Incredible!! December 21, 2023
By Teal T (Spanish Language, Literature, University of Granada) - abroad from 07/02/2023 to 07/16/2023 with
Arcos Journeys Abroad: High School Program - Spanish Language & Culture in Granada, Spain
Absolutely! I learned how to communicate with people who might no speak any english and how to navigate an entirely new environment on my own without my family.
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. |
Pretty good!! The classroom was very engaging and I annoyed the smaller class sizes. I had already learned all the grammar I was taught in my class, but it was great to be able to practice it conversationally!! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Rocio and Marcell were amazing! They showed me so many details I would have missed and were so flexible about speaking in both spanish and english so we could grow in our Spanish knowledge and understand what they were showing us!! Incredible! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mom was the sweetest! She asked us all about our families and was so understanding!! She told us all about places to visit around Granada, and helped us figure out how to get to new places. She was also an incredible cook and really helped accommodate my allergy!! |
| * Food: |
Amazing!! I got to try so much new food and honestly loved everything I tried! Everyone was super helpful, especially since I’m allergic to gluten! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I definitely stood out as a blonde American teenager, but I never felt like anyone was rude about it. Everyone was super understanding and helpful. My favorite thing was I went to an ice cream shop where the cashier recognized I was learning Spanish and told me he was learning English, so we both practiced; I spoke in Spanish and he spoke in English. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never personally had a problem, but one of my friends in another house did. She was really stressed because she just needed to sleep, but because of protocol they had to take her to the hospital in the early morning. |
| * Safety: |
Super safe! I never felt like I was in danger, and was totally comfortable alone and walking around the square. I’m sure this varies for everyone, but I personally was never concerned. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Your ideal study abroad experience! Great job with integration and showing you the culture. |
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) |
If you budget well, it’s not too hard. I would get snacks and ice cream with friends, and even had spare money at the end of the trip to get gifts for family and friends. Nothing is over the top expensive unless you’re trying to make it. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | not sure |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try some ice cream, enjoy it while you’re there, but you don’t need to eat out every night. Your host family should be amazing cooks and can truly show you some of the best cultural 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 |
absolutely!! Rocio and Marcell spoke to us in both Spanish and English and made sure to speak so everyone could understand! |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 2 (honors) |
| 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? | Speak to Marcell and Rocio and your host family!! Talk to the cashiers in Spanish!! It doesn’t matter how bad you think you are, they can usually understand what you’re saying, and they are used to teaching people!! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 could had maybe known to pack less. Less is more and you really only need two pairs of shoes (one for the city, one for the beach). |
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. |
