Barcelona: A Great Introduction to Life Abroad Past Review
By Christopher M (Economics., Harvard University) for
CIEE: Barcelona - Summer Language and Culture
Absolutely. I might choose a program with more flexibility for traveling on weekends, but on the whole I had a very rewarding experience.
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. |
There was a lot of class time. Work wasn't overly difficult, but there was a lot of it. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They're helicopter administrators. Can't let you be college students. They micro-manage everything to a negative extent. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
My host mom was an unbelievable cook. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Great kids, great city. I highly recommend Montserrat, Montjuic, and all the usual aspects of Barcelona. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Don't go on Las Ramblas at night alone. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Host family, other students, teacher. I did use the language in every day interactions, although a lot of people also did speak English. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Come with an open mind. You get as much out of the experience as you try to. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Past and Present in Barcelona |
| Course Department: | HIST 3001 BARU |
| Instructor: | Roser Bosch |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Wasn't challenging, but it made great use of location and had a lot of relevant, interesting field trips. The teacher was well prepared, and class participation was frequent. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No problems so far. |
