Going Abroad to Barcelona = Taking a Semester Off Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/02/2014 to 04/11/2014 with
CIEE: Barcelona - Liberal Arts
I gained independence and was able to travel internationally for the first time and live in a beautiful city, but lost a semester of great academics at my home institution. It was worth it because living in Europe as a college student, free from most responsibilities, is a singular opportunity that everyone should take advantage of -- as long as they're aware that the "study" part of study abroad is a ruse (at least in Barcelona).
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
You get back what you put in. Classes are in Spanish, so you're improving your comprehension skills no matter what, but in terms of content, you can choose to learn or not. It's very easy to skate by as there is little accountability or professor-student relationships. The majority of students take advantage of this; academically, for most, class is about physically showing up and that's it. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Make an effort to spend time with locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Pickpocketing/theft happens frequently; always be aware of your surroundings. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 60 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | For travel, buy plane tickets well in advance for better prices. Strike a balance between being conservative with your money and not letting money prevent you from doing things you want to do while abroad. Prioritize! |
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? | 5 semesters |
| 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? | First and foremost, don't be too shy to speak the language. If you're too worried about making mistakes to speak, you'll never improve. Talk to locals as much as possible (host family, local friends, etc.). When with your fellow program participants you will inevitably speak English, so try to maximize the time you spend with non-Americans. |
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? | Nothing, really. |
