CIEE College Study Abroad in Seville, Spain

I spent a whole academic year in Seville through CIEE's Liberal Arts program and leaving was not easy. Seville is such a prime location to study abroad in if you're looking for language immersion and culture. I really enjoyed the classes I took at the CIEE study center because all of them involved outside of the classroom learning and getting to know the city in different ways. In the cultural history course I took, we would spend the first half of the class in our classroom learning about a topic and then the second half walking around the city seeing what we had learned, for example we were learning about the Roman empire and right around the corner from our study center there were still Roman columns standing. One of my favorite things about Seville was that so much of the Muslim, Jewish, and Catholic structures from the past centuries still remain. You can get lost in the city's narrow streets or climb the Giralda to check out the view or do like the locals do and hang out along the river for hours or go for a beautiful run along Parque Maria Luisa! The Sevillanos are also a big part of what makes Seville so appealing. Their way of living, their passion for their art and dance, and how friendly they are made it easy to always want to be surrounded by them. Overall, every one's experience abroad is unique and it's what you make it but the CIEE Liberal Arts program definitely kept me interested in the courses and I had so much valuable information that even my local friends didn't know about their city! The staff at the study center was also very supportive and made me feel comfortable as well as helped me make local friends! I'd go on a CIEE program again because they really care about the individual student's experience and have so many great excursions and activities available for the students!

I had studied Spanish for 8 years prior to my semester in Seville, Spain with CIEE's Communications, New Media & Journalism program. As a communications major, this program provided me with the best of both worlds--a way to combine my passion for storytelling with the goal of improving my fluency abroad. As a senior in my last semester of college, I'm looking toward the future and am feeling a strong draw to return to Spain. CIEE both supported and challenged me during a semester abroad, and from those moments of personal growth and pure bliss I feel confident in my decision to return for an extended stay post-grad.

The CNMJ professors are all about engaged learning. This is not a program where you'll coast through classes, but rather one where you'll create things with your peers to add to your portfolio. I interviewed locals and refugees for a bilingual magazine. I hit the streets to record podcasts on flamenco culture in Andalusia. I took an art course that toured me around Seville, taking me to the sites where the history actually occurred. The CNMJ program made sure that learning wasn't confined to the 4 walls of a classroom; a true experience abroad was built on cultural immersion. I am proud of the work that I completed while abroad, and it definitely has enhanced my professional portfolio when seeking internships and jobs back home in the states.

With the CNMJ program, we also went on trips to other cities and countries. There were only 33 people in the group, which made it easy to get to know new friends. We went to the port city of Cádiz for a day trip, and also spent a few days in Morocco where we were toured around by host families. The professors are so, so fun and very passionate about their jobs, which I appreciated.

The only downside to my CNMJ experience was with my host family. I ended up having to switch families, which was uncomfortable, but the CIEE staff made sure to coach me through the process. My second homestay was better, but it definitely was a more difficult transition abroad having to up and move again only a few weeks into the semester.

I would highly recommend this program to any communications major who is interested in an abroad experience in a Spanish speaking country. Seville is the perfect city for study abroad--I felt very safe, it's affordable, rich in history and a beautiful location. I'll forever cherish the memories I made during my semester abroad with CIEE CNMJ, and I look forward to returning to Spain soon.

I won a scholarship to study in Sevilla with CIEE during summer 2015, and was so impressed with the program/in love with the city that I ended up returning for a whole semester. The entire experience was incredible and I could write forever about it:
There is the opportunity to take classes at the local universities (either with fellow foreign students or direct-enrollment with actual Spanish students); the orientation period is very useful in helping you get settled into the life of the city; there are loads of free events/site visits/excursions/trips all organized by CIEE; the staff (both professors as well as the coordinators/director) are all very friendly, accessible, and caring; you have the opportunity to volunteer, and meet Spanish students; the city itself is packed with beauty and culture. Sevilla is rich with history, and there is always something new to learn. There's always something to do- seriously, it's impossible to be bored here- and you can get a student discount on just about anything, from museum visits to bus/train fare. There are budget airline flights all over Europe, including popular destinations like London, Paris, Milan, etc. and a public bus to the airport runs every half hour for 4 euros, which is much cheaper than the 30+ euro that a taxi would cost. The nightlife is fantastic, but the city is also calm during the mid-afternoon (aka the siesta hours) and there are a million small cafés to choose from, whether you're looking for coffee or tapas or a study spot or somewhere to grab drinks with friends.
My experience with CIEE has been so positive that it actually ended up helping me figure out what I want to do with my life- I am hoping to work in the international education/study abroad sector someday, and I hope to help other American students receive the same impactful experience that I have had.

I spent the Fall semester of my junior year of undergrad in Seville, Spain as a member of the Communication, New Media, Journalism program. I chose to go to Seville because this program existed and it appealed to my major. To say I was satisfied with my academic and social experience in Seville would be an understatement. Not only did CNMJ push me academically in a way I had not anticipated, CIEE coordinated events and fostered friendships with peers and professors that will be valuable for the rest of my life. The CNMJ program taught me how to be a better journalist and creator of media. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, to set up interviews with Spaniards in a new language, and to tell the stories of the city. Aside from continuing to build a portfolio for myself and my future, I learned about this industry from a different cultural perspective with field trips and guest speakers. The staff and faculty of CNMJ are incredibly qualified and experienced in the communications field and have so much to teach and offer young minds. One of the biggest benefits was the full Spanish immersion this program offers, as all classes are in Spanish and your skills in both Spanish and Journalism are constantly growing. CNMJ taught me academically, but it also taught me about myself and helped me grow as an individual in ways I am very thankful.

I absolutely loved studying abroad with CIEE Seville: Communications, New Media and Journalism (CNMJ). This program is much smaller than the general Liberal Arts one, which means you really get to know the other students -- I made some really close friends while studying abroad. I was lucky enough to be in Sevilla for the whole school year (2014-15) and could not be more grateful to the CNMJ program for such a life-changing experience.

One of the highlights of this program that makes it stand out from others is the trip to Morocco. In the middle of the semester, the CNMJ staff lead a FREE trip to several cities in Morocco with just the CNMJ students. You stay with host families in the beautiful city of Chefchaouen, giving you the opportunity to be completely immersed in the culture, eat authentic homemade Moroccan food (which is DELICIOUS), build a relationship with a specific family and learn a ton about life there. This was a truly unique experience for which I am incredibly grateful. I will never forget riding the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar as Oscar, the amazing CNMJ Program Director, tells us, "See that land across the water? That's Africa."

CNMJ gave me some great opportunities to expand my communications knowledge and experience. Through Oscar's class, Magazine Reporting and Writing, students write articles for, take photographs for and design a high-quality magazine that is distributed throughout CIEE and various locations in downtown Sevilla. Carlos' class, New Media and Audiovisual Workshop, introduced me to the world of videography and gave me video editing skills that I did not previously have.

Marina's class, Social Justice, Action and Media, was one of the best classes I have ever taken in my life. Not only did we learn about crucial topics centering on human rights, but Marina is an amazing professor and an all-around wonderful person. She cares deeply about each and every one of her students and is interested in their lives -- and, in turn, her students care a lot about her.

I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in developing their writing/media/general communications skills through high-quality, in-depth classes with small class sizes and wonderful, knowledgeable professors. I am still in touch with the program staff and hope to return to Sevilla in the near future. CIEE is great in general, but I recommend CNMJ in particular for a more intimate and personalized study abroad experience.

Admittedly, Spain was not at the top of my list when it came to selecting a country to study abroad in. I had known that I wanted to be overseas for a year, and with a last minute change in my initial study abroad plan and my degree requirements, I ultimately decided that CIEE's CNMJ Program in Sevilla was the best fit. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. Sevilla is one of the most precious cities I've ever visited; the laid back atmosphere is contagious, the people are wonderful, and few places have more ideal weather. However, it was also in part due to CNMJ that I felt at home so quickly. The staff cares about your wellbeing, the classes are personal, and the work can be challenging, but not overwhelming. There are tons of options for classes both within CIEE and the university, anything from Spanish linguistics to cooking. I lived with a host family that I adored and still keep in touch with, I made lifelong friends, and I improved my Spanish tremendously. I am someone that values my independence, and CNMJ encouraged this independence while making themselves available for any assistance along the way - including printing a boarding pass on a Sunday at the director's home because no shops were open. It's also worth mentioning that the director wrote me a recommendation which helped me to receive a Fulbright Scholarship upon graduating. I cannot say enough positives about CNMJ. Both during and after the program they have been extremely valuable to me.

I knew I had hit the jackpot when I discovered this program, being that it was in Sevilla (the best city in Spain) and that it spoke of a very creative and involved environment that offered something much more than simply taking classes in a foreign country. What I found when I arrived, was that it would offer even more than I had expected: the courses and the program itself act as the catalyst in helping you discover, learn and love the city and its people. Through the involved classes, such as the audiovisual and magazine workshops, you are forced to immerse yourself into the culture by exploring, talking to the people of Sevilla and telling their stories. And while my love for Sevilla grew, my knowledge and skills for storytelling through media increased exponentially because I was surrounded by such passionate professors and well-designed assignments. While the course work is definitely intense, much more than what's required from students in other programs, it is definitely worth it in all manner of speaking. At times it may seem overwhelming, but for students that are creatively inclined, outgoing and eager to explore, this program is the perfect match.

My last night in Sevilla I wrote in my journal, “I think I learned how to hold my own and be my own person. I think I am going to return a more confident person who can stand up for her own beliefs and not care as much about what people think because I did make it through this challenging experience. My time abroad has given me the confidence to trust in myself, and for that this experience was beyond worth it.” Maybe that’s why they say you should study abroad or live in another country. It is to gain perspective of yourself and learn how to trust yourself. I won’t lie and say that I didn’t really stumble at some points because I missed home, my own culture and my friends, but as I wrote in an earlier in another journal entry, “If you aren’t uncomfortable at least one time a day, you aren’t growing.” Now putting myself out on a line and possibly embarrassing myself seems so much less intimidating because for the past four months every time I spoke in Spanish there was that possibility. I think it’s good that I don’t take myself so seriously now and am okay with making mistakes and making a fool of myself. I spent a lot of time on my own in Sevilla as well, and so now I feel as though I have learned more how to be alone with my thoughts and do things on my own. I now have a new found confidence in knowing that I went to a foreign country without knowing anyone and still made a community of friends.