My Two-Week Life-Changing Experience in Granada, Spain Past Review
By A student (University of Houston) - abroad from 12/27/2019 to 01/12/2019 with
Spain Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I learned Spanish medical terminology. It was definitely worthwhile because I was volunteering at a hospital last week and was able to have a conversation with a patient in Spanish.
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. |
I learned a lot during this trip, and my Spanish greatly improved. The rigor of the course was a little high, but that is just because it was only 2 weeks long. |
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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? |
My host family was so nice. |
| * Food: |
During the entire trip, I did not eat anything that I did not like, which is unusual for me. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There were a couple times that |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any interaction with the health care system. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe during the entire trip. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was the experience of a lifetime. I did not want to come back home, and I would gladly go home. |
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? | 100 euro maybe |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy souvenirs until the end of the trip |
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 had to use the language because my host family and teacher did not speak English. |
| 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? | Advanced Spanish II |
| 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? | Listen to podcasts or watch Spanish movies |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 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? | I wish I would have practiced my listening skills more before going abroad. Being in a class is a lot different than trying to talk to a native speaker. |
