What inspired you to go abroad?
Growing up with various multicultural experiences led me to study abroad. I hosted a Spanish exchange student for a month, and she hosted me at her home with her family in Aguilar de Campoo, Spain. Additionally, during my Senior year of high school, my family and I hosted a Norwegian student. After my first year of undergraduate studies, I volunteered in Ecuador for a Summer and during my Junior year, I studied abroad in Moldova and Russia. Upon graduation, I moved to Costa Rica and lived there for about two and half years.
Why did you choose your specific Instituto Hemingway?
I have always wanted to improve my Spanish in Spain, and I had previously spent about a month in Spain and knew that I liked the country and the lifestyle. Instituto Hemingway is super flexible and you can join us any Monday all year round at a very reasonable price. In addition, my great-grandmother was born in Spain and I wanted to know more about that part of myself.
What was your favorite part about Bilbao?
My favorite part about Bilbao was that there were always activities and events going on. Additionally, my favorite part about Bilbao was the rich history and the gastronomical activities.
I will always miss the time I spent swimming in the sea, hiking/skiing in the mountains, and visiting historical ruins/museums around.
Spanish party in Bilbao
What made your experience abroad unique?
My experience abroad was unique. I was fully in charge of my learning and forced to become independent and problem solve using the resources around me in Bilbao. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the culture of Northern Spain. It didn’t have many tourists; and I felt fully immersed in the culture. The food, culture, nightlife, and my professors were all incredible. The location was beyond beautiful; coastal setting, incredible waves and greenery.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
I was incredibly lucky to have such supportive and wonderful teachers , particularly the Director of the School, Mr. Jose. They always made time for me when I had questions, concerns, or was excited about a new idea or struggling with my Spanish. They were passionate and very encouraging with my learning objectives.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
I’m not sure I would have changed anything about my experience at Instituto Hemingway However, if I have to highlight something, I might say that I wish I hadn’t spent all of my time in the library during my first semester. There’s so much that Bilbao has to offer so, stay focused on studies, but make it a priority to go outside the city three-four times each week.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
I would wake up around 8 a.m., have some coffee and breakfast, do a bit of studying/class preparation for my morning classes, go to lessons until 1:30 p.m. have lunch with my classmates, and then head to the swimming pool and stay there until 5 p.m. Some days I would play some tennis and hang around in the evening drinking with my new friends, and then walk home and hang out with my roommates and cook dinner.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoyed being active during my free time. Activities often included: swimming in the sea/pool, playing tennis, playing football, grabbing ice cream, going to the movies, grabbing a drink at a pub with friends, hiking, skiing in the winter, and visiting old cities and beaches on the weekends.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
The best aspects of living in the dorm at Instituto Hemingway was that we had constant power and internet, an immediate group of friends, and roommates that I could rely on for cross-cultural help and advice for how to best transition into culture. In addition, while living in the dorms we had a weekly cleaning lady, and if anything broke in the dorm building, maintenance people would come and address the issues. It was also nice to feel very safe and secure while living in the dorm, as the campus is gated and there are 24-hour guards on duty who are allowed onto the campus. Lastly, it was nice to live on campus so that I didn’t have to carry everything I needed for the day around in a backpack, because I could go to my dorm room between classes and athletic activities.
Conversely, living in an apartment for the last three semesters of my program was great. I had more freedom, and felt that I had space to separate myself from the “AUB bubble” that sucks you in when you live on campus. I was able to cook a lot more in my apartment and hosted a variety of dinner parties with my flat mates (both genders/gender-neutrals were allowed to attend which was not allowed in the dorms).
In addition, I had a lot more space in the apartment and was able to learn a lot more about places and sites to visit from my foreign, adventurous flatmates. All in all, I’m happy that I lived in the dorms to begin my AUB schooling adventure, so that I could become comfortable with the culture, and then was happy that I moved out of the dorm to conclude my studies and branch out more.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
I would say try new things, embrace the culture, come in as a learner, and take risks. You’re only abroad for a certain amount of time, make the most of it! Don’t let unexpected turns or exposure to new things, keep you from having an incredible time! Instituto Hemingway will take care of you, enjoy!
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
Participants should know that they have to be in charge of their own learning. Don’t wait for deadlines to approach, figure things out early because life takes take a bit longer to accomplish in Spain than you might be used to from Americas. Ask a lot of questions and read up on the country and culture prior to departure, so that you can get the most out of your experience.
Would you recommend Instituto Hemingway to others? Why?
I would definitely recommend my program to future students because being abroad while studying Spanish not only equips one with research tools for life, it also educates students on a different culture from their own.
