An Unforgettable Experience Past Review

By (D'Youville College) - abroad from 01/21/2019 to 05/02/2019 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Barcelona, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a broader perspective on the world we live in. I made friendships that would last a long time.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The course load was not rigorous for the most part, or intense. There were many academic resources available to us students.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The on-site administration for my CAPA were always very helpful. Jane and Madeline always had great recommendations for us and were very willing to talk to us when we just needed someone to talk to.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host mom was awesome! Lola was so welcoming and supportive. She made me feel apart of her family. I still am in touch with her today, which demonstrates here excellent hospitality. Only down side was that the room where i stayed was very small.

* Food:

Food was the best part about this trip!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I couldn't have been more integrated with the local culture. The school was a city block away from placa catalunya. The professors were locals. My homestay was a local. Most of our classes had field trips or assignments to visit local areas.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The healthcare was very easily accessible. Jane was able to help me with directions and information before visiting a physician. Capa has insurance for their students.

* Safety:

The city is very safe for the most part. However, their are pickpockets. I didn't have an experience with getting anything stolen, but I know people that did. Common sense should help avoid being pickpocketed.

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)

Fairly easy. I was at a homestay where I had food provided. However, food and groceries were fairly inexpensive.

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

Most of my courses were in Spanish.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Fluent
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Work load was not too much
  • Ability to travel on the weekends
  • Barcelona!
* What could be improved?
  • Transportation passes were an issue
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I would have planned for more excursions in Spain.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'