An Exhilarating Semester in Salamanca Past Review
By Lena Etoka (Occidental College) - abroad from 08/29/2018 to 12/12/2018 with
IES Abroad: Salamanca – Psychology
I learned more about myself as I participated in different activities. I also met various people from different countries helping me to become more knowledgeable about different cultures. It was worthwhile as I truly got to know the language better as well as the city.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was nice having my own bathroom and room. It was also nice having a kitchen which I shared with only one other person. |
| * Food: |
The food from the restaurants was generally amazing. However, the food from the residence dining halls was not necessarily the best. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was easily accessible. My program even offered to assist me at the appointment because of the language barrier. Pharmacies were also easily accessible |
| * Safety: |
Just always make sure to be aware of your surroundings |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
It was only difficult when it came to traveling. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 20 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan ahead while grocery shopping and only get what you really need. If it is possible, plan your trips in advance as you will save even more money. |
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 |
|
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate Spanish |
| 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? | Make sure to participate in activities that give you the opportunity to work on Spanish. Meet up with locals or students from your classes who are not from the same country. Try to speak in Spanish with people in your program as well |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Even though I feel like I did my best, the time will definitely go by faster than you expected so take advantage of all the opportunities. It also would have been nice to have a calendar for the program earlier on. |
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. |
