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

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.

As someone who has experienced the ups and downs and in bet-weens of study abroad, I am here to tell you to do it. Go abroad. Go overseas. See another part of the world and experience another culture.Before I went abroad, I was really nervous. I had a lot of anxiety about everything from finances to finding all my classes. I knew that it was going to be a challenge but I also knew that I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t go abroad. So I talked with my advisers and applied for scholarships and read like 50 different blog posts on packing for going abroad; I was also terrified that I would forget something and be hopeless. But I said my goodbyes and boarded my plane and I can honestly say that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I felt like I was in a dream. A really cold dream because it was January in Spain but nevertheless a wonderful dream. Spain had so much to teach me about Spanish culture and the language but also about myself. I had deemed myself fairly independent going away to college in another state but being in a foreign country where they spoke another language was a different kind of independence all together. And I found my pace and got into a rhythm and before I knew it I was living in Spain, taking public transit to school, studying and exploring my beautiful host country and Spain as whole. Was I lonely sometimes, yes. This experience but a lot of things into perspective for me. I was able to experience and learn about multiple different cultures, each with their own similarities and differences on what the value the most and how they structure their lives.
While abroad, I traveled from city to city trying new foods and variations depending on the region. I learned different dialects and heard languages being spoken that I’d never heard before.I explored with new friends and even traveled by myself to different countries, safely and with situational awareness of course. Through study abroad and my specific program I was able to take Spanish and Latin dance classes as well as a sailing class where I learned to sail on the Mediterranean Sea. I was also able to travel to Morocco for a week with my study abroad program. There are so many unique and inspiring adventures that await abroad. I never knew there were so many things that I could do and get academic credit for while I was abroad. If you’re a prospective student reading this, I as you this. Where will your next adventure take you?

Making the opportunity to study abroad with USAC may have been the all time best decision I made during my college career. Alicante is a wonderful city, from the scenery to the rich culture there was never a dull moment during my time there. The locals are friendly when you take the time to learn about their culture and go out of your way to learn the language and speak with them. There were so many places near by to explore along the Mediterranean Sea and living like a Spaniard could not have been a cooler experience. The USAC staff were wonderful and always there to help, they would never judge your circumstance and no problem was big enough for them to help you through. I learned so much about the language and culture in my four months living there you would have thought I had studied for years back home! I also met people in my program that are now some of my closest friends, we all shared the desire to get out of our comfort zone and immerse ourselves in Spanish culture together. My only regret is I wish I had the opportunity to study over there for a full year. I would recommend anyone thinking about studying abroad to do it, there's a great deal of opportunity for financial help to do so if you research. And I fully recommend looking into Alicante because at the end of my experience I feel as though it will always be a home away from home for me!