CIEE College Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

I had already studied abroad once my first semester freshman year in London before deciding to study abroad again in Barcelona. The first time around I somehow was less anxious than when I packed my bags to move to Spain. I was nervous to leave my friends, my city (Boston), and feared that the classes taught in Spanish would tear apart my GPA. I was wrong for worrying. This program changed so much for me. Barcelona is the most amazing city I have ever been to, and the friends I have made in the 30 person program I embarked on are people I still visit (I made a trip all the way to Nashville to visit my study abroad besties), FaceTime with, and talk to everyday.

The staff at CIEE is absolutely amazing. In my Catalan Art class we visited a new museum almost every week, and coming from someone who isn't an art enthusiast, this was my favorite class because I learned so much about the city I was living in and the buildings I would pass by every day, making the experience of living in Barcelona an even fuller one. I am a fluent spanish speaker, so moving to a spanish speaking country wasn't necessarily a stressor for me. However, I had never taken a spanish class in my life until CIEE. The spanish class I took at CIEE was for spanish speakers and I ended up learning so much about grammar, accents, and writing in spanish. I went from someone who had never read a book in spanish to someone who was studying clinical psychology at UB in spanish and submitting essays on gender roles and the media in my second language. Overall the academic component of the program (relative to the US) is relaxed, and adventurous while still challenging and a bit uncomfortable (in a good way).

The staff at CIEE is young and alive and always trying to make your time abroad the best it can be. I asked them for restaurant recommendations, which bars the locals go to, and which clubs I should go to on which nights and they would research for me, ask their friends, and tell us about places they had gone to and loved. It's homey atmosphere makes it cleat that it is called "la casa" for a reason.

The only negative part about the CIEE/UB program, if I'm being honest, is scheduling your classes. It is a complete disaster and probably the only stress you'll experience in Barcelona. Alberto (the program director and the nicest man in the world) helped me calm down "Nicole, no te preocupes, vamos a solucionar todo" he would say, and in the end everything worked itself out and all of my credits came back fine. The classes at UB are harder in a sense than the CIEE classes since the professors are not necessarily used to teaching American students and you are not used to the Spanish system. But as long as you put in effort and show them that you are trying they will be very accommodating to the difference in culture education wise. I was always able to ask for help from CIEE and they communicated efficiently with my professors when it was a problem bigger than I could handle.

I laugh now at how nervous I was to leave Northeastern University, unsure of how I would immerse myself into a new city, with new people. Because, as I reminisce on my time in Spain, studying abroad with CIEE was hands down, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made in my collegiate career. This program will change everything for you- in Barcelona and when you return home. You will look at the world in a new light, you will feel as though you have grown as a person and a spanish speaker, and you will return home, back to all of your friends with an experience so valuable that no one but you and the people that ventured on such an incredible semester with you, will understand.

Caution: you may never want to leave.

The CIEE ALA program struck a perfect balance between the comfort and support of my home university and immersion in Catalan culture. The size of the program—about 30 students—was perfect and meant that I got to meet a lot of awesome students, while still being close with the whole group. The instructors and program directors at CIEE were some of the warmest people I've met, and classes at 'la casa' were always interesting. While the classes at the University of Barcelona were challenging, the professors were understanding of the difficult transition to Spanish-language instruction, and were—for the most part—helpful inside and outside of class.

Beyond the classroom, the CIEE program couldn't have been more supportive. There were multiple occasions where we met with our program directors outside of class for meals or other adventures. We traveled all as a group to San Sebastian and Bilbao, an had an amazing time together. They were also incredibly helpful with things like setting up medical care and straightening out banking difficulties, which made being far from home much more comfortable.

Barcelona is like a second home to me after my experience last semester, and I couldn't imagine a better study abroad program.

The CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts Barcelona Program presents students with an opportunity to truly soak up everything Barcelona has to offer. From the incredibly knowledgeable and helpful staff, the CIEE facilities, to the awesome weekend trips, and everything in between, this program allows students to experience Barcelona as a local rather than a tourist. Although there is a slight adjustment period on becoming acclimated to the all-Spanish nature of the program, the staff is very helpful and accommodating. The classes held at the University of Barcelona are challenging, however, I found the instructors as well as the other UB students to be very helpful and by the end of the semester, these were some of my favorite classes. The courses taught at CIEE are incredibly hands-on, engaging, and more than anything, fun. One of my favorite courses was the Masterworks of Catalan Art where half of the classes were traditional lectures, and the remaining classes were excursions into the city where we were able to go out and see what we we learning inside the classroom. Overall, this program is everything you could desire from a study-abroad experience and I would certainly recommend the program to anyone even slightly considering it.

Nearly nine months has passed since I left Barcelona, and my love for the city has only grown stronger. I won't fill this review will cliche remarks that you'll find on most reviews, and I'll do my best to convey to you realistic expectations for the CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts program. I'll first talk about the city, for the should be the principal consideration when deciding where to study abroad, and then I'll discuss the CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts program.

Barcelona is a vibrant city defined by its unique architecture, coastal orientation and unique culture. More fast-paced than the rest of Spain, Barcelona infuses Spanish and Catalan culture to create a truly international city. For this reason, many people find Barcelona easier to acclimate to than other Spanish cities (most people speak English as well). Right on the Mediterranean, Barcelona has a long beach, which people flock to in the warmer months. Whether you're playing volleyball or just relaxing, the beach is a fun place to go that's a short walk from CIEE. Some of the best beaches in Spain (perhaps Europe) are located just a train ride up the coast from Barcelona. When you're not on the beach, you'll waste no time exploring the neighborhoods of El Born, El Raval, Barre Gotico, and Gracia. Located outside of the America study abroad bubble, these neighborhoods have tons of great restaurants and authentic bars. Except for when I cooked myself, I never once ate a bad meal in Barcelona.

The nightlife in Barcelona is without equal in the rest of Europe. Most Americans flock to the beach clubs (Opium, Pacha, etc.), which definitely are a great time. However, there's also tons of authentic Spanish bars and clubs. Simply, there is ALWAYS something going on in Barcelona. Get to know the club promoters and you'll have something to do every night of the week (often for free).

You will never find yourself bored in Barcelona. Even if you choose not to travel, there is so much to do in Barcelona. The city boasts an incredible number of attractions such as Arc de Triomphe, Parque Guell, the Sagrada Familia, Monserrat, Tibidabo, and La Pedrera. If Barca is not playing at Camp Nou, likely there's a concert at the Olympic Stadium or a festival at the Estrella factory. Everyone always says that study abroad is about the experience, and I really doubt that you'll find a better experience anywhere else.

Upon arrival in Barcelona, CIEE does a great job of getting you acquainted with the city. Your week long orientation gives you plenty of free time to explore on your own. When classes began, I found that the University of Barcelona classes were challenging but not overly difficult. Attendance is not mandatory. Each class will have 2-3 exams throughout the semester, and these exams will comprise your entire grade. The CIEE instructors will recommend classes with professors that worked well with CIEE students in the past. Also, you don't have Friday classes, which frees you up to travel. The CIEE classes require mandatory attendance, but are also not difficult. The majority of the improvement of my Spanish speaking, however, occurred outside the classroom. Do not worry about Catalan, everyone in Barcelona speaks Spanish. Yes, you'll have to work a little harder than in Madrid or Sevilla, but it is not all that difficult.

The CIEE staff will quickly become your good friends. They're always willing to help, whether its to find a gym, offer a restaurant suggestion or advise on fun day trips. I couldn't praise the CIEE staff more highly.

GO TO BARCELONA!

I loved Barcelona; everything about the city was what I truly wanted within my study abroad experience. However my experience was lessened by the academic setting of CIEE. For example, I took classes both in Spanish and in English. Classes such as marketing, (that I was taking in English), had powerpoint slides alternating between both Spanish and English. Luckily I had enough Spanish experience to be able to decode, but many students had trouble translating business terms from Spanish to English. Additionally, the classes at ESCi were horrible; you can ask ANY student in our program, not one was satisfied with their class at ESCi.