CordoBAE Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/25/2017 to 12/19/2017 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
I learned so much about Spanish and European culture, and even a little about Moroccan culture. I also learned some things about myself and about Wellesley. I have seen a society that is able to function without constant stress, I knew it existed, and I hope to emulate it, but I know it will be even more difficult for my Wellesley Sibs to understand me. Also, my Spanish has improved more than I originally realized. I spend a lot of time in airports and I am able to understand not only the Spanish instructions everywhere, but I can pick up on actual conversations as well. I am so grateful for the experiences I gained abroad.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were not as rigorous as I am accustomed to at Wellesley, but it was difficult because the expectations were sometimes unclear, there were long gaps between assignments which makes it-- difficult for me personally--to stay motivated, and of course the language barrier makes things such as taking notes more difficult. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loved my housing and host family. I was located in the center, two minutes from las tendillas, with a wonderful mom, her daughter, and their two small dogs. If you chose this program I greatly recommend Inmaculada! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made it my goal to get out and make spanish friends, so I think I was more integrated than most of the others in my group. Living with a host family and making sure to be open and friendly are great ways to integrate yourself in the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare in Spain is very inexpensive (compared to America) which was a wonderful surprise. The program leaders seemed insensitive to healthcare needs in the beginning, but whenever I had an issue they (really Encarni) were/was ready to take me to the clinic and get me feeling better. |
| * Safety: |
Cordoba is a small city, and safety was rarely a concern. Use common sense, you're in a foreign city, but you don't have to be afraid to venture out and have a good time. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Although I had some issues with the way many rules were implemented and a lack of total transparency with the students. I really enjoyed this program, I made many friends and learned so much! And though I would like to make some changes to the reimbursement program, it is an excellent idea that is very helpful for us students as we cannot work while abroad. |
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) |
Most of the time I was able to live on under $100/week, food and drinks are pretty inexpensive and I do not shop much. But if you want to buy gifts or get out and do cultural things, as I did, it will likely cost you. I was so glad to have two guaranteed free meals a day with my host family. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It helps to have at least $70/week for food and stuff |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Find the neighborhoods with cheaper tapas. I was living in the center, where all the restaurants are about double the price, so it helped to venture to other neighborhoods to find cheaper food. Also, my friends showed me places that give free tapas with drinks or 1 euro tapas. Create a budget for yourself and stick to it weekly. I hid quite a bit of money from myself and that money came in handy later. |
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 |
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| 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? | SPAN 242 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | Yes, the program is about immersion, but the grades will matter as well (even though they tell you they won't). |
