Spain: Valencia - Spanish Culture, Language, STEM Disciplines

I went to Spain with little to no expectations. I did not speak any Spanish and I really wanted to experience a new place and see what it was like. I am absolutely thrilled with the experience I had, the people I met, and the places I got to see. I would go back in a heart beat and encourage anyone thinking about going to Valencia to go! I can not say enough good things about the feel of the city and how there is something for everyone to enjoy. Some of my favorite memories include the Windsurfing class I took, spending time with my host mom and learning about her life and how her culture differed from mine, and enjoying the city!

I was on the fence about studying abroad this past summer and I'm so glad I made the decision to go. Valencia is a very underrated city and if you're wanting to go to Spain, I definitely would recommend it. The food is cheap and this specific program is one of the cheaper options that's available. I stayed in the Resa Patacona student dorm and I had my own room and bathroom, which was super nice cause I had my own privacy when I wanted it. The student housing also had a view of the beach and was less then a 5 minute walk to get there. They had a wide variety of core classes, as well as amazing elective classes. I took the international business class and I also took the windsurfing elective class, which was one of the coolest things that I've ever been able to do. We took field trips almost every weekend to various places that were near Valencia, including Peniscola, where we took a boat ride around the coast and had great views of the castle that they had there. We also were able to travel during the long weekends and I went to Paris and Barcelona during those times. Traveling within Europe is very cheap so doing those weekend trips is very doable. I made so many great friends from this program and I'm still in contact with a few of them. I already can't wait to go back to Valencia!

I would highly recommend going to Valencia with USAC. It was my favorite experience I’ve had in my life so far! The program providers made me feel very welcomed in Spain, and the city of Valencia was so beautiful and fun to explore! I will definitely be going back to Valencia/ Spain in the future. It was a convenient location on the Mediterranean Sea and very easy to travel by train or plane. I met so many great people on this study abroad trip and I would do it over again if I ever got the chance!

I did a lot of traveling with my friends in the program, all of whom were amazing people. Valencia is a fantastic location and the on-site staff (3 employees of USAC) were amazing as well. They do a good job making you feel safe but giving you enough freedom to do you. I really matured as a citizen of the world in this program. USAC is also just about the most affordable abroad program I found anywhere. Everything about my time abroad was incredible and I am definitely recommending USAC to anyone who wants to study abroad.

This experience has been the best decision I have ever made. I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime. My perspective on so many things has changed and I grew as a person in my time here in Valencia. There are so many amazing opportunities to have fun and go out of your comfort zone while abroad. I recommend everyone to do it because it will change you for the better. I am so grateful that I was able to have this journey. For other students, I would suggest to stay with a home stay because it was my way of having a little family here in Spain so I didn't get homesick, I just had a new family! Also, take every chance you get to put yourself out there!

From hands-on teaching to beautiful housing right in the center of Valencia, USAC was truly the perfect program to study abroad with. I studied in Valencia, Spain through USAC in 2-18.

What helped me the most was the kindness of everyone here. The program directors were so caring, passionate, and helpful- during a process that, although I exciting, I was very stressed about.

If you are looking for a program that will push you to be your best self and to stress less, USAC uses incredible day-trips, activities, and new friends to push and excite you into your new home.

Every student at the end of our time in Valencia told me that they felt much more excited and confident about themselves and their own lives. I left Valencia with a sense of empowerment, excitement for life, and confidence in my ability to overcome.

USAC cares about its' students to a degree that they are willing to go the extra mile to make sure they feel safe and excited to study abroad, and that's the most important thing a program can offer.

As we all know study abroad is a life-changing experience. Through this amazing opportunity I’ve gotten to see so much of the world, especially Spain. I’ve also made lifelong friends with people around the globe and even those back in the US. USAC does a phenomenal job of providing a safe environment, lots of information to prepare you, support systems, contacts to get you involved in the community, and valuable academics. They also provide field trips with the fee that allow you to explore Spain in a constructed, safe, and interesting way. Something I also found useful we’re the many scholarships available through their site, they really do make studying abroad affordable and fun. Spain is a beautiful country filled with wonderful people and a rich history, and I can’t wait to go back someday. I would definitely recommend USAC and Spain to anyone!

The 5 months that I spent in Spain were incredible and changed my life for the better. I have always been a shy person, scared to venture out of my comfort zone yet with great desire to do so. Traveling to Spain and having to make new friends and live with someone that I did not know was definitely out of my comfort zone. I was extremely nervous before I arrived in Spain. Yet, once I arrived, everything went better than I ever could have imagined. I have USAC to thank for a lot of that. They made the whole process easier and allowed me to fully take advantage of all of the opportunities available to me in Spain. USAC, before you ever arrive in your destination, provides you with a checklist of things to do and when to do them. While you are abroad they are always available for help and organize many cultural immersion activities and recommend many other activities. I participated in many of these activities and I saw myself grow as a person, i met people from all over the world and became a more socialble, open-minded, well-rounded person. While abroad, you will meet so many people from all over and it is an inctedible experience. I still talk everyday to the people that I studued abroad with and we will always have a special bond between us. My Spanish speaking capabilities sky-rocketed in only a few short weeks in Spain! The USAC program set me up with an incredible host mom who I was able to speak spanish with everyday, and she took me to many local events and introduced me to her family. I recommend immersing oneself in the culture as much as possible, it is an amazing character development opportunity. I attended local parties and festivals, language exchanges, sporting events, holiday festivities, and was always out in the city doing something. USAC gave the suggestions for many of these events to attend. I also spent several weekends traveling through other european countries and this is a once in a lifetime experience that you can only acheive by studying abroad. At home in the United States, I could never just take a weekend trip to Paris for a 50 dollar flight. I highly recommend studying abroad and i highly recommend the USAC program.