Past Review
By James C (Religion/Religious Studies., The College of William and Mary) for
William and Mary: Seville - William and Mary in Seville
My experience was wonderful and worthwhile.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Pablo de Olavide |
| 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 courses were not particularly difficult although the language barrier added to making the workload seem more daunting. Overall, the teaching methods were not significantly different then back home although the quality of professors is much greater at W&M. The grading system is nice and I believe more reasonable than in the US. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program had very intelligent and kind people who were working with the students and who were always willing to help. The main problema was simply the disorganization. They were not particularly efficient, and while their intentions were good often the outcome was sub-par. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Everything about my housing was wonderful. My host mom was kind and generous and always willing to speak to us. The only problem was that the host mom's food was pretty bad. Not the best meals in the world but everything else was great. |
| * Food: |
Loved the restaurant food, disliked host mom food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
La Feria and Semana Santa are spectacles that everyone should see. They are crazy and tons of fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I had a couple uncomfortable encounters but I felt extremely safe and at home in Sevilla. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Just be intelligent. Experiencing Spain doesn't have to be extremely expensive if you just spend the money on things you actually want or need. Your in Spain so you should splurge if possible, but be smart about it. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | N/A |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The best way to learn the language is to involve yourself in conversations. The classes help, but as far as acutally learning how to express yourself in Spanish, the best thing to do is to talk to your host family, you spanish friends, or anyone else who is willing to put up with a little broken spanish. This is hands down the most valuable aspect of studying abroad. |
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? | Go. Definitely study abroad in Sevilla. Even though the program has lots of flaws you still spend a whole semester in Spain, which is absolutely awesome. Embrace Spain, because it is a great place to spend 4 months. |
