The best decision and experience of my life so far. Past Review
By A student (Business Administration, Management and Operations., University of North Dakota) - abroad from 01/16/2012 to 05/17/2012 with
USAC Spain: Bilbao/Getxo - International Business and Spanish Language Studies
I gained so much from this experience. I met friends that quickly became my family. The staff in Bilbao was a dream to work with and helped with anything I ever needed. They are so friendly and my second family. I met local friends and families that i will never forget and still keep in touch with. I was able to travel to multiple places that I had always dreamed of. I learned a lot about myself and others while studying abroad. I was out of my element a lot and learned how to deal with difficult situations and handle obstacles in my way. You learn a lot about interacting with other people and cultures abroad too. I really loved being able to get outside of the US and seeing what other countries and cultures are like. You learn alot by emersing yourself and experiencing other people and places and by observing. It was worth everything and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The Spanish courses I was enrolled in while studying in Bilbao were very intensive and very much worth all the effort. I learned more in one semester abroad than I had most of my six years studying Spanish prior. You are emersed in the culture and surrounded by the language everyday and it is the absolute best way to learn. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The campus is located downtown Bilbao and is very easy to get to from the metro. The staff is an absolute dream to work with, so helpful with anything you might need. They become your second family. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I really enjoyed living off campus in the suburbs of Bilbao amongst other natives. It was a really great experience to be completely emersed among other locals. |
| * Food: |
Some of the traditional Spanish food I didn't care for, but others I really loved. So I was split. But it is very easy to find something you like. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was surrounded by the culture daily. I did live with American students and go to school with American students which were both a huge part of my daily life in Bilbao. But I lived in a normal apartment in the suburbs of Bilbao surrounded by locals. Any other activities besides school involved interacting with the local culture around me. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues while abroad, however other students in my program did. The staff was very helpful in setting up any type of appointments they needed. |
| * Safety: |
Bilbao is the third safest city in all of Europe. I always felt safe in the city and in Getxo. In any place you always have to be safe and careful and use common sense, but Getxo is a very friendly and comfortable place to live. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
I would say it was pretty easy. Most of the students in my program didn't eat out much and bought their own groceries so that saved money. Besides some monthly expenses like metro pass, groceries, personal expenses and some other extra expenses, it is pretty easy. Things add up but if you budget it is possible. |
| * 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? | 50 euro - 90 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | buy groceries and cook for yourself. take the cheapest form of transportation that is provided. figure out if monthly passes are available for transportation if it is something you use often. find out the nights that the local bars have specials on drinks. take out the max amount of cash you are able to at one time from an atm to avoid atm fees. |
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 |
I lived and went to school with mostly American students which was a large portion of my time. But I lived amongst locals and was emsersed and surrounded in the culture around me. Any activities outside of school forced you to interact with the language around you such as grocery store visits, bus trips, restaurant/bar visits, and/or socializing on the streets. |
| 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? | Conversation 308 |
| 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? | Go to local bars/restaurants and make friends with the workers. Strike up conversations on the metro, at the grocery store, at the bar, on the streets, anywhere with native speakers. Make friends and spend time with them outside of school. Ask them to show you around or hang out with their friends in their normal social settings. Get an intercambio. Tutor English, you use and learn a lot of a language when you are teaching others. |
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? | More about other countries and cultures and geography and people. But I am so happy that I learned all of that abroad. |
