SSA: Barcelona, Spain

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent here in Barcelona. The residence I lived in was far away from most things but in a beautiful area which made up for it.

The program SSA itself did feel disorganized and times with not a lot of direction when it came to events. However, having a small group did create community with the other students.

I loved being able to travel with my friends and get to see new places. I would recommend this program to other students looking to travel if they have an interest in going abroad.

Students at UAB not motivated. Standards need to be raised to create environment conducive to learning.

Barcelona as a city was awesome! Program was cool, got to meet nice people. I liked getting to live with a homestay as well because it helped me develop my Spanish speaking skills.

Also, my homestay was awesome! I got to eat great food, great experiences, great food, great experiences. I loved my stay.

I had some fun with this group and all of the field trips we did during the semester. I would say for the future make the other activities not mandatory. I would make the field trips mandatory because those were really fun and without those being mandatory I wouldn’t have went to them. Melina was able to show us their culture and how they operate in Barcelona. She also was very helpful with questions that I had at the beginning of the program since I was new to everything. I would say to get rid of the random mandatory activities we had like Spanish speaking and dancing activities. Personally I don’t have an interest in those so that’s why I say that but maybe make them optional so people have the option to not go.

Studying abroad in Barcelona through the SSA program was easily one of the best experiences of my life. From the moment I arrived, the city had an energy that’s hard to describe—perfect mix of beach, culture, nightlife, and history. Living in a place like Barcelona gave me the chance to step outside my comfort zone and experience a completely different way of life.

Academically, the program was a great balance. Classes were engaging without being overwhelming, which allowed me to really take advantage of everything outside the classroom. I wasn’t just learning from textbooks—I was learning from the city itself, whether that was exploring places like La Sagrada Família, walking through local neighborhoods, or observing the differences between tourists and locals.

What really made the experience stand out was the independence. Navigating a new country, traveling on weekends, and managing day-to-day life abroad helped me grow a lot personally. I became more confident, more adaptable, and way more open to new experiences. Traveling to different countries throughout Europe was also unreal—it made the whole experience feel even bigger than just one city.

Socially, it was just as impactful. I met people from all different backgrounds, built strong friendships, and created memories I’ll genuinely never forget—from beach days to nights out to random exploring.

Overall, I’d 100% recommend the SSA Barcelona study abroad program to anyone considering it. It’s the perfect mix of academics, travel, and real-life experience. It pushes you to grow while also giving you some of the best moments you’ll ever have.

The SSA staff were all fantastic and very easy to talk to. They wanted to make sure I succeeded and were always very friendly. My host mother was kind and I really enjoyed her cooking. My classes weren't too difficult or too easy. I really enjoyed the subjects and relished field trips. Overall, the city was unbelievably fun and entertaining. Barcelona is a great place to go if you're LGBT. I budgeted my money well in this mid range European city and didn't need to sacrifice good food and drinks to do it. I would go back in a heartbeat.