Eye opening May 22, 2025
By Mikayla T (Finance, University of Nevada, Reno) - abroad from 05/15/2024 to 07/24/2025 with
USAC Spain: Bilbao/Getxo - International Business and Spanish Language Studies
I was really out of my comfort zone but being in Spain made me realize I can travel anywhere, even places where I don't know the language. Being in Bilbao for two months was one of the best experiences I have ever had.
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. |
Great, informational courses. Learned a lot and appreciated the exposure to international business matters. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was very helpful and planned many fun activities. They were very helpful with recommendations! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was a two minute walk from the school, right next to a store and about many places to eat. Great location and a good apartment. |
| * Food: |
Food in Bilbao was fantastic! Pintxos are very fun to try and for a non-Spanish speaker, they made ordering food pretty easy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish I would have done a better job of interacting with locals and trying to be more apart of the culture. I spent most of my time just hanging out with my American friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I hurt my ankle while there, and the administration was very attentive to my needs. I expressed that I wanted to go to the doctor, and they arranged a translator, and a taxi to take me to the hospital. Everyone was amazing and all my fears were washed away. |
| * Safety: |
I have never felt safer being a woman walking around by myself. There were several times where I was alone walking around at night and I wasn't afraid at all. I felt safer in Bilbao than back home at Reno. |
| 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 spent a lot of money, but I found that everything was cheaper there than in the states. I was spending money like I was on vacation, but groceries, food costs, and activities were all much less than what I would pay in the states. |
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 |
everyone was largely speaking spanish, but many people know english |
| 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? | Beginner |
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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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? | You might have a rough first couple of weeks, but you will not regret going. It takes a minute to get adjusted and its tough being out of your comfort zone. |
