I throughly enjoyed my time in Spain and encourage others to do this program. Past Review
By Kaitlyn P (Arizona State University) - abroad from 01/06/2012 to 05/20/2012 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I gained a lot of confidence. I can be independent, travel, make friends in other parts of the world and live somewhere completely unfamiliar.
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. |
It was good, I feel that my Spanish greatly improved along with my confidence in my Spanish. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt like I should have been informed of bad areas, and general safety tips about the area. |
| 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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Depended on the week, if I was traveling about 300 euro a week(or more depending where) |
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 |
I didn't feel very encouraged to speak it. I wish I had been pushed more, and been discplined to speak Spanish in class and with classmates both in and outside the classroom. I got lax and only after the pushing of my host family did I really step it up but it was very self done. Trips and things were often in English and this was not helpful to improving my Spanish. |
| 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? | Spanish 314 6th semester of college Spanish |
| 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? | Not make so many American friends, branch out. Find a conversation partner. If you do have some American friends only speak to them in Spanish other wise you're wasting your time and money and not learning the language the the fullest you could. |
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 wish someone would have warned me not to make so many American friends, it seems harmless and comforting to be around other Americans but it greatly takes away from the learning of the language. Push yourself. Put yourself out there and meet locals and spend time with international students who have better Spanish than you and very bad English so that you will speak and practice in Spanish (or whatever language you're learning). |
