Sevilla: Vale la pena! Past Review
By Meaghan C (Spanish/ Secondary Education, Providence College) for
CIEE: Seville - Teaching Development
Definitely! I am now considering maybe teaching ESL as well as Spanish, and might even go back to teach in Spain again one day.
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
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My program director was amazing. She set us up with the classes we needed, came with us on all of our excursions, and really got to know us all individually. She was always available to just sit and have coffee with us, and she was very knowledgeable in her field. At the beginning and end of the semester, she had a meeting with us about the cultural differences between America and Spain. It was all very eye-opening and helpful to our study abroad experience. Overall, she's fantastic! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family's apartment was in an apartment complex with many other families who had students from my program living with them. It was in a nice, safe area, although it was about a 35min walk from the university, and a 20min walk from our study program office. My family was amazing- they treated me as if I was there own child. I lived with two parents and their daughters who were both my age. They took care of me when I was sick, cooked for me, and even invited me to family functions. In the end, I was so sad to leave them! |
| * Food: |
I have certain dietary restrictions, so it was helpful living with a host family that could cook meals around that. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Feria de Abril and Semana Santa are two week-long events that are extremely interesting, and they both take place in Seville. I highly recommend not traveling during these two weeks, and staying in Seville to see them. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
When I was sick, it was very easy to contact a doctor through my study program and get help immediately. |
| 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? | Just remember that something may seem cheap, but it's in Euros not dollars! The exchange rate seems to fool most Americans, so they end up spending more money than they think they are. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Most people in Seville did not speak English, so I was constantly practicing my Spanish. I also lived with a host family who did not speak English. The only time I spoke English was with my American friends, and only when we weren't hanging out with our Spanish ones! |
| 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? | A student in the Spanish/English education field would benefit so much from this program, I highly recommend it! |
