Most Important Year of My Life Past Review
By A student (Spanish Language, University of Connecticut) - abroad from 09/11/2014 to 05/17/2015 with
UConn: Granada - UConn in Granada, Spain
I learned how to live on my own and adapt to a new culture. It was really hard and I had times when I just wanted to go home, but it was an experience that I won't forget.
Review Photos
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our administrators were good, but there were some times when there were issues that needed to be addressed, and weren't. There were times, especially on the cultural trips where a professor from Granada took charge and at times they were not the best face of the country to be showing to abroad students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had an amazing host family. My señora was extremely welcoming and very helpful in my integration to the country and the culture. When I made mistakes while speaking, she corrected me and she actively tried to get me to practice my Spanish. |
| * Food: |
As with all new experiences, there were parts I liked and parts I didn't. I found some great new foods, but I'm not going to change my entire diet to match what I had in Spain. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There will always be a part of me that feels like the outsider, but for all intents and purposes, by the end of the program I felt like I was a part of the community and the 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) |
It was very easy to live on a student's budget, but our school provides everything that we would need. Our families provided sheets, food, internet, hot water, and electricity. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maybe 20 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy name brand. It is all the same stuff but one will cost you significantly less. Also, don't go crazy. You don't need to buy everything you see that is different just because we don't have it in the US. |
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 |
All of our courses were taught in Spanish and all of our cultural visits and long trips were conducted in Spanish. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | 3000-level university courses |
| 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? | Intercambios are a life-saver. It lets you meet new people, people who know the city you are in and it helps to practice the language with a native speaker. They can help you with slang and common phrases that your teachers wouldn't know. |
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? |
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 that I need to stand my ground for some things. There will never be a time when someone confuses me for a native resident of Granada, but you shouldn't be ashamed of where you come from. It is okay to look like an American if you are an American. And it is okay to look like a tourist. As long as you are being yourself and being kind to those around you, no one is going to chastise you. |
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! |
