SAI Study Abroad: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)

There are too many stories from my experience to pick just one to share but a night I will never forget happened without needing to leave my apartment. It was a Thursday night and I didn't feel like venturing out so I decided to hang out around the apartment and plan some trips for the following weeks. I opened the window to let the warm air in and heard my downstairs neighbors having a get-together. I heard the familiar symptoms of a small party: music, bottles and glasses clinking, and friends talking and laughing. What blew my mind, however, was that these conversations were going on in four or five different languages, all at the same time! The host couple made comments in Catalan and Spanish and laughed in complete understanding when some of the guests answered in French, Italian and English. There may have been other languages and dialects too. I was fascinated and decided to turn my music down and sit on the window ledge to listen while I googled my next destinations. Eventually they noticed me and instead of being bothered chose to say hello and made me part of their multilingual conversation. I was blown away by how well these people could communicate in such different ways, yet still understand every phrase and emotion.

Barcelona is a wonderful city full of Catalan and Spanish culture, but also an incredible international hub of people from literally everywhere in the world. Not a day went by during my stay where I didn't see or hear someone from a new country. If you want a truly international experience, Barca is the place to go!

Barcelona is an incredible city. At first it can be a little crazy to get use to but once you do it feels like home. The Catalan people are amazing, and welcoming. Go out and explore the city because that proved to be the most amazing experience and it didn't cost a dime. SAI programs made it possible to truly experience the city as a local and you can't ask for much more than that.

SAI was the absolute perfect program for me. Our onsite coordinator was available whenever I needed help or wanted information, but she mostly left us to explore on our own. I took a couple of impromptu trips, one to Monserrat and another to Madrid, and they were the best times I could've imagined! I never felt like I was all alone in Spain, but I also felt free to do what I wanted when I wanted, all while earning credit towards my minor!

If I could go back in time I would not change a single thing about my study abroad experience. I would choose Barcelona again and I would go with SAI. This program has very high standards and when it comes to quality nothing is overlooked. Excursions were carefully planned to include culture, sights, and a lot of fun exploring the particular area. The staff makes sure you are comfortable from day one. And not to mention my apartment was amazing, right in the center of Barcelona. I do not think it could have been easier to walk, metro or taxi anywhere from my apartment. I enjoyed how small the program and I can not wait to see it grow. There are tons of study abroad programs in Barcelona so it was very cool to be a part of something so new. We are basically pioneers for this program to be perfectly tailored for what students really want. Make it what you want and make it your study abroad experience, and with the help of SAI it is very possible!

Barcelona is an awesome location and easy to travel to other countries on weekends. There is ALWAYS something going on in the city and ALWAYS plenty to do and explore. The only thing I really have to complain about this program was that it was SUPER small. Small programs are easier to meet people but we all really had to meet friends at school. Also, while we lived in a really nice apartment close to a main metro line, we really didn't live in the center of the city and had to commute to get anywhere significant. We had really hoped to be closer to the center of Barcelona. Overall, you really can't go wrong with this program or any program - Barcelona is AWESOME.

Studying abroad was the best decision I've ever made. I was fortunate enough to have this opportunity and meet lifetime friends. I also tried to make the most of this trip with traveling as much as possible. When talking about SAI, I did have a rough time adapting with my roommates and finding my place, but with the help of Miriea I had a much easier time getting though this. My advice for anyone studying abroad, make the most of it. Don't stick with what's familiar, go out of your comfort zone.

This experience has been life changing. Every study abroad student says that, but it is 100 percent true. Studying abroad is something that I think is necessary for any young person to experience to learn about new cultures, learn about themselves and open their eyes to the world outside of their home countries. SAI has been more than helpful throughout this entire time. Before my trip, they made sure I was prepared and answered any of my questions very promptly. During my time in Barcelona, we had the most helpful and loving coordinator who was always willing to drop everything at a moments notice to help her students. Now after the program is done, I continue to keep in contact with the SAI staff and I plan to promote them through my school. Overall, my time abroad couldn´t have been better. The memories and things I have learned here will always be remembered in my heart.

This program was incredible. We had an amazing apartment for the two of us. It was beautiful, within walking distance of everything, and I always felt safe within the apartment/ surrounding area. Mireia, our program coordinator, was unbelievably accommodating, helpful, and always full of suggestions of places to see/eat/explore. Although I did not go on all the excursions, the ones that I did go to were fun, and allowed me to see some things that I'm not sure that I would've seen otherwise, such as the Dali museum. This is a small program, but it is easy to make friends at the university, because you are integrated with the other programs. Overall, I highly recommend this program for a cultural, fun, and new experience!