Spain is amazing. This program is not. Past Review
By Jennifer L (University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/11/2012 to 04/19/2012 with
UW-Platteville Education Abroad at the Spanish-American Institute of International Education (SAIIE)
I learned a lot about myself and what I do and don't like. I gained knowledge of a different culture, which has changed my perspective. I think it was something I had to experience. Do I wish it would have went more smoothly and that I would have been more satisfied with my program? Yes. But it's an experience nevertheless and all experiences make us who we are today.
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. |
Academic rigor was minimal. I didn't feel completely challenged, yet the professors graded really hard and didn't allow for outside work to impact our overall grade. Internet access was VERY spotty and I struggled with it all semester until they got great new internet in the last two weeks I was there. Bummer. Also, some of my final papers required online research and I didn't have access to internet at my home stay either. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a great senora who took care of us well, but I was really hoping for more of a family feel, with host brothers or sisters. Also, I was paired with three other American students which caused a lot more English speaking in the house than Spanish...and also a lot more drama. Not cool. |
| * Food: |
Great food! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were encouraged to have "intercambios" (aka native friends) that we'd get together with on a weekly basis but it was sort of an awkward process because they just gave us a person's phone number and we were supposed to start it that way. I think it would have been a better idea if the program held some sort of event where we have a meet and greet with the interested intercambio students early in the semester instead of calling a stranger over the phone. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt the most safe in Sevilla than any where else. I never had any problems with people stealing my things on the street or strange men approaching me. As long as you're aware of your surroundings at all times, you should be safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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 wasn't exactly living on a student's budget while abroad. I figured I was in Europe so that was the time to travel...a lot. So I'd spend most of my weekends traveling which reached over 200 dollars in a typical week. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 250 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Live minimally, get a good paying job for the summer and make a lot of money, save and don't spend on small things you don't need to survive. |
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 |
The professors encouraged us to speak Spanish but in the hallways of the school and even on the school weekend trips most everyone spoke English and no one ever told us to stop and speak Spanish instead. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPA 305 |
| 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? | Pick a program where you have native language speakers in your classes (I suggest going to the University of whatever city you're looking at), try to get into a living situation where the most-spoken language is the native language, make friends with the natives. |
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? | That the website is misleading. The school is called "The Spanish-American Institute of International Education" when you don't have native Spanish-speaking students in your class. |
