San Sebatian: The Most Perfect Place I Can Think Of Past Review
By K G (Marketing, Xavier University) for
USAC Spain: San Sebastián - Spanish Language, Basque, Psychology, and European Studies
Although this sounds corny, I learned a lot about myself while abroad, I feel like I really improved my Spanish skills, and I expanded my worldview.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Spanish |
| 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. |
The class sizes were very small which made for a personalized classroom that catered to the student's needs. I've never learned so much Spanish in such a short amount of time. My teachers were fantastic! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
USAC was very organized and experienced. The USAC people in the San Sebastian office are very warm, friendly, and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was just a few blocks from school and a few blocks from the beach - pretty ideal location. |
| * Food: |
Basque food is fantastic and they really take pride in their food. Living with a host family really helped me experience the type of foods they eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Nearly every weekend there were optional trips to areas around Basque Country that I never would have known about before. My program also started with an optional week in Madrid, Toledo, and Sevilla which I highly recommend. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
San Sebastian seemed very safe. I didn't have any safety issues while I was there. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Living with a host family and taking three Spanish classes in two months really forced me to practice my Spanish. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I had a fantastic time while studying abroad in San Sebastian. It's the most perfect city I can think of because it has three beaches, two mountains, an island, famous food, great shopping, and the Spanish language. I ended up with a housemom and housesister who took great care of me while abroad. My classes coupled with living with a family really helped me learn more Spanish. If you are looking to improve your speaking skills, having a host family is the way to go. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this program. |
