Mi Semestre Genial! Past Review

By A student (Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Loras College) - abroad from 01/26/0015 to 05/13/0015 with

Universidad De Santiago de Compostela: Santiago de Compostela - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained a lot of experience in speaking Spanish, and that was totally worthwhile. I was also happy to see how another side of the world approached living life, and it was great to experience that.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Yes, there's some work to be done, such as a weekly journal, but by and large it is a very easy semester.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Pepita, if you have the pleasure of living with her, is an angel. She really got me through the first few weeks of the semester when I had a rough time, and you'll never go hungry at her house!
* Food:	I hope you like olive oil! If not, it'll grow on you, as well as seafood.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	It was tough for me to integrate into the local culture. The best thing that happened to me was my meeting of a local student group and hanging out with them. They helped me immensely, but on my own, I would not have felt very socially/culturally integrated.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Very easy to find healthcare.
* Safety:	By and large I felt incredibly safe in Santiago. That was great!
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	Easily
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Food $10-$20, just for snacks and cafe con leche. Other expenses were maybe less than $15-$20 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Check your budget airlines, and make your travel plans around where Santiago has direct flights (check with Ryanair). Plan your travel as early as you can, because the longer you wait, the more expensive it gets.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
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?	SPA 350
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Make friends with native Spaniards! They will help you develop the language more so than any of your American classmates.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	Host Families Volunteer/Internship
* What could be improved?	Time schedule Meeting native Spaniards
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	How big of a problem homesickness would be and how to meet native Spanish students.

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 Linguist You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Culture of Spain
Course Department:
Instructor:	Maria
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This course is simply fantastic due to the teacher. Maria Jove is such a joy to have in class, and it's typically pretty engaging. Enjoyable for sure!
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Spanish Language Class
Course Department:
Instructor:	Rocio, differs between students
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	I learned so much in Rocio's class. It was tough at times, but always doable, and Rocio is a fantastic teacher.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Composition and Conversation
Course Department:
Instructor:	Rosana
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	Sometimes it was a bit monotonous of a class, but I feel like that has to depend on the class you're with. I know that the class wasn't too excited about this course, but give it your best effort and you'll get something good out of it.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Culture of Galicia
Course Department:
Instructor:	Mili
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	One of my favorite classes, and incredibly interesting. Mili did a great job of taking a lot of information and making it approachable for us. Also, the mini-Camino was great!
Credit Transfer Issues: