Sevilla: A Wonderful Place Past Review

By Kaitlin E (Business Administration and Spanish, Austin College) for

SSA Education Abroad: Seville - Semester, Year or Summer in Seville

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I had the experience of a lifetime. I wish that I could go back and do it all over again. I had so much fun and learned a ton. I matured a lot while I was there and gained a lot of independence. I traveled to Spain expecting to learn about Spain and parts of Europe, but I found that I learned a lot about the US as well. I think that traveling abroad increased my patriotism and I felt proud to be an American while I was abroad. After this experience I have decided that I want to return to Spain to teach English for a little while before pursuing an MBA in the US.

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?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The professors were wonderful. I thought that they were one of the best parts of my trip. Like my professors in the States, they were always willing to answer questions and give extra help during office hours. Additionally all of the professors encouraged class participation.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I thought the program was well-run and that all of the administrators did a great job.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in a neighborhood called Nervion which was pretty far away from the Center, but I think that I had the best host family, so the distance was not a problem. My host mother was, hands down, the best part of my trip. She really made my semester unforgettable. <br /><br /> As soon as I walked in the front door for the first time I was loved and treated like a member of the family. I cannot say enough great things about my host mother. I was completely cared for and never lacked anything. The house was about a 45 minute walk to school, but it was worth it to live with the family that I did. The transportation in Seville is also very easy to navigate and sped up the journey significantly. I recommend SEVici for a cheap way to travel around the city.
* Food:	My host mother was a phenomenal cook. If you can't eat at home, I would recommend any small hole-in-the-wall places. Try to get off of the main streets and find smaller places.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	CCCS often hired Lery, a tour guide, for certain arranged trips. Lery was wonderful and was often the best part of the trips. I thought the trips were organized and helpful to learning about a lot of different places in Spain. It was also nice to stay in a hotel every once in a while.
* Safety:	I did not have any health issues while abroad. I never felt unsafe while out, even at night. There are people awake at all hours and I always felt safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I spent between 60 and 100 euro every week in spending money.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	It's always important to have a budget so that you can plan trips accordingly. It is also helpful to make travel arrangements as early as possible.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
Language acquisition improvement?	I joined a local soccer team which really forced me out of my comfort zone and pushed my Spanish to another level. I also went out of my way to converse with my host mother. I used Spanish all the time.
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
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Spain is a wonderful place, but do some research before you come. Make sure you are comfortable eating some foods that you may not have been exposed to before. It is very important to be honest with yourself in deciding if this program is right for you. And if it is right for you, be sure to take a class with Jose Grillo!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Media, Culture and Politics: A Social History of the Franco Era
Course Department:	Span 398J
Instructor:	Jose Maria Grillo Torres
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	I loved this class. It was one of my favorites. It was a one month intensive course about the effects that Franco and the dictatorship had on Spanish society. I knew very little about that period in Spanish history so I found the material very interesting. Jose Grillo was absolutely fantastic. He is arguably one of the best professors at CCCS. He kept the class interesting by showing films and teaching us songs in addition to lecturing.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No. This class simply counted as a January Term credit for me.

Course Name/Rating:	International Business and the European Union
Course Department:	BSMG 335
Instructor:	Alfonso Osuna
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	I absolutely loved this class. Even though the meeting time was less than ideal, I looked forward to coming to this class. The professor always kept my attention and he incorporated a great field trip into the curriculum. I can't say enough great things about this class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No transfer issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Course Department:	EDML 392
Instructor:	Frank Castrillon
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This class focused on the psychology of learning a second language. It was sometimes difficult to sit through this class, but the professor was very kind and understanding. This class also allowed the students the opportunity to be assistant teachers of English which, in my opinion, was the best part of the course. This was the only class at the Center offered in English and it would have been a much better class taught in Spanish.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No transfer issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Advanced Studies in Spanish
Course Department:	Span 403
Instructor:	Milagro Molina Tejada
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was an intensive period class to begin the official spring semester. The class focused on popular coloquial phrases and some difficult grammar concepts that the class chose to review. There was a lot of writing required in this class and as always, participation was essential to success. Mila was a good, yet demanding professor. I liked this class, but I felt that the intensive language preparation period lasted too long.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No transfer issues

Course Name/Rating:	Historia de la Iglesia en America (siglos XVI-XVII)
Course Department:	Historia de America
Instructor:	Dra. Maria Eugenia Petit-Breuilh Sepulveda
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was a class that I elected to take at the University of Seville. It was very difficult, mostly because I was unfamiliar with the structure of the Catholic church. It was somewhat difficult to adjust to life at the University of Seville, but the professor was willing to help me whenever she could and I was in her office often. I liked taking a class at the University, but I would not take this class again.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Cultural Realities of Spain
Course Department:	Span 343
Instructor:	Jose Grillo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was a mandatory class. I loved this class because Jose Grillo was the professor. It was interesting to look at some of the current issues in Spain, but I did not enjoy this class as much as some of the others.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Because this class only counts as one credit, I'm not sure if I received any credit from my home university. I may receive .25 credits, but I am not certain.