A Semester in Seville with API: The Greatest 5 Months of my Life Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took classes alongside Spanish students all conducted in Spanish at the Communications Department at the University of Seville. As these classes were fully integrated and not designed for English-speaking students, they were challenging and definitely required a very solid understanding of Spanish, particularly oral as classes were lecture based. The class workload was very light with only 1-2 papers, 1-2 projects, and 1 exam per class and none of my classes had outside reading, everything was based on material learned in lecture. I found this nice since I did not have to do much outside work until the end of my stay in Spain however this last month did require a fair amount work since it all came at the end. The grades are based on a 10 point scale and it seems like very few students receive a 9 or 10 , most receive 6, 7, or 8 which is more like an A or a B, not a 60%, 70%, or 80% percent as it would seem to translate to in the United States. Since my home university was looking to see that we simply passed our courses and since I received all 7s, my credits all transferred but I would check with your home institute to understand exactly what they will be looking for in order for you to receive credit.

On-site administration of your program

The API office was fairly close to the University center, allowing for easy accessibility. It was opened all day including during Siesta which was very helpful and always had computers available. The two API on-site directors were also extremely knowledgeable about the host country and mostly helpful with class selections and issues at the University. One of the directors in particular sent daily emails about activities to do in the city so we were aware and could participate in countless cultural activities and really experience life in Spain.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The neighborhood I lived in was very safe and very close to the homes of other Americans in my program which made going out at night convenient even though the locations of our nighttime activities (bars and clubs) weren't always super close (some places were 25 minutes walking though one location of frequent visit was less than 10 minutes walking). My host family was excellent, very accommodating, and kind. I was treated with utmost respect and made a family member from the start. My classes were a bit far from my home since I did not take classes in the central building at the University of Seville however API paid for my bus pass and I often rode a bike to class.

My host mom tended to fry a lot of her food or use a lot of oil which was not necessarily my favorite and felt a bit unhealthy but overall her food tasted great and I felt that I tasted traditional Spanish food, which was my goal.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

API organized a number of cultural activities and trips throughout Spain as well as to other countries. We went to approximately 10 cities over the 5 months, trips that were all factored into the cost of the program so we didn't have to pay anything essentially when we went on these trips, and on these trips we participated in a number of activities and very informational and fun tours that allowed us to really see all aspects of this location and learn so much about the Spanish culture. API also provided us the opportunity to go to flamenco shows, a bull fight, Spanish orchestra performance, and many other cultural activities and the trip we went to abroad was to Morocco, which was absolutely fantastic. These activities and trips are by far the number one thing I appreciated and loved about API and I found no other program to have as great of activities and trips like this, especially for the price of this program.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The country and city felt safe for the most part and API took precautions to make sure we knew about methods for getting home safely at night.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not very many people spoke English fluently aside from foreigners from the United States, which are pretty high in number in Seville especially at the University of Seville, and other students on the program. Living with a host family allows you a tremendous opportunity to speak Spanish on a daily basis and befriending Spanish classmates or Spaniards at the University is another great way to practice your Spanish, both of which I did and I know helped me learn a great deal. I spoke Spanish everyday although if I spent most of the day with my American friends, my Spanish language use was minimal.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Americans

• Travel and Cultural activities provided

• More interactions with local Spanish students (perhaps API could organize activities with students at the University)