You Only Study Abroad Once, so live it up! Past Review
By k.mccarthy08 (Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater) - abroad from 01/14/2014 to 04/24/2014 with
UW-Platteville Education Abroad at the Spanish-American Institute of International Education (SAIIE)
I learned so much about language, and even more about the culture! For me, the most significant thing I learned about myself was that I am capable of adapting to new and strange situations, and that I can handle those things without the stress I used to have.
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. |
Not particularly difficult, but highly informative! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Someone is always available to help with any problems, and the whole staff is highly accommodating! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My senora cooked us hot meals every day, did our laundry, and even watched movies and shared pastries with us! A home stay was a million times better than living in a dorm in terms of immersion! |
| * Food: |
It was really different from home, but I loved trying all of the things my senora made for her kids! |
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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? |
The school recommended a cough medicine when I was sick, and it was super easy to stop in the farmacia on the way to class and talk to the employee to get exactly what I needed! |
| * Safety: |
I never experienced any problems and as far as I know neither did anyone else. The city is pretty safe, as long as you aren't reckless. |
| 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 used extra spending money to shop and go on trips, but it would have been incredibly easy to spend significantly less! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I saved $100 from every paycheck for the 4 months leading up to my trip. I also asked my family for cash or items I needed for my study abroad instead of physical gifts for my birthday and Christmas. Ask family for loans or if you can work for them to earn money. Most are more than willing to help! Also talk to your financial aid counselor, as they can usually help a ton! |
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? | Intermediate 2 |
| 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? | The absolute best is to use your skills conversationally. Practice with a friend and try not to switch back to English. If you don't know a word, explain it. That's exactly what you will have to do in Spain, so get used to it! |
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 had known more about the culture before so that I could have found even more ways to immerse myself and make friends. |
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. |
