Just the beginning Past Review
By A student (Whitman College) - abroad from 01/18/2018 to 05/18/2018 with
IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language
I went on my first real hike! I got to learn a lot of history about Spain- especially, southern Spain. I saw historical sites, I ate delicious food, I had some of the best fresh orange juice I ever tasted in my life (#missingzumodenarajana), and I had some awesome conversations. I think one of my favorite things I did was being able to create and practice music with local Spanish and IES friends!
Review Photos
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There were a few classes I really loved- and the main reason was because of the professors! They really loved their class and their job. And it showed through the way they taught the class and cared for their students! I think one of the reasons I thrived in these classes was because of the way they taught the class. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Gave different options on what could be done in Granada! I really appreciated the FB page they created for students and the events the posted. There was always something to do and way to get to know both the city and local people. I think one of the key ways I felt welcomed and also familiar with Granada was through the FB page and the events that were provided. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host family- specifically my host mom and a roommate. I really loved the set up because me and my roommate had our own separate rooms and a shared bathroom. This was nice because we were able to hang out together often but also have our own space. My host mom was very kind, funny, and also sometimes particular. She would always make sure my roommate and I had enough to eat for breakfast and lunch, that we had our keys for the house, and that we turned off lights when we weren't using them. I think one of my favorite past times with my host mom was our conversations, I really got to know her, her childhood, her political views, and her family. She really cared about us and would make sure we had everything we need. |
* Food: |
So I have to say I LOVED my host mom's cooking, and that was 10/10! She was a wonderful cook who would make us a different meal every day for lunch. I even took some recipes home with me! Breakfast and lunch was provided for me by my host mom every day, while dinner was on my own. So my favorite meal of the day was definitely lunch. I think my greatest difficulty was eating out and getting used to eating tapas (small "free" appetizers that came with a drink you bought). I liked to have a bigger meal at dinner and not just one or two tapas which sometimes ended up being a bit more expensive in my weekly budget but sometimes worth it. Also, bread was a daily part of the Spanish diet. Nearly every meal had bread in some form or another. It was good fresh bread, but I did end up getting a bit tired of eating bread with every meal. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt pretty connected with the local community because of the people I met on the program, the local university students, and the faculty. They made me feel as though I belonged here in Granada even when I was having difficulty with the language- there were so many people who were just very encouraging and believed in me. I only wish I had spent more time with the university students I met in Granada, they were really awesome. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had a very serious health issue, just a cold near the beginning of the program. But our program provided an international health insurance which was really nice if something did happen. |
* Safety: |
I felt quite safe in Granada. I found myself walking nearly everywhere within the city. During the day, I had no problem walking basically anywhere in the city. Near the night time, around 9 or 10pm I still felt pretty safe walking by myself to my house. On nights when I went out late to a club with friends, we would meet up to walk together and then coming back sometimes taking a taxi or walked in pairs- but honestly, I didn't really have to worry. I initially worried because I heard that in Europe pick-pocketing was a big concern, but I would say Granada is really safe and this doesn't happen often here. Just use general precaution and you should be alright! |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I really loved my program, the location, and specifically the people. I think that was what really made the difference- the people I met. Everyone especially on the program (faculty, staff, students) was just willing to try different things, was really encouraging, and cared for others. I was able to make a lot of friends and also push myself to try new things. Also- the Spanish in AndalucĂa was very easy to understand and emulate based off of my previous experience, so I was very appreciative of that! |
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) |
I budgeted for about $50 per week while I was there- but honestly there was weeks where all I spent money on was a few groceries for dinner (so like 10 euros) and other weeks where I spent my weekly budget on buying souvenirs and other things. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40-60 a week (varied from week to week- sometimes less than $40) |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would say make a budget right before you leave for the program, and check in with yourself- you can use an app to keep yourself within your budget each week too so you don't run out of money while you're there! Make sure you plan some trips ahead of time- like for Spring break or other weekends- flights are cheaper more advanced! Also you can plan to go on trips with friends which can decrease the cost on housing (Airbnb) and transportation. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Highly encouraged and they gave different opportunities outside of the classroom through events- like through Intercambios (basically and exchange program where an IES student was paired with a Spanish university student and both English and Spanish was spoken so each student could improve in either language). |
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? | Intermediate |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I believe it was 306 |
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? | I would say- put yourself out there! Don't stress out about being perfect, but put in the effort. Whether that means changing the language on your phone to spanish to speaking to your American friends in Spanish only when you go out. There will be moments where you feel the need to speak in english, and that's alright but don't be afraid to practice your spanish. |
Other Program Information
* 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 don't need as much things as you think you need... Some of the things you bring will be super helpful, others you can do without. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |