Best Experience I've Had Past Review
By Amanda F (Communication and Media Studies, University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 01/07/2015 to 05/20/2015 with
University of Northern Iowa: Oviedo - Study Abroad at Universidad de Oviedo / LCDLL
From this experience I saw another culture first-hand, was pushed out of my comfort zone, new friends, tried new foods, and overall just had the best experience. I think it was very worthwhile, I learned so much about myself and another culture.
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. |
Classes were pretty easy but I liked that they were all in Spanish because it greatly improved my listening ability in Spanish. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Luna, our program advisor, was great and helped with any questions or concerns we had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did not have any problems with my host family and they really helped make my experience great. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My classes were in the Casa de las Lenguas which was mostly all Americans, so we were pretty isolated from the other students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health problems while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Oviedo and I lived pretty far from campus and downtown. |
| 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) |
I traveled a lot, mostly around Spain and it all added up quickly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan your trips ahead of time to save money, and don't eat out a lot. You're paying for your family to make you food. |
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? | 3000 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? | Don't be afraid to be embarrassed and always try. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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? | To bring an umbrella |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
