Best. Year. of. My. Life. Hands. Down. Past Review
By Jonathan M (International Business., Illinois State University) for
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Barcelona, Spain
110% worthwhile.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was always easy to talk to someone if you needed help. They were readily available. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Less quantities in Europe. Don't expect to get your check immediately after finishing either. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
La Merce. Barcelona futbol matches. Many field trips organized by CEA. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
CEA was prepared and kept us informed. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I used $350 every two weeks. It was somewhat difficult to budget because of the exchange rate but it was manageable. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Nothing really caught me by surprise. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I took no Spanish in college. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced Spanish with some locals but it was not difficult to find English in Barcelona. |
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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* Who did you take classes 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? | Independent students would benefit the most. Don't travel with friends from home. I encourage students to study abroad with their friends because it forces them to branch out and meet new people. |
