The best study abroad program EVER! Past Review
By A student (Universidad de Alcalá) - abroad from 01/09/2013 to 04/25/2013 with
Instituto Franklin-UAH: Alcalá de Henares - Study Abroad in Spain
I learned how to speak Spanish, how to travel on my own, and gained tons of confidence. You get lost sometimes, but nothing compares to the feeling of finding your way back! It was completely worthwhile, and a great investment in my future. What I learned over there were things I don't think I would have learned staying in America.
Review Photos
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 course load was pretty heavy. The resources were decent. I just wish we'd gotten more information on how to use the library. It would have helped with some of the research projects I had to do. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the administration was helpful, especially in the beginning, since it was such a big transition for many of us in the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family. They were honestly so great. They made me feel a part of the family, which helped with my homesickness. It was a great experience, and I still talk to my host mom on occasion. |
| * Food: |
The food in Spain was unlike any other. I'm normally an extremely picky eater, but I loved everything my host family made for me. It was all delicious. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because of the way the institution is set up, it did make it hard for us to meet local people. However, I met someone by hanging out in the cafe. It's not impossible, just a little more work on your end to meet locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I, personally, didn't make use of the healthcare, but I had friends who did. They said it was good and effective. They liked it. |
| * Safety: |
The city felt very safe to me, even when walking home late at night. I went on a tour of the police station for a class, and saw how the city of Alcala actually has security cameras in place all over. There are officers who monitor them 24/7. Learning that made me feel more secure in the town. |
| 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) |
My host family provided so much food for me and took care of the rest. I was able to spend more money on traveling than worrying about where my next meal was coming from. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably around 10-15 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Only book trips that you know are for sure. Don't go eat at restaurants when traveling to other cities. It's much cheaper to stop at a grocery store and buy things to eat. |
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 |
Only the first week during orientation was in English. After that, everything was in Spanish. The teachers would translate things to English if they saw no one was really understanding them. Other than that, it was all Spanish. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SP 3325. An upper-level Spanish class. |
| 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? | Talk with your host family. They'll be the most patient and willing to help you learn. Also, try to make friends with locals. They're always willing to help you learn too. |
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? | You don't know as much Spanish as you think. Actually, you probably don't know any at all... |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
