Past Review
By Abigail M (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Providence College) for
CIEE: Seville - Liberal Arts
Yes, my study abroad experience was incredibly worthwhile. It has not significantly changed my future plans but it definitely increased my cultural awareness. I was exposed to a completely different culture and learned so much from the people there.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Seville |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The assessment of student work was a bit different than it is at PC. Typically you have a lot of "busy work" at PC. At the Spanish universities, teachers assessed students only twice a semester - midterms and finals. I liked this change of pace. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration at CIEE was extremely helpful. The program was very organized and everyone attended a well-planned orientation session. Administrators were always available to answer any questions that we might have. Finally, CIEE made a number of Spanish college students available to us as resources for the semester. These students were also very helpful and attended activities and trips with us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived on Calle San Vicente, which is across from the Fine Arts Museum. The location of my homestay was incredible - it was about a ten minute walk from the CIEE study center and a fifteen minute walk from the univesity. I lived in a nice apartment with a Senora and another CIEE student. We each had our own room and our privacy and personal space was respected. Overall, it was a great experience. <br /><br /> I arranged my housing my contacting a girl who had lived in Seville the year before. This student recommended her host family and I requested to live with this family on my CIEE application. I was really happy with my choice. The neighborhood was very safe and in a wonderful area of the city. All items that I needed were provided for by my Senora. I was treated as a family member and felt at home. |
| * Food: |
The food was delicious - the only problem was that the quantity was at times overwhelming. My Senora liked to cook a LOT of food for us to eat each meal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The cultural attractions of Seville were incredible - there is so much to see and do in this city! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Seville. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to research internet and phone options before choosing a plan. Most home stays do not include internet, so you will typically need to buy it on your own. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I would strongly recommend living with a host family - it is the best way to most quickly and effectively improve your language skills. Also, try to get involved in activities such as volunteering that force you to interact with only Spanish people. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I think this program is good for a variety of students. It is a large program, especially in Seville. Liberal Arts alone had upwards of 100 students. If someone is looking for a small program, CIEE Sevilla might not be the right fit. Make sure you thoroughly research the program AND city before you go. I was initially torn between Madrid and Seville and I am so glad that I chose Seville - it is the perfect size and offers so much culture. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Social Justice Practicum |
| Course Department: | SOCI 3003 POLI 3002 CSCS |
| Instructor: | Morgan Reiss |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This was one of my favorite courses this semester. In order to receive credit for the class, students were required to volunteer five hours a week (as a result, the class only met once a week instead of twice). The volunteering component was one of my favorite parts of study abroad. I worked at a nursing home and in the children's wing of a hospital - it was both rewarding and really helped me to improve my spanish. The class content was also very interesting. We studied and discussed current social issues such as the marginalization of gypsies in Spain. Overall, it was a great course! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I did not receive Spanish credit for this course. I was very frustrated by PC's unwillingness to accept courses taught entirely in Spanish for Spanish credit. |
