IES Abroad Salamanca Summer – Language & Culture (Session I)

I've always been a science person because the way I'm introduced to languages at school was not appealing. When I went abroad, rather than language being part of a textbook, I got to experience language as the lifeline of a culture and community. I am very grateful for this opportunity to learn Spanish. I have had some experience with French in high school but had no experience with Spanish whatsoever. Nevertheless, I was able to learn a lot through fantastic teachers. I absolutely adored my teacher. She had an OK background with English, but I was able to learn through miming and actions. I looked forward to going to class everyday because Spanish felt more like a hobby rather than simply a subject in school. I heard the same satisfactory feedback about my peers’ teachers, who were in more advanced levels. With regards to outside the classroom, homestay was the way to go. I was able to practice my Spanish with my homestay family, who were accustomed to hosting students. On the weekends, we were free to travel. On one weekend, we had a trip to Portugal. Throughout the month, the program planned various cultural activities such as salsa lessons and cooking sessions. I highly recommend this program to students who want a sense of independence to explore the Spanish culture and lifestyle while also under the security and support of an established program.

I was worried as a winter sport athlete that I wouldn't get to study abroad and get that experience in my life. IES Abroad gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to study over the summer so that I could still have a special experience. The administration in Salamanca are actually amazing, and each of them provides so many opportunities to immerse yourself in the language, the culture, and in just cultivating friendships. I definitely was pushed out of my comfort zone with this program because I didn't know anyone going into it, but it was so worthwhile. I met so many new people that I still talk to everyday and getting the opportunity to better my language skills has proved invaluable to my career development as well as my own personal goals. I can't think IES Abroad enough for giving me the Study abroad experience that I dreamed of.

When I found out that I was accepted into IES's Salamanca Summer Program I had no idea that I was going to completely fall in love with Spain. I was lucky to find a program that really accommodated to its participants and provided us with various culturally enriching experiences. The IES staff members were so nice and comforting that my fears about being by alone in a foreign country completely melted away. The other participants and I were able to travel to Santander, Cantabria, Spain, take a salsa dancing class, enjoy tapas, and learn how to make sangria and cut ham in just a month with the IES Salamanca staff. This program's structure also provided me with great flexibility for travel. For example, I was also able to visit Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon, Portugal. Besides the travel component of my time abroad, I truly appreciated the material that I learned in my classes in the Universidad de Salamanca. The professors were really passionate about what they were teaching and I was able to use that information to improve my Spanish speaking skills and knowledge about the culture. Living with a host family also pushed me to be immersed in the Spanish culture because I was completely surrounded by the language, food, and customs. Like many other Salamantinos, my host mother was warm and loving and I am so grateful that IES placed me in her home. Every aspect of my trip was absolutely amazing and I now always encourage people to visit Salamanca because it is such a beautiful city with so many opportunities.

I studied in Salamanca, Spain through IES during their Summer Session I. This program is a month long and perfectly timed for busy students who have a rigorous class schedule during fall/spring semester and/or have other summer commitments. As a pre-med biology major, I was unable to study abroad for an entire semester. However, this summer program allowed me to greatly enrich my Spanish language skills over a shorter period of time through language immersion. During my trip, I not only learned a ton but also had an adventure of a lifetime. From the beautiful beaches of Portugal to the majestic Alhambra in Granada to the historical streets of Salamanca (where I spent most of my time), I had an amazing time traveling and discovering the beauty and culture of Spain. I highly recommend studying abroad through IES. They are helpful in making trips affordable through financial aid opportunities, they provide students with a safe environment to learn and amazing host families to live with, and they give students the independence to make their experience what they want it to be.

Beautiful, fun city. It is easy to stay with your group and only associate with Americans, but it is worth the effort to befriend local students. I recommend electing to live in the dorm.