Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Sevilla was great! Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/17/2018 to 05/11/0018 with

CIEE: Seville - Communication, New Media, and Journalism

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
European/South Spain culture; workplace culture. Yes, worthwhile; apply to internships for summer during study abroad! Explore Seville!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Academics were fine, the work took twice as long because all of my classes were in Spanish. Some classes are easier than others, but I hear the CIEE classes at the Center are generally tougher than the University, but that is just from other students.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very responsive and care about the students

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Host family would do my laundry, cook, and clean.

* Food:

Spanish food was not my favorite and they eat at weird times, but you will get a lot of bread throughout the day which is good!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No health issues during study abroad

* Safety:

Be vigilant. Don't leave your phone in public places where someone could easily snatch it and run away. No scam artists tried me. Don't accept rosemary or herbs from women on the street pushing it in your face and saying it's a gift/free bc they usually want money after. I felt completely safe in Sevilla. There were a couple of times where I walked home alone at like 2-4am in the morning (and I am a girl). While it's kind of quiet & empty, the street lights are still on and I never had a problem. People are usually out in the streets until 10-11pm walking their dogs or playing with their kids because of the late dinner time and Seville custom to be in the streets.

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

I loved the CIEE Seville staff. Everyone was so nice and accommodating. Seville is a very friendly city where people will speak Spanish with you and joke with you. The people are very open and easy-going, in contrast to the strangers I encountered in Bilbao.

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 sure, I did not budget. I definitely spent a lot at one time because I would go on random shopping sprees.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Unknown
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy flights and plan trips early on or else you will buying expensive plane tickets last minute.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

5, but people still spoke English before class started. However, in class we all spoke Spanish and are encouraged only to speak Spanish with our instructors or any CIEE staff.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Make Spanish friends if you can, volunteer in schools, join a sports team, get involved with the community

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

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Internship opportunity
  • People
  • Place
* What could be improved?
  • Ability to meet new people
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Bring sweaters! Seville is not as warm as you think it will be in the winter. It is not a tropical climate. Also bring fuzzy socks and slippers.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Digital and Visual Culture in Contemporary Spain
Course Department: COMM 3004 SCMJ / HISP 3001 SCMJ/ NMDS 3001 SCMJ
Instructor: Rubén Díaz
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: It was challenging at first, but became decreasingly easier. The class was pretty easy and we did not have to read a lot, just go to class, listen and then write reflections and stuff in Spanish. We did not get feedback on our papers though and he gave us all 100s at the beginning, but at the end he started being more critical
Credit Transfer Issues: I am not sure yet
Course Name/Rating:

Magazine Reporting & Writing
Course Department: COMM/JOUR/SPAN 3001 SCMJ
Instructor: Oscar Ceballos
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The class could be boring because it was 9am, but Oscar exposed us to some great journalists and articles. I wish I had more time to engage with the material. He is very flexible and kind! Best teacher ever. You have to do a lot of work outside the class and make connections early to develop your final story throughout the class. Highly would recommend Oscar because he is adorable and understanding. Great at giving feedback and very empathetic to your needs.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Business Internship
Course Department: BUS
Instructor: Salvador Perra
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: I liked the field trips that we had to the local tech companies, but did not like the overall class because I did not learn that much. Class only occurred every 2 weeks and we barely had homework. To me it was a waste of time, but I had to do it because I wanted to do an internship.
Credit Transfer Issues: It was a waste of time because my home institution would not accept internship class credit, so I did not really need to take the class, but I did it nevertheless.
Course Name/Rating:

Islamic Culture and Art in Muslim Spain
Course Department: SOC 3001 CSCS
Instructor: Angel de Quinta
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Lecture-based, but still fun even though it was 9am class. Angel is great and knows a lot! He always tried to engage us and make the class interesting. He prepares you well for the tests and is pretty transparent on the formatting. He also gives commentary feedback on your papers. Would highly recommend this class!
Credit Transfer Issues: I will use this credit for my creative arts credit.
Course Name/Rating:

International Marketing
Course Department: BUS
Instructor: Curro Villarejo
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Challenging because I never took a business class in my life and the majority of students were business students. Did not like Curro at first, but you have to stick with him and keep asking him questions. Lectures helped, but really need to read the "lecturas" chapter sections before the slides for the tests or else you will not do well. Take notes and study the chapter sections!
Credit Transfer Issues: