It's not just siestas and cerveza Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

CIEE Seville offered a wide variety of classes at the CIEE Study Center ("El Palacio") and allowed for direct enrollment at two local universities if a student was prepared for and interested in the challenge of a more rigorous class experience. I took all of my classes at El Palacio, and I was generally very satisfied. However, some professors were notoriously late to arrive and all assigned work based on CIEE's academic standards. This resulted in a higher workload in many cases and was designed to reflect the United States educational system. I believe that, left to their own devices, my professors would have designed a more traditional curriculum and assigned more appropriate tasks while exposing students to another model of education.

On-site administration of your program

I got the impression that CIEE Seville staff and faculty genuinely cared about my well-being and I appreciated the assistance they provided friends of mine who needed to change their living arrangements, for instance. I also would have felt comfortable sharing concerns with the administration. Abraham Alvarez Calero, in particular, made my Cultural Expression Interest Group trip to Morocco unforgettable.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My homestay experience was the low point of studying abroad. While my host family provided a comfortable environment for me, I had a difficult time discussing my concerns with my host mother and found that she was very rarely home. My host sister and mother fought loudly and constantly and as my stay progressed I got the feeling that they were just waiting for me to leave. I believe that I made a genuine effort to get to know them, and I do not feel that my attempts were reciprocated. I did not feel unhappy enough to request a switch, but in hindsight I may have had a better experience had I made the decision to move out early in the semester. My homestay was situated deep within Los Remedios and I found the 35+ minute walk to El Palacio, El Centro (the cultural hub), and the homestays and apartments of most of my friends to be daunting and isolating. The SeVici bike rental program is a convenient service for confident bikers, but it is sometimes difficult to find a free bike or a nearby drop location. The subway as it exists now was not particularly useful for me, and the bus system took time and trial/error to navigate. Placing more students in Triana and Los Remedios to build more of an extranjero community might be a solution, if possible.

Even as a vegetarian I was extremely satisfied with the quality of my host mother's meals as well as the local cuisine I sampled. Taking a course on Spanish gastronomy helped immensely with my ability to read menus and ask for exactly what I wanted (to avoid meat and seafood), as well as introducing me to new products and dishes to try. I would recommend brushing up on local food vocabulary if you do not get a chance to take Culture and Cuisine at El Palacio or the Universidad de Sevilla!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My own language skills (and cultural fluency) provided the main barrier to cultural integration, but I found the local population to be generally friendly and helpful (or at least tolerant). I highly recommend the Intercambio program. Finding a speaking partner is an excellent way to learn a language in a low-stress environment while also teaching another person and (hopefully). I was lucky enough to meet several of my Intercambio's friends and get an insider view of Sevilla with their guidance.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Madrid experienced its Ebola scare during my semester abroad but I did not feel concerned even while traveling to the city from Sevilla. I did not have any experiences with healthcare while abroad, but I heard generally positive reviews from friends and classmates. CIEE provides translation and transportation services for healthcare through partnerships with other organizations. I did not need any vaccinations specifically for the program, but I did need to be current on all school and state-required immunizations here.

I felt incredibly safe in Sevilla, although I always remained cautious and refrained from leaving my cell phone and other valuables in my back pocket or the outer pockets of my backpack. The streets are generally well-lit and the extensive nightlife culture means that there is almost always someone approachable to provide directions (or simply people on the street so you don't end up walking home alone).

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

This depends largely on each student's habits. Three meals per day were provided for me but I often bought my own food due to the spread-out meal schedule that is typical in Spanish culture or my inability to return home due to classes. Travel expenses can quickly add up, but CIEE and other organizations provide free and inexpensive day and weekend trips and budget airlines provide other options for affordable travel.

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

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• International Students

• Local sites and culture
• Free/sunsidized trips around and outside of Spain
• Wide variety of course options and encouragement to use Spanish

• Homestay evaluation
• Conditions of student apartments (cockroaches, heating/cooling, placement with Spaniards as well as American students, etc.)
• Cohesiveness of student community (homestays clustered in El Centro with few on the residential side of the city, little communal space, more dorms!, etc.)

The Academic or Linguist