Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best Trip of My Life October 03, 2022

By (Spanish, University of Nevada, Reno) - abroad from 07/02/2022 to 07/30/2022 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
From this trip, I learned to get out of my comfort zone. From this experience, I became more comfortable speaking Spanish and I feel like this experience made me a more independent person.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really enjoyed my educational experience in Alicante. I studied at the University of Alicante and the teachers there really cared about the students and they were all very passionate about the topics they were teaching. Whenever I would go to class, I would always be interested in the things we were learning and I would always feel engaged in the lecture.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in an apartment and I was very surprised with how nice the living situation was. I lived with two other students in the program and we all got along very well. Our landlord was very friendly and informative and the apartment was a lot bigger than I expected. The location of the apartment was also nice because it was close to the Central part of the city as well as the beach and the metro was a few steps away from the entrance of the apartment.

* Food:

I really enjoyed being able to get out of my comfort zone and try new foods like the famous Seafood Paella. It is so delicious! There is also fresh orange juice everywhere and it is amazing.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

During the trip, I felt like I was really able to dive into the culture. I learned so many new things about the culture in Spain. While I was there, there were a lot of parades. There was the Moors and Christians Festival as well as a Pride Parade. Being able to experience these definitely helped me feel more involved with the culture of Alicante.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I feel like Alicante is a very safe place. I learned that Spain has one of the lowest rates of crime in the world. The only thing that I would say is important is to always be aware where your important items are because pick pockets are very common.

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

The entire USAC team is very friendly and informative. They helped prepare me for what I was going to be experiencing and they gave me multiple guides that made traveling and living abroad a lot easier.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about 50-75 euros

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? Beginner
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? Spanish 211
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? In my opinion, the best way to practice the language is to speak with the locals.

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

  • International Students
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?
  • Meeting New People
  • Improving my Spanish
  • Learning about the Culture
* What could be improved?
  • More information about weather
  • More group activities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I knew more about the weather during the summer in Alicante. I wish that I would have known how humid it was going to be.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!