LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE Past Review
By SARAH W (COMMUNICATIONS SCIENCES AND DISORDERS, AUDIOLOGY, The University of Texas at Austin) for
University of Texas at Austin: Santander, Spain: Language and Culture
I MADE LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS AND LIFELONG MEMORIES, LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF MY EXPERIENCE IN SPAIN- IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT GOING, DON'T HESITATE FOR ONE MINUTE MORE, IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Oral History as Journalism, Business Spanish |
| 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. |
Expectations should have been more clearly stated at the beginning of each course. It was hard to plan ahead. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
NEVER CONNECTED US TO THE INTERNET WIFI SYSTEM, PRINTING AREA WAS MOSTLY CLOSED EXCEPT DURING CLASSTIME, IT'S 2010- WE NEED INTERNET IN THE CLASSROOM. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
NEIGHBORHOOD A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE, BUT WE ALWAYS STUCK TOGETHER, NOT A PRETTY PLACE, BUT LIVEABLE- VERY CLOSE TO THE PLAZA CANABRIO- WHERE DA PARTY AT. NEEDED TO BUY SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER, EVERYTHING ELSE PROVIDED (COMFY BED, BATHROOM SHARED WITH FAMILY), I WAS TREATED AS I WAS A FAMILY MEMBER (A MUCH LOVED FAMILY MEMBER) |
| * Food: |
KEEP AN OPEN MIND- SPANISH FOOD IS WEIRD AT FIRST, BUT YOU LEARN TO LOVE IT. BE PREPARED FOR BLAND FOOD, LOTS OF EGG AND HAM, LITTLE VARIETY |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
PROGRAM ORGANIZED TRIP WAS BORRRRRING, AND UNNECESSARY.. WE CAN ONLY SEE SO MANY PLAZAS, PATIOS, AND CATEDRALS |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
HEALTHCARE IN SPAIN IS SOCIALIZED AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE, NO WORRIES FOR MOM HERE. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | MANY STUDENTS TRAVEL ON THE WEEKENDS, PLAN AHEAD AND BOOK FLIGHTS WITH RYAN AIR BEFORE YOU LEAVE TO GET BEST PRICES, BOOK HOSTELS AHEAD OF TIME, PLAN PLAN PLAN- LAST MINUTE TRIPS CAN BE EXPENSIVE- WE TRAVELED EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | UPPER DIVISION SPANISH GRAMMER |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE IMMERSED.. POSITIVE AND ACCEPTING ATTITUDES LEARN MUCH MORE THAN NEGATIVE AND PESSIMISTIC ONES. |
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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* 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? | OPEN MINDED FUN LOVING EAGER TO LEARN SPANISH |
