Spain: San Sebastián - Spanish Language, Basque, Psychology, and European Studies

I chose this city based off of recommendations from people who have visited, and I’m really glad I followed through. The staff here was amazing and soooo supportive and helpful. The staff really wanted to you to succeed and enjoy your time there. I participated in an optional tour and along with that they also took us and informed us about tons of cultural events! The city was beautiful, but the USAC staff is what really made the trip worth it.

I learned so much while abroad in San Sebastian. Not only did my Spanish improve immensely, but I made so many friends, got to see lots of new places, and learned really cool info about different cultures. San Sebastian is a really small, but beautiful, beachside town. Some may have thought it would get boring because of its small size and limited clubbing opportunities, but it truly never did. I feel so much more independent and brave after studying abroad here!

This program was excellent and I would highly recommend anyone looking to study abroad to choose San Sebastian. The apartments provided by USAC were all in great locations and close to the beach. The city was big enough to have a city feel but small enough to get a feel for within a week or two and the public transportation was convenient and easy to use. I was also able to easily travel to different countries by flying out of Madrid which is a short bus ride away. The culture of San Sebastian is truly unique as it incorporates not only Spanish traditions but it also has a large Basque influence that is interesting. I highly recommend this program, you'll have the time of your life!

Where do I even begin to talk about the amazing time I had studying abroad! Not only did I learn a lot in my Intermediate Spanish class with an amazing professor, but I loved my time exploring Spain. I couldn't imagine not studying abroad because I completely changed as a person. The amount of growth that endured with traveling to a different culture, and experiencing what it is like to live in countries in Europe. I was fortunate enough to travel to neighboring countries such as France, England, Amsterdam, Italy, and Greece while I was in Europe and I gained so much independence from the experience. Not only was the location amazing and beautiful, but the USAC program was outstanding. The staff was exceptional and friendly. They made me feel so welcomed and supported. They encouraged us to emerge ourselves into the culture. I loved seeing the cultures within Spain and also France when we went on our field trip. Another part that I will never forget is the surfing class that I participated in. I finally learned how to surf and what better place to learn than in the surfing hub of Spain! Overall, the experience was unlike anything and I would absolutely love to travel back to San Sebastian to sight see along with possibly working for USAC one day!

My experience with USAC in San Sebastian was great! I had an amazing and very supportive host family and there were always interesting things to do and see with classmates. I felt that my classes were appropriately challenging and would definitely go back if given the chance. I especially liked the chance to go to other parts of the Basque country and also the opportunity to go to France since I had never been before.

I hope that my trip abroad to study in San Sebastian won't be the highlight of my life, for obvious reasons, however I honestly won't be surprised if it was. Before I left, I was actually extremely nervous because of how obnoxiously introverted I used to be. But, I decided to just go for it anyway and that was absolutely the best decision I have made so far in my life. I had such an amazing time and was able to learn tremendous amounts about myself and discovered how much more capable I am than I originally thought.

One of the highlights of studying abroad in the Basque Country was eating dinner at the cider houses in the hills near San Sebastian. Groups of us took cab rides to the restaurants and were treated to a feast. The main event is the cider room, full of giant barrels of cider (all you can drink, of course). The food was incredible - tortilla de bacalao, bacalao with peppers and onions, and huge flanks of steak. I made sure to go three different times while I was in San Sebastian because it was always so much fun, and a great place to speak Spanish. When my parents came to visit me, they enjoyed it thoroughly and remember it as one of their favorite experiences in their entire trip through Europe.

Through USAC, I met the most incredible friends and family. I studied in San Sebastian, Spain for the spring semester. I stayed in an apartment during the semester and was able to set up a nanny/tutoring job over the summer through USAC. The helped me plan everything. I stayed for a month with a family in their home and taught English to their three children. However, this does not describe my experience at all with this family. They brought me into their family like one of their own. I could never show my gratitude towards this family in words. Family dinners, long conversations, games, dancing, laughter. San Sebastian is my second home abroad and I know most students will say the same about the city they studied abroad in. It absorbs you, molds you, takes away your blinders, and shows you the possibilities, the beauty, and the vastness of this life and this world. I will never go back to the person I was before I studied abroad. It has forever changed me into a person I am proud to be.