AIFS Abroad: Study Abroad in Spain

Study abroad was something I never thought I could do as a 1st generation, low income, Latina student. It has always been my dream to travel and thanks to AIFS Study abroad and my university, The University of Rhode Island with all their support I was able to go. AIFS Alumni ambassadors helped me budget on how to save for study abroad and my universities international office works closely with AIFS so that students like myself, who are on scholarships, can transfer over those scholarships to their school abroad with the AIFS study abroad program! My experience over all was life changing, going to different countries every weekend, to attending a Fashion show at Paris Fashion week and shopping in Barcelona. Don't get me started on going to Milan for the weekend for MOUTH WATERING CANNOLIS, GELATO and shopping! On top of experiencing the culture of Spain and Europe, I came back a different person. In more ways than I can explain. I encourage all who dream of traveling or even if you feel like it is out of your comfort zone, like I felt. I say 'GO FOR IT, you only live once". Enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity in college.

Wow. What an amazing summer. When I signed up for this program I had no idea it was going to be so life changing. I have loved every minute since stepping out of the plane to this beautiful city. Inma, Saskia and all the other interns made the time here worth every single penny. All the social events, the traveling, and just the overall memories have shaped me into a better global citizen and I will be forever grateful for my time here. It's amazing how immersed we get into this whole different culture and I can't help but fall more and more in love with Barcelona. It's gonna be hard leaving, but I know for a fact that I will be back!

My time here in Barcelona has been irreplaceable. The amount of care and input put into the internship placements and events really integrates you well into the friendly city, and allows you to quickly start to embrace Catalan culture. The Global Experience team is extremely nice, as well as the work environment in Barcelona. Much more than expected, people from all over the world are happy to socialize and chat. You will definitely make a lot of friends from all over the world, and valuable professional connections and skills throughout your time here. Barcelona is a city which allows you to enjoy your work in a professional environment, and have a nice time exploring the rich architecture, culture, and foods of the diverse city. It is an experience like non other. Highly recommended and worth every penny.
Tips for when you come here: Don't be afraid to explore just outside Barcelona, or other countries as well. I had an amazing trip to Morocco, and many others went to Portugal, France, Croatia, and the Netherlands (Amsterdam). Europe and other close countries are in your grasp. Go for it - you can't regret it.

Like many students today, I knew I wanted to study abroad, but was somewhat nervous about taking the first step. When I was browsing options and programs online, AIFS caught my eye due to their easy to navigate website, awesome photos and descriptions of their programs, and hearing great reviews from my peers. When I sent my initial email to the program coordinator, I had nothing but exceptional support throughout the entire process, via phone and email. Whenever I had an issue, my resident director was there to provide support, regardless of the situation. Purchasing the AIFS flight plan made my travel details even easier, because transportation was already determined, meaning I was less afraid about leaving the country by myself. Overall, I would rate my experience a 10/10.

My experiences with AIFS in Salamanca were amazing and unforgettable. Before I left, I received advising every step of the way from the adviser for Spain. When I got to Spain the on site AIFS staff showed everyone in our program around Salamanca, took us to dinner, engaged us in cultural activities, and introduced us to our host families. After the first two weeks I knew that I would miss Spain more than anything because of the incredible experiences that AIFS provided to me. I was practiced Spanish all the time, I took cooking classes, I went on excursions throughout Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and I engaged in all of my classes. I wish that I would have stayed for a full year rather than only a semester.

MAKING TRAVEL PLANS

It is without a doubt that almost everyone’s favorite part of studying abroad is traveling to different countries. As a matter of fact, I spent most of my study abroad experience doing activities in Barcelona that were provided by my program. However, I have myself planned and travelled on two weekend trips around Europe, but only on weekends when I really didn’t have any big papers to write or exams to study for, especially when I had long weekends with four to five days off. Believe it or not, if you follow these simple planning guidelines, your weekend trips will not only be hassle-free, but much more enjoyable as well. Here are my five need-to-know tips for planning weekend travel.
• Travel with a group: Traveling with friends is not only safer, but also much more fun. I travelled to Prague and Budapest on my own and while I never felt like I was in danger because I was exploring with different groups. When I was in my Prague, I travelled with Bus2alps, when I was in Budapest, I travelled with Weekend Student Adventures. I stood in a 6 to 8 person room hostel with other study abroad students. Having multiple heads working together will make planning and getting around much easier, and if nothing else, it’s always better to have some company.
• Creating a Budget: Actually, you’ll want to plan 2; one for your flight and hostel you book ahead of time, and one for the amount you’re going to spend when you’re actually traveling. Good hostels can be as cheap as 15 or 20 Euro a night depending on the time of year, and flights as low as 50 to 80 Euro round-trip. If I was going to be in a city for say 3 days and 2 nights, I usually took out the equivalent of $200 to $250 in local currency. Remember, the earlier you do your booking, the cheaper your travel will be. Check currency exchange rates before you leave! In some places like the Czech Republic, the rate is something like $1 to 20 Czech Koruna, so don’t be surprised when you take out 5000 CZK from the ATM.
• Bring a copy of your visa and passport with you: I had my passport in my pouch at all times because I figured it was safer that way, although some people will disagree with that. If you’re following my lead, keep a copy of your visa and passport in your hostel locker, and on the off chance your passport does get stolen, having this will make your trip to the U.S. consulate to get a replacement go a lot smoother.
• Investigate public transportation in your destination city: Few days before my weekend adventure begun, I have spent some time reading transportation maps about the city I am going to. This is something I personally advise all travellers to do before their trips begin, because this will help them avoid getting lost, spending money constantly, and make their trip a hundred times more safer. Note on Taxis: In mainland Europe, taxi drivers are occasionally known to charge you a ridiculous rate when you come to your stop. Negotiate either a price/mile rate or an overall rate right when you get in the cab, and stick to it. If the cabbie tries to mess with you, threaten to get the police and more than likely they’ll back down as they don’t have the time to get involved with the cops.

EXCURSIONS PROVIDED BY YOUR PROGRAM

Many cultural activities and travel excursions are included in AIFS Study Abroad programs. In addition, you’ll find great options available to supplement your experience in meaningful, sometimes life-changing, ways. No matter what country you choose to study in, the AIFS programs provide optional excursions during specific weekends. They are there to make your study abroad experiences fun, enjoyable, and memorable.

Seville & Granada AIFS Excursion

Now that I have been enrolled in my courses and have a sense of what my work-load is throughout the semester, I start to travel with my group on the first optional excursion to Andalucia. On Friday morning, I take a one-hour flight from Barcelona to Seville. Seville is famous for its architecture. Seville’s architecture is a mixture of the old and the new, the ancient and the modern. Phoenicians, romans, visigoths, arabs have lived in this city and therefore have left a trace in buildings, urban planning and culture. After spending one night in Seville I take a three-hour bus ride to Granada, another city in Andalucia that is a little more hilly. Granada is very famous for its beautiful gardens, city views, and historical palaces. Here are two wonderful places to go to during your time in Andalucia. One is in Seville and the other is in Granada.

(Granada) Alhambra:
The Alhambra is probably one of the most breathtaking places you'll ever visit, but be sure to have good walking shoes because it'll take a good 2 to 3 hours to see the whole thing. Even though, different palaces that are part of the Alhambra were used less and less and fell into disrepair for hundreds of years. Squatters moved in. A lot of the original artwork was lost. Parts were destroyed in the 1800s during battles with the French and a strong earthquake. It's possible that the entire complex could have been forgotten about altogether if it hadn't been “rediscovered” by European scholars in the 1820s. Since then, its been reclaimed and is still undergoing restoration. I personally love the Alhambra as a palace of fascinating architecture. Spending time up in Alhambra felt like being up in heaven, smelling flowers, and seeing so many people make it for an eternal loving life.

(Seville) Plaza de Espana:
My favorite place in Seville is Plaza de Espana. The massive building is Seville's most impressive after the cathedral, for its sheer scale and grandeur. Love it or hate it - fabulous or fussy, magnificent or overblown, depending on your point of view – I would advise you not miss it when visiting the city. Plaza de España was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 (Expo 29), along with many of the pavilions you can see in and around the Parque Maria Luisa. I think Plaza de Espana is one of the biggest and most famous landmarks in the capital of Andalucia. Here is a fun fact. Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones was filmed at the plaza. If any of you are huge Star Wars fanatics, this is definitely the place to go if you want to feel like you are in planet Naboo with Senator Amidala.

Morocco AIFS Excursion

Because AIFS is one of the best study abroad programs in the world, I have signed up for an excursion travelling to a new continent and a new country, which was in fact, number 30 on my Travel Record Books. I went on the excursion that I had been looking forward to the most: Morocco. Considering the fact that my Dad is from an Islamic country, I was so excited to visit a Muslim country, and finally experience a different country with cultural similarities. During my three days in Morocco, I have tried different food, walked around different towns, and went camal riding. I loved Morocco. I loved my time there. I loved the places I wandered through and the people who proved that Moroccans are kind, welcoming and helpful. However, I was super frustrated that I ran into local men I met were being childish because I was ignoring them. I am referring to men who were selling Moroccan souvenirs on the streets. Here is some personal and helpful advice for people who plan to go to Morocco. This is advice when it comes to running into strangers who ask for money or try to force you to buy supplies. There’s not really much you can do to avoid attention (I have met women travelling with men who were drained from the abuse directed at them) but there are steps you can take to minimise it. Look as if you know where you’re going when you’re out exploring. If you look frightened and disorientated you’ll also look like an easy target. When local men approach you keep your head held high, avoid eye contact and stride purposefully away. If they persist, ask them firmly to leave you alone. Some of you may ask me, how were you able to prevent yourself from being involved in bad incidents? I remained with my group and made sure I was staying with the people in my group. I disregarded any word that was spat out by any childish stranger trying to get my attention. Other than getting myself out of the dangerous situations, I am very happy to say that Morocco is a country where people can explore the religion of Islam.

The four months I spent in Barcelona with AIFS were the best of my life, and the most valuable of my college career. The world was my classroom, and I learned more than I have in any class in my life. I chose AIFS initially because it was the cheapest option I looked at, but it also turned out to be the best! The accommodations, activities and staff were all exceptional. My apartment was newly renovated, and was located along the pedestrian avenue that connected La Sagrada Familia to the historic San Pau hospital. The onsite staff arranged activities- from walking tours, to visits to neighboring towns, to cooking classes, to dance lessons- each weekend so that anyone who stayed in the city had something to do. All of these were already included in the program costs, so we never had to pay more to participate. The onsite staff were so incredible. They truly made me feel like I was at home in Barcelona. They went above and beyond to take care of us. When I woke up with pinkeye, I emailed them saying I thought I needed to go to the doctor, and in less than an hour they had made me an appointment for that very morning. They met me at the metro and accompanied me the whole way. I really feel like AIFS cares about me. They made me feel safe and cared for despite being more than 5000 miles from home. They create such a great environment among all of the students. I credit AIFS for a lifetime of memories and friendship. Not only did they make my time abroad spectacular, but they have continued to provide me with opportunities to grow even after I have returned.

If you're looking to go to Barcelona, here are some of my insights into the city: The weather is amazing. I arrived in January, and the temperature never dropped below 45. It was sunny nearly every day, and I was in the ocean in February. The physical location of Barcelona is perfect, because it sits between the mountains and the beach. Some days I would wake up and hike up in the hills on the edge of the city, then walk down to relax on the beach in the afternoon. If you go to Barcelona, make sure you make the day trip up Montserrat. Montserrat is an incredible mountain, maybe an hour outside of the city, offering some of the most breathtaking views I have ever experienced. Barcelona offers a vast range of activities, from shopping, to hiking, to clubbing. It really does have something for everyone. The architecture is incredible. Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia are my favorites because of the sheer amount of detail that Gaudi put into them.

I really would highly recommend studying abroad to every student. I truly feel like it makes people into more empathetic and understanding global citizens. It is also the most valuable learning experience you can take advantage of. It helped me to develop an abundance of skills, both personal and professional, and also to gain a deeper understanding of who I am and what I want in life.

While clicking the "submit" button on my application to study abroad in Barcelona, I took a chance and had no idea that I was enabling myself to embark on the grandest adventure of my life. Looking back at my four months living in Barcelona, I see a whole new person from the beginning to the end. I knew I would grow as a person in my four months abroad, but I did not realize the capacities or mountains I would cross to get to where I am today. I cannot emphasize how important it is to study abroad while in college. Studying abroad provides a foundation for personal growth that nothing else can compare to. Living, traveling, and learning in another country is life changing in every way because of the simplicity of every day life. Learning from the locals, traveling, running into road bumps, getting lost, missing flights and exploring historical treasures are just a few of the everyday activities that help a person grow while abroad. The AIFS program is a huge part of what makes studying abroad in Barcelona so special. The on-site staff truly supported me and pushed me outside my comfort zone. Studying in Barcelona is unique because you have the privilege of experiencing the Mediterranean sea, the mountains, a lively city filled with passionate locals, unimaginable art and architecture, and a million stories of historic events. Take a chance and study abroad through AIFS in Barcelona, I promise it WILL be the best four months of your entire life.