Why Study Abroad for a Semester in Spain

By: Meah Matherne

Before coming abroad, I knew for sure that I wanted to spend my semester in Spain. I chose Spain, though, mostly because I have learned Spanish the past ten years and I really wanted to cement my conversational ability. What I didn’t consider is the million other reasons to study abroad in Spain, but after a semester here, I could go on and on about why it’s the best place to choose for your study abroad experience.

Starting off just like I did, it is so easy to get immersed in Spanish here. When you spend your day seeing all your written text and hearing all announcements in Spanish, you pick up so much important vocabulary and when you interact with Spaniards in your day to day, you can really perfect your conversational skills. So many people are incredibly kind about practicing Spanish with you and will even try to practice their English with you! I do have to say that I felt less immersed in Spanish when I went to Madrid versus my everyday life in Barcelona because people will quickly start or switch to English when they can tell you are not native but I know everyone’s experiences are different! I feel like since being here that my Spanish has become extremely conversational and I feel a LOT more confident in starting and continuing a conversation in the language.

Another great reason to choose Spain is its affordability. Spain, especially the south of Spain in Andalusia, is extremely cheap and as a student who was paying her own way here, I definitely feel like I spent significantly less than other students from my university who studied abroad in other places in Europe. I can get a coffee and a sandwich for 2 euros every morning and I have been to more than a few dinners with five or more people where the final bill came out to less than a 100 euro. I have been able to subsist on the money I made over the summer while a restaurant hostess and I don’t feel like I have had to pay an arm and a leg to enjoy my time here.

In terms of traveling around Europe, Spain is situated in a great location to country hop. If you are in a larger city with big international airports, like Madrid or Barcelona, it becomes extremely affordable and easy to visit all over Europe as Spain is well-developed in its flight routes to other European countries. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than 100 euros on airfare the whole time I’ve been here and I’ve flown direct every time. Spain also has a great system of trains and railways so it's very feasible to travel only via train. I am a big fan of the 3 hour train between Madrid and Barcelona!

Lastly, and hopefully a new take on “Why choose Spain,” but most study abroad students visit Spain once, if not twice during their time abroad! Both Madrid and Barcelona are frequently visited by study abroad students for their amazing cultural and architectural sights, as well as their great nightlife so why not save yourself the international airfare and catch a domestic flight, or better yet a train, instead? Other places in Spain such as Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Costa Brava, Ibiza, and Tenerife are also frequently visited by study abroad students, so it can be so much better for yourself and your wallet to already be halfway there!

There are so many other reasons to pick Spain that I could realistically go on forever: the fabulous food, the siesta culture, the nightlife and the beaches all could be discussed in their own blog posts, but my recommendation is to come and see it all for yourself.