Program Reviews

I spent a semester in Bilbao attending the University of Deusto and having been many years since my experience I have had time to reflect on my experience as a whole. First off, if you are looking for a true academic experience I think you may be disappointed. Before attending the program I did not know what the setup was like for classes. It turns out when you arrive everyone takes a test after which you are sorted out into classes depending on your skill level. Within these classes are primarily all fellow American study abroad students, I was under the impression we would be taking classes with fellow Spaniards. While I was placed in the intermediate level class it felt more like the first semester of Spanish you take freshman year of high school. The curriculum consisted of workbooks that seemed fairly pointless and some actual writing assignments. All and all not the academic experience I was looking for. Outside of school however was a much better story. I decided to do a homestay and am very glad I did. The ladies I lived with taught me more of the Spanish and Basque language than I learned in class as well as more about the culture than my fellow American classmates were going to teach me. Bilbao is a wonderful city, it was clean and safe and I can't wait to return. Living day to day life in Bilbao was really what made it special; stopping at the bakery on the way to the metro, meeting up with friends for café con leche and churros. API and our resident advisor Andrea took excellent care of myself and fellow API students. We went on several cool excursions from flying to Barcelona to attending the Cirque de Soleil performance that came through town. Lastly I really enjoyed the small group of students that were in my API semester. I like that there were so few of us we could all really bond and enjoy each other.

Have you ever thought about studying abroad? What stopped you? Did you look through a few brochures and fantasize about what you would be doing in (insert dream country), only to toss them aside and continue with your life? If this isn't the case, and you are interested, then what is stopping you? Take the leap, and you shall not be disappointed.

Still settling in and getting used to living on my own, I was that person during my first year of college. The next year, my Spanish tutor advised I look into some of the affiliated programs offered, and so I did so. A very low probability that I would follow through, he was surprised and excited when I came into my session the next day with firm intent to leave the country the following semester.

I chose the Intensive Language - San Jose program due to the hours spent on Spanish, as well as the city location, as I'm from the very rural, mountainous state of Vermont. New language, new city, new climate, and a new culture. I had plunged myself into this lifestyle and was about to make good of it.

Weekdays I enjoyed a beautiful and sunny 20-minute morning walk to Universidad Veritas through my neighborhood. I would give an enthusiastic "Buenos dias!" or "Pura Vida" and a wave to the local cafe and bar owners that now knew me by my first name. The barking dogs behind peoples gates, the occasional homeless person, and crossing a small highway were the only items that could possibly make someone feel uncomfortable on the walk to class.

My classes included intensive Spanish classes that were held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 5 days a week, with 30 minute breaks in the middle. These were essential to the maintained attention span of the students as 4 hours can be a long time for learning the same subject. My peers and I would gather in the courtyard and share class or weekend stories over a cup of coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, or a tasty enchilada from a nearby vendor. The professors clearly love teaching, yet are lenient enough because they understand that they are teaching students from another country. Sometimes I would practice Spanish on the way home from class, which I found to be one of the most rewarding aspects of studying a language; being able to use what you learned in class the moment you re-enter the real world.

Esteban and Francy, the program staff for API, were of the utmost in assistance and advice. Passionate about what they do, interesting to converse with, understanding, and moreover; caring about your personal safety. I sustained an injury while studying abroad which involved having my big toe's toenail removed at the hospital. Esteban readily brought me to the hospital, paid the taxi driver for both ways, and helped me buy the proper prescriptions.

My host family was a perfect match. Two six-foot tall males and myself shared the pleasure of having this host family which included a very traditional, old woman and her son. She cooked for us whenever we were hungry, showed us love when we were feeling down, and spoke to us of old times and customs in Costa Rica when we had the chance to sit down with her. Her meals ranged from an occasional "French-Bread and hamburger" sandwich and savory Costa Rican coffee at breakfast to other very traditional dishes such as Black Bean Soup and Gallo Pinto. The proportions served were enough that we would have to tell her we had enough. One of my roommates was very picky, and the other gluten--intolerant. Our host mother catered to them tastefully and effortlessly.

Although no program is perfect, I feel as though the sheer number of equally lucky and unfortunate experiences I faced while abroad gave me an extremely positive experience overall.

My unfortunate experiences include, but were not limited to, losing half my big toenail and have it ripped off with pliers shortly after, getting lost in my own neighborhood until dark on the third day, getting attacked and successfully escaping four muggers, food poisoning, bad sun burns, witnessing a possibly fatal accident, and almost stepping on a venomous Eyelash Viper.

My especially good experiences included scuba diving for a class trip, exploring to a new spot every weekend via the convenient public bus system, snorkeling for class field trips, climbing volcanoes, acquiring my Advanced Scuba Certification while touching turtles and seeing Bull sharks under 99 ft. of water, cliff jumping off waterfalls, jungle hikes, bungee jumping, making a good number of local, life-long Tico friends, (two of which let me drive their motorcycles and cars the second time I visited). I'm especially grateful for one Tico friend in particular who showed us the deeper part of Costa Rica (Strip clubs, jazz clubs where we'd watch him play, his cousin's private paintball arena in the jungle, go-karting, unique restaurants, his home, haunted hospitals, etc.).

Avoiding the cliché, "Best. Experience. Ever.", I truly believe I may have had one of the better experiences abroad than many others. It is something that becomes a part of you; your second home on this Earth. I think about it everyday since I've left. The collective experiences brought about by friends (U.S. and Ticos), family, faculty (API and Universidad Veritas), animals, and even the common bystander left me with a sense of belonging in Costa Rica, as well as a mind that was now open to even more things than I had imagined four months prior.

I now heavily advocate for students to study abroad by setting up information tables on my college campus, promotion through daily conversation, as well as voluntary presentations to local middle schools about the importance of studying abroad and learning another language. If someone asked me about my time in Costa Rica, I would ask them why they weren't already signing up. To determine whether my time abroad could be reproduced in an equally positive manner, I'm now currently enrolled to study for five months at Universidad Catolica de Valencia in Valencia Spain with ISA for my coming Spring 2015 semester. I'm still counting the number of doors that this journey has opened for me, as I now have tentative plans to teach English in Colombia after I graduate as one example. Keep it relaxed, y viva la pura vida, mis amigos.

API is probably one of the best study abroad programs in the world. My experience in Grenoble so far has been amazing and I wouldn't want to be in any other program. The people I have met here are fantastic and our Resident Directors are AWESOME! They answer numerous questions and they make sure we understand everything, even when they speak in English. They are always available for us, even for the more personal things you face while studying abroad. Also, you are literally surrounded by mountains. Anywhere you turn you see mountains. It's awesome to see the view of the town from the tops of them as well! If your French is not that great right now, don't worry! This program will definitely help you pick it up, even if you just stay a semester! I've been here for about 6 weeks and I already see major improvement. This is a great city to become a part of and all of the host families are GREAT! And it's an unbeatable price for all of the excursions and the education you receive!

I participated in the API Study Abroad Program at the University of the Arts - Camberwell College of the Arts (for photography) in London, England. My first choice was Paris, but I panicked about being away from my family and friends for 3 months, especially because I did not speak the language. I ended up deciding on London because it was a place that I had been previously, and the arts program looked like something that I could really enjoy. I am so glad that I changed my mind! I was the first to attend Camberwell College of the Arts, so there were a few bumps that needed to be worked out, mostly just figuring out what classes I was to take, but I couldn't have enjoyed the experience more. The classes taught me to push my thinking outside of the box and not rely on such detailed project descriptions to finish my assignment. Our resident director was amazing. She was there whenever I had question and took us on awesome trips around the city (and even outside the area). After I graduated from my undergraduate degree, I ended up going back to London for my Master and even helped out the local API resident director for a few weeks with her new students!

API London was a great program! I learned and explored so much during my time abroad and I could have done it without the help of the API London Staff. They were helpful before, during, and after my study abroad time. I loved the different excursions they took us on. Each one was unique and many of them were places I never would have known existed without their guidance. The encouraged us to explore on our own as well. Both of my program leaders were great and knowledgeable about the places we were going and even for giving tips of other places we should check out. I have recommended not only this program but API in general to other friends who agree that they provided the best experience and support for a study abroad student. If I had to do it over again (which I wish I could), I would choose API again.

I spent a semester and summer abroad studying and living in Barcelona. This statement, that I say quite frequently in my everyday conversations, is the most proud sentence I can say about myself. I am so incredibly proud of this part of my life because it has changed and shaped me to be the successful person I am today. Through that amazing period in my life, I grew stronger by becoming independent; moving to a different country where English is not primarily spoken by myself, without any friends or family. Instead of grouping myself in an American crowd, a few friends and I insisted on making friends from other countries and from Spain to emerge in the culture. This was introduced to us as important in the very beginning by the program (API) and I am so happy they did. I still say, to this day, that the education I received abroad in Barcelona was the best education I received in my undergrad program. Not only was I in classes that were relevant to my majors back home, I was being educated internationally which taught me different cultures' way of "doing business". The Spanish classes I was in were tough. They challenged me everyday and pushed me to not only stop relying on English, when I wasn't sure on the word, but allowed me to become fluent in the language. Still to this day, 6 years later, I dream in Spanish: because Spain is where my heart and soul is.

I had a really great abroad experience with API. They helped us to travel all over Spain and made sure we knew where we were when we travelled to ensure our safety and location at all times. The director starts you off in Madrid, where you stay in a hotel for three days, explore Madrid, see several palaces and museums and get guided tours through them. On the way to Salamanca, where I stayed, the program stops in Toledo for several hours where you see some old churches and mosques and understand the Christian and Arab influences that both took place there. Once in Salamanca, you get a tour of the city and the chapels while taking class from 9-2. The rest of the time can be spent however you want it. If you need any help at school or are interested in an intercambio program, API helps you to set up this type of activity too. They even send you off with a goodbye dinner before you go! Overall, I absolutely loved my trip and met a lot of great people from Spain, various other countries and from all over America. I highly recommend them to anyone going abroad!

I had the best experience studying abroad in Spain with Academic Programs International. I went to Granada, which is a beautiful city in southern Spain near the Sierra Nevada Mountains. API prepared us for the experience by having orientation for everyone in the program in Madrid, organizing cultural activities and excursions, and giving us tips on social norms in Spain. My program directors were very approachable and always ready to help with anything or just to chat about how things were going. API is also great because they organize your housing for you (although you can do it on your own if you prefer) with the option of a student residence hall or a homestay. The excursions were some of the highlights of my trip (we went to Rome and a few other places in Spain), and I became friends with a bunch of other API students who really made my study abroad experience memorable. I would definitely recommend API to anyone who wants to study abroad!

My decision to study abroad with API in Granada, Spain was the most rewarding and life changing decision I ever made. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of the amazing experiences and opportunities that this program provided me, and for that I am forever grateful. Each of my expectations were met, and most often exceeded, thanks to the endless, helpful support of the API Granada staff.

I selected Granada as my study abroad city actually through the help of Go Overseas! I submitted a question to Go Overseas, asking the pros and cons of studying in Salamanca, Sevilla, and Granada, and received a response with a ton of information which ultimately helped me make my selection. I chose Granada because it was beautiful and I wanted a smaller city with a more intimate feel, making it easier to learn the language. It was a great decision for me. In a big city like Madrid or Barcelona, English runs rampant. Granada provided more consistent access to the Spanish language. It is an inexpensive city that offers everything. It has a bustling small city feel in its center (far more urban than I was actually expecting), with lots of shopping and eating opportunities, but as soon as you get to the center limits, there is nature and beautiful, extensive views. Places like the Albaicin and Sacromonte are amazing cultural hubs and offer fantastic opportunities to explore. Take a 10 or 20 minute bus ride, you can be in the mountains on a breathtaking hike. It really is a city with everything.

With a primary goal of improving my Spanish, I quickly decided to live with a host family. Looking back, it was the smartest and best decision I made throughout this process. While I could see how choosing to live with a host family is a make or break experience, the decision is a necessity and a no brainer with a supportive program like API. I personally had an amazing host family experience. I'm a vegetarian and had come to the conclusion well before my semester started that my Spanish diet would most likely consist of only bread for my four month stay. This was far from the case. API asked extensive questions before our stay that made the transition abroad seamless. This included dietary restrictions. API paired me with a roommate who was also a vegetarian, which off the bat made the experience far less stressful. My host mother was more than accommodating, making us well-rounded and delicious meals each and every day.

Before studying abroad, I heard a lot about the fear of a lack of freedom to come and go as one pleased when living with a host family. This was never a problem. My roommate and I were each given a key to the apartment, which therefore allowed us constant access. and extensive freedom. There were no curfews or restrictions, with the understanding that we would be respectful when returning late at night. Traveling for long weekends or days throughout the semester wasn't a problem either. We were just asked to tell our host mother our travel dates, both for safety reasons and so she could plan our meals.

Classes were an adjustment at first, but not as difficult to adapt to as I was expecting. Each of my professors had extensive experience in teaching Spanish to foreigners, which made them easy to understand. They were clear and understanding, always willing to answer questions and help their students. Although the actual workload was very light at times, the classes were some of the most helpful Spanish courses I have ever taken. I was in the Spanish Language and Culture program, and therefore didn't have classes on Fridays. This was an added bonus and made it much easier to travel for long weekends!

The one experience I wish I was better-prepared for was the Spanish placement exam at the start of the semester. It was a bit downplayed and ended up being a three hour exam consisting of several parts, including various reading comprehension, listening, and writing sections. My advice would definitely be not to arrive to Spain very rusty on your Spanish language skills, specifically grammar, if your goal is to place high and gain certain college credit. This would require a certain score on the tedious placement exam. If you're a beginner, there's no stress, since you're not looking to be placed in a high level. Overall, it wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it short-lived, and any issues as a result of the exam were quickly fixed by Carmen and Curra, our fantastic Granada resident program directors. In the end, no one started the first week of classes unhappy with their placement.

While abroad, I also had the opportunity to teach an English workshop with my friend. This was a unique opportunity that allowed me the chance to experience what it is like teaching English abroad, which especially great since it's something I'm considering doing after graduation. It was interesting to teach this workshop while improving my own language skills at the same time, because it really demonstrated a universal desire to bridge cultural gaps and learn language, while simultaneously pointing out the universal struggle as well.

In my opinion, a strong highlight of API is the excursion aspect of the program. Being the most reasonably priced program I found, API still offered the most resources for its students. My semester, students went to Cadiz, Las Alpujarras, and Rome, Italy. All of our trips were extremely well organized and allowed for extensive amounts of freedom. There were many opportunities available to us, and most of them were optional, so we were able to pick and chose how we wanted to spend our time. Plus our hotels were stunning and in great locations as an added bonus. We also did a lot of travel during orientation our first week, which was a bit overwhelming but a great experience. We visited places like Madrid, Toledo, and El Escorial. API Granada is a fantastic value for the price of the program.

Ultimately, API Granada was an experience that beyond exceeded my study abroad expectations. I had endless resources and opportunities available to me, in addition to meeting fantastic people. The kindness of Carmen and Curra cannot be matched. The only change I would make next time would be to do it for a full year.

API was very accommodating in the US and in Spain. They made my experience amazing and made me feel like I really belonged in Spain. The whole staff was really helpful and they knew the answers to our questions before we even asked them. I really liked how excursions were organized with the program. It was a nice to go on a trip and not worrying about any accommodations. Also I liked how on campus we had an academic advisor specifically for API students. I liked how API requires all their students to take a language class. If you are studying abroad in an non english speaking country I think this is a necessity. I wanted to change my schedule when I arrived in Barcelona and I did it with no worries because of our advisor. Also I liked how API set up events around the city that we could attend with other API students. Finally I really liked the housing options. All the options were very nice to live in. I would defiantly recommend API.