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Worth repeating a year abroad?

Hi,

So I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place, but I could really, really do with some advice, preferably from people who have experienced similar kinds of situations.

At the start of last October, I moved to Argentina as a part of a year abroad. I was volunteering out there and my plan was to then go to Uruguay to study for a semester in March. Unfortunately, I ended up having to come home due to health reasons, so my year abroad was cut short.

My university has given me the choice between redoing my year abroad next year to make up for the lost time, or to effectively let me carry on with my degree as I would be ordinarily. I was hoping to get some anonymous people's feedback, maybe even from people who found themselves with a similar decision once, as I'm really conflicted as to what to do.

I was really looking forward to the whole year abroad experience before leaving and I'm gutted that it was cut short. There's also the consideration that my Spanish might not be on par with people who have spent the full year out there.

But then I know if I redo my year abroad, I delay graduating by a year and miss out on a final year with friends.

Any advice? Anyone chose one way or the other?
Original post by fresasychocolate
Hi,

So I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place, but I could really, really do with some advice, preferably from people who have experienced similar kinds of situations.

At the start of last October, I moved to Argentina as a part of a year abroad. I was volunteering out there and my plan was to then go to Uruguay to study for a semester in March. Unfortunately, I ended up having to come home due to health reasons, so my year abroad was cut short.

My university has given me the choice between redoing my year abroad next year to make up for the lost time, or to effectively let me carry on with my degree as I would be ordinarily. I was hoping to get some anonymous people's feedback, maybe even from people who found themselves with a similar decision once, as I'm really conflicted as to what to do.

I was really looking forward to the whole year abroad experience before leaving and I'm gutted that it was cut short. There's also the consideration that my Spanish might not be on par with people who have spent the full year out there.

But then I know if I redo my year abroad, I delay graduating by a year and miss out on a final year with friends.

Any advice? Anyone chose one way or the other?


Well, you can have the 'year abroad' experience after university by doing a British Council teaching assistantship. But if you really want to experience student life in Spain then you will have to delay graduating by a year.

There are things you could do over the summer to improve your Spanish in preparation for your final year. There probably are are summer schools at Spanish universities for instance. Or you could just move there, rent a little apartment and look for a summer job in a touristy city. That's what I'd do. You have three months, don't waste them. Just go.
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FionaMG
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Original post by fresasychocolate
Hi,

So I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place, but I could really, really do with some advice, preferably from people who have experienced similar kinds of situations.

At the start of last October, I moved to Argentina as a part of a year abroad. I was volunteering out there and my plan was to then go to Uruguay to study for a semester in March. Unfortunately, I ended up having to come home due to health reasons, so my year abroad was cut short.

My university has given me the choice between redoing my year abroad next year to make up for the lost time, or to effectively let me carry on with my degree as I would be ordinarily. I was hoping to get some anonymous people's feedback, maybe even from people who found themselves with a similar decision once, as I'm really conflicted as to what to do.

I was really looking forward to the whole year abroad experience before leaving and I'm gutted that it was cut short. There's also the consideration that my Spanish might not be on par with people who have spent the full year out there.

But then I know if I redo my year abroad, I delay graduating by a year and miss out on a final year with friends.

Any advice? Anyone chose one way or the other?


Original post by Snufkin
There probably are are summer schools at Spanish universities for instance.


For example, and picking up on what Snufkin said, the Instituto Cervantes offers what looks like a very interesting 3-week course in Madrid: http://www.cervantes.es/lengua_y_ensenanza/cursos_cervantes_madrid/curso_verano_2016.htm#presentacion (you'll need to scroll down the page for details of the B2-C1 level course, as they start off with the more elementary level one).

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