Author: Katelyn Dahl | Major: International Business | Semester: Summer 2024
This is me in front of the puerta (door) to the Feria de Abril in my flamenco dress!
Katelyn Dahl is a Junior rising senior in Sam Walton College of Business studying international business with a concentration in finance and minors in Spanish and hospitality. She studied through the provider CIEE at Universidad de Pablo Olavide in Sevilla, Spain during the Spring
2024 semester. I knew I wanted a Spanish speaking country to further my Spanish speaking abilities. I liked that Europe has an amazing public transportations system which I thought would be beneficial when
studying abroad for a semester. My whole life I have practiced Mexican Spanish so I thought it would be a new challenge to see the difference between Mexican and Spain Spanish. I did research into many different programs. Once I knew I was interested in Spain I chose a city. I
wanted authentic culture and for the locals to speak to me in Spanish.
Sevilla was perfect for those goals. Sevilla is very traditional. It is where flamenco dancing originated and where Feria de Abril is held every year. Feria de Abril is a week-long celebration of culture. There are horse
and carriages, rebujitos a typical Feria drinks, Flamenco dresses, and casetas which are the tents where the Sevillana dance takes place. I am so grateful I picked Sevilla. It was exactly what I was looking for in a Study abroad program. I chose CIEE as my provider for many factors including days trips to Ronda, Granada, Jerez and Córdoba, insurance, on-call help, and host family stay which included food and tuition. Upon arrival we were given a cultural orientation of what the cultural norms are and what to expect. I really appreciated the support CIEE provided on site.
Upon my arrival in Spain I took a two week intensive Spanish course at CIEE before my normal classes started. I really enjoyed the quick refresher to nail in some grammar rules and learn about the differences in Spanish in Spain versus what I have been taught. I took a total of five classes in Sevilla. I would metro out to Universidad de Pablo Olavide Monday through Thursday. I took a total of four classes in Spanish: Spanish Business, Phonetics and Phonology, Culture and Society in Spain and A window into culture and cuisine- a tapas cooking class. For my fifth class I took international finance taught in english. Universidad de Pablo Olavide had classes taught in English and Spanish. We were in classes with people from around the world. I met Norwegians, Germans, Canadians, Mexicans, etc. Unfortunately we were not in class with the locals. However, there were events to get to know locals through the campus. CIEE gave us three location options for classes: Universidad de Pablo Olavide, Universidad de Sevilla and classes at the CIEE building.
I can gladly say looking back at my time abroad I made the most of it. I met so many amazing people with such diverse backgrounds, I improved my Spanish immensely, and I immersed myself in the cultural celebrations and norms. One of my favorite weeks was when I took a 5 day trip to Morocco! The whole time I was in Morocco my friend and I would turn to each other and say “can you believe that we are in Africa right now!”. We were with a guided group the entire time. They took us through a city by foot to see the food and leather markets then we took
a bus out to the Sahara Desert. The sand dunes are a magnificent shade of orange. We spent the night in a tent in the Sahara Desert then woke up the next morning to ride camels. I felt like I was in a movie. I originally went with my friend from Canada but by the end of the trip we had five new friends all from various countries.
could not recommend studying abroad enough and if you have the chance try a semester… or maybe even a year. If your goal is to be fluent in another language, full immersion is the best way! Within the first week I had learned more Spanish than what I would in a month of classes because you are constantly surrounded by it in Spain. My advice is 100% study abroad. Know what your goals are before you have your heart set on a city or country so that you can pick accordingly. When packing, leave lots of space for new clothes and souvenirs or pack an extra duffle bag. I don’t purchase things when traveling but because I was walking alone at night and living the Sevillian lifestyle I ended up purchasing some clothes to better fit the culture. (note: in Sevilla I felt extremely safe even walking alone at night). One thing I am extremely grateful I did was purchase postcards at every place I visited then journal what I did on the back. Not only do I have pictures to visually remember the places but also fun memories to take me back to the moment in time. Sevilla, you have my heart and have become a home away from home.