¡Barcelona, qué maravilla! Past Review
By Kariely R (Psychology, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/02/2015 to 12/18/2015 with
CIEE: Barcelona - Advanced Liberal Arts
My experience abroad was more than I could have asked for. I learned to be truly independent and take full control of my academics. I gained a lot of knowledge about a foreign culture, and learned what living outside of the U.S could be like.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought the program offered a great amount of variety in their course offerings, and the courses were all academically rigorous and rewarding. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The directors and professor involved with the program were all very willing to help with both academic and personal matter, they made themselves very available and present in the during the entire experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host family, and it was very pleasant experience. |
| * Food: |
I loved the food in Barcelona, both at home and out in the city. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture, especially because of the direct enrollment at the University of Barcelona. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any direct experience with healthcare, but i never heard any bad things from friends who did have experiences with healthcare. |
| * Safety: |
Barcelona was very safe, I never felt uneasy while exploring the city, or while out late either alone or with friends. I always felt safe. |
| 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 think my time in Barcelona ended up being a lot more expensive than I expected. Even with budgeting I found that some weeks money felt a little tight. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would say they should try and find free events or events with discounts for students, and when finding food they should visit a few markets and shops to find the best deals. |
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 |
The students in the Advanced Liberal Arts program insisted on students using the language (Spanish) as often as possible. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | The best way is to use it in your daily life, not just while at school. Use it with friends, and while you're out to meeting new people. |
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? | I wish I knew that meeting local students was going to take some much work, but it helped me make more genuine friends. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
