Great program to improve Spanish & immerse in culture Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/24/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
I learned how to adapt to a culture very different from my own. I learned how to problem solve when I had difficulty with language. I learned an entirely new set of customs and traditions.
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. |
Overall a really great experience. I will say that UCO is not a rigorous university- if you are looking to be challenged academically, this is not the place. That being said, that was not the goal of my study abroad experience. I wanted to immerse myself in a new culture and improve Spanish, so this was great. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I thought the administration was mostly good, however I had a few complaints. First, it felt like they prioritized excursions and expensive meals over other resources that would have been more valuable, like keeping the study space open for longer hours and on the weekends. Additionally, I did not feel that supported when choosing classes, and I wish they provided more resources about UCO classes. In the future,I think it would benefit students if they provided a list of UCO classes by students taken the previous semester or year. Their website has something like this, but it is not updated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family. The one thing that was frustrating was that it is not custom to have guests over, so I could never really invite friends over. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This program did a great job of trying to integrate us into the local culture, more than any other study abroad programs my friends are in, or even similar programs in Córdoba. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Pretty safe, except that a friend was followed twice while walking home. She was placed about 30 minutes walking from the university, which I thought was a bit unfair. If someone is going to live that far, there should be at least a few people around them, because she was forced to walk home alone many times. They say you can use a taxi and they will reimburse you, however that money is taken out of the students own cultural fund. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The improvement of my Spanish was invaluable. I also made many close relationships, and will cherish my memories from this semester. |
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) |
Everything in Córdoba is very cheap. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you plan on traveling to other parts of Europe, try to not go on big holiday weekends. |
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 |
We were expected to use only Spanish during program events/trips, with our host families, and in classes. |
| 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? | Spanish literature |
| 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? | Go to a smaller city! Big cities are easy to get by using only English, but smaller cities have less English speakers. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | Córdoba has no airport so traveling to other parts of Europe is a bit more difficult and expensive. |
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. |
