El salmorejo cordobeh eh delicioso! Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/12/2018 to 06/01/2018 with

University of Cordoba / UCO: Cordoba - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained a better understanding of myself, and how I am capable of living in a new place on my own. It was worthwhile, and while these are probably not the best four month of my life, they were definitely four months that I will never forget.

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.	It was a great program and taking 4 classes there was rigorous and challenging, but there were plenty resources available.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I loved the place, but towards the ed of the semester I had issues with roommates, other international students, but there was nothing that the institution could have done.
* Food:	It was amazing! I learned how to better cook for myself
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I think living on my own made it much easier to integrate. I had to do my own things and seek that integration.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I did not need to address these issues.
* Safety:	There were a couple of nights when I had strange men approach me and felt unsafe in those situations, but the city was generally safe and never felt in big danger.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I had a great experience and the city was just the right size for me. I was able to find a hobby that I enjoyed and I was able to meet great people that I hope to stay in touch with for years to come. There were times when I did feel lonely, but there were also times when I felt like I was with the best company.

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)	The groceries were so much cheaper than the US and I had extra money to be able to travel
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	It i always smart to budget, and make sure that you are aware of how much money you have and how much you are spending.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	It was full immersion, which meant it was always necessary to use the language.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Fluent
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?	0361
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?	You can watch tv shows in the language, go out and make friends from the country you are in. The language pledge should be taken seriously to ensure that you learn the language. If you actually put in effort you can excel in the language.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The food The people The city
* What could be improved?	Communication between Cordoba and Madrid
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I would've known where I was going to live before I going to this program. The search for apartments was long and stressful, but I was glad to have support along the whole process.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	El Legado Artistico de Al-Andalus
Course Department:	Art History
Instructor:	Alicia Carrilo Calderero
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was challenging and offered opportunities for field trips to other cities in Andalusia . The teacher was extremely prepared and made sure that those of us who were new to the subject understood all the work. We had many ways of being assessed which included papers and exams.
Credit Transfer Issues:	NO