Spanish Language and Culture in Segovia, Spain

Overall I had a great time in Segovia. The teachers were great, the material we learned was useful and not too challenging either. My favorite part about my experience was having a host family. My host family welcomed me into their home as if I were a child of their own and that felt great. One con I will say about the program is that Segovia is a small little town, so at times it could get a little bit boring, with that said I definitely took advantage of traveling on weekends.

I really enjoyed my time studying abroad in Segovia! I went there without having done much research into the country or the area. I enjoyed living in Segovia. I was blown away by the beautiful architecture, especially the Acueducto! Segovia is a nice city, with a lot of tourist shops and restaurants and I felt safe during my stay in Segovia. There are many spots in the city to that have a gorgeous view of the mountains and buildings as well as many walking trails. Everything was within walking distance as I had a ideal living situation since my host mom lived only a 5 minute walk from the school. There were a couple of festivals during my stay that were amazing! There were free concerts all over town and various times.

I also really liked living with a host family although I only had a host mom, I felt like she made an effort to converse with me everyday and make me the food I wanted. My level of Spanish is not the greatest having only studied for a couple of years so it was a struggle understanding what my host mom or the professors would tell me . I enjoyed my classes and my schedule for the summer although, I think I set an unrealistic goal of becoming fluent within 6 weeks! However, I feel like I learned a lot and it has inspired me to keep learning Spanish. My confidence in speaking Spanish has improved and I also picked up on the Spain Spanish grammar. I learned a lot about the culture and history of Spain rather than the language/grammar which is not a bad thing.

I really enjoyed being in Spain because we were able to travel during the weekends at a decent price. Their public transportation was pretty easy to figure out and everything was safe. Living and studying in another country has definitely been a great experience! I feel like I learned so much about myself and what I am capable of. I would encourage anyone who has the chance to take it! It also opened my eyes to the struggle of not having a full grasp on the dominant language in a country. It has made me more aware of the struggles people who speak English as a second language face. This experience definitely showed me other perspectives to current world issues because I was given the chance to see the world through another language.

Going into the program, I had no prior expectations and was a bit nervous considering I was slightly behind the other students in knowledge of the Spanish language. However, I was in for a memorable ride I would never forget. We were all picked up from the bus by our host family. The entirety of the car ride to my host house consisted of my host dad speaking and me not understanding a single word. All I could think of was "what did I just get myself into."

I did not expect to pick up on the language so quickly, but being immersed in the language taught me in a way the classroom never could. I had no idea that Spain Spanish was so different (both in word choice and accent) from the Latin American Spanish I was used to in school -- now I am a bit of a Spanish snob as I prefer Spain Spanish over any of the others. My family didn't become just a host house, but still to this day feels like an actual family. Needless to say, I miss them oodles. We still Skype once a week.

Going to another country has taught me independency and confidence in a way no other experience could have. First of all, if I can speak with strangers in a total alien language, I can for sure give a speech in my native language in front of a crowd. I took full advantage of my weekends, traveling all over Spain. Public transportation and hostels taught me how to safely fend for myself and figure things out on my own. This was done, shockingly, without Google, considering my phone only worked in spaces with wifi. Becoming less dependent on my phone made me experience life in the moment, instead of half living it while simultaneously worrying about the lives of everyone else.

I can't even rave enough about my experiences and how they changed my life. All I know is the hardest thing is getting back into the flow of a normal, set scheduled life in a busy and stressed American lifestyle. I miss the slow and relaxed, but completely lovable culture of Spain. It is impossible to describe the ways in which you will grow as a person, or to relate your experience to a person who hasn't been in the position themselves. It was worth every penny and all I can concentrate on is on the day I will return.

I am very glad that this program accommodates students with a host family since it provides unparalleled opportunity to practice the language and experience the culture and everyday customs of the people. I lived in an apartment that was a ten minutes walking distance from the school (everything is within walking distance in Segovia) and I couldn't have asked for a better host family! They were very understanding, patient, helpful, loving, and fun. I was made a part of their family and all their activities. Knowing that I now have a family in Spain gives me even a greater reason to return quickly. Segovia is perfect for truly experiencing all aspects of the Spanish culture and language - I am convinced of this after traveling all around Spain. The director, professors, and staff were incredible, very skilled, and passionate about teaching and giving their students opportunities to experience personally all that they had learned. The excursions were well organized and greatly complemented the coursework. Also, the nightlife is very lively as there are many students within the city, including international students studying at the nearby IE university in Segovia. Studying in Segovia through the GEO program was truly the most incredible experience of my life!

If you are studying the Spanish language and do not study in Segovia through GEO, you are not experiencing what it is truly like to live in Spain. The architecture, food, dance, tradition, and language exposure is truly unlike any other city in Spain. I traveled a lot in Spain, Segovia was the only city where I truly felt at home. Sitting on top of the aqueduct looking out over the Sierra de Guadarrema mountain range is an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life, and can only be experienced in Segovia. After my home-stay experience, I now have a second family that I am honored to be a part of. GEO pushed me to get out into the community and truly experience the culture and day-to-day life in Segovia. The program director, professors, and staff were beyond helpful, intelligent, and talented at what they do. The excursion trips made the weekly class schedule all come together to produce an incredible academic learning experience. Segovia is a second home for me, and I cannot wait to return.

My host family in Segovia was extremely accommodating. They have two young children, and a nice sized apartment. They did my laundry, cleaned my room, cooked and packed meals for me, and were excellent hosts. They even bought me a necklace and cake for my birthday, as I celebrated it in Spain! My host family had relatives in Segovia who had a pool and my family took me there any time I wanted! It was such a fun, relaxed environment to converse and practice my speaking skills with new people. During my last day in Segovia, my host parents took me to dinner, bought me a going away gift, and walked me to the train station. I'm confident that I'll keep in touch with my family using Facebook or Skype, and I would highly recommend a live-in experience for language learners!