An international learning experience inside and outside of the classroom! Past Review
By A student (Winona State University) - abroad from 05/29/2017 to 07/01/2017 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
On top of gaining the credits I needed to finish a Spanish minor, I gained perspective on other areas in the world and people living very different lives than me. I also improved my Spanish literacy which is a skill I will use for the rest of my life.
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. |
The classes I took were challenging and definitely helped to improve my Spanish language skills in many ways. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators were extremely helpful, resourceful, and caring. They did everything in their power to make this a wonderful experience for every one of the students. They were very organized and professional but we're fun and laid back when interacting with the students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed with a host family and had a wonderful experience. Having my meals and laundry taken care of was super helpful to let me enjoy my experience and spend time studying and exploring. Staying with a host family also allowed me to be immersed in the language and culture. |
| * Food: |
The food made by my host family and provided at Sol sponsored activities was delicious and authentic to Spanish culture. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
During excursions and activities Sol made me feel very integrated with the culture and we learned about it. Sol also provided us with resources to have more opportunities outside of the classroom and program to help us integrate ourselves in the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no issues with my health so I cannot comment on this. |
| * Safety: |
I had no issues with safety and did not hear of any safety issues from my friends and classmates. Granada seemed to be a very safe city and I felt comfortable walking to class and events as well as exploring the city on my own. At night I always remained with at least one other person but again I always felt safe and never had any issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Sol was the perfect mixture of learning and fun. They provided the perfect amount of excursions and activities to enhance our learning and experience while allowing us time to explore and learn on our own. The classroom experience was very thorough and appropriate to my learning. |
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? | Under $10 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Staying with a host family helps because you aren't eating out or trying to find a cheap super market for every meal. It also helps you to eat out less since you already have this provided for you. |
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? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Really hold yourself to using the language; it's easy to use English with the other American students but practice as much as possible if you are trying to improve! |
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? | 0 |
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? | You won't necessarily be using Spanish all of the time. It will be easy to just use English but it is important to Motivate yourself to use Spanish if you want to improve. |
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! |
