Life-Changing Experience Past Review
By Antoinette Acosta (University of the Pacific) - abroad from 09/03/2018 to 12/19/2018 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona -Political Science & International Relations
Being abroad allowed me to experience life in a new way. I said Adios! to my old reality to a completely new culture and society. On top of learning a new language, you are introduced to new ways of thinking and ideas, which I will cherish for the rest of my life. I loved everything about being abroad.
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. |
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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: |
Since I lived in a homestay, dinners were cooked by my host family. This was a another good way to integreate closer into the culture, is through cuisine! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
If students are more interested in becoming culturally integrated into the society, I highly recommend staying with a home-stay option! Host-families are the perfect opportunity to learn about the real aspects of their culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick once and went to the hospital the IES program directed me to, I had to pay a flat 50 euro fee. On top of that, I had to pay for the medicines from the local pharmacy stores. |
| * Safety: |
Barcelona is #1 pick pocket spot in the world! I knew many students that had their phones and wallets taken. Personally, I didn't get anything taken from me but I was very cautious. Be careful of who you speak to, because pickpockets work in teams and use one person to distract you (asking for a cigarette, directions) and another will swipe your stuff! Especially in large crowded areas, pick pockets will be there. This shouldn't discourage you from going to Barcelona though, the right amount of caution should be put but I think if you're studying abroad you should be cautious all the time. |
| 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) |
Living in a homestay may be the most cost effective housing option. Since the program requires 2 meals to be given to students, I didn't have to worry about spending so much of my money on $ and instead saved for travel. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan out your trips in advance! The more in advance, the cheaper it ends up being. I highly recommend hostels as well, it's a good place to meet fellow travelers at the lowest cost. Hostels also provide good resources to use to find out more about the city. In Amsterdam, the hostel I stayed in rented out bikes for a pretty good price so we could bike around the city! |
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? | Beginner |
| 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? | Spanish Literature |
| 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? | Homestays allow you to practice with a native in conversational settings, way better than what you could ever learn in a classroom. Since host parents understand that the student's language isn't the best, they are very helpful to give you tips on learning the language |
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? | You're going to get homesick! And that is okay, learning to cope with issues without having your regular support system is hard, but that's when self-growth comes into play and provides a unique experience to learn. |
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. |
