CIEE College Study Abroad in Seville, Spain

My experience studying abroad in Seville with CIEE really changed my outlook on life. I lived in a homestay and attended the University de Sevilla and had a true immersion in the Spanish culture by attending culture experiences, like Feria and Semana Santa. The weather is absolutely stunning even in the winter months, and the people in the city have personalities just as warm. CIEE supported struggling students within my program and really encouraged us to try new things. If I could, I'd go now!

My experience with CIEE was wonderful this past Spring in Sevilla, Spain. I felt like there was so much pre- and post-program communication and support. There were numerous info sessions where students could attend, and people at CIEE were in constant communication with me for any inquiries I had. I made so many friends on the program from the United States and Spain, and those relationships have carried with me back to my college campus. CIEE throughout the semester, hosted numerous cultural activities such as wine tastings, excursions to local cities, food classes, dance classes and more.

Deciding to study abroad in Seville was one of the best decisions I ever made. My time there with CIEE literally could not have been any better. The support staff was amazing, and they provided us with countless activities and ideas for things to do throughout the city. We also got to go on excursions to explore the surrounding areas. I took weekend trips to Portugal and Morocco when I had the chance, and I would highly recommend anyone studying abroad in Europe to take advantage of the ability to travel so easily. The friends I met during my program will be friends for life. Additionally, I found it very easy to adjust to the culture, even while living in a homestay. My host parents were exceptionally kind and helpful. The city of Seville was the perfect place to live as a foreign student. The city is on the smaller side, and almost entirely walkable, so you don't have to worry about finding transportation to get around. There are endless activities to take part in, beautiful streets to explore, and restaurants to eat at. People are friendly and welcoming to Americans. Overall, I would recommend this experience to anyone and everyone. It really changed my life.

Words can’t describe how awesome this program was. During my adventure I learned how to say hello, thank you and goodbye in 5 languages. I saw so many cool historical and natural sites that I got tired of them. I got to really close with my host family, experienced real Spanish traditions, and we still stay in contact. I spent time volunteering at a middle school and improved my Spanish from beginner to intermediate. I had classes with all kinds of international kids who had experiences all over the world. I learned and reflected about how culture affects the way we learn and look at the world. Best of all, I overcame a lot of my personal fears and gained a new level of confidence and intercultural competence that has changed my life.

I picked this because I'm a comm major w/interest in journalism, and because of the urban setting and CIEE's varied extracurricular activities.

Staff and faculty are smart, caring people. Any help I needed could be found on the top floor of study center. They are open about safety, resources, etc. and they hold students to a high standard of using common sense. The response to COVID was calm, informed, and measured.

Students cared about their Spanish skills and immersion. The day trips are great, but the more frequent tours and activities throughout the week are awesome ways to meet more faculty, a super easy way to get to know the city and the social calendar as well as other students from CIEE's many programs. About half of my classes were fairly easy, the other half were more serious/high level work. All the classes had less reading required than at my home university. Magazine class focused on storytelling and Profe Oscar Ceballos cares passionately about the craft. My Cursos Concertados flamenco class was fantastic. The classes available to you are in the study center for the CNMJ, Nervion for business, Triana for a few more, like my dance class. The classes do not necessarily help you get out into the community in an interactive and deep way, that is more up to you to figure out how to build connections with vendors or citizens when you visit the market or the women's march with class. I expected it to push me more/harder to do that. Regardless, the opportunities are there!

Homestays are great, and for the CNMJ program their location is in La Alameda or La Macarena, home to a lively artist community and close to the river and Calle Feria, and closer to the study center than the other neighborhoods, so it is arguably the best homestay neighborhood CIEE has in Seville.
I loved walking everywhere, smelling the orange blossoms, and riding a bike, as well as weekend independent travel. I had a little trouble connecting with my homestay (only 8 weeks though cuz COVID) but we got along well. I was with another student and she interacted very little with me. CIEE's weekly activities and their first month-ish social helped add variety and meet new people.

Studying in Seville is not my first time living abroad independently. However, it is definitely my first time speaking a language that I am not proficient with and adapting to a culture I have almost zero knowledge with. Ciee equipped me with a two weeks intensive Spanish training session, a four hundred level grammar class, and a variety of courses focusing on the history and society of the Spanish speaking world. I could take small-size panels at the institution itself or join in universities' lectures. The diversity and flexibility of registering for classes allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of Spain as well as charting my credits toward a bachelor degree in International Relations and Spanish.

Most professors at Ciee also teach courses in local universities, therefore they have highly organized teaching structures and years of experiences in their fields. For example, on my class Politics and Society of the Contemporary Arab World, Professor Eduardo del Campo incorporated his stories of being a journalist into his class. He has shared students with exclusive photographs taken by himself as he travelled through the middle east, such as scenes of the neighborhood on the Israel-Palestine border. The pictures and his real-life experiences made his opinions and narratives on the issues of the Arab world more appealing and convincing.

Just like Professor Eduardo del Campo, many Ciee faculties supported students to learn and integrate into the society through different manners which are not limited to a one hour and thirty minutes class. Students were able to register for a language exchange program sponsored by the University of Seville in which they practice speaking Spanish with their Spanish partners who are interested in learning and practicing English. Every week, there was an additional reunion at white bar for all students from the program where students can meet each other and develop their own networks. Since English is not my first language and most Spanish students are looking for a native English speaker to tutor them, I found it difficult to have a Spanish partner who can meet up with me on a regular base.

Instead, I spent more time on attending Ciee sponsored excursions and tours in and out of the city. Within three months, I visited Cadiz, Ronda, Córdoba, Jerez de la Frontera, and Huelva with Ciee. The one-day trip usually has a full agenda which includes studying historical sites, trying local food, visiting galleries, etc. Also, I have developed a genuine friendship with some Ciee students through the process. I met my friends Sam and Tess during the city tour at “Las Setas”, a landmark architecture of Seville. I also spent four out of five excursion trips with Jasmine. I did not dare to hope I would have good friends after I left Mount Holyoke College, but it turned out I could easily meet people who share same interests with me during countless extracurricular events. With the love and support from my friends, living and studying in Seville no longer became difficult and lonely for me.

My studying abroad in Seville will continue in 2020. Next semester, I will change my program from liberal arts to business and society in order to take more economics classes. Additionally, I hope to challenge myself and spend more time talking and networking with locals. Therefore, I will cherish the opportunities that Ciee offer me in interning or volunteering in Seville institutions. On the same time, I will take advantage of my previous experience and stay out of my comfort zone, which means I will spend more time in the language exchange program and become fully confident in speaking Spanish under whatever circumstances.

The opportunities and memories I made in the CIEE program in Sevilla are going to stay with me forever. I made amazing friends, traveled to many locations, and even had an awesome internship with a very cool boss that I still talk to. One part of this program that I found really unique was the Morocco trip. There was concern that the trip was going to be cancelled due to high winds making the ferry ride impossible. With a stroke of luck and very bad sea sickness (totally worth it though), we finally arrived there. I am going to be honest here, I started doubting the trip before we went because it was such a daunting experience that I did not feel ready for. After the trip, I did not want to leave. CIEE had the perfect itinerary and we got to know a variety of people who lived there. I would not trade that experience for anything. To this day, it is one of the most eye opening experiences I have ever had. It brings a whole new life to what my mind thought Morocco was due to movies and other media. Morocco has such a beautiful culture and life to it that I wish I could share with others. It is one of those, you have to see to believe. If you are debating on CIEE, I say just go for it. I loved my program and it is worth it to take those leaps. If studying abroad taught me anything, it is that nothing is as it seems. Life is meant for you to push yourself into become more than you could have ever imagined.

I have wanted to study abroad since my freshman year of college. I entered into school wanting to minor in spanish and international business, and knew that being able to study abroad in Spain would help me with both my academic and professional growth. I truly do not have enough positive words to say about this program and everyone involved. My expectations have been beyond exceeded and I recommend this to anyone who is looking for an immersive cultural and learning experience. I have learned more in my first four sessions both in my spanish language skills and cultural awareness than any of my classes taken previously. The emphasis on genuine learning rather than just grades is something that has brought my passion and motivation for school back. Every professor and CIEE staff member that I have met has been extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and kind. The excursions through the program have been a great mix of learning and fun, and the leaders seem genuinely happy to be there. I am currently only halfway done with my study abroad, and I can already tell that this will be the most significant period of learning, not only academically, but personally and I feel greatful to have chosen CIEE Seville.