A Whirlwind Adventure! Past Review
By A student (Spanish Secondary Education, Winona State University) - abroad from 01/09/2012 to 05/24/2012 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
My language skills and ability to work around what I don't know has really improved. It was definitely worth the trip and has opened my eyes to a new way of living.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt like I could talk to my teachers and get the answers I needed. I did feel that the literature classes were a little fast paced for me, but I am a slower reader when it comes to English too. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Sometimes I felt like our program directors sort of left us alone a little too much. They didn't seem to be around to answer questions when we needed them most. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was the best and I hope we stay in touch! |
| * Food: |
My host mother was the best when it came to food. I gained ten pounds! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt like the students from the U.S. stayed in clumps. I wish I had gotten to know more natives. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
One girl in our group needed to see a physician and I felt that she was cared for in the best way possible. |
| * Safety: |
There were very few times where I felt unsafe, and the few times I did I was able to get to a place of safety or with a person I knew in a minute or two. |
| 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) |
I personally felt that I could live easily in the city. I did minimal shopping and tried to get most of my souvenir shopping out of the way sooner rather than later so I wasn't cramming on money. It also helped that housing was included in my program fee. Also, I had a credit car that I put all of my travel expenses on for when I traveled outside of my program, and that helped to keep cash at my fingertips if I needed it. |
| * 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? | 30 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Call your bank SEVERAL times before you leave. Even try seeing a banker in person and go over your rough travel plans with them so that they don't cut off your card. Also, if you can, get a credit card in case an emergency occurs when you are short on cash towards the end of your trip. Also, think about how you are going to get things home BEFORE you buy them. I bought a rug in the Alpujaras and then had to think if it was going to fit in my suitcase. |
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 |
We were encouraged to use the language every day and eventually I think I started dreaming in Spanish too! Today I still catch myself thinking in Spanish before English and how the grammar is suppose to fit together! |
| 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? | the highest intermediate course at my university |
| 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? | Try not to speak your language at all. My roommate and I made a pact to only use English the first two weeks in our house and I feel, had that pact held, my Spanish would be even better now because I was using it all the time. Also, make a friend who doesn't know English. It helps a lot! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | That I was going to be such a chicken about going out in the city by myself and traveling alone. |
