Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Alicante, mi segundo hogar. Past Review

By (University of the Pacific) - abroad from 01/10/2012 to 05/19/2012 with

USAC Spain: Alicante - Spanish Language, Linguistics, European, Mediterranean, and Gender Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I made life-long friends that I am always going to keep in contact with. It was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: University of Alicante
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

the classes I took were very easy.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our utility came out a lot more than the other USAC students, which I thought was very unfair. However, I loved the apartment.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got sick once, but Luis & Sylvain (the administrators) were extremely helpful helping me with finding a hospital & explaining in how the insurance worked.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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 thought the rent & utility was a lot more expensive than I imagined it to be, but food was not too expensive.

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150 (not including rent)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Do not eat out too often.

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

All the classes were in Spanish, which helped me force to use the language.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 3 years in high school.
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? Make local friends and speak to them. Have an intercambio! It helps tremendously.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* 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?
  • I loved the location the best. Alicante isn't too touristy, which gives you a lot of chances to meet local friends.
  • It isn't expensive to live in Alicante.
  • I loved my USAC program and all the friends that I made in the program.
* What could be improved?
  • More preparation before coming to Alicante.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I planned on my budget more carefully. I underestimated how much I was going to spend while studying abroad.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Spanish Cuisine
Course Department:
Instructor: Antonio
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class was the best class I've ever taken. We got to cook in groups, and eat all the food that we made. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class a lot more than I would have at my home institution.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Track 1
Course Department:
Instructor: Veronica
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The class was not challenging. We did take field trips that was relevant to our class. The teacher was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and well-prepared. I loved her review packets that she made for our exams. I participated more often than I would have at my home institution.
Credit Transfer Issues: