Summer in Sevilla: Heat, Gaspacho, and an Amazing Experience. Past Review
By Julie C (Psychology / Premed / Spanish, Saint Anselm College) for
CIEE: Seville - Summer Language and Culture
I gained friends, a second family, and was also able to improve my language and learn about Spanish culture in Spain!
Personal Information
| 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 workload was not bad as long as you kept up with it and just made sure that you understood everything. The grading system is different it is on a ten point scale instead of 100, and the teachers expect you to participate a lot more. There is only so much that goes into your grade during the summer because it is such a short period of time, so participation and tests count for more than they normally would. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was really great, and they genuinely care about students having a wonderful experience abroad. I think it would help if we were told where we were staying and our classes prior to leaving though. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Sevilla is genuinely very safe, and everything is walking distance. My family was fantastic, and I never really heard anything bad about any of the homestay families. I lived in Nervion, which is definitely not central but it was only about a 20 minute walk from the center, and a 12 minute walk from the study center. My family provided me with everything I needed, except a fan (and during the summer it gets very hot). I didn't mind though because my family actually treated me as I was on of their daughters, and I know that I'll keep in touch with them for the rest of my life. |
| * Food: |
It is an adjustment in the beginning because Americans are used to eating at different times, and different types of meals but you get used to it fairly quick. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Almost every weekend there were excursions and day trips for us to go on. There were events planned for your class during the week too which were a lot of fun, and field trips were incorporated also. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Nothing ever happened to me, but I definitely felt that if something was going on I would always have to resources. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I really enjoyed eating with my family, and I did some traveling after the program ended so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on food. That being said I spent about 50 euro a week, but some weeks less/some weeks more. I saw that girls tended to spend more on clothes/shopping, where boys spent more on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | None. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | It really doesn't matter what type of student you are, as long as you know what you're going for. When you first get to your abroad country you question why everyone is so obsessed with going abroad, it's not until it's time to go home that you realize how you have completely changed, and have another home. I highly recommend going abroad, it's an amazing experience. |
