Tuesday, June 14, 2011
have you ever studied abroad/ been a foreign exchange student in spain?
have you ever studied abroad/ been a foreign exchange student in spain?
-what program did you use? -how much did it cost? -how old were you? (what grade) -was it worth it? -what is your opinion? would you do it all again? -how many years of spanish had you taken prior to the trip? -how long did you stay? AHH! help! lol i'm looking into studying abroad in college..or maybe even being a foreign exchange student this upcoming summer (after my senior year.) please, tell me your imput! please and thanks!
Studying Abroad - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I participated in a fabulous program, called HomeStay Spain in SPAIN. After speaking with other kids in the group who had participated in other exchange programs abroad we decided this was the best! If you are interested in a lifestyle immersion experience and willing to learn about Spanish Culture and Lifestyle, this is the most amazing program available. The beautiful and safe town of Santander is known for its cultural refinement, and an atmosphere typical of old Spain. It is so much fun!!! And we learned so much!!!! It was so enriching. I LOVED IT!!! Both my sister and I participated different summers and we had a blast! We made so many good friends we still keep in touch with! The program is really well planned out and people are lovely! Many host families have teens. They even allow you to come with a friend to stay in same host family home or in a different home. And if you sign up early they allow you to choose from the available host families for a perfect fit. Check their website www.beautifulspain.com For prices you will have to check with them as it may vary year after year. I was 18 when I participated. Before deciding among different programs I had a chance to speak with some contacts that had participated in this program and my parents did as well. Everyone spoke wonders about this program, the host families and the local director Nuria, who is such a nice lady,... She is usually in the US at this time of the year, so that means that you may be able to talk to her on the phone once you contact them through their web site. It was definitely the best thing I have ever done. It excelled my expectations and it was well beyond worth it. I would do it again a million times. I had taken three years of Spanish when I went. This program is considered the most complete exposure to a foreign country because as they say it is true that it combines CLASSES (art, debate, street talk, folklore, DANCING classes, among others) with FUN and EXCITING ACTIVITIES such as Latin Dance Classes, Bullfight, Boat Excursion, etc…, FULL DAY OUTINGS to places of historical and cultural interest such as prehistoric Altamira Caves, Guggenheim Museum, Roman Ruins, "Capricho de Gaudi", Roman Route Hiking adventure, etc... are also ALL INCLUDED IN THE PRICE while living with a local, loving and carefully selected HOST FAMILY. I know this program allows you to choose from several host families (the type of things this program does, no other program would ever) in order for everyone to be happy. Santander, if you dont know is located on a beautiful bay and flanked by numerous beaches.
2 :
Spain is a wonderful place to study abroad! The Center for Cross-Cultural Study (CC-CS) offers programs in both Seville and Alicante, Spain. Unlike larger study abroad companies, CC-CS excels in the area of Spanish Studies and has been running programs in Spain for 40 years now! They have a wonderful reputation, and it's well earned because the CC-CS staff are some of the nicest and most supportive people you will ever meet. CC-CS offers programs of various lengths, so the cost obviously depends on that. Summer programs run around $3400 for three and a half weeks, and semester programs are around $12000 or $10000 depending on program location. Fees include tuition, full room & board, study tours, health insurance, excursions, orientation, and more. I was pretty young when I studied abroad, but I went back to Spain the summer after my junior year in college. The good thing about CC-CS is that it's directed towards college and university age students, but mature high school students and recent graduates are also welcome. It was definitely worth it and I'd go again in a heartbeat!Believe me, it is an amazing time and you will not believe the amount you learn not just about Spain but about yourself. CC-CS offers programs at various levels, so the best way to figure out which is best for you is to visit their website, www.spanishstudies.org. They even have a Choose Your Program page, www.spanishstudies.org/chooseyourprogram that will help you figure out which is best for you.
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