Seville, Spain | Liberal Arts in Spanish

I absolutely loved my time in Sevilla. Before going, I had no idea it would have such an impact on my life, but looking back I couldn't imagine what my life would look like if I hadn't gone. Living and studying in another country not only broadened my look on life, but also helped me grow as a person. Spanish Studies Abroad was the perfect program for me because it was a medium size, which allowed me to be known on a personal level by my professors, while still interacting with a number of students from across the US. The classes challenged me, while still giving me the chance to explore the culture and travel, which proved to be just as beneficial as my classroom learning.

I had the amazing opportunity of studying abroad for an entire academic year in Sevilla, Spain. From September through May I was living with an incredibly welcoming and loving host family in the center of town, taking classes completely taught in Spanish, and meeting new people while exploring the beautiful city. Sevilla is a great place to study abroad--the historical old town is incredibly beautiful and really feels like you are in Spain, the people are friendly and love to meet new American students, and the classes at the center are interesting. I improved my Spanish skills a lot and had the chance to travel to many new countries during my time abroad. Overall a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone!

My time in Spain was filled with memorable experiences. If I had to narrow it down to one though, I would say it was experiencing Sevilla's Feria de Abril. It is an annual celebration that lasts for an entire week. It is hard to explain to those who have never experienced it. I myself didn't understand it until I actually lived it. Its kind of like a fair that consists of publicly and privately owned tents. There are 1000+ tents and each one is a different party. There's food, drinks, and dancing. But my favorite part of all is that most of the women where flamenco dresses and the men dress in suits. I didn't really have an option. I told my home institution that I was interested in going to Spain to finish my Spanish major and they told me "you're going to Seville!" I was living with a widowed woman who cooked and cleaned for me. She did my laundry a couple of times per week and cleaned my room once a week. She also cooked all of my meals, which were great! She had previously owned her own restaurant.