New Perspectives in Toledo February 02, 2026

By Hannah H (Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/09/2025 to 12/18/2025 with

University of Minnesota: Study & Intern in Toledo

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

I learned a lot about Puerto Rico and the history of Spain and how it is interwoven also with American history in a way. I definitely have a lot to learn still but this program gave me some basics that I feel I should have known about the rest of the world. (About different government systems, different belief systems, religions, healthcare systems, etc)

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The academic were not bad, during exams and midterms is when we studied most and overall it wasn't easy but not too difficult. Everything was in Spanish however.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I stayed in La Fundacion and I loved it!
* Food:	Not bad, a lot of pork, tomatoes, potatoes and soup! If you have dietary restrictions let them know and they will provide alternatives to pork, etc.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I felt sick and was taken to the hospital, overall a good experience with the doctor but had to explain myself in Spanish so it was a funny experience.
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

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)	I didn't have to spend except for travel during the one week break we had, so I would say prepare a few thousand if you want to travel a lot but if not you can survive since food is provided the whole program basically and during the program trips food is also provided. I did pay for an international pass for my phone so I could keep my number so that cost me 125 a month but there are cheap local plans you can get. Also, my credit card didn't work there (Discover) so whenever I used my debit card there were international fees so just go to the local BBVA say you are from the Fundacion and withdraw euros.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$15 euro for snacks because of the long stretches between meals

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
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?	None in college but 4 years of high school Spanish
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?	Try to speak Spanish with the Puerto Rican students!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Having the Puerto Rican students Easy travel across Europe Having a single room
* What could be improved?	More strict enforcement of Spanish practice outside of class
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	About how my credit card wouldn't work (Discover) so I should get another credit card without international fees since I dealt with those on my debit card and lost 5% with each international purchase.

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:	Global Bioethics (Bioetica Global)
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This class was tough because of the density of the material and at times could be a bit boring and it could be disorganized at times because we had 4 different professors running the course. But it was a great experience because of my classmates who made taking it worthwhile and Professor Pablo was great but we only had him for 3 classes sadly.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:
Course Department:	Sistemas de Salud Comparativas
Instructor:	Eduardo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This class was amazing, we watched movies and documentaries learning about the American healthcare system and the various European ones and also about questions of healthcare and how they manifest across the world. I learned more than I ever had in the class even though we only had two students, including me! It was late in the day but totally worth it! Both professors (Eduardo and Gerardo) were hilarious but of course because it was taught in Spanish at times there was a language barrier.
Credit Transfer Issues: