Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A fresh perspective of Spain that had not yet known. Past Review

By (University of California - San Diego / UCSD) - abroad from 06/26/2017 to 07/27/2017 with

UC San Diego Global Seminars: Madrid - Spain in the Modern World

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Overall, I learned to open up to others, that Spain offers many perspectives different from those in the United States, and that as global citizens, we must take on the many issues that face our world with careful study, consideration, and action.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

With the time crunch, classes, reading, and essays were all compacted, adding to the overall difficulty of the course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very friendly and informative, only some lack of enthusiasm for certain places we visited.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Good location, a bit dusty and noisy from neighboring construction.

* Food:

Good food, but we needed better cooking utensils.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You needed to go out on your own or know someone there to feel integrated with the culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program leaders were always cognizant of my allergies.

* Safety:

So long as you understood and were cautious towards the risks of any personal activity you engaged in, you were safe. The programs never placed us in direct harm.

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

It was an investment in a place I was extremely interested in, taught under the direction of very very skilled experts. Despite costs, it was a needed program in my life.

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)

3, excluding the tuition and travel costs, but including personal purchases, about 100 USD was spent each well, more than average spending at home, but not outrageous for being abroad.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan out what you want to buy. For example, I bought a lot of clothing, but I knew which stores I wanted to visit and what I wanted to get (4 shirts, 3 pants). That kept my head on straight from being distracted by all the things I could buy.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The instruction
  • Visiting places
  • Making new friendships
* What could be improved?
  • Balancing the program workload to allow greater student integration into the culture.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How to make the most of each day when there were dull moments, knowing the places I could visit locally.

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 Linguist
You 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!