Don't Be Afraid to do Complete Immersion... Past Review

By Jen M (Math, Concordia University - Irvine) for

Adelante: Seville - Semester, Summer and Intern in Seville

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was worthwhile, but I wish my Spanish would've improved much more than it did. I would really recommend living with a host family and doing complete immersion to make the most of your experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I only got to go to school for 2 weeks. I loved La Giralda Center, but definitely wanted and needed more time there.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I felt that I could contact my director anytime via email. I would have appreciated more face-to-face interaction however.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	My roommates were all American and no Spanish was spoken in the apartment. I would have rather lived with a Spanish family (instead of other Americans) and be completely immersed. My Spanish didn't improve as much as I had hoped. The apartment was pretty nice and spacious. I would have appreciated a working oven and washer.
* Food:	I love Spanish food! Just stay away for restaurants right next to big tourist spots.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Pretty good. One other girl came over with me and we became good friends. It would've been nicer if there had been a large group to do outings, etc with.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Sevilla is definitely better than say Barcelona. I lived in the heart of the city, so I walked everywhere. And, there isn't a subway which eliminates that as a mugging spot.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	I practiced Spanish for the 2 weeks I was at school and then while I was working at Cuesta Sport. Most people did not speak Spanish.