Unforgettably positive with a bit of chaos sprinkled throughout Past Review
By Andrew Johnson (University of Connecticut) - abroad from 01/15/2016 to 05/15/2016 with
UConn: Granada - UConn in Granada, Spain
I learnt to not rely on my director for anything and to be self reliant and that I can travel anywhere in the world and do things independently if I have to, solving every problem that comes my way.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Finding somewhere not distracting to study was near impossible. the CLM library was too small and never had spots, and many students had to resort to finding a cafe within the city and pay in order to study together. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was found early on that ANY of the students within this program were more capable of handling the role of director. Our director was frequently unorganized, had wrong dates/times/locations frequently, and was unreliable both inside and outside the classroom. Eventually we stopped asking her for help and would figure everything out among ourselves because we could not trust her or rely on her. She meant well and wanted us to do well, but was not fit for her role. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Never want to see sopa ever again. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Being with a host family and only having classes with other UConn students meant it was VERY difficult to go into the city and meet new people, especially our age. We frequently talked about how we felt like it was simply a UConn bubble in another country. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Never had any problems |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Sorry there really is no easy way to explain it. just a feeling |
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? | about 60-100 depending on the week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | no |
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 |
constant language integration |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Span 3 in high school |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Make sure your cards have chips in them |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
