Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An endless summer Past Review

By (Mechanical Engineering., University of Nevada - Reno) - abroad from 08/22/2014 to 05/16/2014 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
To much to list. DEFINITELY

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

So much exposure to the language and culture.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Went out of their way to help with pretty much anything. Made the experience better than I could have imagined

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I did a home stay and lived in an apartment to try both types of living arrangements. Both were incredible. Learned so much Spanish and culture with my spanish family and learned how to cook a little bit of Spanish food. In both situations I made friends that will last a lifetime.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

As a soccer player that could keep up with the locals it was really easy to make friends and integrate with local people. I also would recommend taking salsa dance classes its a great way to meet locals and show off to girls.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Had two injuries during the program and both were handled very appropriately with quick recoveries.

* Safety:

I never felt threatened in any situation even when walking home at 4 in the morning alone. I think that it would be different if I was a girl though because Spanish guys are aggressive.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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 spent around 60 dollars a week on food and maybe 20 on other miscellaneous stuff.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 60
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat groceries it is 4x cheaper than eating out. The homestay is a good value for food too. don't spend 10 euro for the lunch its most likely overrated for tourist you can find cheaper.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
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? Stay out of the USAC bubble. It is so easy to only hang out with the American friends in your program without branching out. Try to hang out with international people at the very least.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • Host Family
* 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? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The people
  • The friends I made
  • The beach
* What could be improved?
  • none
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Take advantage of everything it goes fast. Money is only money, it is worthless compared to memories don't let it hold you back with in reason.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.