IES Abroad Barcelona – Liberal Arts & Business

Attending pro-Catalonian independence rallies is one of my most memorable experience while on the program. I've always wanted to visit Barcelona since playing the Barcelona level on Tony Hawk's Underground 2 so I chose this program. My accommodations homestay with a roommate, we each have separate rooms.

For me, picking one experience that I would call my favorite would be hard to do. My most memorable experiences abroad would have to be doing urban exploration in the city. Never in my life have I been exposed to this kind of architectural and cultural monuments. My favorite things of this nature in Barcelona were the Castle on Monjuic and La Sagrata Famila. I chose this program because it didn't require a strong background in Spanish and I could continue to peruse classes in major abroad that would count back home. The living accommodations I had mixed feelings about, certain people I talked to loved where they lived while other (including myself) felt they were something not so spectacular. I happened to live in a dorm (which was my first choice). What I soon realized was that most of the Spanish students and staff seemed to alienate us (the study abroad students) for some unknown reason. We were hazed by the senior students for a solid week before IES stepped in and made them stop. The staffs on the other hand seem to not want anything to do with us and made us feel alone when we needed something handed by them. Other than the issues with the staff and students, the dorm was in the middle of a beautiful, safe area of Barcelona which had very easy access to the IES center and the rest of the city via the metro/bus.

Studying in Barcelona was the best decision I ever made. The city is full of culture, adventure and an amazing social scene. Every part of the city is easily accessible via metro/bus. You will find anything and everything that you're looking for by coming here. Barcelona's culture and history is so rich, the food is an amazing experience and the people are awesome. Whether your social preference is partying or chilling with cheese and wine, you'll be happy you came. My favorite thing to do here was to wander and get lost in the city. This is how I found all of my favorite places. Most of the students traveled on the weekends to other countries. I met so many wonderful friends just sitting in the airport figuring out we were both IES students looking for adventure. This experience in Barcelona has given me so many friends with such a special bond we will share forever. Most of my friends lived in home stays: which they loved because they had great host families. I stayed in a dorm. I loved this. It was a great mix of 12 Americans to give me comfort in a dorm of 200 Spanish students. Most people were dissatisfied with the Sodexo food (which still has a Spanish flair) but I enjoyed it even though it did get repetitive. Academics were fine. Professors are kind but a bit jumbled. Really not a lot courseload wise but you do need to put effort into it. All in all, GO TO SPAIN AND MAKE THE BEST MEMORIES OF YOUR LIFE.