Difficult, but rewarding Past Review
By Annie B (Nursing, Spanish, William Jewell College) - abroad from 09/03/2012 to 12/21/2012 with
IES Abroad: Barcelona - Study Abroad with IES Abroad
It was worthwhile, but really, really challenging!
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. |
Some classes were like really hard, like impossible, but didn't grade very hard. I didn't really like that. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was all really nice and willing to help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
WONDERFUL! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I can't speak Catalan, so it was a pretty hard task to communicate. I was under the impression that more people speak Spanish there, but that is no the case. Everyone's first language is Catalan. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
$106 per week on food alone |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $106!!!!!! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out. It is SO expensive! |
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? | Advanced |
| 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? | 300 level |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | The length! I wish I would have done an 8-week summer program instead |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
