ISA Study Abroad in Sevilla, Spain

Studying abroad ignited my hunger and passion for traveling, and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life! While studying in Seville, Spain for a semester with ISA I made new friends that I connected with, traveled with, and am still in contact with. Studying abroad for a semester allowed me to travel around Europe and to Africa for a total of 9 countries! The classes that I took at the University of Seville, a historic and enchanting building, were fun and challenging. I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish in my classes, with my host mom, with ISA staff, at the store, at restaurants, and with local friends I made. My host mom was amazing and a fantastic cook! My roommate was very friendly, and we each had our own room. I always felt safe, comfortable, and welcome in my house though at times the temperature was a bit different than I would have preferred (air/heating is not used as frequently to save energy). I was very happy with my choice to study in Seville because it was big enough to have lots of options for restaurants, activities, and modes of transportation, but I did not feel that it was unsafe or I was overwhelmed by the size at all. It was also very sunny in Seville, something I couldn't get enough of! I was also very satisfied with my choice to study abroad with ISA! They were very helpful and offered insightful information throughout all stages of the program. The staff on site were incredibly personable and made the excursions a lot of fun! I would definitely consider traveling with them again!

Sevilla is my new home away from home. When I started looking at study abroad programs I had no idea where to start. I have studied Spanish at school so I thought Spain might be cool. I looked at different cities and didn't think I would fit in bigger places like Madrid or Barcelona. I saw a picture of Seville and knew I had to go there. Every step you take into Sevilla has something new and beautiful to look at. I was completely exposed to a new culture and loved it. Because I was being exposed to so many new experiences, I was forced to become a more flexible. When I went to class none of my professors spoke English so I was immediately forced into Spanish. This was just what I needed to fully emerge myself into the language. I now feel more confident and have a more positive outlook on new experiences. Being in Sevilla changed my life and I can't wait to go back.

This program provided me with the support I needed to feel ready for my semester abroad. Their orientation was a great way to get acquainted with the ISA Sevilla team and with all the students in the program. I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to attend school at Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Although I took classes with other U.S. students, the courses were conducted in Spanish by Spanish teachers. This allowed me to go to a Spanish school and improve my Spanish speaking skills. Sevilla is a great location altogether; it is affordable, safe, and fun. As someone who went on the program 5 years ago I can confidentially say that my experience helped me professionally. It not only made me competitive as a candidate in the workforce, but it has allowed me to connect and interact with people from diverse backgrounds both within and outside my workplace.

During my time in Spain I was able to travel all around Europe and see many different countries and cultures which was an incredible experience! During this time I was able to visit friends that I have previously know. But doing this I was able to get an first hand experience of the country and was able to see different places that normally wouldn't be seen.

Sevilla is a beautiful city full of rich history, culture, and fun experiences. Walking to and from school, seeing the vibrant life going on all around, and trying various flavors of gelato were always highlights of my day. Learning about Sevilla's history and going on tours to historical places like La Catedral, the Alcazar, and the Toro del Oro were great! One of the coolest things about Sevilla is walking on the Puente de Triana and passing over the Guadalquivir, watching a bullfight, or looking over the entire city at twilight at Las Setas and being part of history in the making. Another fun part about the program was that we were able to explore other cities like Cordoba, Granada, and a couple cities in Morocco. After tours of those cities, we got some free time to eat and enjoy the cities on our own. It was exciting to experience foods from different regions of Spain. The only difficulty I encountered was doing homework for my classes because I always wanted to be doing something to experience everything Sevilla had to offer (which is a lot).

I couldn't have been luckier to experience a city more beautiful as Sevilla and a program as well structured as my partnership through ISA . I stayed with a host family which is essential to cultural integration. Living and talking to natives everyday encouraged me actively participate in the Spanish lifestyle. I think that Spain is a great place to live, and not just visit, because there is a lot of history to explore. One of the greatest parts about going global is the process of becoming a more critical thinker and developing creative approaches to solving problems. ISA provides a fantastic platform to explore such a historic city. The excursions included Madrid, Toledo, Malaga and Lisbon. It was also optional to travel to Morocco. These provided great opportunities to explore other cities with like-minded students.

Studying abroad in Sevilla was the best thing I’ve done in college! I went with a group of people from my school to study international marketing. Right upon arriving in Spain ISA greeted us at the airport and took us to our new homes for the month. I was very intimidated at the first place we stopped to eat not knowing ANY Spanish but somehow I made it through all month learning a lot! Throughout our whole month in Spain, ISA was constantly there to help us navigate through the city, teach us about culture, and organize events like kayaking down the river at sunset or attending a bull fight. ISA knows how scary it is to be in another culture with new surroundings and they make it very easy to adjust and fall in love with the city. Sevilla is a large city but with a small town feel. It is so easy to get lost in the little streets but somehow we would always make it back to Plaza de Cuba! The coolest part about Spain was all of the tapas restaurants. My favorite thing to do was go and order a bunch of dishes I couldn’t even pronounce off the menu to try all the original Spanish dishes (including payaya which is a must!). A little piece of my heart will always be left in Sevilla and I can’t wait for the opportunity to go back again thanks to ISA!

The 6 weeks I spent in Sevilla with ISA during Summer 2014 were by far the best weeks of my entire life! Sevilla is an incredible and beautiful city, full of culture and history! My classes were not overly difficult which gave me time to spend with my classmates and really explore the city. For example, a few of us used to love getting ice cream down by the Cathedral after class and just people watch. ISA also coordinated excursions to other cities in Andalucia for us to visit on the weekends (and they were included in the price of the trip, so no added costs) and they took us to places I normally would not have visited if I were on my own. I also stayed with a host family which really immersed me into the culture and helped me improve my spanish. All in all, it was an amazing program and my only regret is that I did not go abroad for longer.