The most amazing months of my life! Past Review
By Lauren H (Anthropology, University of California - Los Angeles) for
University of Granada: Granada - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Going abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to experience an entirely different culture as more than just a tourist. I actually lived there and created a life for myself. The people, the city, the tapas, and the overall atmosphere were so pleasant, sophisticated and so entirely un-American! I loved it.
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 workload was perfect. We were not overwhelmed with homework which I think is really important when you are studying abroad. The teachers were mostly great and the class sizes were a lot smaller which was nice because going from a huge university to small classrooms was a great change. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Julia was hands down the most incredible program leader ever. She was so warm, helpful, and kind. She would meet us anytime on a moment's notice and we even hung out with her husband a lot too. I couldn't have asked for a better abroad leader |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
our apartment was amazing and beautiful. It was in one of the nicest part of towns and it was a phenomenal experience. |
| * Food: |
We bought our own food at the market which was great because we could cook whatever we wanted when we wanted. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Through my program we went to Madrid, Sevilla, Cordoba, Almunecar and some other cool places. It was really wonderful to have some organized excursions but also be able to travel on our own. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Granada is overall a very safe city. However there are pickpockets and I knew many people who got robbed. No one got hurt and they were minor incidences, but it was enough to keep you on your toes. I would never walk alone at night, but during the day I felt safe. |
| 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? |
I did need to use spanish everyday. However everyone at my school spoke English so it was really easy to speak it on a regular basis and therefore my Spanish didn't improve as much as it should have. |
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
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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? | Enjoy every second of it, live in the moment! It flies by |
