IES Abroad Barcelona

IES provided the best experience I could ask for in a study abroad program. I participated in the IES Barcelona: Liberal Arts and Business program during the fall semester of 2016. Before I left, IES was very communicative with all the necessary information about things to do before departure. It all feels very overwhelming at first, but IES explained all the steps, including housing, Visas, and more in a clear and immensely helpful way. They offered a wide variety of classes so I was able to take some in my field as well as others that fascinated me. I can say with certainty that the quality of the education IES provides is amazing. As a foreign affairs major, this was the absolute best opportunity for me to learn about the world in an immersive and engaging setting. The faculty were incredible and always there to help or talk to. The classes were probably more challenging than most study abroad classes, but I learned so much, and it definitely was not too much work because I traveled or explored Barcelona every weekend! I stayed in an apartment with four roommates. I did not get a language immersive experience as I would have had in a homestay, but I enjoyed being independent and the freedom it allowed. Also, I have heard there is a discrepancy in the quality of the apartments, so while mine was decent, others were much better and others were much worse. For the city specifically, Barcelona is the best! There are endless amounts of things to do, the weather is gorgeous, and it is a central travel hub so getting around Europe is so easy. I miss it so much and this experience will be one that I will never ever forget. 10/10 would recommend Barcelona and IES!

Barcelona was a wonderful time. I only wish that I would have taken more advantage of everything the city has to offer. The IES Barcelona center was in the heart of the city, which meant that every view was beautiful and every day was sight seeing. The staff for the Advanced Spanish Studies Program are amazing, the person in charge inn particular is kind-hearted and loving, she definitely took the time to know everyone. Almost every day I miss waking up in my host-mom's home then walking to school, taking in the beauty of the city. I particularly miss my host mom--and her cooking. I made friendships that will last my entire life, I saw things I will never forget. I recommend visiting in the fall semester for a smaller group--in the Advanced Spanish Program there were three of us--and in spring if you prefer a large group. I was worried about the coursework being only in Spanish but every professor took the time to make sure you understood and we had many thorough in class discussions. Studying abroad is guaranteed to change your outlook on life and IES is prepared to help you process those changes.

I studied abroad in Barcelona for the fall semester of 2016. Unlike a lot of programs that offer a select number of classes, IES Barcelona Liberal Arts & Business offers an endless list of courses to fit the interests and major requirements of every student. Through this program, I was able to intern part-time for a local apartment rental company, an experience that connected me to the city in a really special way, along with broadening my professional network across seas. Because the program invites so many students to participate, the student body in this program is very large and therefore chooses students of varying schools, backgrounds and fields of study. In Barcelona, you never run out of things to do. I wrote a “Barcelona Bucket List” that I got about 20% of the way through, which only gives me an excuse to return in the near future! The location of Barcelona in relation to the rest of Europe is ideal, as it takes less than 2 hours by plane to get to all the main European destinations, and the flights are often extremely inexpensive. And since there are no classes on Fridays, you have 3 out of the 7 days of the week to travel! Regardless of where I traveled on the weekends, I was always so excited to return to my favorite city for the start of a new week. IES Barcelona Liberal Arts & Business has all the aspects of a study abroad program that I was looking for, and I know countless other students who feel the same way!

I had a fantastic experience studying in Barcelona with IES Abroad. After completing a backpacking trip through Europe with friends, I picked Barcelona as the city I would choose to return to, to study abroad, if I would be lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend a semester there. I'm so glad I picked Barcelona because it really helped me increase my Spanish language skills, and allowed me to experience so many places nearby. IES Abroad helped such a big city like Barcelona feel smaller, by setting up opportunities to volunteer and places to visit. I signed up for the intercambio program which helped me meet a local who I am still in contact with today. To have a good time in Barcelona I think you need to be adventurous, open to learning about a new way of life, excited to practice your Spanish, and able to function on little sleep. I never felt homesick during my semester because my host family made me feel at home and I knew the semester would fly by! I highly recommend staying with a host family, and going on day trips to nearby cities such as Girona, and Sitges. I recommend avoiding touristy places and speaking Spanish with as many people as possible. I enjoyed the small class sizes of my IES Abroad classes and my teachers. I chose IES Abroad because everyone at my study abroad center assured me that they had a very well-developed program, and were on top of things. This allowed me and my family to feel good about choosing to study abroad with them. I had a great experience in Barcelona and hope you do as well!

I knew before I even started applying to college I wanted to study abroad. I picked IES because it came highly recommended to me and I wanted to be in Barcelona. Picking IES was the best decision I made. Your program truly defines what your experience will be like. IES made all the pre-departure paperwork easy and were helpful answering the 100's of questions I had. Once I got to Barcelona, they continued to be helpful. IES offers different actives such as bike rides, cooking classes, and tours of different neighborhoods. This gave me the opportunity to meet friends and get acquainted with my new city.
I decided to live in an apartment which was provided through IES. This was the perfect situation for me because I have already lived in an apartment independently before. I had to do all my own cooking but I loved it! I ended up getting to know the local shop owners. I would get my groceries from various markets. I even had a little fish shop where they spoke no English! It was challenging but I never felt more accomplished or proud when I placed my entire order of fish in Spanish!
The friends you make abroad are friendships that last a lifetime. One of my favorite memories that I think about often is going to get gelato between classes on Tuesday afternoon, strolling through the Gothic Quarter. It's little moments like that that I cherish so much.
Getting homesick is part of the experience, but everyone is going through the same thing, even if it's at different stages. When I lost my iPhone, the front desk woman helped me by calling the cab company since my Spanish was not strong. When I was sick, the study affairs office made sure I saw a doctor. Whatever question I had, IES was there to answer it.
I loved that my professors really brought the classroom into the city. Many of my classes went on field trips around the city. When my parents came to visit, I was able to lead them around and tell them many different fact about the city I didn't even realize I knew. It became my home. I grew to love certain neighborhoods, a favorite running path, and a favorite cafe to study (Organic's - right down the street from the IES center)
Studying abroad is something everyone should do. Of course it's a little scary but so worth it. I learned what it means to be a global citizen, I traveled to different famous European cities, ate amazing food, and I made incredible friendships. IES was organized and helpful from day one, which helped make this the best semester of my life.

Studying abroad is undoubtedly one of the best experiences I have had while in college. From the beginning, it was important to me that I find a program that would provide a solid academic foundation, while enabling me to immerse myself in the culture of my host country. IES exceeded these expectations. My classes were rigorous, yet not overbearing. My professors were intelligent but helpful, and the administration constantly had the best interests of the students at heart. The living amenities provided were of good quality, and made adjusting to being in a foreign country very easy. I immediately felt at home in my apartment provided by IES.
Being in a city like Barcelona, where so many cultural activities and events are occurring, I really tried to explore and do things that I would not have the opportunity to do in the United States. Through course excursions, as well as program trips (such as the one to Tarragona), I was able to immerse myself in Spanish culture and make memories that will last a lifetime. I highly recommend IES to students that wish to study abroad in the future.

Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I took the big step to go to Barcelona, Spain for my 2016 spring semester of college. It was hard to leave my family, but once I made it and met my loving host mom and great roommates I knew I would be alright until April. I was able to not only improve my Spanish, but I got to do so in an actual Spanish speaking country. The Spanish culture was what I enjoyed the most.I learned so much about myself that I may not have known until later in life if I had not gone. I am not fine with traveling alone, spending the night in an airport, or hoping on a plane and going to another country. It was all worth it.

When I first decided to study away, I had no idea where I wanted to go (besides somewhere in Europe) or with which program. In a meeting with my advisor, I said that I was thinking about Italy. Since I was studying Spanish, she laughed and instead suggested IES Barcelona Business and Liberal Arts. She said it would be perfect; I could take my business, my general education, and my Spanish classes PLUS live in Europe. And you know what? She was right.

Spending a semester in Barcelona was more than I could have ever imagined it and there are three reasons why.

1) My host family was phenomenal. My mom was a teacher, my dad a doctor, and they had three boys ranging from 12-16. They welcomed me, and my two roommates, into their family with arms wide open. We had dinners together every single night, where they challenged us to work on our Spanish (even though they knew quite a bit of English), played video games with the younger brother, and even had a family ping-pong tournament. When I was debating whether to live in an apartment or a homestay, I was worried that I would feel trapped in a family dynamic and that it would be weird to leave to go on trips or to go hang out with friends, but that wasn’t the case. They had hosted before so they knew how life would be with study abroad students, and in fact, they encouraged us to go to cultural events and to get out of the house as much as possible. I do not think I could have asked for a better living situation if I tried, and I will definitely stay in contact with them. They’re my Spain family!

2) The history and art of Barcelona are impressive. If you had asked me about art before going to Spain, I would have said, “ehh it’s ok”. Ask me now, and I will tell you all that I know about European art, especially the work by Gaudí. I would never have called myself an art enthusiast before going abroad, but now, I love art! My turning point was learning about and seeing the Block of Discord (which consists of three houses designed by Gaudí, Puig i Cadafalch, and Domenech i Montaner) and La Sagrada Familia.

3) The friends I made are lifelong. We all shared one of the key personality traits that I need in a friend: adventurous. Each and every person I met, had plans to do and see things and to enjoy their time however that meant to them. But in all, we shared a magical experience that no one else will quite understand. We stayed up all night to see the sunrise from the Bunkers, ate patatas bravas every day for a snack, flew cheap flights at 6am, found local festivals to attend, bought more souvenirs then we could really bring home, etc. The only sad part is that since we went with a study abroad program (versus one at our home school), we are all scattered across America, which makes seeing each other a bit of a challenge.

Thinking back, the only part I would change, would be coordinating my travel plans with the friends I made. Many weekends, one set of friends would travel while the others were in Barcelona and then it would flip. It made it hard to just live in Barcelona with a normal lifestyle. That being said, studying away isn't really a normal experience and you learn that you have to put your wants/desires first to make your dreams come true.

Overall, I was very impressed with my study abroad experience and now as my next semester is approaching, my only question is: can I go back?!