SSA: Sevilla, Spain

Last semester I had the chance to study abroad in Seville through Spanish Studies Abroad. I was able to attend Universidad de Sevilla and the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies. All of my classes were taught in Spanish and my Spanish skills improved greatly.

I had the best host family I could have ever imagined. I enjoyed being able to share moments with my host family and make long-lasting connections. Living with a host family made me feel immersed in the Spanish culture.

The staff at the SSA are very kind and always available for any questions or help. It was an amazing semester that I will never forget!

I'll be the first to admit that I was very hesitant about studying abroad. I knew it would be difficult leaving my family, friends and everything I was comfortable with back home. I wouldn't trade the experiences and opportunities that I got for the world. With SSA, my courses and internship challenged me for sure, but also helped me to better understand the Spanish culture with hands on experiences. I met so many people from around the world, ate some incredible food and made memories that I hope will last a lifetime.

My semester abroad in Sevilla was the greatest time of my life! I made tons of amazing memories, friends, and had a great support system with my program, so I never felt like I was unsafe or had to worry about anything. The classes I took at the Center for Cross-Cultural Study were both challenging, but also fun and helpful. The professors are super nice and enjoy teaching their students. I enjoyed the different immersions and activities our school offered as well, like our trip to Granada and getting to visit different museums in the city. I stayed with a host mom and was able to live like the locals and improve my Spanish, and also learn some Spanish slang (¡que guay!). I'm glad I studied abroad in the Spring so I could experience Semana Santa in Spain and Feria de Abril because they are definitely note worthy experiences. The one thing I miss most from my semester abroad is not having classes on Fridays! It was an incredible program and I wish I could rewind time.

I completed the Spanish Studies Abroad Teaching Practicum in Seville, Spain! It was an incredible experience and I gained an impressive mark on my resume. This really allowed me to grow as an educator and develop my Spanish skills. I partnered this Practicum with 2 sessions of classes beforehand. I think this is my favorite part about customizing your own abroad experience. I was able to stay with a local family in the beautiful barrio Triana and learn about the history. Spanish Studies Abroad helped us to connect with outside adventures in Europe. We were able to visit many different parts of Spain, and travel beyond! I think Spanish Studies Abroad provides 1:1 connections unlike any other program I looked into. I highly recommend future educators utilize this program or create your own like I did!

This was the most amazing experience of my life hands down. I stayed with a mom in a typical Spanish neighbourhood across the river from the city center. She was the most genuine and welcoming woman I have met and she made the tastiest food ever. I cannot express enough how great my professors were as teachers, but also as friends and mentors who were invested in my well-being. I had an invaluable experience that will be with me for the rest of my life. I made friends that I will never forget and experience what it was like to really live in a different culture.

My year in Spain was hands down my best year of college. It is surely hard to beat spending 9 months in Southern Spain, traveling all around Europe, learning about new cultures, improving my Spanish language skills and meeting tons of amazing new people.
My Spanish host family welcomed me into their home and their lives; my host mother frequently invited me out to eat with her friends and I got to spend a lot of time with my 9 year old host sister and brother. Living with a family makes the experience so much better! They really helped me fully immerse into the culture and helped me improve my Spanish.
The classes at the center were interesting, and not too difficult. The professors are easy to talk to and have a lot of knowledge about what they teach and about Spain in general. Not having classes on Fridays gives students the chance to explore more of Spain!
Overall this was an amazing experience that I will truly never forget. I would do this all over again if I could, and would recommend this program and this city to anyone!

Seville is an amazing city, and Spanish Studies Abroad has a lot of experience with helping students deal with homesickness, culture shock, and pretty much any other issue that might present itself. Seville is a great city to immerse yourself in both the language and culture and SSA does a great job of making the transition a smooth one. The variety of program options make it easy to find one that will fit well with nearly any major, from business to pre-med and just about anything in between.

The city of Sevilla was beautiful and exciting every day. I loved going to school and the faculty at the center were very supportive and engaging. I really improved my Spanish as well!

Nevertheless, the actual program was rather underwhelming. I loved my host family, but it took over a month to switch housing arrangements when I wasn't pleased with my first one. Additionally, the staff did not create a very welcoming atmosphere. There was hardly any orientation and no group bonding between other students.

Overall, I loved my time abroad, but I don't think the program itself added much to my experience. Instead it was the awesome culture and host family I had.