CEA CAPA Education Abroad Reviews

Just a month abroad in Granada was far too little. This city will be sure to steal your heart, just as it did mine. Despite the blistering heat of summer, I had such an amazing time exploring every rincón and tasting almost every (free!) tapa.

The local staff were very helpful and led many cultural excursions throughout the city and the surrounding community; I was able to learn so much about the culture and history of Andalusia. Having my intensive Spanish course for four straight hours each morning was difficult to get used to at first, but it gave me the rest of my day to take a siesta, spend time with my new friends, and enjoy the nightlife in Granada.

I opted for a residencia-style housing placement rather than a host family and was lucky enough to have my own room. The staff at the residencia were very kind and understanding of my then-low-level Spanish skill, however, as a very independent person it was somewhat weird to have my laundry done for me and to not cook my own meals. As I quickly learned, many places in Spain do not have air conditioning, which made the conditions in my room somewhat hellish during the hottest hours of the day.

That aside, I was able to make tons of amazing memories in Granada; I miss my time there immensely -- the sweatiness on the other hand…

My international experience is unique because I've never left home before. My time in Spain is allowing me to grow as an individual and learn new things about myself. It's nice that I already have a Spanish background so communicating in castellano isn't difficult to do! If you have never been exposed to Spanish than I strongly suggest you study some before you go abroad! This great internship opportunity is going to help me land better jobs because my international experience is going to stand out on a resume. Tip #1: Don't be afraid to explore, even if it's on your own! Tip #2: Always wear comfortable shoes because pavements here are very uneven. Tip #3: Plan things out but leave room for spontaneous fun as well! So far my favorite memories that I've made have been when my roommate and I go on mini adventures and take really great pictures of each other. I'm uncovering my innerphotography skills!

Choosing to study in Seville was quite easy for me. I grew up hearing stories about the labyrinthine streets and unchallenged beauty of the city from my family, who spent almost every summer there. I was able to walk the same streets my grandfather grew up on and make memories of my own.

I had the amazing opportunity to share my connection to Seville and several other stories as CEA’s Mobile Journalist (MOJO) for Seville during the Spring 2017 semester. A friend of mine had previously been a MOJO for CEA in Aix-en-Provence and recommended I study with them, and it was definitely the right choice!

The academics in Seville were a bit confusing at first and were not well-explained on their website or by staff. Some courses I wanted were canceled or were changed which was a bit of a disappointment, however, I thoroughly enjoyed all the courses I ended up taking and thankfully my major (International Studies) was incredibly flexible. Surprisingly my classes at the University of Seville (USS) were much easier than those at the CEA campus. I did feel a bit under-stimulated with my courses at USS, but that gave me more time to explore the city and to travel throughout Europe.

I was very lucky to have an amazing apartment, just a ten-minute walk to USS and the CEA campus. I heard from some year-long students that their previous apartments were not as nice, so it must be quite random which type of apartment you will be placed in. I enjoyed the freedom that came along with apartment living, especially since I am quite independent.

Overall, I had an amazing semester in Seville and hope to spend more time in the city in the near future. My one piece of advice for any prospective student in Seville would be to get out of your comfort zone and strive to meet locals and other international students; with the structure of CEA it is too easy to be surrounded by only other Americans, but you’ll have a more fulfilling time if you break out of that circle.

The classes were a good challange and the staff was very nice and well equipped for their positions. It was an amazing time living in Barcelona and learning about local life and culture. I made a lot of lasting friendships and totally improved my Spanish speaking skills as I was immersed in the Spanish environment. Also, I found the Catalan culture so fascinating with their crazy festivities like the Correfoc, a parade in which people paint their faces, literally swing fireworks around in a crowd and play booming drums. It was so exhilarating!

This program completely changed my world-views and greatly impacted my career goals in a positive way. Throughout the quarter, we were taught to look at subjects such as history and multiculturalism from different perspectives while seeing the history of different places first-hand. Our professor was very negative and I didn't like his teaching style, but the program itself was great. I bonded with my host family and was immersed in the culture of Barcelona, as well as other places that we traveled to (other parts of Spain, Italy, France, and Morocco). After my time in Barcelona, I changed my major from Accounting to International Business so that I can hopefully travel the world as a part of my future career. One of my favorite memories was being lost in Barcelona with my roommate the first week we were there. I was starting to get frustrated, when suddenly I turned around and saw Sagrada Familia. I was in awe and realized that beauty can be found under any circumstance! From that point on, I learned to be okay with getting lost and wandering the streets while finding new sights.

The Barcelona SAE Summer Internship program is a great experience for young students looking to expand their horizons and have an experience like none other. Because of the nature of this Study Abroad Experience is different than any other Study Abroad because it is an internship instead of classes. This experience is not only letting me fall more in love with Spain, but also is giving me valuable and unique job experience.

Every summer my university offers an internship opportunity in Paris, but this was the first time my school used CEA to take care of students' logistics (e.g., housing, health insurance). Last year there were nine of us in total going to Paris (plus our professor who did not live with us!). Before coming to Paris we were told that most likely we would all be living in different parts of the city. However, CEA pulled some magic tricks and managed to place us all in two apartments in the same apartment building in one of the wealthiest areas of Paris. And not only this, but my apartment also had a view of the Eiffel Tower!!!! It was spacious for a Parisian apartment, and was nicely decorated. My classmates and I had everything we needed from an iron and washer to a pizza cutter and rice cooker. The CEA center also had additional appliances that we could request, like extra forks, fans, and even hair straighteners. We did have some problems with our shower, but the CEA staff was very responsive and sent someone to repair it the next day after we reported it. They had also told us that the apartment would come with no TV, but it did. This was great because we were able to get a small peak at what French television shows are like, but also because once a week all of my classmates and I would get together to make crepes and watch a movie afterwards. Overall, I really enjoy our housing arrangements. I loved sitting by my window feeling the night breeze and admiring the Eiffel Tower! It truly felt like home and allowed my classmates and I to bond and become like a family!

The world is a book and those who haven’t traveled have only read one page. I believe that studying abroad and traveling is one of the best “teachers” in life and studying in Barcelona is one lesson i'll never forget. Being able to live in another country has given me the chance become immersed in a new culture, language and tradition. Through my experiences I learned what I wanted in life and got a taste of where I wanted to go. The program did a wonderful job putting together cultural agendas for students every single week to ensure they got the most out of their experience. The activities they put together and lead range from cooking classes to overnight excursions. The activities were also the perfect balance of education and fun; they were something that made me WANT to learn. The program itself was also very organized. Every activity and platform I could think of was updated regularly and as a big social media user I appreciated the frequent updates across all platforms. The program staff was also quick to reply to any email question I shot their way (and I always had a lot of questions) and always sent follow-up emails which was a nice touch. They also provided health coverage for students and everything I could ever want to know about anything is on their online student guide. It was nice to be able to have such amazing resources at my finger tips. They have a 24/7 emergency phone as well so anytime you have something bad happen to you, someone is always readily available. My roommates also had issues within the first week of arrival but they were quick to take action and solve the problem. I also loved the free food throughout the semester (go to all of the events, you'll be fed for a week basically)! Lastly, I think the resources and experience they gave me in Barcelona far exceeded what I researched through other programs. The price is also one of the least expensive in the city AND they offer the most for it.

I had a stellar time abroad in Madrid this past semester, and a large part of that was thanks to CEA. The on-site staff team were incredible (Thanks Silvia, Alvaro, and Emilia!) and they did a great job at making the transition to Madrid as smooth as possible. Throughout the semester, the staff were readily available to answer any questions and were quick to resolve any issues that arose. Additionally, the excursions and trips made up some of my best memories, and helped to enrich my experience abroad. My parents were grateful for all the planning that the CEA team did before I left, giving them some peace of mind as I headed across the Atlantic. I highly recommend this program!

The best thing about studying abroad is the people you meet. They make traveling fun, classes, and just day to day activities. Being able to meet a lot of people right away was great because you can find people like you that you want to be around. The 3 day weekends were great to travel, and the long spring break. It was a good amount of class time and work load. The professors were all very great. Lifelong memories were made in Barcelona and someday I will be back.