Phenomenal! Past Review
By A student (Geology and Spanish, Western Washington University) - abroad from 06/28/2012 to 08/01/2012 with
University of Salamanca: Salamanca - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to adapt to a different lifestyle and culture, I learned how to speak a different language, and I met a lot of new great people who I will keep in contact with forever. Overall my experience abroad was very worthwile.
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. |
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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? |
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| * 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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $120 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make a budget for food and drinks in addition to gifts and things you buy for yourself. Often kids in my group did not plan on drink or food money because three meals a day were paid for, but you need money for food and drinks for all of the excursions, and if you end up traveling on your own at all. |
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? | SPAN 203 |
| 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? | Fully immerse yourself in the language and culture if you can. You can do this by going to restaurants and ordering food or drinks, going shopping, going to the health clinic and asking questions, going on tours of your city, etc. In this particular exchange program that I did, many of the kids in my group had never spoken spanish before so on all of the excursions, we learned about Spain in English which was hard and not helpful to the kids who were taking Spanish and trying to immerse themselves in the language and culture. Also being around English-speaking students is really detrimental to really learning the language. |
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? | I wish I would have known how many people didn't speak spanish so I could have removed myself from the group and immersed myself more in the spanish culture. |
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