A Dream Come True Past Review
By Alex E (Spanish/Elementary Ed, University of Idaho) for
USAC Spain: Bilbao/Getxo - International Business and Spanish Language Studies
The Bilbao program is simply amazing. The directors and staff made me feel like it was my home away from home. They are the most helpful, supporting, and kindest people I think I have ever met. The location of housing in Bilbao in unbeatable and the places around town are beatiful. The combination of such a great group of directors and an amazing place is unrealsitic but with the Bilbao/Getxo program, its possible!everything i did and learned and experienced abroad cannot be taken away from me. This program made my experience abroad like a dream come true. the directors and staff were extremely helpful and made life so easy. The people I met and was surrounded by and experiences i had have influenced me to try to find a way to go back to Spain and possibly teach there for a couple of years! I cannot rate this program high enough on a 5pt scale- its out of this world amazing!
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. |
I felt that my educational experience in Bilbao was not only enlightening in the cultuarl aspect but very enriching while being abroad. I was completely submerged in the foreign language but had plenty of support and assistance from my professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Bilbao program is simply amazing. The directors and staff made me feel like it was my home away from home. They are the most helpful, supporting, and kindest people I think I have ever met. The location of housing in Bilbao in unbeatable and the places around town are beatiful. The combination of such a great group of directors and an amazing place is unrealsitic but with the Bilbao/Getxo program, its possible! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
my housing situatio was great. I got placed with two friends I had requested before and was placed in a perfect location in town! |
| * Food: |
The food is incredible! there are bakeries and fruit shops all over town along with a cafeteria and a cafe at school! One needs to be open to trying new things but the cafe con leche and napoletanas are awesome! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made great friends while being abroad in my group and along with local friends. some of the students in the abroad group had been there for a complete semester before and were extremely welcoming. They had local friends and included us in everything. I felt that I had knows these people my whole life and was amazed at how big my social network grew while being abroad. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
safety is not even something to worry about with this program. All around town, there are cops on surveillance making sure things are running normal. The diretors make sure that students are safe and make safe decisions. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Being in the Basque Country allowed me to fully use my Spanish anywhere that I went. I became comfortable using it on the streets, in class, and while traveling to different countries. The teachers did speak English so that helped in classes, but overall, I was very surprised on how much my Spanish improved. I feel that I could go anywhere now and be completely fine with it. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | everything i did and learned and experienced abroad cannot be taken away from me. This program made my experience abroad like a dream come true. the directors and staff were extremely helpful and made life so easy. The people I met and was surrounded by and experiences i had have influenced me to try to find a way to go back to Spain and possibly teach there for a couple of years! I cannot rate this program high enough on a 5pt scale- its out of this world amazing! |
