Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Sweet Sunny Sur Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Trinity University) for

CIEE: Seville - Advanced Liberal Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Extremely. I learned to be more independent in Sevilla and think its interesting to see how you cope with certain situations so far away from home. It is very difficult, but will help in the long run.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Universidad de Sevilla
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The Spanish University was very different from my University in the U.S. There is only one final exam and this determines your grade. It is helpful for students of the advanced program to get tutors early on and not wait for the last minute. These tutors can help with content (not just language).

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

My program had a truly terrific staff who was always there if I needed help. They were very efficient and made me feel that I could go to them if I had an issue.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We sent a form with our preferred form of housing (host family, dorms, etc) and found out who we were staying with during our orientation in Spain. I didn't need to buy anything to settle in except for toiletries. My host family was the best part of my experience abroad and treated me as if I was part of their family.

* Food:

My host mom asked me what foods I didn't like at the very beginning and always made me more than enough to eat. She also took care of me when I was sick and made foods she thought would help me get better.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The advanced program doesn't have as many coordinated trips as do other programs so students receive a stipend to spend for cultural experiences in Spain. This allows for traveling within the country, going to concerts, taking dance classes etc. This really allowed us to explore Spain on our own and gives you a great deal of experience with having to communicate with Spaniards and not having the program do it for you.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Sevilla never felt dangerous to me. Its a good idea, however, to split a cab if your out with friends late into the night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I didn't spend any money on food while at my home stay. I didn't really pay for many personal expenses either except for going out with friends. Most of the budgeting comes into play when you're traveling.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Travel expenses. You should plan your trips as early as possible so you can allot money to your various excursions. It will reduce stress though I think learning how to travel and budget becomes easier the more you do it.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
Language acquisition improvement?

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The level of immersion with the Spanish culture.
  • Sevilla is a beautiful city!
* What could be improved?
  • Enrolling in classes was a bit stressful. Perhaps more guidance with this would help.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? A student who has a good grasp on Spanish should do this program. I recommend choosing it over the regular liberal arts program if you want the direct enrollment experience and the Spanish university which facilitates complete immersion.