SAI BCN - Couldn't Ask for Better Past Review
By Abigail Dick (Kansas State University) - abroad from 01/03/2019 to 04/26/2019 with
SAI Study Abroad: Barcelona - Elisava, Barcelona School of Design
There is truly no way to anticipate how an experience like this will go, what you will see, and what you learn about others and yourself along the way. Even with the challenges and culture shock one may experience, I would do it all over again because the lessons learned and the insight gained are invaluable. I really enjoyed my experience working with SAI, attending the design school that I did, and calling Barcelona my European home for a while. I highly recommend studying abroad, picking something that makes you uncomfortable in a good way, and having an open mind about the transformation of your perspective on the world that will occur while abroad.
Review Photos
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. |
One of the major reasons I chose this program was for the type of classes offered. I learned so much that complimented my studies at my home university. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was sick for about a week while in Barcelona. SAI administration scheduled me an appointment immediately and I was at a doctor within 5 hours of emailing staff. The prescription was easy to fill, and the medicine worked immediately. I had an even better experience being sick in Barcelona than I would in the States, it was impressive. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would absolutely choose the same program. When I first found SAI, I thought the program was too good to be true. Working with SAI in preparation for my trip, as well as the whole time I was on my time, was way better of an experience than I could have ever imagined. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Give yourself a limit to how many times a week you're allowed to eat out, for instance, make it a goal to meal prep/cook most of the week, and eat out a few times on the weekend. |
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? | 4 years in high school, but I had not used Spanish in 4 years |
| 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? | Practicing with people at grocery stores and local stores |
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? | I honestly cannot think of anything I wish I would have known beforehand. I feel like the knowledge I had about SAI and the program beforehand helped me to be well prepared for my experience abroad. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
