Spain: Alicante - Spanish Language, Linguistics, European, and Gender Studies

Before leaving to study abroad, I was experiencing burnout. What I mean by this was that I began losing motivation for school and activities and stopped paying attention to my mental health. It got to a point where I felt tired all day and was no longer myself. I contacted counseling services when I knew this wasn't getting any better. I was nervous that I would experience these emotions while abroad, so I worked with my counselor to create goals for myself in hopes of not allowing my current state to get in the way. Some of my goals consisted of being comfortable with uncomfortable, trying new foods, being open-minded, and not allowing financial reasons to get in the way of what I hoped to do. Luckily studying abroad was an experience that positively changed my life—studying abroad allowed me the opportunity to be stress-free. Every day I woke up ready to experience the unexpected. Experiencing the unexpected has had a significant impact during my experience, and even today. I was finally opening up to trying different foods I knew I would not be open to back at home. For instance, I was not too fond of burgers and refused to try them back at home, although, while in Alicante, I was surrounded by burger restaurants and people who loved burgers. Therefore, I decided to have my first burger in Spain, and since then, I have come to terms that burgers are not as bad as I thought they would be! I was also able to make friends with students of the university. It was a great experience being able to learn their perspective of their country while I was also able to teach them my perspective of my life in the states. Having met them was very helpful. For example, I previously did not know anything about bullfighting and debated whether to attend the event. With their feedback, I decided not to participate because I realized it would be a traumatic experience for me. I also got out of my comfort zone to meet other students from Italy and Japan who were temporarily studying at the same university. We were able to exchange numbers, and we hope to see each other again in the future! Before this trip, I knew swimming was not my forte because I didn't know enough to swim deeper than 5ft. Within the program, we took multiple trips to the ocean, although the specific trip that stood out was where I went on a catamaran. I was hesitant about whether I should get in the water since I didn't know whether I could swim. I had supportive friends who all encouraged me to get in, and if anything, they would help me get back on the boat. IT TURNS OUT THAT I CAN SWIM, and the best part is that I found out I could swim while in Spain! This was an amazing experience I will never forget. I felt butterflies in my stomach when I realized I could swim, and I still feel the same excitement today. I was finally pushing myself to participate in activities I had always hoped to do. I have always wanted to read books for fun and journal. I bought a journal and book before I left abroad, not knowing whether I would actually use them. I met girls from USAC who loved to read and journal. Participating in these conversations with these girls helped motivate me to begin my book. I finished my first book in Spain, and since returning home, I have already completed two other books and plan on continuing to journal. As you can see, I have accomplished multiple goals that I could write a whole book. Words cannot explain how thankful I am for this experience because I feel the happiest I have ever been.

My time in Alicante was the best year of my college experience. Studying abroad gave me the confidence, friends, and world experience that I needed to transition successfully from school into the workforce. The staff at USAC in Alicante were my family away from home, and even convinced a few members of my group, myself included, to stay for a second semester. I often find myself happily reminiscing on my time in Spain, and wish more than anything that I could relive that year! Take the chance to study in Alicante with USAC, you will NOT regret it.

I had so much fun, learned so much about the culture, and got to experience much more than I anticipated for the limited time that I was there. I would like to focus on the care though: I have health issues. (Epilepsy being the main one.) I had a seizure that led to hospitalization. My beloved coordinator, Luis, made sure I was safe and taken care of. Everyone I met genuinely cared for me and made me feel safe and wanted. I wasn’t limited because of my illness. I got to explore the city, the castle, the beach, and other countries regardless. This was also made possible by the wonderful friends I made while abroad. I would move back to Alicante permanently given the opportunity.

This program would not be what it is without the incredible support staff Luis, Sylvan, and Veronica. They are easily accessible and always hold your best interests. They set up paid tutoring opportunities or teaching assistant opportunities at local schools. Sylvan sets up soccer games and you can play with locals. You live in very nice apartments close to the beach and other USAC students. The airport is very good so flights for traveling are cheap. The beach is beautiful, the bars are fun (parabarap), and people are very friendly. Also, Benidorm is just a short tram ride away.

Traveling abroad in Alicante, Spain was an amazing experience that enabled me to learn more about Spanish culture, music, food, language, history, etc. With excursions to Madrid, the Valley of the Fallen, Valencia and Tabarca Islands, I was able to acquire a great knowledge and understanding of Spain and all it had to offer. Additionally, I gained so much personal growth and memories during my trip. I will never forget the people and the fun we shared together in Spain. I would greatly recommend this program for anyone looking for exquisite cuisine, scenic beaches, lively festivals, rich culture and the experience of a lifetime!

The staff at Alicante goes above and beyond in every aspect possible. They provide authentic opportunities to learn more about the Spanish culture, through classes and extracurricular activities. Staff members knew exactly how to support the change of coming from the US to Europe and were always there for us in times of sickness or unease. They plan lots of activities to meet other people in the program and local college aged students as well. The field trips to Granada and Morocco were so well organized and we all felt so safe the whole time. They organize meetings with locals in order to really get a feel for the culture and you see what the way of life is in various places. I loved my time with USAC as I made incredible friends and memories and would recommend this program to anyone going abroad!

I was unsure about the whole studying abroad experience, however when I came across Alicante, Spain I was sold. I saw that this city offered a service-learning experience in which students get the opportunity to volunteer with a local non-profit organization.
This was the one reason I chose this location. I didn't know what was in store but I was in for a surprise. It was definitely more than I expected!
The university is great and only a tram ride away! The onsite staff is amazing and it shows that they care for the students and enjoy their job. I also participated in the teaching assistant program and in tutoring which was a great way to learn more about the beautiful country of Spain! Aside from that Alicante is such a small and beautiful city that has a home feel. Definitely recommend studying here!

I had the most memorable, fun, and unique semester here in Alicante! I am so happy that I got the chance to study and explore this beautiful Mediterranean city. The USAC Alicante staff are so welcoming and caring to the students. Choose Alicante, Spain!! I am so grateful that I had the opportunity and support to study abroad in Alicante, Spain. I fell in love with the language, people, classes, city, beach, public transportation, local cuisine, and traveling. This experience had been so much more meaningful to me that I had anticipated. In my time abroad I’ve seen so many European historical sites, gained incredible memories, and discovered different perspectives through my classes and friends. I had done some traveling with my family before, but actually living in a different country and assimilating to the culture and ways of doing things has definitely had a greater effect on me. To immerse myself more in the culture I started tutoring kids in english twice a week. I also have an intercambio, that I meet up with to talk in spanish and in english. I had gotten a lot more confident and enthusiastic about speaking spanish since I have been here. I have noticed my progression of becoming more independent since being abroad. Through traveling and having to be on top of things with boarding passes, packing, metro systems, hostels, and safety, I feel like I have come a long way and gained a lot of knowledge! Some of my ideas about what are important and worth stressing about have also shifted for the better I believe. During my time abroad I met so many open minded, special individuals that I couldn’t imagine life without. My semester in Alicante flew by faster than any other. If I could give one piece of advice to a prospective study abroad student, it would be to be present in where you are in the world and enjoy every moment of it! Living and studying in a different country is such an extraordinary journey that is unique for everyone.