Living with a host family really helps improve your Spanish Past Review
By Macy M (Public Health Education and Promotion., Oklahoma State University - Stillwater) for
ISA Study Abroad in Valencia, Spain
yes! i wouldnt change it for the world. i learned a lot about the world and also about myself while i was abroad.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | universidad de valencia |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
my classes were good, most of my teachers spoke no english so it was good for spanish immersion. i only had exams in one of my classes, in the rest we just had final projects where we had to write papers and present our work to the class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
i loved the advisors of the isa valencia program. they were so helpful and lovely. there was an isa office right across from our university so it was very convienient. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
i lived in a flat with my american roomate and a spanish lady. isa sets all of the housing up for you which is SO helpful. the neighborhood was safe, it was a 10 minute walk from campus. |
| * Food: |
there are good restuarants in valencia, but i rarely ate out. i ate pretty much every meal at home, because all meals are provided with the isa program. the food made by the lady i lived with was decent, not great though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
isa provided many good excursions. we went to barcelona, madrid, toledo, and many other places. i loved going on the excursions bc everything is paid for already and they show you all the main attractions. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
i felt pretty safe. sometimes at night it is unsafe to walk alone, but at times i still did it. i would recommend taking taxis if you have to travel alone at night. |
| 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) |
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Language
| Language acquisition improvement? |
i recommend living with a host family, because you are forced to speak their language. i knew some spanish before i went but i improved a lot while abroad. most people in valencia did not speak english, and i was happy about that, becuase it forced me to practice more. i made spanish friends and they did not speak english so it was a great learning experience. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | go with a program that lets you live with people that speak the language that you are trying to learn. if you really want to learn a language, dont go to a city where there is a lot of english. i loved valencia because it was a big city but not overwhelming, and it is on the coast. and there are not many english speakers there, so it fores you to become better at english. i would recommend making friends with locals bc that was my favorite part of my experience abroad. i still talk to all of my friends that i made and i will always have a place to stay if i visit again. |
