Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

See above.

On-site administration of your program

Even in the international office, English was hard to find spoken (which, in ones first week there, I found myself unsure of how much I was understanding in my rusty Spanish, and didnt feel totally comfortable with the process till I brought a Valencian friend to translate after). Also, the registration process offers very little guidance, youre pretty much on your own.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a private room and shared bath in an apartmnt in Benimaclet (the student neighborhood). I found it through a Valencian Erasmus Fb group, and it was incredible (not the apartment itself, which could have been pulled from an episode of the Brady Bunch) but rather the overall experience. 5 minutes walking from University, 5 minutes walking from metro/tram (which took you to the beach within 10_15 minutes) and 20 minutes walking to the heart of downtown. for reference, I paid 250€/month, including all utilities, which is not bad given the location, utilities and security (doorman downstairs, 2 balconies, and a terrace on the roof od the apt) <br /><br /> Had to buy sheets and towels, but there are thousands of little "Chinese shops" where these can be had for under 10€. In addition to students, one roommate was a photographer, and his gf also lived there (also graduated).

Cien Montaditos in the center has everything 1€ on wednesdays. GO: Its full of students and the food is great. Avoid the greasy little bars in Benimaclet, most of them offer "spanish food" but in reality are greasy and though cheap, not worth it. Try and eat where the locals eat-avoid anywhere with a menu displayed in English. Its geared to tourists and most likely an overpriced and underimpressive ripoff.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Find the balance between traveling and exploring locally. A lot of people on exchange expect to see all of Europe in 4-5 months, and end up seeing a lot of capital cities but very little of Spain. Try and plan your trip so that you have time before and after exchange to do some type of backpacking-travel that will leave you free to experience valencia and spain during the school year....

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt much safer in Valencia than I do in AUstin. Streets are well lit, and as Spanish culture in general goes later, at 5 in the morning walking home the streets are littered with elderly people up in the morning walking the dog, etc rather than just the drunks stumbling home from bars...Valencia has a lot of police and a lot of security...there are some homeless people, many who sleep in the doors and lobbies of banks, but Ive never had a problem, theyre just looking to sleep... use common sense, if you can dont walk around alone in the late-early hours more than you have to, but as someone whos done it more often than my parents would like to hear of, and as a female, its perfectly safe. No healthcare experience, but there werent any problems with anyone I spoke to.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Live with locals, join an intercambio program, get off facebook and walk around... I lived with a Chilean, a Spaniard, a Swede, and A French girl, but the lingua franca was Spanish. My best friend was a Chilean (not the roommate) that didnt speak a word of English-there is no better way to learn a language than to not have any option but to speak it. VERY VERY few people in Valencia speak English, and Spanish is expected to be spoken everywhere outside the international office (and even there!). There are affiliated Spanish courses that I definitely recommend, not so much as to learn the language but as to meet other foreign students interested in learning. Its funny how once you meet people in a setting where only Spanish is spoken, its a hard habit to break even outside the classroom (for example I found myself running into classmates downtown and wed still speak Spanish-despite the fact they were Scottish or South African)

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