Best Decision of My College Career Past Review

By (Finance, Texas A&M - Baylor College of Dentistry) for

API (Academic Programs International): Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was the best decision of my college career and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I gave it five stars because it was that great, and now I'm actually getting prepared to teach English abroad in the coming months. I loved it and I will be a lifelong traveler.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I thought the classes were incredibly helpful, but not extremely challenging. This gave me time to take care of schoolwork at school and then enjoy the city during the evenings.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program was great! I had a chance to study at a good university, I had opportunities to travel to Madrid, Paris, and Other areas around Barcelona. They took care of everyone and made sure to help us with any situations we had to solve. The process of getting ready to leave was kind of a hassle, but the trip was well worth it.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The whole living situation was great! I lived with a host mother and another study abroad student. It was awesome because we were in the city and we were pretty close to the metro. I enjoyed the area because it had everything we needed. A grocery store, a restaurant close, we lived maybe 2-3 blocks from the market (where they have fresh fruit). The host family provided dinner and breakfast which was great, and cut down on food costs substantially.

* Food:

It was great as I mentioned we were provided breakfast and dinner. there are a plethora of good restaurants in the area, just look around! I suggest taking a guidebook because it will prove incredibly helpful.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

1. La Merce is an incredible festival that is in Barcelona that is incredible! It takes place in the fall, and basically it begins on Wednesday and goes all the way to Sunday. There are events each and everyday, along with concerts that pack every inch of the downtown area every night. Also there is this regional competition where people stand up on each other's shoulders, effectively creating a human tower. It's a lot of fun. 2. Our two trips were to Madrid and Paris France. I enjoyed each of them, because you stay in a great hotel, and you are able to access the places where you want to go easily. It's a great time where you can enjoy other parts of the country. 3. There were a few other great things we did while on the tour like a Winery Tour and a cooking class, which I thought were great. It was great to meet and hang out with a variety of different people. I highly recommend taking part of as much as you can.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

API provides basic knowledge and information about all of the different ways to stay safe, and at least for my school we had insurance that came as a part of the program. I didn't have any problems, but I know if you needed help you could get some.

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

Language acquisition improvement?

I practiced with my host family, when I read the paper, when I went to eat food etc. We also practiced in our classes and had group projects that helped me to learn the language. I used the host country language everyday. It was also nice because sometimes people would speak English if we really needed it. It was alright.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • People
  • School
  • Events, and Trips
* What could be improved?
  • I can't think of anything. It was a great trip!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Take a part of everything. meet locals, find a bar or a restaurant that you go to and be friends with those that work there. develop great relationships with the students on the trip, but also the people from where you're traveling. Never stop trying to learn and discover new things. Take a part of every opportunity that the program gives you.