Educational and Relaxing Past Review
By Megan Cleveland (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/21/2016 to 06/06/2016 with
University of Northern Iowa: Literary and Cultural Perspective of Barcelona
From my semester + time in Barcelona, I learned more than I can put into words. I gained fluency, made lifelong friends, and learned so much about myself than before I left the US.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Professor Jeronimo is by far my favorite professor on and off (Barcelona) UNI's campus. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Loved Isabel. She did mention that going directly through her is significantly cheaper than going through the school. If the school is only a meeting point, I think we should cut it out in future years and go directly to the families. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Had no health issues. |
| * Safety: |
I was well educated on what parts of Barcelona were safe and where to be more vigilant during the night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was the best program for me given that I was already in Spain. I'm glad I had more relaxing and fun time after Oviedo. |
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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Around $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Since I had been abroad 4.5 months already, I was a little more cautious spending money than others. Skip out on things you can get in the US. Food + experiences are better than material things. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | Semester in Oviedo |
| 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? | I know this program is no longer in Spanish, so no. I definitely think semester long programs are best for those wanting to really indulge in the culture and language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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? | That I wouldn't want to leave when it was done. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
