641 reviews
4.26 / 5 based on 641 reviews
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Puja G
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Other
Other sources of funding:
Family
Personal savings
Government assistance
Other
Work opportunities:
I worked, but it was illegal/cash in hand work
Personal spending habits
Telephone was more expensive because it is significantly more expensive to use a cell phone in Spain than it is to use one in the States. Nightlife was slightly more expensive only because I was willing to spend more. If I were on more of a budget, I could have spent less and still had fun.
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Telephone, Nightlife:
was more expensive than at home.
Food, Housing, Travel, Overall:
was the same price as at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
One cost saving tip would be to take large amounts (at least a few hundred) euro out of the ATM at a time to avoid the international and bank fees (which added up to about $3-7 each transaction). I would suggest that you do this only if you feel comfortable keeping money around in your home and if you won't spend it all at once. Also, check the currency conversion on the internet before doing it. When I was in Spain, the exchange rate fluctuated pretty regularly and some days I could en up with about 10 euro more per 100.
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Puja G
Academic
Course recommendations
Courses through the CIEE Liberal Arts track were small classes with all American students. I was hoping to meet Spanish students through my classes, but I ended up meeting them through different settings so that was okay, although I think people would have benefited from integrated classes if possible. All of the courses were taught completely in Spanish (many of the teachers knew very little English), and all essay exams and papers were in Spanish. The classes developed my reading and writing skills.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Group projects would have been beneficial because they would have given us a chance to speak more in class (not simply to discuss and ask questions, but to present a project in a formal setting).
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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Puja G
Overall
I wish I had known...
I would have liked to have studied the city itself more before going, although one learns quickly enough.
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
To have more social afternoon events that integrate Spanish and American students.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Overall, I am lucky to say that I had an incredible study abroad experience. I lived with a great family, learned a lot, partied a lot, met my future husband, became fluent in Spanish, and am now looking to move back for a few years. I was the best 6 months of my life!
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Puja G
Languages
Language of instruction: Spanish
Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
The options for taking classes through my programs were to take large classes with international students at the University or to take smaller classes with all American students in the building next to the University. In the end, I am glad I took the smaller classes because, after talking to my friends in the other classes, I learned more and had more opportunities to participate because of the small class size (15-25 people). No matter how much I tried beforehand, I learned more once I met my boyfriend in Spain. We are still together one year later and through always speaking to him in Spanish, I have become fluent.
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Puja G
Housing
Type of housing: With a family
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
My main purpose of living with a host family was to learn the language as well as possible during my time in Seville. After returning many times and maintaining contacts with people in Seville, I am confident that I could live on my own or with a friend.
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Personal comments
I was impressed with how CIEE handled housing. I was very happy with my homestay but others were not, and CIEE made every effort to accommodate all students. Overall, I thought CIEE Liberal Arts in Seville was a great program and have recommended it to other students wanting to study abroad in Spain through Penn State.
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Puja G
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
A great place to begin the acclimation process is to go to some of the larger clubs where you are likely to meet many international students - clubs like Doblon on Thursday nights, Boss or Caramelo on Wednesday nights. After that, I enjoyed spending time with my Spanish friends and going to smaller clubs in the Viapol area, like Sunset and Voule Bar in the evenings. Plaza de Espana (right across from where I lived when I stayed for an extra month in the summer) is still one of my favorite places.
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