Splendid Spanish Suburb Past Review
By A student (Villanova University) - abroad from 09/09/2016 to 12/21/2016 with
Instituto Franklin-UAH: Alcalá de Henares - Study Abroad in Spain
A LOT
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. |
Classes were run completely in spanish, but with the understanding that we were not native speakers. This forced everyone's level of spanish to improve without out it being too overwhelming. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was very attentive and communications were sent out on multiple platforms. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family and home stay experience in general were amazing. My family and I both cried when I left because we were going to miss each other so much. |
| * Food: |
Spanish food is very good and my host mom fed me just like I was a part of her own family. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This was the biggest flaw in having the program with all american students and ran in an american format. Intercambio (exchange partners) are available and living with a host family provides a lot of exposure, though. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no problems, but felt as though there were resources available to me if I had had a problem. |
| * Safety: |
Alcala de Henares is a suburb of Madrid and a certain level of security comes along with being in a suburb opposed to a city. |
| 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) |
Food & Housing is included in the Home stay food so only other expenses are mainly optional. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Utilize the transportation card offered to "jovenes" under 24. |
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 |
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| 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? | Advanced Spanish and composition |
| 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? | Spend a lot of time with your home stay family and make local friends. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Distance from Madrid |
