Three Months I'll Never Forget Past Review
By Corinna P (University of Florida) - abroad from 09/16/2013 to 12/13/2013 with
Academic Studies Abroad: Study Abroad in Sevilla, Spain
I learned so many things from my experience abroad. Not only did I improve exponentially in my language skills, but I also grew more as a person. I gained so many different world perspectives and I can now have a greater appreciation for life and stronger compassion for people of different backgrounds. I also have greater social and interpersonal skills. My experience was so fun and rich with learning experiences. It was definitely worthwhile and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| 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. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site directors of my program were amazing! They were so helpful with any questions I had, and they were fun people that made the experience so enjoyable. I could not have asked for better directors! |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host mom. She was the sweetest woman. Her cooking was great and I loved to be with her in the house and outside of the house. I'm so glad I had her as a host mom. |
| * Food: |
My host mom always made delicious food for me, and had it available when I was hungry. She also made sure I liked everything she made, and altered it if I didn't. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I definitely had to put in an extra effort to feel integrated, because most of my activities were with other Americans. I had to go out of my way to make friends with the locals and get involved, and I'm so glad I did. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had any issues. |
| * Safety: |
My host city is very safe. I always felt safe no matter where I was going and no matter at what time. The one thing I would advise looking out for is theft (pick-pocketing), but I never had any problems with it. |
| 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) |
Since food and living costs were already included in the program cost, I only had to pay for extra travel expenses, bus transportation, my cell phone, and extra costs when I would go out to eat or hang out with my friends. |
| 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? | Spend your money wisely and make it last, don't blow it all off when you first get there and then have nothing to spend during the rest of your trip. Also try to think about the value of the things you're buying and if you really need it, or if you would rather spend it on something else. |
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 |
|
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Accelerated Spanish Review SPN1134 |
| 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? | Be eager to learn the language and put an effort into it. Talk to your host family, make friends with locals, etc. When the tv is on try to understand it instead of just allowing it to be background noise. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew how quickly the time would pass so I could make the most of it. But no matter how many times someone tells you this, you don't really realize it until the end. So seriously, take advantage of every second you have. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
