Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing semester in beautiful Barcelona! Past Review

By (Indiana University of Pennsylvania / IUP) - abroad from 01/07/2015 to 04/24/2015 with

SAI Study Abroad: Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to try so many new experiences and see so many new places. I definitely have a much greater respect for different cultures and see the world in a completely different way. 100% worthwhile experience and I wish I wasn't graduating so I could study abroad again!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Although the work load for my classes was not very intense, I feel like I learned so much valuable/practical information that I will be able to apply in my future professional career.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Mireia is absolutely amazing and made the semester even better!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment was very nice and in a quieter/less busy part of the city a little further from the city center

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were many cultural activities organized by SAI. I would have liked to become friends with some more locals but I still had an incredible experience and did make some local friends from Barcelona. And I absolutely fell in love with the culture in Barcelona

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have many health issues while abroad. When I had a cold and sinus infection I went to a pharmacy and easily got the medicine I needed

* Safety:

I personally did not have any safety issues, however my friend's wallet was stolen on the metro when she came to visit

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Most of my extra expenses were for weekend travel. Food was pretty inexpensive if you know what super touristy areas to avoid.I coul definitely spend ess than $100 a week on groceries and dining out
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you plan on using the metro a lot to get to class or just to get around the city, definitely consider a 3-month unlimited metro pass. It will save you a lot in the long run!

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

I used Spanish quite a lot in my every day experiences, but am still pretty unfamiliar with Catalan

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish 340 (Spanish civilization and culture course taught in Spanish)
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Program staff
  • Excursions and activities
* What could be improved?
  • Possibly offer host family option
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Since SAI's Barcelona program is fairly new, our program was a lot smaller than you may expect. This didn't really matter to me but could be important to others considering the program.

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 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.