Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I love Salamanca! Past Review

By (English, Carlow College) for

WorldStrides Study Abroad in Salamanca, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The things I achieved while I was studying in Spain made all the challenges worth it. I know more about myself and what I'm capable of. I enjoy having heightened cultural awareness. I read more international news and more news in Spanish now. I fell in love with the city of Salamanca and hope to go back someday.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: University of Salamanca
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved my classes and teachers. The classes were fun. The teachers were understanding and patient. The workload was a little less than what I was used to having in the U.S.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My dorm room was pretty gross when I moved in, but my friends dorm rooms were not as bad. My shower was painfully small, dark, and moldy. I couldn't turn around or reach my feet to wash them. So, I took sponge baths at the sink instead. I think I would have had a better experience if I had lived with a roommate instead of in a single room. My friends who lived with host families had mixed experiences, and I don't think I would trade my experience in the dorm with theirs. A host family might have helped my language acquisition but I wouldn't have learned how to go grocery shopping or tried as many restaurants.

* Food:

The food in the dorm was not very good. I chose to spend most of my money eating out. I usually got a croissant for breakfast at Don Quixote or La Crosanteria. I tried many different places for lunch. I loved eating at Pans and Company; they have great bocadillos (sandwiches). For dinner I ate gelato from one the stands in the Plaza Mayor. I went to McDonald's once just to see if it was different in Spain. They had gazpacho and different McFlurry flavors on the menu.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I will never forget the ISA trip to the Alcazar in Segovia. I chose this program partly because I wanted to see a castle for the first time and I was not disappointed. I also saw many other cool things on the ISA trips. Gaudi's Caprice was beautiful. Santiana del Mar was like stepping back in time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Medical insurance was included in the program price. When I got sick a program administrator took me to the doctor and translated for me. Then she took me to the pharmacy to get the prescription. I was treated very well.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
Language acquisition improvement?

Only the professors and program administrators spoke English, and only if I really needed them to. I had to use Spanish in all the museums, restaurants, stores, taxis, trains, airports, and everywhere else.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Writing
Course Department:
Instructor: Cristina
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The teacher for this course was my favorite. She was so energetic and happy. She use many pre-school and grade school writing exercises in the class. I was surprised how much fun they were and how much they helped me with my Spanish. We also had more traditional writing assignments and we learned how to write poetry. In one class she taught us how to write text message slang on our cell phones.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes and Yes.
Course Name/Rating:

Spanish Culture
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This course was mostly history and geography: lots of facts about lots of locations. I learned many new words here that do not come up in a typical Spanish class. The teacher used lots of pictures and showed lots of video clips. Because of this class I tried things in Spain that I otherwise would not have known about.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes and Yes.
Course Name/Rating:

Grammar

Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Great class. I still use the worksheets.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes and Yes.
Course Name/Rating:

Speaking and Listening
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This was a conversation course. For the final exam I had to give a speech in Spanish and then answer questions from my classmates. I was surprised at how much I improved by the end of the course.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes and Yes.