The Peak of My Young Life Past Review
By Carolyn R. Nagle (Instituto Franklin-UAH) - abroad from 01/10/2017 to 04/27/2017 with
Instituto Franklin-UAH: Alcalá de Henares - Study Abroad in Spain
Aside from learning the language, culture and exploring I learned a lot about myself, I learned to be independent and to make good choices. After my time there I believe that when you go abroad you find yourself because you are in a new place, where you know no one, with no limitations what so ever.
Review Photos
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. |
I loved each class I took and learned a lot! Some are easier than others but what I thought was most important with these classes is that they are all taught strictly in Spanish. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
MY HOST MOTHER WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. I cannot stress enough how important living with a host family is to learn about the culture and language. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I sprained my ankle when I was abroad and everything was taken care of swiftly. I saw the same doctor twice after the incident and he instructed me on how to treat myself. The only issue is that the hospital I went to never gave me crutches. |
| * Safety: |
Alcala is a very safe city. I never felt unsafe at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Absolutely 100% I loved the community and relationships with the professors at the school. I love Alcala and always will, I love Spain, the food, the culture, the people and wouldn't hesitate for a second to do it all over 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) |
i spend approximately 500 euro a month not including out of country travel expenses. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look for places with deals! Don't waste money on clothing or things you can by in The States. Try new foods/drinks and explore instead! |
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? | 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? | 200 level 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? | Make foreign friends, hang out with your host family and use it with your classmates! |
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?
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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 know now not to overpack |
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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Translation/Interpretation |
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| Instructor: | Profesora Cristina |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This class was very difficult. There was always homework and class could be intense. However, that is something I now appreciate because I learned an incredible amount and the professor was amazing. As student we could go to her office hours for help and she would happily help us. There were also great in class activities that connected to pop culture in the real world. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I have not yet received my credits. |
