Life Changing Past Review
By Jessica (University of Mount Union) - abroad from 01/15/2017 to 05/18/2017 with
USAC Spain: Alicante - Spanish Language, Linguistics, European, Mediterranean, and Gender Studies
Worthwhile would be an understatement. I gained the knowledge of another culture, a certain level of independence, friends and a level in a language that will last a lifetime!
Personal Information
| 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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This is entirely my fault. There are many ways to go out and meet new friends from Alicante and I wish I would have done more of that. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The staff is AMAZING. The school is beautiful. The friends you meet are so extraordinary and loving and there are tons of things to do in Alicante. Overall, the staff were so calm, kind, and welcoming when I got there and it made the rest of the students and I very comfortable and ready to conquer the world (with confidence) right away! |
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? | When traveling to other cities, always buy the tickets on planes/trains together because you never know when you can get a deal. Also, ask your peers where they went for the cheapest deal and a lot of times you can save money on referrals. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 level course |
| 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? | Please speak in Spanish with your American peers. It helps become fluent so much faster and it helps you think faster in Spanish and learn more vocabulary. Also, most bars have an intercambio where there are people wanting to practice their English. It was a great way for me to practice my Spanish while helping people out with their English! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | That I could stay there for an entire school year, because I would have! |
