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Want to hear from a college student who studied abroad in Spain? We recently spoke with AIFS Abroad student Sasha from Washington State University who spent her fall semester studying abroad in the Spanish Renaissance city of Salamanca.
Discover how Sasha’s study abroad experience with AIFS Abroad helped her make new friends and take the next step toward graduate school.
Choosing a Study Abroad Program Destination & Term
Deciding when and where to study abroad is a big decision for many students who don’t know where to start (our team can help with that!). While making the choice may be daunting, no matter where you end up, you’re sure to have an incredible experience!
The fall semester is a great time to study abroad—semester programs give you more time to dive into the local culture, and taking your first semester abroad is an unbeatable way to begin your academic year!
Sasha’s main considerations for choosing a program were based on costs and language:
“I chose Salamanca, Spain, because it was one of the cheapest options I could find that fit my criteria for a program (Spanish-speaking country, homestay). This program is best for students who want a homestay.”
Academic Experience
Academics are an extremely important part of the study abroad experience. AIFS Abroad study abroad programs are held at renowned universities and host institutions around the world, so you can rest assured that you’ll get to advance your academic knowledge while abroad!
“All of my classes took place exclusively in the classroom, but my professor for my Spanish Literature class took us on two field trips. The first field trip was to visit the home of an author we were learning about at the time. The second field trip was to a garden in the city that was dedicated to the characters in a play by another author. These field trips were pretty much just for fun, and it was cool to see places that I would not have otherwise seen.”
Sasha appreciated that while some of her coursework was difficult, her teachers were accommodating and recognized her efforts:
“[I had] no homework, [and] study guides for exams weren’t really a thing, which made self-study really important. At the university, they were very accommodating towards the study abroad students. As long as you put in an honest effort, you would be OK. I really struggled in my Spanish Lit class, and I would have done poorly if this was a class in the US, but my professor knew that I was doing what I could, and made sure my effort was reflected in my grade. Also, I was told by my on-site Program Director that students in the Spanish education system are expected to simply sit and listen to their teacher, but since most students were American, the university changed their approach to teaching us (lots of discussions, students contribute to the learning, etc.).”
Shaping Your Professional Future Abroad
While many people choose to intern abroad in order to advance their careers, study abroad programs can also let you build a strong academic foundation to set you up for future professional success. Plus, studying abroad will help you explore possible career fields and build a global professional network. Here’s how studying abroad in Salamanca with AIFS Abroad helped Sasha lay the groundwork for future success in her career field:
“Once I finish my undergraduate education, I want to pursue an MA in Spanish to learn how to teach Spanish at the high school or university level. Studying in Spain, living with a host family, taking classes in Spanish, and majoring in Spanish (along with Management Information Systems) at my home university established my credibility as someone who has a pretty solid grasp of the language, which will help me go to grad school.”
Can’t decide if you want to study or intern abroad? Connect with our team or get the best of both worlds with a Study + Internship program, which combines the study abroad experience with a part-time international internship!
Language Learning
Many prospective study abroad and intern abroad students wonder, “Do I need to know a second language to study abroad?” You do not need to be fluent in another language to study or intern abroad. However, select programs like Sasha’s in Salamanca do require some prior language knowledge:
“I had to take a language evaluation before leaving the U.S. to make sure my language skills were up to par. All areas of my language skills improved while abroad (reading, writing, speaking, listening), and I got more confident using my skills as the semester progressed. I even spent entire days [using] more Spanish than English!”
Whether you want to study abroad to learn another language or not, AIFS Abroad has a program for you. For those who aren’t interested in dealing with language barriers, we offer many programs in English-speaking countries.
Making Friends Abroad
One of the most amazing benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to make new friends from all over the world! Although Sasha describes herself as an introvert, she was still able to build impactful personal relationships during her time abroad:
“I built personal connections by getting to know the people in my classes and by taking advantage of my on-site [Program Director’s] open-door policy. I’m a pretty introverted person, so doing these things was hard for me at times, but I just reminded myself that everyone else is in the same position as me—in a new country where they don’t already know someone—so they are just as interested in making friends.”
Many students report that studying abroad helps them to get out of their shells while they meet new people. Whichever program you choose, there will be other study abroad students in your classes who are eager to make friends, just like Sasha:
“The best way for me to meet new people is through class. Since my classes were with other study abroad students, I already had something in common with all of them, which made it easier to get to know them. I managed to make good friends with one girl just by complimenting her laptop stickers; then, she invited me out for coffee after class! Sometimes it’s just that easy when it’s the right person.”
Adjusting to the Local Culture
Culture shock is a common experience for many study abroad students. While it may sound scary, it’s a natural part of the process, and it happens in varying degrees. One of the more difficult things for Sasha was the late Spanish dinners, but she ended up adjusting easily:
“The Spaniards eat dinner very late, and at times we wouldn’t finish the meal until 10:30 or 11:00 PM. This adjustment just took time to get used to, but I ended up appreciating [it]. [Another] thing my friends and I always appreciated was the fact that when you are sat at a restaurant for dinner, the table is yours for the evening. Although it was hard at times to get an employee’s attention, it was nice to not have them hovering nearby the entire time as a way to get you in and out as quickly as possible like they do in the US.”
Housing
All AIFS Abroad study abroad programs include housing. Depending on your program location, you’ll be able to choose from options like a student residence, a shared apartment, or a homestay, which was Sasha’s choice.
“I had a homestay… I am very grateful for the experience, and I feel like I got super lucky with my host family—they were absolutely amazing, kind, and caring.”
Trips and Activities
During your program, you’ll have plenty of time to explore your host city and beyond. Many study abroad participants, especially those in Europe, choose to take weekend trips to neighboring countries to explore new cultures. In addition to offering a few trips outside of your city for an additional fee, AIFS Abroad also offers several day trips, excursions, and activities included in your program fees that are designed to enrich your cultural understanding of your host city and country. Sasha took full advantage of these opportunities while she studied abroad—she enjoyed AIFS Abroad activities within her host country and city — and she even got the chance to visit Portugal!
“I attended an orientation tour of the city and dinner, a day trip tour of the wine region (Toro and Zamora), a weekend trip to Lisbon, a Thanksgiving dinner, and a farewell dinner. The Thanksgiving dinner was one of the most memorable parts of the program. Since Spain doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, it was amazing to still be able to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I remember a lot of people in [my] program were also happy about it. The trip to Lisbon was also amazing and a lot of fun.”
Why AIFS Abroad?
There are many reasons to choose AIFS Abroad, from our many program inclusions and quality study abroad experiences to our amazing on-site support staff. Here’s why Sasha chose to study abroad with us:
“I did all of my study abroad research on my own, so it all happened online. My research was methodical since I had a set of criteria for a program: A Spanish-speaking country, as inexpensive as possible, and a homestay (to better my Spanish skills). This narrowed down my options significantly, and I ultimately chose AIFS Abroad since the tuition included group activities, excursions, and a homestay as the default option and part of the tuition.”
As Sasha explains, having someone who’s at your program destination, ready to support you is a huge benefit of AIFS Abroad programs:
“At one point, I got very sick and needed to see a doctor. My on-site [Program Director] was amazing and supported me so much, from finding the right doctor, taking me to and from appointments, mitigating the language barrier, etc. The only thing I really had to do was email her explaining the situation. Getting as sick as I did was a pretty big obstacle that got in the way, but AIFS Abroad did a great job of helping me out.”
Remember, if anything goes wrong during your time abroad (and we hope it doesn’t!), your Program Director will be there to assist you.
Final Thoughts & Advice
Here are Sasha’s final thoughts and a note to any future study abroad students:
“Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, challenge yourself, and grow in ways you never expected. Living with a host family in Spain gave me constant language immersion and a deeper understanding of Spanish traditions, which greatly improved my speaking skills. My best advice is to say yes to new opportunities, step outside your comfort zone, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes in the language.”
Are you a student ready to take the leap and study abroad like Sasha did in Salamanca with AIFS Abroad? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students study abroad. Our programs come with many valuable inclusions, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like trips and excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and cultural and social activities, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.