Barcelona, best decision I ever made. Past Review
By GaHye K (International Economic Relations & Spanish, Wellesley College) for
CIEE: Barcelona - Advanced Liberal Arts
My main goal was to learn the language and become fluent in it. Having achieved this, I am content with my study abroad experience, despite the obstacles I faced. Also, traveling to other parts of Europe was incredible, and I will never forget it.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Out of the four courses I took at the University of Barcelona, I honestly only enjoyed one of the classes. I felt that I had truly learned and retained information from the class. That is not to say the other classes were useless. It was just hard to take them seriously; however, the fact that they were in a completely different language made them a valuable experience in general. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Each time I had a question, the director at my study abroad office was very quick to respond and was helpful in answering any doubts I had. Also, Jensine Fraser from the CIEE Office was so amazing. She gave me realistic advice about my future academic experiences in Barcelona. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The neighborhood of my host family was perfect. However, the host mother I had was difficult to live with and I had to move out near the end of my program. I felt as if she was doing it just for the money. Nevertheless, in the beginning, I felt my Spanish improve as I conversed with her. |
| * Food: |
It consisted of basically vegetable oil, bread, cheese, and pasta. It was hard to get used to, having eaten vegetables and rice for the most part before coming here. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved being able to travel all around Europe at an affordable cost. It was the best part of my study abroad experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It is still dangerous at night. There are many pickpocketers, and it is easy to fall into a more dangerous neighborhood. You should always travel in groups, and girls should be walked to their residence. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The cost of living in general was so much higher than in the United States. However, the grocery store is relatively cheap and you can cook your own food at a very inexpensive cost. The clothes and accessories are expensive, as well. They may probably be the most costly things. |
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? | Spanish 273, Latin American Civilization |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Friends from my university classes, my host family, and the people I came into contact each day as I went to grocery stores or restaurants. Hardly anyone I met spoke English, which was perfect for me. |
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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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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