ISA Study Abroad in Valencia, Spain

Studying abroad in Valencia was hands down the best 5 weeks of my life. I went into my experience without any expectations, knowledge of Spanish, or preconceived ideas of what was ahead of me. Little did I know I would meet the most amazing people, learn to communicate with a lotttttt of hand gestures and facial expressions, and fall in love with a city I never even knew existed. I wouldn't change one second of it even if I could. Not only did I come back with exciting stories and memories, but I actually enjoyed the courses I took and no doubt learned way more than I ever would have if I had opted not to step out of my comfort zone. Because it was such a short time, every day was an adventure, whether it was a class field trip, an excursion with ISA, or a day trip with my friends in the program--I was always on the go. If you want a thrilling experience in a unique city immersed in a beautiful culture, Valencia is the place for you!

This was an absolutely wonderful experience that allowed me to experience parts of Spain on my own terms while still having a support system to answer any questions I had. Not only was Valencia beautiful, but the ISA staff was so helpful in highlighting places for me to visit and providing suggestions of what to do and see. The pre-determined excursions were very fun and allowed me to see the best parts of Valencia, Madrid, and Barcelona in a limited amount of time, and I was still allowed plenty of time to explore on my own. Therefore I really felt that I was able to become part of the community by living there day to day (unlike a tourist), but I was not completely abandoned to figure everything out on my own. I had an absolutely wonderful time and ISA did a great job of arranging a host grandma for me to stay with. The food she prepared was so delicious and the conversations we had not only improved my Spanish skills, but also gave me a better sense of the culture by learning more about her and her lifestyle. Classes were very manageable and the University of Valencia was very conveniently located to my home and other activities. I would highly recommend this program because of how easy ISA makes everything and also because Valencia is the perfect combination of history, modernity, and beach.

I went for a summer session and I stayed at an apartment with 4 other girls. We lived right by the city center, and conveniently only 5 or 10 minutes walking from my university. ISA provided us with excursions every weekend, which were always a lot of fun. In fact, I consider them to be my favorite part of the trip. The program directors were more than helpful with everything that we needed, being on call at all hours of the day. Not only do you get to visit new sites and make new friends when studying abroad, but you also learn a lot about yourself and how independent you can be. I would recommend this trip to anyone. The #1 thing people tell me when I mention that I've studied abroad is that it was the one thing that they regret not doing during their college experience.

Overall my program was the best experience I could ever ask for. My housemom would make me some great food every day and was very understanding if I didn't like something or if I couldn't come in for a meal or needed something specific made. She oved to talk and that helped a lot with practicing Spanish. The staff was extremely helpful with anything I needed. Manuel, one of the directors, even helped me plan a Spring Break trip through northern Spain because he was from there and told us exactly where we should go, where we should eat, and what roads to drive on to get to places. Valencia had an amazing beach super close to our classes, only a 20-30 minute bike ride away! Our classes weren't extremely difficult and most of them encouraged us to go out and explore the city. The bars, clubs, and restaurants were very cheap and so much fun! I loved the people of the city they were always nice and outgoing and loved to party. I honestly can't think of anything wrong with this program it was by far the best decision I have ever made in my life! I made some of the best friends I could ask for that I have visited since I've come back home and I know I will continue to see for a long time. Definitely come to Valencia!!