Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Sevilla: forget academics, it's all about cultural enrichment! Past Review

By (International Business/Finance, University of Oklahoma) for

ISA Study Abroad in Sevilla, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The difference between the fast-paced life here in the United States and that with Spain, will change your outlook on life forever.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The Spanish Language classes were not comparable to the level of difficulty at my home university. I was in the Advanced Language and Business Spanish classes, and the curriculum was comparable to lower-intermediate levels at my home university.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

You could not ask for better staffing for an experience like this. The ISA personnel would escort you to the police station, doctor, or airport, in case of any emergency. They were very helpful in answering questions about local entertainment, and directions throughout the city. They were in communication with our host families to see how things were going, as well. I would like to study with ISA again, just because the staff that I travelled with.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was placed in a home with another student from my home university. We were in Triana, located only 20 minutes from school, and less than 5 from nightlife. I would consider Triana one of the safest and friendliest neighborhoods in Spain; my roommate and I never felt threatened or nervous at night. Our host parents were MORE THAN accomodating; we learned from other students that not everyone had the same luxuries we did. Our host mom allowed us in the kitchen, cleaned our room and changed our sheets weekly, washed our clothes weekly, and did not time us in the shower :) Our host parents were very concerned for our safety when we travelled, and extremely attentive to our needs.

* Food:

I am just not a big fan of Spanish food because they don't use very many sauces or spice. The food situation was quite an adjustment for me, but the meals my host mother prepared for me were very well-prepared. I would suggest that other students not be afraid to tell their host families what they do and do not like -- they want to know!!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

As a program, we went to Madrid, Lisbon, Sevilla, Cordoba, Malaga and Granada. Independently, I travelled to Ireland, Barcelona, Marbella, Cadiz, and Paris. My most memorable experience would either be the ISA sponsored hiking trip, OR renting a beach mansion in Marbella with some of my fellow students. I would strongly suggest to future students to research renting a house in Marbella if they have a free weekend. ISA sponsored a Spring Break trip to Morocco; I would like to suggest that they include another option that is appealing to a wider variety of students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
Language acquisition improvement?

The majority of people spoke English in Sevilla, but my host family spoke ZERO. I used spanish in everyday interaction with teachers, my family, and in the community. ISA personnel did a great job encouraging students to practice, and make use of the language component of the program.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Words of Wisdom: bring peanut butter and ranch dressing in your suitcase. Sevilla is a great place, and I wouldn't take my experience back. If you can accept that the academic aspect is lacking, the cultural enrichment WILL make it worth your while. I have made life-long friends whom I shared this experience with, and still keep in touch with today.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Finance
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I also took the International Finance class, but the curriculum was far too broad, and the students had EXTREME trouble understanding him. His comprehension level of English was not developed enough to be teaching a business class in English.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Service Learning Course
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: On the other hand, I learned so much about modern Spanish history, specifically Sevilla, in the service classroom. I really enjoyed that class, but I also have a complaint there. The communication between our program and the organizations we worked with was less than impressive. The students who enrolled in this class committed to community service during their study abroad experience, but for many of us, we did not receive the amount of hours we had hopes.
Credit Transfer Issues: All of my classes are transferring as electives.