Past Review
By Hunt R (Accounting, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia / Polytechnic University of Valencia / UPV) for
Polytechnic University of Valencia / UPV : Valencia - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes it was very worth while. I was able to experience life in europe and not just a vacation. I was able to travel and see many countries throughout Europe and have a great time doing it. But at the same time it made me more independent and forced me to do thing that I wouldn't have had to do it I had stayed in the US, but I now see that these experiences were extremely helpful to me. Overall it was an experience that can sometimes be stressful and difficult, but in the end extremely woth while.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad Politecnica de Valencia |
| 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. |
The academics could not have been better. The workload was perfect and the teacher's understood the circumstances of study abroad and more than willing to work with us. My spanish was not great and the teachers also worked with me to understand. My only problem was getting classes to match the credits I need, but this was only a minor problem. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the most part everything went smoothly. I think it may have been difficult for my host university and the coordinator to be on the same page just becasue of the cultural differences in how school is run. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I went with a friend and we lived with two students from France. They were extremely nice and helpful to us. We became very good friends and hope to always keep in touch. |
| * Food: |
The spanish food was not my favorite, but it was okay. I cooked most all my meals and the grociery stores were very very cheap compared to the rest of europe so that was a big plus. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The social life was great because it was so different from life here in the United States. Their is a festival in March called Las Fallas that was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never had any health issues. I felt very safe the entire time I was in Spain. Even late at night, I never once felt threated or uneasy. |
| 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? |
Yes, I had to use spanish ever day. But, most all of the students spoke english so if I had a problem I was able to get help. |
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? | I think students should definately go to Valencia. It was a great experience and not only was it a ton of fun, but it was a great experience where I learned a lot of things and helped me to become much more independent. I would definately advise to learn as much spanish as possible before going. I really enjoyed living with other international students becasue it made my experience better, but it could also ruin the experience with bad roomates. |
