UNAV101

1.Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Jose, i’m a third year medical student and i’m twenty years old. My mom is from Tegucigalpa Honduras and my father is from Barcelona. I've lived in Honduras, Guatemala and Spain.

 

 

2.Why UNAV?

I knew that I wanted to study abroad. I lived in Barcelona when I was little so I didn’t want to go there, Santiago de Compostela has a very good medical school but I don't like the weather and I didn’t want to study in Madrid because I didn’t like the lifestyle so the other big option was UNAV and it had an international program that I was very interested in.

 

 

3.What were your expectations when coming and where they fulfilled?

I was pretty clear in what I was getting into because I lived in Spain for like more than ten years so I knew how it was. What was a little bit of a shock was the Opus Dei here because it has a huge influence here. Also I listed myself in the international program so I expected all of my classes to be in english but they are not so there was a big of a shock too.

 

 

4.What do you wish you had known before coming?

The Colegios Mayores makes you fill a lot of questionnaires to see how you are and stuff but you don't get to know much about the Colegio Mayor until once you are in there.

 

 

5.What has been your biggest impact since arriving?

The weather. It’s not about the rain, it’s about the wind.

 

 

6.What was your major setback when applying?

I applied while being in Guatemala so for all of the other careers you have to do an exam online, but for Medicine, you have to actually take the exam yourself. So I had to go to New York to take the test and it was pretty hard because the high school level in Spain is totally different from the high school level in Guatemala, so I had to study a lot by myself.

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7.What are three essential tips you would give newcomers?

1. Think about it if you want to go to a solo apartment or a Colegio Mayor because in a Colegio Mayor you are going to be very comfortable but you won’t be able to experience the whole thing. To mature and do things by yourself.

2. Say yes to everything. Get into activities and groups because you will get to know a lot of people.

3. Travel, you are in Europe so don’t think it through, just do it.

 

 

8. What are some outside sources that have helped you in your classes?

Your classmates is the best outside source, just ask them. Academias are not that helpful and you will waste a lot of money and time. Use the books from the library of the university and if not, ask your professors.

 

 

9. What are some expectations the career had such as the amount of time it consumes, the projects or other things?

In my case, I study medicine so you need a lot of hours. According to professors, for every credit that the class has you need 25 hours per semester. The amount of time is insane. If you organize your time you can have free time.