Te hecho de menos, España! Past Review
By A student (Biology, Visual Arts, Barnard College) - abroad from 01/20/2014 to 05/18/2014 with
Syracuse University: Madrid - Syracuse University in Madrid
I met a lot of different types of people, and that has made me even more accepting. I also feel that I understand another culture after living with my host family. I will always be in contact with them, and feel that I have a second home in Spain. I would study abroad again if I could! I absolutely loved it. My speaking skills have also improved, and I have become more confident in my language use, even if I still make some grammatical errors.
Review Photos
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. |
Very easy in terms of school, but it worked out well because I had more time to experience Spanish culture. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very friendly and helpful! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a wonderful host family. I felt completely at home. They were wonderful! |
| * Food: |
Very good! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I took some classes at a Spanish University, and I met a lot of Spaniards that way. Living with a host family also helped me feel integrated with Spanish culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was sick all the time for some reason, but the program had a free nurse and also could direct me to a doctor when I needed it, but I had to pay for that. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe! But I know some people were pick pocketed and one person was beat up. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $80 |
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 |
They had language exchanges, and in my special program within the SUMadrid program, we had to use Spanish in class. However, there is no language requirement for the Syracuse students, so most of them can speak little to no Spanish. This makes it difficult to practice among your peers. |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | AP and then one course in college |
| 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? | Meet people from the country you are in! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Bring cold medicine! I got sick a lot. I don't know if it was the new environment, a new allergy, etc, but I ended up with 2 sinus infections, which I never had gotten before. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
