I Now Carry a Little Bit of Spain with Me Wherever I Go Past Review
By Amy F (Linguistics and Spanish, Temple University) - abroad from 01/02/2013 to 05/21/2014 with
Temple University International Programs: Oviedo - University of Oviedo
I can't count what I gained from this program - myriad memories were formed, as well as a really great grasp on the Spanish language and culture. I wish I could've spent two semesters in Oviedo.
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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. |
The courses I took were fun and informative, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed them. They weren't too difficult, which was a relief because being immersed in a new country and culture is overwhelming enough, not to mention getting accustomed to speaking a second language the majority of the time is exhausting at first! Not to mention, it was a joy to be a student to the instructors there. |
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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? |
I loved living with my host mother - she gave me the perfect amount of attention without being overbearing. The home was a little far from the university/center of town than most of my friends, but if that's the only thing that could've been better, I consider myself lucky. I was able to learn the city really well by taking different routes home, or by learning the transportation system. |
| * Food: |
I had some of my favorite meals in Spain. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The social life and cultural |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't any have any instances where I directly dealt with the healthcare system in Spain. I bought Vitamin C once at a pharmacy, and that was fairly painless. |
| * Safety: |
I have never been in a city where I felt as safe as I did in Oviedo. Generally, there are always people cleaning the streets late at night, so there's always people out with provides a certain amount of comfort. I was never even harassed while walking home from being out during my entire time abroad. |
| 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 was pleasantly surprised how cheap it was to live on my budget, considering how people speak of how expensive Europe is. It is expensive to travel to and from Europe and the States, but once you're over there, it's fairly inexpensive. The alcohol is incredibly inexpensive, and traveling to other countries within the continent is cheap (of course, some countries are more expensive than others), but otherwise it was all very manageable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I'd estimate around 15 euros a week, maybe more if you get into the habit of buying a snack between classes. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at your host parents' house as much as possible; avoid buying a lot of snacks when you can; you don't need to eat at an expensive restaurant to get an impressive meal. |
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? | A 3000 level college course |
| 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? | Make friends with natives from the country - it's too easy to stay close to the people in your program. Fight the urge to stick to the familiar! Also, I found that teaching English to kids around the city really helped communicate more in Spanish, especially with the kids' parents. |
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 I knew euros were more so coins and not bills like US currency...I would've bought a little change purse! |
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! |
