Alicante: My Second Home

This study abroad experience is so special to me because, in just a few short months, Alicante became my second home. The people in my program, including my site director Alvaro, were like family to me. This experience was more than just an opportunity to immerse myself in Spanish culture and improve my language skills. Study abroad truly changed the course of my life and who I am today. When I was abroad I gained a sense of independence and need for adventure.

I gained a better understanding of myself and a better appreciation of other cultures. Alicante is unique in itself because it is a smaller, beach town where I didn’t get lost in the crowd. With the help of my site director, I was able to make friends with locals and explore the smaller, historical parts of Spain, yet still have the opportunity for cheap, accessible travel.

My class size was small, which provided me with a lot of one-on-one help. I was in the Spanish Language & Literature program there, and I took classes with people from several different countries from around the world (Japan, Ukraine, China, Canada). This allowed me to learn about other cultures in addition to Spanish culture. My classmates and I became good friends by the end of my program, and all of our teachers were SO helpful. The things we learned were very relevant and applicable to daily life in addition to the critical grammatical skills that were taught.

I lived in an apartment with one other American. Our place was less than a five minute walk to the beach and right in the downtown part of Alicante. It was a very safe area, and I felt comfortable with my living situation right away. I had my own room, internet access, a big living room, and even a balcony. Our apartment was perfect (so cozy)!