Best Semester of My Life Past Review
By vivian c (usc) - abroad from 01/19/2012 to 05/19/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Seville, Spain
YES. Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made. I highly recommend everyone do it, because it provides you with insight you couldn't get in any other way. You really do come back seeing the world differently, but a good different. I feel like a different person. I can't wait to travel more and to go back to Sevilla. Sevilla is the most amazing city in the world and I 100% recommend it over any other city in Europe. I don't know one person who studied there who wished they chose somewhere else, but I do know a ton who visited Sevilla and regretted not choosing it.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Sevilla, CEA Global Campus |
| 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. |
Loved all my classes and my professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Amazingly helpful and so friendly. Loved them so much. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
If you know where to eat, the food it great. Go to restaurants you've researched or that are recommended by a friend. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
NO8DO |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be careful. Seville is a safe city, but you are an American in a foreign country and that makes you a target. Go everywhere with a friend. |
| 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) |
Studying abroad is expensive, much more so than I would have expected. Sevilla is a very cheap city though, which was extremely helpful. Traveling to places like Rome or London which were really expensive made me thankful to study in a cheap city. Traveling is your biggest expense. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Travel to cities where you know someone. It is so much easier having someone to tell you where to go during the day, what areas to go to at night, and where to eat. It'll for sure save you a ton of money. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate 1 |
| 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? | GET AN INTERCAMBIO. I did it midway through the program and wish I did it sooner. It really does help so much. If you get one your not crazy about, just switch. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Four months goes by so fast. Make the most of every single day. If you aren't happy about something, change it. Travel, but not too much. Your going to love every second you spend in Seville. If you are going to spend less that 3 days in a city, skip it, it's not enough time. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Culture of Food and Wine in Spain |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Javier |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Actually not a joke class. We learned a ton of information on the local culture and food and we had fun trying different things and talking about out experiences. Tests weren't easy. Javier has been one of my favorite professors all throughout college. Would 100% recommend it. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Having trouble using it towards my Spanish Minor. |
