Overall good experience! June 02, 2022
By A student (Spanish, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/28/2022 to 05/24/2022 with
PRESHCO: Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain
My Spanish improved drastically, and I enjoyed learning a lot of colloquial Spanish. As someone who wanted to go abroad for my Spanish major and for language acquisition purposes, it was definitely worthwhile!
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. |
The PRESHCO and UCO classes are neither intellectually stimulating or challenging, particularly compared to Wellesley or Smith. However, they may be difficult at first with the language barrier. While the PRESHCO professors are more lenient and accommodating, the UCO professors are extremely difficult to reach over email or via office hours. I found the Spanish university system extremely disorganized and it definitely took a very independent and self-guided student to perform well in class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program staff were extremely kind and understanding of everyone's needs, but it felt like there were times when they disregarded our concerns by citing them on "cultural differences." |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My house was conveniently located in the center of the city and a ~10-15 minute walk from my academic buildings, shopping centers, etc. |
| * Food: |
The overall cost of living in Cordoba is cheap! There are many cute restaurants and cafes in the area, and eating with a host family definitely lowered my food expenses. The parents are generally accommodating of dietary restrictions, and it was easy to tell them if there was a particular dish that I did not like. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program provided us with many weekend excursions around southern Spain, so it was fun to be able to explore the non-traditional tourist sites (ex: Madrid, Barcelona, etc.) as a group. Living with a host family and taking classes at UCO provided us with the opportunity to learn about traditional Cordoba-style living and the Spanish culture/politics, but it was at times hard to reconcile or fully see eye-to-eye on certain values, particularly coming from a more diverse, liberal background in the US. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I experienced some mental health issues during the beginning of the program, and the staff was kind enough to recommend me telehealth services and walk me through the insurance reimbursement process. I also had to purchase medication through a local clinic, but the staff accompanied me during my appointment and the payment process was very self-explanatory. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, Cordoba is a very safe city. With that being said, it is important to use common sense (ex: go out late at night in groups, etc.), but I have never felt threatened or unsafe during my time there. |
| 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) |
My greatest expenses came from purchasing clothes, but I generally spent around $20-35/week. The program provides us with reembolsos, or cultural reimbursements, which was money we could spend on any cultural event or activity in Cordoba. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20-35/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try and limit the number of times you go out! |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | A 300-level Spanish seminar |
| 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? | Try and speak as much Spanish as possible, even with the other program participants! |
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? | While I do not regret studying abroad, I would definitely be mindful of the culture shock if you are a non-cisgender, POC student. I felt at times that many misogynistic, fatphobic, and racist (eurocentric) comments were excused because of the culture. |
