Best experience of my life Past Review
By Rochelle S (International Affairs and Spanish, University of Nevada, Reno) - abroad from 01/06/2015 to 05/21/2015 with
USAC Spain: Bilbao/Getxo - International Business and Spanish Language Studies
I gained best friends, more confidence and independence, and a better command of the language.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes were extremely interesting! Classes were small which allowed for close relations and individual attention between students and professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Always there and happy to help with anything we needed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host family, which was a great decision. They helped me with my Spanish, and my host mom cooked the most amazing food. My host mom packed me a lunch everyday, and they became like my second set of parents. |
| * Food: |
Great food, and affordable! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Although the classes were mostly with other American students or international students, we still were in the same school/cafeteria/library as the locals. We also had language partners! I found that meeting locals was not hard. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never needed to go to the doctor, but for those who did, the staff was happy to accompany them to the doctor and translate. Insurance is also included. |
| * Safety: |
Bilbao is one of the safest cities in Europe. I always felt safe, even late at night! Just be smart about it. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This is a once in a lifetime experience. I am so glad I decided to study abroad, and I wish I could do it all over again. |
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 was on a strict budget, and I got along fine. I stayed in a homestay, which was more expensive, but they also provided me with all my meals and laundry. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $30 (not including the host family meals) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you save up, so you can travel! |
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 spoke Spanish in most classes and at home. |
| 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? | SPAN350 |
| 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? | Live with a host family! Try to speak Spanish with your classmates and locals. Get a language partner! |
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? | I wish I had saved more, so I could travel more. I also wish I had chosen to study abroad for a year, rather than a semester. Time goes by way too quickly. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Basque and Iberian Culture |
| Course Department: | Anthropology |
| Instructor: | Marta and Kontxa |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This class is a MUST. On Fridays that we had class, we would take a field trip to a different Basque region/cultural site in Spain or France. Most trips included snacks or lunch. This class is priceless and even teaches some Basque language. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I had no trouble transferring to UNR. |
