Oviedo, Asturias, Cidra, and Spanish Futbol. Past Review
By George B (INB, Rollins College) for
University of Oviedo: Oviedo - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
See above.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload was appropriate for the language barrier. The professors were all very understanding regarding the language. They explained in simple terms until everyone understood. They were also lenient on the fact that we were there to experience the culture, and this included traveling within the country. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
A great person overall. We all liked him and we had no complaints. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The school, on average, was a 12-minute walk. Night life took about 15-20 minutes. They were really clean people and aided me with Spanish. I was treated as a family member. The food was great. Before I left, I requested a family with no children but I ended up in one with an 11 year old. The apartment was really small and every noise could be heard. Those are my only 2 "complaints". |
| * Food: |
Food was healthy and very cultural. The timing of the meals took time to adjust to, but no complaints otherwise. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
The pharmacist will prescribe medicine accordingly. Usually a trip to the doctor is not necessary for common cold/flu, or minor health concerns. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Majority of the food was provided by the family. If you eat out, it will add up. The same applies for nightlife. The more you go out, the more you'll spend. The prices may seem lower, but they are in Euros, and 1 Euro is worth about 1.3 Dollars. None of the clubs in Oviedo charged a cover fee and tiping at restaurants is not required. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The university does not have a gym. You'll spend about 40-50 euros/month on gym membership. Depending on the host family, you might want to buy a wireless modem for internet, about 55 Euros. If you have an iPhone or any smart phone, try to unlock it so you can use it abroad. Otherwise look to spend anywhere between 20-150 euros on a new phone. You will spend between 50-200 Euros on phone credits for about 5 months. Depends on you. Use skype call to call friends and family in united states. You'll save A LOT! Be careful when flying with low fare airlines. They charge for luggage, extra weight (10kg max for carry on), and other things (print your boarding pass if you can). |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | DO IT! It's a very unique experience. |
