THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TRIP OF MY LIFE!!! Past Review
By Mary G (n/a) - abroad from 07/01/2019 to 07/30/2019 with
The Experiment: Spain: Spanish Language & Culture
I learned so much about the culture but also about people. I learned that everyone is different and that it is our differences that make us unique and worthwhile- I learned that the differences that define us are the good things. They are the things that make us us- and that is a beautiful thing. I learned how to coexist with those that are different than me and create relationships .
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned so much by immersing myself in the culture with another family and was encouraged to practice in order to better my skills. I learned so much and in return- I gained a much stronger passion for the language. I was interactive throughout the entire trip and this really helped me grow as a person AND as a student/speaker/learner. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were nice for the most part, but some of the activities they planned were a tad boring for my personal liking. They were nice people and wanted to keep us safe which is what really matters at the end of the day, I just would have done a few of the activities differently and I wish she was a bit more outgoing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was extremely satisfied.I had my own room was was super comforting to come home too. My family was very welcoming and took "mi casa es tu casa" to a whole new level. They took me in just like a member of the family and always made sure I was looked after, cared for, and safe. They accommodated for my needs in every situation. The house was very comfy and I felt right at hope- as it should be. |
| * Food: |
The food was really good and was always well provided within the program. They made sure we always had something we liked, were full, felt healthy, and went above and beyond to accommodate for our needs in this realm. One things Spain doesn't have is a lot of veggies but only being there for a month, it ended up being okay. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Super, super integrated. While living with the host families, we all hung out together in the central plazas and got to meet their friends, as well as hang out as a big group as a whole. I felt like I was FULLY immersed in their culture and I was super apperciative of this. This really made me feel at home- as I found a new group of friends in Spain that I still keep up with. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Yes- they were super helpful. Whenever I had a situation the leaders were ultra prepared in order to help me feel better and made sure to continually check on me to see how I was doing multiple times a day-even for the small things. You could tell they truly care about the health and safety of the individual Experimenters. |
| * Safety: |
I felt super safe within the community. Especially in the small city of Guadix because everyone is so close and being out late at the park there is totally normal. I felt comfortable walking around alone everywhere I was and all of the people were super friendly. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I had the best time with the most amazing group and leaders- ones who truly cared for us. I will forever cherish that month in Spain with my new best friends and would go back in a HEARTBEAT if given the opportunity to do so again. |
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) |
It was pretty good- I still needed money for snacks and other things as well. I found myself buying snacks for the hotel rooms, etc. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40 euros (including souvenirs) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to budget and allocate for how much you take out of an ATM at one time (and make sure to take into account fees for arms and currency exchange). |
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 |
We were encouraged to use it a lot but we could have been a little more encouraged to use it within each other (Americans) but at the same time it was nice to have a break from speaking the language at the end of the day. |
| 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? | Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to know conversational vocabulary as well as the basics (food/numbers) |
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? | How incredible the people are and that there was no reason at all to be nervous about anything. Everyone was so kind and accepted me just the way I am. |
