Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Hartford) for

IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
it was defiantly worthwhile. it was the best experience of my life i would do it all over again. it helped me understand different cultures from all over the world and the differences in American life style compared to European.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+
The term and year this program took place: Spring 2010

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

the teachers were very nice and helpful. their assignments seemed fair, we were forced to apply what we learned along with our abroad experiences.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

it was simple to get things done of if i had any questions the secretary at the desk always helped me

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

the family i lived with was very rude towards me. they made me feel very uncomfortable in the apartment so i spent most of the time in my room.

* Food:

there is not much variety in the food so after a while it gets hard to eat the same thing over again. also mostly everything has ham on it and i am kosher so that was really difficult as well.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

barcelona is a beautiful city, there are a lot of site attractions to keep you busy during the day and an amazing night life.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

we were warned a head of time of any dangers that might come our away this kept us on our toes and alert at all times.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Finances

* 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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? be aware of the currency differences

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

i have a very difficult time learning new languages. i was placed in a beginners class but my professor simply refused to speak any english and it was difficult for me to keep up.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? its an amazing once in a life time experience if anyone is debating to do it or not i say defiantly go for it with an open mind it will be the best decision you ever make.