An incredible semester in Sevilla Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There are three types of available courses to take with JYS: JYS seminars, with all JYS students and a non- University professor; Cursos Concertados with all American study abroad students (not necessarily JYS) and a University of Seville Professor) and Regular University courses, which are exactly what native Spanish students take. I took 3 regular courses and 1 Curso Concertado and would urge future students to take as many Regular University Courses as possible. Now just like any school, not every course is amazing, but luckily there is a brief shopping period in which you can try courses to make sure you can understand the professor and are actually interested in the course. Regular university courses typically grade solely on a final exam, all of which I found to be at a reasonable level of difficulty, so taking more University courses will not necessarily mean more homework throughout the semester as essays will most likely not be assigned. I took 2 literature courses, an had to read regularly throughout the semester, but it did not consume my life. As an English major at an American university I had a distinct advantage because many University of Seville students have not been taught to analyze literature to the same depth that we have. The one Curso Concertado I took was insanely easy, with no homework, a mid-term and a final. There were many students who took Cursos Concertados because of the low work level and high chance of getting a good grade, but they often expressed frustration at the feeling of boredom and disinterest that accompanies a class that is too easy.

On-site administration of your program

To me, this is what really separated JYS from other study abroad programs, in or out of Seville. The ladies at the office all were extremely friendly, supportive, and qualified, and all knew me personally. however, they were never "in-your-face" and did not nag the students or check in unnecessarily. They are very organized and professional, but also warm and caring people.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

All JYS students live in a host family, something I think was essential to my language development and cultural immersion. All JYS students also are assigned an American roomate. At first I saw this as a disadvantage, but I think it actually helped me stay away from the group of Americans. If I ever needed to take a break and speak English, or have someone understand the cultural significance of something, I had someone at home going through the same process as me- I thus never felt like I needed to reach out to the group and surround myself with US students. My roommate and I had separate rooms, but some pairs do share a bedroom. As part of the JYS contract, the host families provide 3 meals a day, laundry once a week, a heater in the cold months, and are now permitted to smoke in the house. Housing situations vary, but many live with "senoras," older single ladies. My senora was adorable, and really treated us like we were part of the family. The houses chosen by JYS are never more than a 30 minute walk from the Center Office/ University and are always in teh safest/ wealthiest parts of the city. If there is a problem with housing, JYS will immediately find you a new house, with no pressure to stick out the situation.

Delicious. I looked forward to eating every day. Three homecooked meals a day are provided by the host family, although students have the option to eat out if they want. You will eat very authentic Andalucian food, as well as traditional Spanish tapas. you will probably gain a few pounds, but it will most certainly be worth it. The food is very rich, but they say Olive Oil lenghthens your lifespan. If you have a specific dietary need (vegetarian, gluten-free) JYS will place you with an appropriate family. (However, if you keep kosher, that is not really possible to do in Seville). My senora was very understanding about food we didn't like, and was very observant, making more of what we clearly loved and subtly tailoring our diet to our preferences without sacrificing authenticity. I do recommend that you try every thing once, but be open and honest when you do not like something.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I avoided other Americans like the plague, and thus spent much time alone but saw all of the city at an intimate level. Instead of doing a grant Euro-trip I chose to take many day trips to surrounding local towns. There are two breaks during the semester, Semana Santa and Feria: I cannot stress enough how glad I am that I stayed in Seville for these weeks. There is nothing like these celebrations available elsewhere, and it is a great way to see Seville-specific events. After all, I came to Seville to see Seville, not anyplace else.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no healthcare issues, but my senora was attentive to and concerned about my health in a genuine but not overbearing way. JYS will accompany you to all medical appointments/ emergency room visits to make sure that no miscommunications arise and you are treated as well as possible. No vaccines were needed to go to Seville and there are no current health scares.

Seville is very safe, I felt comfortable walking on my own all day and into the night.

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

Technically you don't actually need to spend money once you are in Seville. Food and rent is in the program cost and transportation costs are optional. Bike rentals are about $30 per month, and bus passes are similar I believe. I spent about $2,000 which included 3 weekend trips, 7 day trips, souvenirs, museum fees, and some minimal shopping.

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

Speaking in Spanish was mandatory in the JYS office, with JYS staff an throughout Orientation. It was also mandatory and necessary to use the language in ALL classes.

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The city of Seville
• University of Seville Classes
• trips with JYS (Cordoba, Italica, Ronda, Grenada, Chiclana)

• Cursos Concertados

The Academic or Linguist