talk to as many people as possible. It's easy to slip back into English with the other students, but make a conscious effort to stay in the foreign language as much as possible. |
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? | We needed lots of sunscreen. There was going to be a whole lot of homework. There wasn't a clear schedule at times. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
