Amazing time in Spain Past Review
By Joshua Minor (University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 09/02/2018 to 12/15/2018 with
USAC Spain: Valencia - Spanish Culture, Language, and STEM Disciplines
I learned how to live on my own in a different world.
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. |
The teachers are great but the material isn't exactly what I expected. More grammatically based than conversational. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All the ladies in the USAC office in Valencia were kind, caring, and willing to help with anything you need. They became our Spanish Mothers and took us on some great field trips. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location of housing was great!! |
| * Food: |
Local food in Spain is just incomparable to anywhere else! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was lucky to get a tutoring job working with three families in the city. They warmly welcomed me into their homes and were very kind to give me advice on where to go and what to see in the area! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a bacterial infection and the Ladies in the office got me a dr appointment, and one came with me to help translate what the doctor was say and help me get the right prescription. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe. Very safe city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Great Location, great experience. Wouldn't Change Anything. |
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) |
Food is very cheap, you can get by on less than $50 a week |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan your trips ahead, spread them out across the time your away, you don't want to spend all your money within the first few months and have no money the last month. |
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 |
Its encouraged but if you live in the apartments you'll have a safe space to return to where you can speak English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate Spanish 1 |
| 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? | DouLingo app and TinyCards |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Don't go in thinking you can compare it to your home university. It's different. Its meant to be, it's going to be, once you understand that you'll learn to accept it as what it is and you'll begin to enjoy it more. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
