Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best year of my life, would do it again! Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/24/2018 to 05/27/2019 with

PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I had an amazing time! I loved my host family. I made several great friends, both with other people in the program and with Spaniards. I loved the food, the excursions, and the cultural classes. My Spanish has definitely improved and I overall had a lot of fun. I would highly recommend this program.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes don't really compare to Wellesley classes. The hard part is that it is all in Spanish. At first, it was hard adjusting to the different classroom structure but the workload is super manageable.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host mom!

* Food:

The food was honestly one of the main reasons why I wanted to study abroad in Spain and I was not disappointed.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Córdoba is a super safe city. I never had any issues when it came to safety.

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

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)

PRESCHO gives you a cultural fund which is pretty awesome. I used it mostly for the gym and for going out to the movies and musicals. I only really needed to pay out of pocket when I traveled outside of Spain.

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the excursions and the cultural classes because they really allowed me to immerse myself into the Spanish culture and language. I also loved living with a host family because it was super helpful for improving my Spanish and integrating myself into the culture.
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between the program administrators and the students was't always the best since there were a bit of miscommunications that occurred/not everyone was always on the same page. Also, the cultural reimbursement needs improvement in terms of how/when students receive the money and being clear as to what the money could be used for.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? What you get out of this program depends on what you make out of it. Also, for a lot of people, it is kind of hard to make Spanish friends but it is doable.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A 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.