CEA CAPA Education Abroad Reviews

I did an internship in Barcelona, Spain through CEA CAPA and it was a great experience. I learned so much about work culture in Spain and also a ton of new skills for my career path. The CEA CAPA internship team was extremely helpful when finding a placement for me, they were there every step of the way and I ended up loving my placement. My boss was from Catalan, he spoke good english and he always let me try to practice my Spanish. It was very easy going and I enjoyed going all 3 days a week that I went. My boss and I collaborated really well too. I would definitely recommend doing an internship abroad with CEA CAPA, I will remember my time at my internship forever!

I really enjoyed the four months I spent in Buenos Aires through the CEA CAPA program. I loved getting to know my host mom and I met so many people within my program and at my Argentine institution. The international program at Universidad de Belgrano was a bit separate from the Argentine students, so there weren't any Argentine students in my class, but I still met a couple of them and got lunch every now and then. I loved the friends I made though and we explored the city together and even travelled to different popular destinations in Argentina. We went to Patagonia where we went to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, trekked on the famous Perito Moreno glacier in El Calafate, and hiked the famous Fitz Roy trail in El Chalten. We went to Iguazú Falls--a natural wonder of the world--and saw views of beautiful waterfalls amongst a jungle landscape. We went to Salta and Jujuy and saw beautiful mountain views, colonial towns, and folkloric dancing. We went to Mendoza and rode on horseback in the Andes. Buenos Aires is an incredible city with café culture, a rich history of tango, a lively nightlife, lots of mate drinking, a strong passion for soccer, great food such as empanadas and steak, and friendly people. The city is also a great place to live if you have dietary restrictions because there are lots of gluten free bakeries and vegan cafes and restaurants. I improved my Spanish a lot by speaking with my host mom and some of her good friends, interacting with locals at markets and in shops, and taking four Spanish classes at an Argentine institution. Living in Argentina was also very cost efficient because things were very inexpensive (besides imported good such as clothing). For example, a coffee would typically cost just over 2 dollars. However, inflation is a constant in Argentina that people there are very used to. Their money situation can be complex and they have three exchange rates, which can make it difficult for tourists. They are also a very cash-based society. I recommend looking into your credit card rate for Argentina specifically and trying to use the Blue Dollar rate by exchanging at exchange houses with cash instead of using ATMs. Phone stealing is also common and something to be wary of. Another thing to be aware of is that the schedule there is very different--things start much later such as lunch around 2, merienda or snack around 5-7 and dinner around 9 pm. I would recommend Buenos Aires to anyone looking to learn Spanish, travel to beautiful places, and experience a unique, fun culture.

Traveling to a new place without knowing anyone can be a daunting experience, but Granada felt like stepping into a home away from home. The people were welcoming, the culture was easy to adapt to, and the sites seemed to be out of a movie. I loved being able to learn the language in a city that wasn't overwhelming in size and population. It was easy to navigate the city and independently explore. I highly recommend Granada to those who want to experience the Spanish culture, but don't want to be in a huge city.

As someone going into World Language education, when it came to my education abroad experience, I knew I needed something that was going to support my goals in gaining proficiency in Spanish. The CEA CAPA program to Alicante, Spain was perfect for me because...
1. It offered a smaller city experience that opened the door for the opportunity to use and rely on only Spanish for communication, with minimal English. This ultimately led to a huge improvement in my proficiency level!
2. The Alicante program was offering opportunity for enriching cultural experiences. My program ended up happening during the same time as the Las Hogueras summer festival, which provided an amazing way to get to see and experience the traditions and life of the host culture.

On this program I lived in an apartment with four other roommates. This was such a great experience because I was able to really immerse myself in the culture of the city by being in an area away from my school & study center. The CEA CAPA team was so helpful with questions about class, cultural norms, fixing things in our apartment, and everything in between. My classes weren't too difficult, I would say just the right amount of challenging for me to feel intellectually stimulated but also not so overwhelmed that I didn't have time to do anything else. Overall this was such an amazing experience and I would recommend the Prague program to anyone looking to study abroad and experience an amazing new city!

I had the wonderful opportunity to be able to spend both July of 2022 and 2023 in the city of Alicante with CEA CAPA. The opportunity to study abroad and not only learn the Spanish language from where it originated, but also to get the chance to explore the city and make plenty of new friends was an absolute treasure. I would strongly recommend at the very least going to the city on your own, if not with the CEA CAPA program, as the additional events and academic support that they provide helped to enrich my experience significantly.

Thanks to CEA I had the best experience abroad in Barcelona. They did an amazing job placing me at an internship where I felt comfortable and motivated to learn. Since my major is Hospitality, I interned at a hotel called "Hesperia Presidente" where not only did I learned about the operational system but also about the Spanish work culture. CEA was always available for us and I never had a problem with anything during my summer abroad. The CEA in Barcelona is also one of the biggest offices, making it more staff accessible for students!

The staff was great and the classes worked well with making the most of your time abroad allowing time to explore the city and others as well if you wish! The housing was great in location and cleanliness. It was the perfect amount of space and the CEA CAPA student were nearby. Information provided about transportation was very helpful and allowed for an easier transition when arriving. Teachers were very welcoming and made the class fun and interesting. I also met some amazing students that make you feel less alone while being abroad.

I had an incredible experience going abroad with CEA CAPA. In the beginning stages, I was assigned an advisor that helped guide me through getting my Visa and any other questions that I had before going abroad. While I was there, I took classes at a local university as well as the CEA center. If I ever had a question or concern about my classes, their were advisors onsite that would help me with anything I needed. The excursions that we went on with CEA were well planned and very enjoyable. I had a great time going abroad with CEA CAPA and I highly recommend this program!

Traveling to Buenos Aires was an incredible experience! I was nervous initially since it was my first study-abroad experience. I was unfamiliar with the culture, environment, and language and did not know what to expect. The warm hospitality and generosity I received from on-site program staff and locals guided me through all the ups and downs of the experience. The program challenged me to come out of my comfort zone both academically and socially. We attended physics classes at a local university and a sports and contemporary culture class right after. We learned about the history of the country and experienced the Argentinians' passion for futbol firsthand by attending games.

My friends and I explored the city after classes, trying out some of the many cafes and restaurants on every corner. Buenos Aires had a very reliable transportation system as well, so it was easy for us to travel from our apartment in Palermo to other neighborhoods in the city like Belgrano, La Boca, and Recoleta. Each neighborhood had something different and wonderful to offer. We often ran into cultural fairs, art festivals, fresh farmer markets, and live performances. There was something fun to discover every day. On the weekends, we traveled outside of the city to see the numerous natural landscapes in Argentina. We saw the falls at Iguazu, went horseback riding in Mendoza, went hiking at the Perito Moreno Glacier and El Chalten, and even visited a cute portside town in Uruguay. Although my time in Argentina was short, the incredible people, food, and music are a memory I will never forget.