GSE Barcelona: The most amazing 4 months of my life! Past Review
By Kacey R (Business finance, San Diego State University) for
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona - UAB / University Autonoma of Barcelona: Direct Enrollment & Exchanges
I learned so much about myself in this experience, and I truly became a more independant person. I can't stop travelling now!
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. |
The Spanish classes I was enrolled in were taught only in Spanish, which was a great way to immerse myself in the language and culture. The teachers at UAB were helpful, creative, and inspiring. The workload was manageable and gave me some free time to explore Barcelona as well as surrounding cities. As far as grading went, there was a greater emphasis on test taking ability rather than homework. This was very different from my college experiences in America. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Inma was the best coordinator! She was very organized and accessible. If there were any problems, personal or related to school, they were taken care of quickly and without much headache. They definitely made things go smoothly! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was absolutely ideal! It was quaint, in a great location, and definitely safe. It was fully furnished and comfortable. I lived with two other Americans in my program, so I definitely could have learned more Spanish in a host-family type situation but I loved my apartment experiece! |
| * Food: |
They always gave great ideas on where to eat for a truly authentic experience. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went on a few weekend trips to other Spanish cities. They were always well organized and filled with cultural and fun events. My favorite excursion we took was to Torres winery. It was an amazing experience. My favorite trip we took as a group was to Sevilla. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
No health problems. |
| 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
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Living in Barcelona, the native tongue is Catalan; however, most everyone spoke the traditional Castillian Spanish. There were many "intercambios", where we could practice Spanish with Barcelona locals. I used the host country language everyday. |
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 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? | Barcelona is more of an international type experience rather than a true Spanish experience. People from all over the world live in Barcelona, and you get to meet all different types. You definitely have to be adventurous and have to be open to living in a big city with tons of people. |
