An immersive, life-changing experience! February 24, 2022
By Sarah M (Political Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/28/2021 to 12/19/2021 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
My language skills improved quite a bit--especially my vocabulary and ease of speaking in Spanish. I also met some really cool people, both other European study abroad students and Spanish students that I will definitely be keeping in touch with. I left feeling fulfilled and grateful for the experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Solid and flexible experience academically. I appreciated the flexibility to take 3 courses and the University and 1 PRESHCO course, because I wanted to immerse myself more and get to know more Spanish students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Unbelievable organization, spirit, and support from all members of the staff. Much more than I expected. Always there to help with classes, social support, internships. Definitely enhanced the experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I really liked my host family and felt comfortable in their living space. My host dad was a great cook, and I found both of my host parents easy to talk to and enjoyed the conversations we had on a variety of topics. I switched host families a few weeks in, and am grateful for the ease of that and the support I had from the program staff! |
| * Food: |
Food in the homestay was nourishing and I rarely felt hungry. Good variety of food, and I enjoyed helping set the table, clean dishes, etc. to contribute. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It took a bit of time for me to feel integrated, but by the midway point, I was feeling very settled. I had my routine of classes, extracurriculars, and going to the gym down, and started making friends to go out for walks or drinks with many evenings. By the end, I felt comfortable in Córdoba and can't wait to return sometime. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Thankfully, I didn't have any major health issues. I did see a doctor once due to a weird mouth infection/issue, but the appointment was easy to secure (thanks to admin help!), it was close by, and I didn't have to wait long. The doctor I saw was nice and helpful and prescribed me some medication. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Córdoba. Never encountered a situation I felt uncomfortable in or had issues with theft, though I did take precaution to keep my valuables at home and purse secure. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Loved this program. So inclusive and comprehensive. Also allowed for flexibility in personal academic desires or with internships and extracurriculars. |
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) |
I was pretty easily able to live on a student's budget! All of my meals were provided by my host family or program on excursions, so I almost exclusively ate at home for meals. I also was provided with cultural funds from my program, which I was able to put towards social expenses, like going to the movies, going out for a drink with Spanish friends, and my gym membership. While I spent some personal money traveling, aside from that, I was able to just about break even I believe, or maybe had to go slightly over from my personal bank account. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $45/week: Food--$20/week, Cell phone--$2/week, Gym--$12/week, other miscellaneous--$10/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I created a budget spreadsheet that really helped me see what I was spending so that I could limit my expenses. I created cells for what I hoped to spend in each category/month, and then cells for each individual expense and the monthly total at the end of the month. It helped me cut back in certain areas, and realize I could afford to spend a little more in other areas. |
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 |
It was an immersive program, many of us really sought to speak only in Spanish. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | 200-level class at my college |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Really commit for yourself to just speaking in the language if you are able! Can feel awkward, but will really help fluidity of language. |
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? | Saving up some personal money for abroad beforehand is helpful, though don't need a lot of extra money if you budget well. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
