CIEE College Study Abroad in Seville, Spain

When I decided to head to Sevilla and take part in CIEE's Communication, New Media, and Journalism program, I knew I had made the right decision. Nowadays, I'm a football (soccer) writer for ESPN, and a lot of the projects I completed in Sevilla helped me reach this objective. I appreciate all the help from my professors because they played an important role in honing my reporting skills.

Sevilla is a magnificent city for young, aspiring journalists because there are various things going on everyday. Developing stories is not so complicated, and what's more is that the city's joy is contagious and allows you to produce memorable work. This is a program that let's you have a lot of freedom and if you know what to do with that freedom you can produce great stuff to add to your resume.

One of the things I loved the most about this program was observing the teachers (Oscar, Ruben, Antonio, Marina, Alejandro, Carlos). they carry such passion for what they do and being a part of their lives touched me in a way I never thought it would. They became good friends and mentors and they were always ready with advice and stories. The passion they shared gave me the desire to create projects that reflected not only them, but a piece of Spain as well. When I come to visit again I will be seeing them again. Thank you all so much for what you do!

When else are you going to be able to live in a new country and see the world, while your only responsibility is to be a student? College is THE time to do this, don't kid yourself and think you can just travel when you're older. Even if it sets you back a semester, it is so worth it. The most rewarding part was seeing how much I changed from the beginning of my semester compared to the end. Not that I changed who I was as a person, but I gained so much experience and knowledge about myself, and what I am passionate about. I learned so much in those 5 months and it was amazing how much my Spanish improved.

It was always my dream to study abroad in a Spanish speaking country because I knew that was the best way to see the world and improve my use of Spanish. Thanks to my grandparents, I started traveling at a young age and I never want to stop. It makes you realize how much of the world you don't know about and all of the people that you haven't met. I want to see new cultures and try new food. I want to see the beauty in this world.

The number one best thing I gained from this experience that I would never change is my host family, who now feel like my actual family. I have never felt so welcomed and loved by complete strangers. They are the reason I want to take my parents to Spain and introduce them to my city and the amazing family that essentially adopted me and made me feel like one of them. It definitely wasn't easy at first, going into a new home with new expectations, all in a language that is not my own. But they were incredibly patient and kind, and without me realizing at first, made sure I had the best possible transition to Spanish life. I know they will always be in my life, and I am so lucky to have found them.

I reflect back on all the things I did and I feel so lucky to have had this experience. I was able to teach English to young children, travel to many new countries, see a bullfight, participate in three different cultural festivals, and meet some incredible people. If you are considering study abroad, you owe it to yourself to make it happen!

I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain, through CIEE's Communication, New Media, and Journalism program. It was one of the few international programs that fulfilled graduation requirements for me at the University of Oregon, but I also liked that I could take classes at the University of Sevilla if I wanted to. At first, I was on the fence because I didn't know any other classmates who'd studied abroad here and I was keen on going to Latin America, but now I can't imagine my academic career without CNMJ. Not only did I enjoy the culture, food, and people of Sevilla, but the program connected me to countless opportunities that allowed me to be independent and to become immersed into my new community. I participated in local media workshops, worked on an independent thesis, had a language partner, traveled to Barcelona for a conference, traveled with my host family, and participated in an international film festival. All I had to do was ask.
The CNMJ classes were a gateway to Sevilla--as many of them included field trips and lessons on Spanish history. I'm still in contact with several professors, and am so happy I decided to do this program. I figured writing a review might be the best way to get other people to have experiences similar to mine--overall I give the CNMJ program a cien por cien.

Having never left the United States for more than 2 weeks, its sufficed to say that I was extremely nervous for my five month journey to Sevilla. I couldn't help but wonder if I had picked the right location, correct program, or if studying abroad was the right for me at all! Now having completed my study abroad journey, I wish on a daily basis that I could put my experience on repeat. Being that I had friends studying all over the globe through a series of programs, I am confident that CIEE International Business and Culture provides the optimal study abroad experience. CIEE's program was the perfect combination of gaining a unique cultural experience while still having an "at home" support system. From the moment I accepted my CIEE admissions to the last day of the program I had constant support, communication and access to CIEE's staff. CIEE was able to take a group of American students from all over the country and form a unique family that I am forever grateful for. They provided a series of cultural events to attend and made the assimilation to a new country as smooth as possible. The CIEE staff's love for Sevilla and dedication to creating a great student experience was apparent each and every day. Studying abroad is a huge decision and an unforgettable experience, and by choosing to be a part of this program I can guarantee that incoming students will leave Sevilla already planning their return trip.

My time in Sevilla with CIEE was truly life changing. I felt that my program provided us with so many opportunities to explore the city and region, and we even had an immersion weekend in Morocco! There was always an activity available if we wanted to participate, and through these experiences I was able to learn so much more about the culture than I would have on my own. The absolute best part of my experience was my host family, a mother and daughter, who made my semester so fun and comfortable- they are like real family to me now! I enjoyed most of my classes at the university, and aside from those couple less-exciting classes, this program was great from every angle.

CIEE's IBC program was a one of a kind study abroad experience that I will forever treasure. I was looking for a program where I could immerse myself in the culture and language, meet lots of new people from both Spain and elsewhere, and challenge myself academically and personally. This program proved to be everything I was hoping for and more. The home stay component and excursions unique to CIEE participants were by far the best parts of this program and I can't imagine my experience without them. I still keep in touch with my home stay family and the lifelong friends I met on the program, and I can't wait to go back to Seville!

CIEE IBC was the best decision I made for an abroad program. Not only was everything very well organized but the staff was outstanding at providing support and guidance throughout the semester. The home-stay aspect was the most valuable part of the program because it provided a true cultural immersion in Seville and dramatically helped me improve my Spanish. I have made lifelong bonds during the program with both American and Spanish students, and I don't think that would have been possible without the support of CIEE.