Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fantastic language and cultural experience in La Coruña Past Review

By (Washington University in Saint Louis) - abroad from 06/13/2016 to 07/15/2016 with

Linguistic Horizons: Study Abroad and Intern in La Coruña

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about the local culture. With great teaching and living with Spanish speakers, I really improved my Spanish.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

This program introduced me to the amazing city that is La Coruña, with great teachers to help improve my Spanish, and lots of opportunities to discover the city, the region and its people. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone looking to have a fun time while meeting new people from around the world and learning about different cultures. A+!

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)

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? AP Spanish in high school
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Roommates and Spanish-speaking friends
  • Teaching
  • La Coruña - great location!
* What could be improved?
  • Adapting class to everyone's level - difficult with a small program
  • Using Spanish in non-class program events. Was used little and it would have been nice if it were used more often.
  • Timing of day trips - understandably some of them had to be very early, but it would have been nice to enjoy Friday nights without having to wake up early most Saturdays.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had learned more about La Coruña before going so that I could know more about what I wanted to do there on my own. I felt like there were so many awesome things left to do when I left! It gives me a reason to come back someday.