Salamanca, Spain

Daily Schedule: My roommate and I would wake up to coffee provided by my host mother. Then 9am class until about 1:30 (that was about 4 classes in a row) then straight home to have lunch at 2pm with the host family. The city is relatively small so it was easy to get around. I walked everywhere. After lunch we would have a siesta (or break) and then at around 5pm go outside for some daytime exploring, coffee shops, hanging out with friends, homework--general daily life things. By 9pm we arrived home to dinner. Then there were always nighttime activities to be had with friends.

Salamanca is an absolutely beautiful city. It is a college city, and there are lots of people from all over the world. It was really easy for me to meet people and make friends, but be wary that if you don't put yourself out there, you'll spend your entire semester hanging out with Americans. The accent that is used in Salamanca is very easy to understand, and if you use it as often as you can, you will absolutely improve.
In my time there, I made the mistake of keeping to my American friends for the majority of my time there. Once I finally began hanging out with Spanish friends I picked up the language so quickly, and began having all sorts of Spanish adventures. I am still very very good friends with both my host family, and my international friends from my abroad trip almost 4 years ago.

Salamanca is a relatively safe city. There are very few cases that I heard of pickpocketing, mugging, or violence. I walked home alone very often, and I very rarely felt that I was in any real danger. It is a city; however, and I heard stories, although nothing ever happened to me directly.

I had a very wonderful host family experience. I chose to live with a roommate (also an American), and she and I became quick sisters. We had a very great relationship with our mother and her children (when they came home--they were moved out by then). My Spanish mother was exactly that--a mother. She was strict, but very loving. By the end of our time together, we had a very close relationship. My roommate and I are still dear friends, and we still send letters to her and the family, as well as visit as often as we can.

Lastly, the API program directors were absolutely amazing wonderful women. Every single staff person that I ever met or talked to in the program was so helpful and kind. The directors in Salamanca walked us through everything we could possibly need to know for the program and the city. They were willing and able to help us out of any problems that we encountered (class scheduling, sickness, homesickness, traveling, host families etc.). Likewise, they were so approachable and really cared about each student.