Don't fear debt. Being in debt means that you bettered something in your life. Past Review
By Dennis A (BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES., Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/21/2014 to 12/21/2014 with
CIEE: Alicante - Language & Culture
It was the most experiential, and beneficial semester of my life. I highly recommend this program, especially in the Fall semester because you get to show up and go to the beach everyday after class.
Personal Information
| 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. |
It was the best 4 months of my entire life. Great city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. The program, CIEE, really understood that the experience is more beneficial that taking rigorous courses, while abroad. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration staff was phenomenal and they were always on top of their game. They were always there to assist students in whatever they needed. My friends and I would often time refer to them as"the Saints" because they were so friendly and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very satisfied. I lived in a home-stay with an older couple. They treated me like an adult and I had complete freedom to do whatever I pleased. It was also a great experience learning from them about Spanish culture, politics, and food. Furthermore, living with a host-family requires you to speak Spanish, and it is great practice. I also plan on staying in contact with the host family. |
| * Food: |
The food was good at the home-stay. Breakfast was a small meal, just one piece of toast normally. Lunch and Dinner were much larger and always tasty. Also, there are great restaurants at your disposal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Within one month, I had felt like I was truly integrating with the local culture. Meal times are different than the US, with lunch around 3-4 and dinner at 9-10. Once I had experienced a month of the nightlife, I had met new local friends and knew exactly what to do for fun. Before leaving, many people told me not to trust anyone there; I found it to be the opposite. Many of the Europeans I met were extremely friendly and genuine. Of course, you will need common sense while in Spain, but that should not be too hard. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was lucky enough not to have any illness, or injury. However, a few of my friends needed to go to the doctor's office a few times. When a student needs to go to the doctor's, the on-site staff will pick you up and go with you to the appointment. My friends said it was very helpful. That is why I am rating it a 5-star. |
| * Safety: |
I would walk home alone every single night, often times around 4-5 in the morning, on weekends. I never felt un-safe. Firearms in Spain are prohibited, and I never encountered a robbery of any kind. The majority of crime in Spain is pickpocketing, I had a few friends who got their wallets stolen right out of their backpacks!! just be aware of your surroundings and use common sense and there will not be any problems. |
| 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) |
I probably spent about $2000-$2,500 the entire semester on food, souvenirs, traveling, and drinks at bars. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | All meals are paid for in homestays, you only need to pay when eating out. $50/week if I had to guess |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I saved a lot of money and worked a lot the summer before leaving. I tried not to be frugal while abroad, in order to enhance the experience. |
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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | equivalent of 3 semesters of Spanish |
| 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? | Don't be shy, and speak a lot of host families. My friends and I would make small jokes out of the different grammar forms, and we would pronounce them in silly ways. Eventually, I found myself using those words in everyday speech. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | Do not take the moment for granted, go leave the house and stay on the move. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
