Spring 2017 in Seville

The academics really depends on what classes you take. The difficulty of the content was not a problem for me; the real struggle came with trying to understand the professors. Eventually you get used to the way they speak and it will be fine, but the challenge really came from the language barrier, not the actual content of the classes. The classes at the local universities don't have much day-to-day work, they just have one big exam at the end of the semester. CIEE has tutors on-hand to help you with whatever courses you take, and I highly recommend using them to make sure you're on the right page. If you do that, then you shouldn't have any issues academically. There are plenty of opportunities to go out at night, and Feria de Abril is a must-even if you only go one day just to experience it. CIEE is always available if you need anything. They give you a lot of freedom to travel and experience Spain on your own, but all you have to do is ask (for walk-in clinics, lists of family-friendly restaurants in case your family visits, good flamenco shows, etc.).

Seville is one of the safest cities I've ever been in. While theft is an issue, violent crime is extremely low in Spain in general, so I felt very safe and very comfortable in this city during all hours of the day (or night). My host family was very helpful and took care of a lot of things for me, and they understood that as a college student I'd be coming and going on my own schedule.

Seville is a great city full of history, and you should definitely go to a flamenco show, a soccer game, and go to the beach at least once. I loved my time abroad and I would certainly choose this program again. There's time to travel (in Spain and out of it) and you can really get into the local lifestyle through the various holidays, especially during spring semester's Semana Santa and Feria de Abril. Seville is known for these events, so take advantage of them!