Granada: A Rollercoaster Worth Riding Past Review
By Lauren B (Global Studies, Providence College) for
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I think I've learned a lot about myself, my values and what I want to do in the future from this experience. I also am very proud of how well I know Spanish now and I hope to continue speaking it after I leave the country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Strengths: Language intensive, prepares you to learn/embrace the culture, academic freedom, not many exams (there are more papers than exams, which is good for a lot of people), academic field trips are really fun and you learn a lot. Cons: not much time to travel to other countries, it is very small (about 11 people this semester), no control over building your own schedule. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I had mentioned that I am a very healthy eater, and my host family made very healthy meals for the whole family. |
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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: |
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| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You cannot use credit cards unless they have your name on them. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I lived with a host family, which was a constant educational experience. Also, all of my classes were taught in Spanish; very little English was used this semester. |
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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