The most valuable experience of my life Past Review
By Lavanya G (Economics and Political Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/27/2014 to 05/27/2014 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
I learned how to be fearless. I came in barely knowing Spanish and I lived with a host family that barely knew any English. I had to learn how to communicate using very limited resources. The lessons I have learned from my study abroad have been instrumental to how I operate in social settings now. I feel confident in my ability to find a common ground with just about anyone.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt that the classes were not academically rigorous in any way. They were very lecture-centered with barely any sort of student/professor interaction or discussion. I recommend taking any of the grammar classes. I learned quite a bit in my Oral and Written Communication class--the class is much more rigorous and also improved my Spanish significantly . |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The PRESHCO equipo are the best on the planet. They are extremely kind, supportive, and incredibly organized. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mom was the best! Nothing like a host family experience. Make sure to talk to your host family as much as possible--lunch/dinner time conversations are the best classrooms. |
| * Food: |
It was hard for me at times because I am a vegetarian. I am also not too fond of Spanish food as I find it a bit bland. My friends who eat meat absolutely loved it though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I always hung out with my American friends but I formed some unforgettable friendships with some of the local students. PRESHCO organizes an event in the beginning of the program called "conversation companions" where you get matched up with a couple of Spanish students over wine and tapas. I absolutely loved my Spanish companions and they will forever be my friends. Sometimes it's a hit or miss, but most of my friends had very positive experiences. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I sliced my hand open with a broken wine bottle once. The PRESHCO staff sorted me out the next morning and took me to the emergency room. I did not have to pay a cent and I got the necessary care quickly. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe however one of my friends of Chinese descent once had a group of men follow her around and yell some racial slurs. Cordoba can be a bit close-minded when it comes to race. I am of Indian descent and people often called me "gitana", which means gypsy. I didn't really care too much but some people were affected by the more...provincial attitudes of the locals. You have to come in with an open mind. You will be treated differently because you are a foreigner and sometimes it's a bad thing and sometimes it's absolutely amazing. Overall, the people of Cordoba are incredibly kind. There are a few bad seeds but you just have to ignore them and laugh it off. |
| 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) |
If you travel and like to eat good food and drink good sangria, you will end up spending most of your money. I would recommend taking up a job, like teaching English to some kids (which I did), that helped with my coffee/wine expenses. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The program encouraged us all the time. We just chose to ignore the advice. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | 241 |
| 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? | Duolingo! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish someone had told me to take pants a size up. You will most definitely gain weight. It will happen whether you like it or not. |
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. |
