CIEE High School Study Abroad in Spain

I had an incredible time in Alicante over the summer. I grew a lot in both personally, in my own independence, and in my Spanish-speaking skills. Alicante is incredible. The school where we attended classes was a 5-minute walk to the beach. Every afternoon there was some activity planned, like doing a city bike tour or beach volleyball, and every day it was different. On the weekends there would be bigger outings planned, such as spending a day visiting castles and waterfalls.
Alicante isn't a really well-known city, which was initially unappealing to me, but I think it was a better choice than a big city would've been. We had a weekend trip to Madrid, and I realized that being in a bigger city had a lot of potential for things to go wrong... a lot more theft and crime occurs in more prevalent cities.
The classes were intriguing and my professor was really fun and made class actually appealing. I liked that we not only learned about the language but also about the culture of the place we were staying in. Often, our afternoon activities would be catered to what we were learning about in class, which made my learning experience so fascinating. I'd taken 3 years of Spanish prior to the trip, (the requirement is at least 2) which I thought would suffice, but it really wasn't enough. A lot of the 40 kids on the program were nearly fluent, having spoken it from childhood. And instead of there being 4 different levels of class intensities as advertised, there were 3 classes: 2 for advanced kids and 1 for not-advanced, like me:). So for that reason I'd recommend 3+ years of Spanish unless you regularly speak it. Without a roommate with me in my host home, I would've had an extremely difficult time trying to communicate with my host mom. Having someone who also spoke English kept me sane when I didn't understand anything.
After class each day, you'd go home for lunch with your host family and take a siesta, which would be a couple hours of downtime, where you could really do whatever you wanted: do your homework, take a nap, watch Netflix, go to the beach, go shopping, etc. The siestas were some of my favorite times on the program because it gave me time to just chill out, especially when we had busy days, or do something with my friends. But I was really impressed with CIEE for the level of planning and preparedness they orchestrated for our afternoon activities and weekend outings. There would always be a perfect balance between downtime/free time and planned activities.

My time in Palma was a life-changing experience, and I would recommend it to anybody considering applying. The island is simply breathtaking and I found the locals to be extremely friendly. I remember one instance where a friend and I spoke with a woman for over a half hour who told us about some of the island's history and even showed us pictures of her family. My favorite experience was during El Día de San Juan, when I witnessed the craziest, most vibrant display of pyrotechnics I have ever seen from the Dimonis of the Correfoc. One thing I should note is that the program is very structured, so it may not be the number one choice for those looking for a largely flexible trip. All said, it was truly incredible and I wouldn't change a thing!

This entire program was full of fun and informative learning! You get to explore a new region in the world as well as learn about specific topics in marine science, and completing work outside on research and projects in the classroom. I gained a lot from this program, in social skills, academic knowledge, and appreciation for our natural planet. I truly believe that you will not find any experience quite like studying abroad, especially with CIEE. Their staff are all really nice, and extremely helpful and responsive. They're also fun-loving! Please consider studying abroad with CIEE, they are one of the best companies for traveling and exploring the world! CIEE would ensure that your study abroad experience is the best it can be, and they work hard to bring unique opportunities to high school and college students!

I really enjoyed this program and highly recommend it. I loved learning about the Spanish culture. We went to class but it's not like a traditional class back home. The things we learned were fun and not boring We learned about Spanish gastronomy such as tapas, the mediterranean diet, Spanish culture such as sports and urban art, and a dash of Spanish language. It was very cool to be able to use what we learned in the classroom directly outside of the classroom wether at restaurants or interacting with the Spanish people.

Another thing I loved was being able to interact with younger Spanish people my age. I was able to practice and improve my Spanish by speaking to them. It was fun to meet and get to know them and their bubbly personalities.

It was also in this trip where I met some of the most amazing people. One of my purpose of coming to this trip was to form connections with others. I am so happy to say that I did form great connections with the people I met. I formed friendships with the members in my group and the Spanish kids we interacted with. I will never forget the memories I made with these people.

I also really liked our program leader and program coordinator. Shoutout to Manu and Yesenia. They were so fun and approachable. I could not ask for better leaders than these guys.

I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to go on this trip. It's pretty safe to say that this summer in Spain has been one of the best moments of my life yet. I cannot wait to be back and continue exploring Spain and its marvelous culture.

My month in Palma was an amazing and unique experience for one main reason. I was able to step outside of my comfort zone and learn something new about myself. On this trip, I was able to meet new friends that I will keep in touch with for a long time. Something that made me step outside my comfort zone was "Misión Ñ". For this, you have to go out into the community and talk with locals. I do not like talking to strangers that much, and it was especially hard in a language I am not great at. Doing this made me learn that it is not as hard as I would make it seem, and the locals will be happy because they see you as something trying to fit in, trying to learn a new language. This was an amazing experience that I am so glad I had to opportunity to do.

My experience studying abroad in Sevilla was extraordinary. I had the most amazing year of my entire life. The relationships I created were incredible, and I know I will hold onto them forever. The American and Spanish friends I made on this program are who I call my best friends. Going to a Spanish school was such a gift in my opinion because you are exposed to a new culture and language while going to school which I think is crazy awesome! I thought my host family was amazing and while I was abroad I was fortune to do traveling with them around Europe which was super cool. I feel like CIEE was a great support system throughout my entire time abroad and I always felt safe and that I had someone to talk to when I needed it. Sevilla is a gorgeous city and I feel so lucky to have call it my second home. The cultural experience you will get is awesome. I experienced events such as Feria, Semana Santa, and Carnival which I never would have experienced in the US. There was never a dull moment through my study abroad experience and I feel like I really immersed myself into the culture. My spanish level increased tremendously and I grew to absolutely adore the language. There is not one day that goes by where I do not think about Sevilla. I have become so much more confident, globally aware, independent, and sure of myself because of this program! Know there will be hard parts and you will miss home but think about how great of an oppurtunity it is that you are there, and that each day it gets better and better. Enjoy it while it lasts! I HIGHLY recommend.

My parents at first were very concerned when they first heard about my acceptance into CIEE high school summer abroad. I have never been out of the country before, and this was huge for me. After discussing things through with the staff, I was positive CIEE would be there to help my family and I every step of the way.
Going abroad was amazing, and truly an experience I will never forget, CIEE always planned fun activities while also incorporating the educational part of the program for anyone to get the most out of it. They were also very generous with scholarships, and gave me an 80% scholarship based on academic merit. Also, the college credit program has definitely helped me get some credits out of the way and I'm very glad. For anyone who is on the line about this program - I say to go for it! You never know, and it will be an experience you will never forget!

This CIEE program impacted me because I had the chance to test the boundaries of my comfort zone. In order to be successful, you have to step outside of your comfort zone. It is all about experiencing things that make you nervous and uncomfortable. These feelings are also felt when you chase your dreams, and in order to chase my dreams, I had to leave my comfort zone.  
Leaving my comfort zone means gaining cultural appreciation and the realization that no two places in the world are the same. Every city, state, or country has something special and unique. Experiencing different cultures and ways of life are blessings because they allow me to live a lifestyle different than the ones I’ve previously experienced. This CIEE program impacted my college experience because it gave me a better sense of appreciation for what the world has to offer and likewise it will open my eyes to the diversity and indescribable beauty of places I’ve never been.  
This CIEE program did not only impact my college experience, but it helped me in my future career plans. After graduating Concordia University of Wisconsin with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a minor in Spanish, I plan on making my mark in the world by using my experiences and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Spanish will be useful since I plan to live abroad in a Spanish-speaking country and practice there. With the knowledge I have of culture minorities, I will be able to successfully practice in a way that doesn’t offend my clients. Helping people is a characteristic that I learned as a child. It gives me a sense of belonging, pride, and accomplishment. It is my obligation to give back, and this is one way that I will be able to share my knowledge with the world and truly make a difference. During this experience, I met so many new people from all around the United States as well as Spain. I’m very fortunate to have been able to take my family back to Spain to show them the city I studied abroad in. It was a beautiful thing for me to have been able to witness. As far as my favorite memory, it would have to be when we took a bus trip to Aracena and ended up jumping off of a bridge into a river while we kayaked and enjoyed the Spanish siesta time. I was terrified to jump, but with my new friends, we all jumped and it was such a fun memory! I haven’t ever had a feeling of adrenaline like that. I absolutely enjoyed every second that I spent in Spain.