Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Go with your gut Past Review

By (University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 09/03/2017 to 12/14/2017 with

USAC Spain: Valencia - Spanish Culture, Language, and STEM Disciplines

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This experience has taught me how to really challenge myself, adapt to different environments and be more culturally aware of others and my surroundings.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Language courses are taught entirely in Spanish so you really get to work on your vocal skills intensively.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Were always there to answer questions or to refer you to others who can

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in a homestay and I loved it!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated into the local culture but I think that was mainly because I stayed with a host family. One thing that I would've preferred though is that our classes or excursions were integrated with local Spaniards at the university.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Didn't have any specific experiences with healthcare but I was able to obtain a prescription medication that I had run out of while in Spain really easily. It seemed a little odd though that they didn't even question me about it and just sold it to me as if it were an over-the-counter product.

* Safety:

I never had any problems or encountered any type of situation where I felt unsafe. There were a couple of times where I was out late at night by myself and felt a bit uneasy but the entire city is well lit so it wasn't that big of an issue.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

If I could do it all over again I would definitely choose the same location, but I would choose to go through a different provider. USAC for the most part was good but it held a few flaws that effected my experience quite significantly. The two main problems involved how the program dealt with rent payments through the host families and the way in which the program didn't give us a concrete semester schedule with breaks and all which hindered my plans with family visits.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Utilize hostels and the airline Ryanair if you want to travel throughout Europe!

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

Language classes were taught entirely in Spanish

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
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Go to tandem bars if your area has ones or obtain a tandem partner with whom you can practice the language with.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The intensity of the courses
  • The other American students involved
  • The opportunity to work with my host university's american culture program
* What could be improved?
  • Rent payment
  • School calendar availability
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Utilize out of class programs or go to tandem bars in the local area in order to improve your language skills. Incorporating yourself into the local culture will help you significantly.

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!