Spain: the Land of Siesta and Fiesta Past Review

By Elizabeth M (Marketing and Finance with International Emphasis, Texas Christian University) for

Texas Christian University (TCU): Salamanca - Language & Culture in Salamanca

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Yes, I learned a lot, and it's very different actually experiencing it instead of just hearing about it. I have always wanted to work overseas and this only further encouraged this thought.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Most things were not communicated clearly and were last minute. Mester didn't explain how our grades we determined until we were almost through with classes. We didn't find out our free weekends until we got there, so we couldn't plan ahead, save money, and get the most out of the experience.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everything was last minute making it hard to get the most out of the experience.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
Language acquisition improvement?	Friends we made in Spain, some people from our group outside of class, and in class. A good number of people spoke English but knowing Spanish made everything much easier.
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?