All Things Abroad in Sevilla

By: Nicole Ciechanowicz

Deciding to study abroad was one thing that I knew I wanted to do coming into University. As a student planning on going into the medical field in the future, I knew that the longer that I waited to go, the fewer choices I would have for where I could go and the credits I would be able to receive. So I chose to go abroad in the fall semester of my sophomore year. 

Why I chose Seville, Spain 

Deciding where I would go abroad was an extremely difficult decision for me, while I had my heart set on going abroad, I had no idea where I wanted to go. Growing up, I learned Spanish throughout school and through speaking Spanish at work when necessary, so I ultimately decided that it would be beneficial to improve my Spanish any way I could. Once deciding on going to Spain, I started browsing cities like Barcelona and Madrid, the two major cities within Spain. But once I moved on to Seville, I knew it was the right choice for me; even though it's the 4th largest city in Spain it still has the small city vibes, but plenty to do on weekends and still a lively nightlife. Even after visiting many cities in Spain, including Barcelona and Madrid, Sevilla is still my favorite and I can’t imagine myself going anywhere else. 

Things I wish I knew before coming

I felt pretty well prepared before going abroad after all of the orientations and material that CIEE offered before us students arrived, but honestly, there is no true way to prepare someone for their experiences when they go abroad. From culture shock, language barriers, and just general life abroad, you can be as prepared as possible but there’s always going to be something new and different that you’ll be unprepared for. The most helpful thing you can ever do while being abroad is to learn to be flexible. Many of my favorite experiences while abroad have been because of my willingness to be flexible, wanna do dinner in three hours? Absolutely! Let’s plan a last minute trip, I’m so in! Trips are extremely easy to plan last minute if you’ve got the determination to make it work, and seeing as a majority of CIEE students do not have any classes on Fridays it makes it extremely simple to have a fun little three-day trip. 

Of course not everything about going abroad is all giggles and rainbows. Being abroad I experienced isolation from my friends and family back home, struggles with the language barrier, and just straight up feeling lonely. One of the things that I have found that has changed about me is my willingness to just be by myself for a bit. I can proudly say that I have visited 5 completely new countries all by myself, and there is something special about getting to know who you are without anyone around you influencing who that might be. Beginning the journey of getting to know myself is one of the best experiences I could ever hope to have. 

A quick day in my life in Seville

It’s a bit difficult to properly articulate exactly all I do in a day seeing as it tends to change quite a bit. I am currently taking 5 courses for the semester, 2 with CIEE, and 3 with my host institution Universidad de Sevilla. The day below is a pretty typical Thursday for me:

• 8:00: Wake up and get dressed
• 8:15: Go for a run
• 9:00: Shower, make a quick breakfast, get dressed for class (not all in that order)
• 11:00 - 12:45: Class (Wine in Spain: History and Wine Tasting)
• 13:00: Walk back home to eat lunch with my host family
• 14:30: Make my way over to CIEE for my second class of the day
• 15:00 - 16:20: Class (Positive Psychology)
• 16:30 - 18:30: After class drinks with some friends
• 19:00 - 21:00: Rest, do homework, free time
• 21:00 - 22:00: Dinner 

Not super eventful but, my favorite type of day that I can have. I get freedom to do what I please but still get a decently structured day. 

My Favorite parts about Seville: recommendations and fun things to do

As I have said before, Seville is an amazing place to live and even though it is a relatively small city, there are always new things going on. One of the things that I love to indulge in is a quaint dinner with my friends at a local spot, some of my favorite local tapa places around Seville include: La Comidilla (the berenjenas fritas are to die for!), Patio San Eloy (one of my favorite tapa is the flamenquín), and when in Seville you have to try La Gorda, with tons of locations and great tapas you really can’t go wrong. A quick sweet treat is always a pleasure so some of my personal favorites around Seville are: Manu Jara — located in Triana, with some of the most delicious pastries and other sweets I’ve gotten to try while abroad, Gloria&Rositas — located by Plaza Nueva, has really tasty and authentic gelato, while maintaining an affordable price for students (and a cute photo op!), and finally Maria Limones — just down the street from the Setas, has many unique and delicious gelato flavors (must try crema catalina). As for places that are a must visit I cannot recommend the Real Alcazar of Sevilla more, there are beautiful gardens, and a rich history that helps you understand more about Spanish culture. 

EXPLORE SEVILLE