Programs>Reviews (Barcelona)>Education Abroad

All Education Abroad Programs Program Search

Spain) : Reviews (Barcelona)

The following program review responses have been selected for publication by Education Abroad

Program Evaluation

Summer 2013 Participant

If I could change one thing, I would have liked to live with a host family. Living in the apartments, we spoke a lot of English and didn't have access to the same language improvement as we would have if we had lived with a family. It was also a bummer that there were 7 girls. An odd number of girls is hard because of group dynamics so I would say to make sure to keep the numbers even. I didn't feel that we used Spanish as much as I expected. We were told that they spoke Catalan there, but I didn't realize the prominence of it until we got there. Since most of the people on the street are speaking Catalan to each other, it is really easy to disconnect with the Spanish language. Also, I thought we spoke a lot of English during class time. I know that the professors were trying to make sure everyone could keep up with the class, but I felt that we all would have benefitted more from speaking more Spanish and hearing less English. The location of the housing was great because we were 2 blocks away from the metro station and 15 minutes from La Sagrada Familia. The area was not touristy, which was super nice. The food was kind of expensive, but I cooked most of my own meals so it was manageable. Local transportation was very easy to figure out and it was convenient that our metro/bus passes were paid for by our fees. The trips we took around the city of Barcelona were phenomenal. The academic side of the program was great and I had a really good experience overall.

Summer 2013 Participant

Everything about the program was amazing and well thought out. I would have liked the first 3-day weekend to not be the first weekend we had in Barcelona. The apartments were very nice and well situated in Barcelona. The metro passes, which were included were one of the best things about the program. I loved the professors personal knowledge of the city as well as of CU. It made the transition much easier.
The day trips were one of my favorite parts of the program. Our day trips to Tarragona, Gerona, Figueres, etc. were so fun and gave us an opportunity to see smaller cities in Spain outside of Barcelona.
The out of classroom experiences throughout Barcelona with the professors were very helpful in learning to navigate around the city and also helped me learn more than I would have just sitting in the classroom. We discussed the same things but we were able to actually see what we were talking about.
Meeting the native Barcelona University students was great because we became friends and went out with them. It was funny to see what we all had in common depsite different backgrounds.

Summer 2013 Participant

The balance between classroom time, field trips, and free time was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about the academic portion of the trip.

Mechelle Joanne-marie Little, Summer 2013 Participant

I loved exploring the sites that we read about for homework the next during class because it was a good way to not only understand what we were reading but to understand the city better as well. Taking the metro as our main transportation was very convenient when it came to getting places quickly and we did not have to worry about driving around Barcelona. Interacting with locals really improved my spanish a lot and allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. I also loved having the weekends free to travel around Europe.

Katherine Ann Sadowski, Summer 2013 Participant

It was amazing to be able to live in the same city where you study. We learned about a part of the city during class and then got to go visit the site later in the day. It was great to live in the city with the other locals in a less touristy area, even though it was common for others to speak English to us. I cannot believe how advanced their transportation system is and it's so easy to use.

William Joseph Enzenauer, Summer 2014 Participant

While we always had some sort of reading or assignment to do, we always had plenty of time to go out and see the city for ourselves. The city itself is an amazing place which the program helped us to understand from a cultural and a historical perspective. The apartments we had were in a great location relatively close to just about everything we wanted to see or do. The daily excursions were by far my favorite part about the trip because we were able to see first hand the historical landmarks we discussed in class before going out, and they really helped to concrete the knowledge in a visual manner.

Shelbey Seaira Geisen, Summer 2014 Participant

This was an excellent course that allows you to learn a lot about the culture of Barcelona within a short amount of time. By the end of the 5 week I felt like I had been living in the city forever because I had become so familiar with my surroundings.

Melanie Ochoa, Summer 2014 Participant

The global seminar in Barcelona is a great cultural learning experience. The professors are well organized and make sure that the students feel as comfortable as possible. The courses and excursions go hand-in-hand which allows for the ultimate cultural experience. From the beginning the professors wanted to make sure we left the city feeling like a local, through our interactions with locals and learning experiences we received from our excursions throughout catalonia. The global seminar in Barcelona is the perfect decision for students who are visual leaners and learn best in a more hands on, out of classroom experience.

Summer 2015 Participant

The courses offered for the Barcelona study abroad where perfect. The city has such a rich history and the two courses and their respective professors were able to introduce and teach the students almost everything about the city itself. The homestay I felt was very important as well as this was the place in which my spanish had the most practice and influence. The excursions where something that I cannot even begin to describe. There were many trips that I felt were life changing.

Caroline Rae Kahn, Summer 2015 Participant

The courses are really relevant to what you do in Barcelona as a group, and the fact that so many of the lessons take place outside of the classroom makes everything so much more engaging.
The location of the school is great and the metro system makes it really easy to get around. Even the trains to nearby cities are easy to figure out for day trips, and Barcelona itself is an amazing city.
Having host families really helps you practice your Spanish and get comfortable interacting with locals in day-to-day situations. The locals themselves are really friendly, especially if you make an effort to relate to them.
Our day trips to surrounding cities and excursions to museums and architectural landmarks in Barcelona were well organized and very interesting. I loved the tours in Spanish and the free time we had to explore different locations and cities independently.

Dominick Padia, Summer 2015 Participant

The courses were amazing! They focussed on just the right things in order to understand the city and culture. You cannot beat being in the middle of Barcelona. You can literally walk anywhere with no problem in almost no time. The public transport system is very easy to navigate as well if you wanted to get somewhere a little bit faster. It is sometimes hard to interact with locals but with homestays, it is very easy! Clearly, the family you stay with are locals and you can practice speaking Spanish with them as well as get an idea of the culture. More than this, you have to opportunity to meet even more people through them. I had the pleasure of meeting other locals, as well as exploring other towns outside of Barcelona with my host family. They excursions accompanied the classes and experiences perfectly, without being too overwhelming. There is so much to see, so sometimes it doesn't feel like enough, but you do learn a lot about the outside town (or whatever the excursion may be about) in one day.

Nicholas Allen Rodgers, Summer 2015 Participant

This was an incredible experience. Barcelona is an incredible city and you learn so much about it. It was an awesome way to get 6 credits and you spend the summer with some of the most incredible people you will meet. Every outing we did was unbelievable, it didnt even feel like school.

Madison Ellen Simonds, Summer 2015 Participant

Great location. The interactions with locals are great because staying with a family provided an awesome opportunity to practice spanish and really learn about Barcelona's culture first hand. The families love making you feel welcome and talking about their culture- its so fun!

*Returning to CU: Program Evaluation

Summer 2013 Participant

Everything about the program was amazing and well thought out. I would have liked the first 3-day weekend to not be the first weekend we had in Barcelona. The apartments were very nice and well situated in Barcelona. The metro passes, which were included were one of the best things about the program. I loved the professors personal knowledge of the city as well as of CU. It made the transition much easier.The day trips were one of my favorite parts of the program. Our day trips to Tarragona, Gerona, Figueres, etc. were so fun and gave us an opportunity to see smaller cities in Spain outside of Barcelona.The out of classroom experiences throughout Barcelona with the professors were very helpful in learning to navigate around the city and also helped me learn more than I would have just sitting in the classroom. We discussed the same things but we were able to actually see what we were talking about.Meeting the native Barcelona University students was great because we became friends and went out with them. It was funny to see what we all had in common depsite different backgrounds.

Summer 2013 Participant

The balance between classroom time, field trips, and free time was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about the academic portion of the trip.

Summer 2013 Participant

Summer 2014 Participant

Summer 2015 Participant

The courses are really relevant to what you do in Barcelona as a group, and the fact that so many of the lessons take place outside of the classroom makes everything so much more engaging. The location of the school is great and the metro system makes it really easy to get around. Even the trains to nearby cities are easy to figure out for day trips, and Barcelona itself is an amazing city.Having host families really helps you practice your Spanish and get comfortable interacting with locals in day-to-day situations. The locals themselves are really friendly, especially if you make an effort to relate to them. Our day trips to surrounding cities and excursions to museums and architectural landmarks in Barcelona were well organized and very interesting. I loved the tours in Spanish and the free time we had to explore different locations and cities independently.

Summer 2015 Participant

Summer 2016 Participant

Courses: Don't expect the courses to be easy, but they really enrich your experience because you are living what you're learning.Location: Barcelona is lively and beautiful but be prepared for lots of people!Interactions with locals: Always try and find local places with no english on the menu! The food is better and locals are more likely to talk to you!Excursions: The excursions are the best part because you get to see more authentic culture because you are further away from traditionally touristy areas.

Summer 2016 Participant

I went to Barcelona, Spain for five weeks. I took two classes there: SPAN 3270 and SPAN 3230. I lives in a homestay with a single lady. I interacted with local daily, on my way to school or just walking around looking for a place to eat lunch. For class we did many excursion. We went to museums, other cities/towns and cathedrals.

Summer 2016 Participant

I thought the courses were interesting and related very well to the place that I was in- it made me appreciate my surroundings so much more. Barcelona is a big city, and it has a lot of history, which I was very interested in. I really enjoyed all of the trips that we took with the program. They were always to beautiful places, and made the classes and readings seem that much more relevant. Something I felt was lacking was interaction with locals, because there was next to none. It felt like a very isolated program that just happened to take place in Barcelona.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were both phenomenal! I loved that we were able to learn about things (ie, specific buildings in Barcelona) and then go actually see them in real life. We were much more educated than the typical tourist. Our location was great - just a short metro stop from CIEE, the beach, and each other's apartments. We did not have a lot of interaction with locals other than our families. My family was absolutely awesome! She was so friendly and welcoming and helpful. I wish that as a group we had spoken Spanish together in order to improve more. The day trips were my favorite part of the program. I loved going to Tarragona, Girona, Figueres, and especially Montserrat.

Summer 2016 Participant

It was amazing having the opportunity to explore Barcelona, and live in a city for such a long period of time. The courses were interesting and enhanced the overall experience because we could learn about things that we were actually able to go see the next day. This is very different from normal school because you typically learn about something, and are then only able to see what you are learning about in pictures. I feel as though I now have a much greater understanding of Barcelona as a city, and the program provided me with an experience well beyond anything that I could have gained as a tourist. The most interesting part of the program was gaining a new appreciation for the diverse architecture of the city, and understanding how Barcelona evolved as a city. I like how we learned about a very wide variety of topics surrounding Barcelona, but also had lots of time to explore the city on our own. I loved having so many opportunities to speak in Spanish, whether I was ordering food at a restaurant, going on a tour with the program, or interacting with my host family. This program made fall in love with Barcelona, and I hope to return some time in the future.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were great and accompanied by onsite lectures to aid with the understanding of Barcelona. Barcelona is an incredible city and there were many opportunities to travel to cities just outside of Barcelona for all day on site lectures! There was always authentic interaction with locals if you seek it! People will initially speak in English with you most likely but do your best to only communicate with them in Spanish. If you plan your time right you have the opportunity to do so many things that may interest you. The program gives an amazing view to what life is like in Barcelona.

Summer 2016 Participant

These courses are designed by CU professors who hail from Barcelona. They know the city in and out on an academic, cultural, and personal level. The classes require a good amount of reading each day, but the professors are aware that the experience of study abroad extends beyond the classroom. Every week, we went on at least three excursions to different locations in Barcelona and northern Spain. They solidified my knowledge I learned in lecture. There's nothing more engaging than reading about the Sagrada Familia and then experiencing Gaudi's masterpiece for myself.

Summer 2016 Participant

Course was amazing. The location was unbeatable. The locals were extremely welcoming and friendly. The excursions were informative and opened my eyes to a whole new world.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses gave me an understanding of Barcelona's history and culture. The class was taught in an engaging manner in which participation was encouraged and we often toured the city in the afternoon. Through discussing readings and presenting in class, my Spanish improved by the end of the courses. I loved Barcelona. It is a great city because it has everything from art, famous architecture, music, theater, international/multicultural influences, the beach, parks, sports, mountains close by, and great food. The locals I interacted with the most were my host family, who were very nice. I learned a lot about local culture and politics through talking with my host mom. Talking with them also helped my Spanish. The excursions we did in the program complimented our classroom experience by getting to visit the sites we discussed in class. The range of excursions, from the mountains and smaller towns to walking around downtown or contemporary art to classical art, gave a complete image of Barcelona and its culture.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were informative and engaging. The location of the program at CIEE is perfect and the places both near and in the city that we visited corresponded well with the course material and contributed to my understanding and appreciation of the culture and history of Barcelona. There were almost no interactions with locals provided directly by the program outside of the homestay.

Summer 2017 Participant

Courses were fun and interactive, teachers were incredible. Barcelona is a fun and lively place to be as a young college student.

Summer 2017 Participant

The course was very manageable and informative, Barcelona is an interesting city and allows you to be close to many other interesting places, living with host families is the greatest asset in learning Spanish, the excursions are amazing and well planned.

Summer 2017 Participant

The professors were great and very knowledgable, and Barcelona is an amazing place to live and study.

Summer 2017 Participant

The courses were very interesting, we had the opportunity to learn about the history of Barcelona and its time as part of the Roman empire to the expansion of the city. We learned a lot about the architecture, especially the works of Gaudi and we had the chance to learn more through on site lectures and excursions. The location of Barcelona was nice because it was a big city with easy to access public transportation with restaurants and supermarkets at every corner. Also, the beach was a very short bus ride away from our host family's apartment. The locals of Barcelona aren't too friendly with Americans, especially waiters. Most of them refused to speak Spanish to us even when we spoke Spanish to them. Our host family represented the daily lives of the citizens of Barcelona and they were very friendly and welcoming to us, and they helped me improve my Spanish speaking skills greatly. We went on many excursions to cities like Tarragona, Figueres and Girona which were amazing.

Summer 2017 Participant

The teachers were amazing. As Barcelona natives, both Juan and Javier knew the city inside and out and gave great recommendations of things to do/see. Barcelona is an amazing city and it is very easier to travel from the city to other places in Spain (or Europe) which makes it a great "home base." The course work was manageable and left a good amount of time to explore the city on your own and interact with locals. The home stay aspect was very beneficial to my spoken Spanish - I felt like I improved a lot in the short 5 weeks I was there.

Summer 2013 Participant

The academic support and resources were great and almost always available to us no matter the time of day.CIEE hosted many fun extracurricular activities for all students that were at least once a week.The excursions were my favorite part of the program.

Summer 2013 Participant

It was incredibly easy to get any questions answered or find any service because of how helpful both the professors on the trip were. Not only that, but the people at CIEE were incredibly easy to deal with as well.

Summer 2016 Participant

Program director and other on-site support staff were always available and ready to help.

Summer 2016 Participant

CIEE was great. All of the employees were really friendly and really helpful. They did everything they could to try to make us feel at home. The two professor were great! They are professor from CU that were from Barcelona. They really helped us find our way around and gave us fun ideas of activities to do outside of school.

Summer 2016 Participant

I thought that the professors were very helpful and responsive with anything that I needed, but I didn't have much interaction with the CIEE on site staff.

Summer 2016 Participant

Everyone was very helpful! Javier and Juan were the best. Javier had a day where he sat down with each of us individually to talk about our time in Spain to ensure that we were having a good time. They both cared a lot about the students and our success in the program.

Summer 2016 Participant

The staff on the program, especially the professors that went with us, were very helpful and knowledgable about Barcelona. The had lots of recommendations for the best places to eat and visit outside of our excursions because they are both from Barcelona. The staff from CIEE were very friendly, but I didn't have much interaction with them.

Summer 2016 Participant

The staff of the study abroad program were all fabulous! If it weren't for them I would not have had the opportunity to go on this trip! I encourage reaching out to the staff of the program if you have any questions, concerns or doubts because they are incredibly helpful and want to help send students abroad!

Summer 2016 Participant

Javier and Juan were fantastic. They are passionate about their work, and it shows. I appreciate teachers like them because they emphasize learning and engaging with the material physically and mentally. Also, they're fun people who know the city intimately. They weren't flying by the seat of their pants like us. Alberto del Rio was a great program director as well. He made us feel welcome but allowed Javier and Juan to do their job without interfering.

Summer 2016 Participant

On-site service, staff and director were all amazing and welcoming.

Summer 2016 Participant

Everyone at CIEE was very nice, friendly, and helpful.

Summer 2016 Participant

The program director was helpful, and when I needed to be re-housed, the on-site support staff were very accommodating. I felt like I was a priority.

Summer 2017 Participant

The staff of our program, including our professors, were very helpful and always gave us advice on where to go for fun, where to eat, and even directed us to our homestays when we were lost on occasion. They always encouraged us to call them if we needed help and were always available when we needed them.

Summer 2017 Participant

CIEE was very accommodating, welcoming and available for help if you needed it. Juan and Javier were amazing program directors. Their classes were interesting and fun and their insider knowledge of the city was very helpful.

Summer 2016 Participant

The food at the on-site orientation was amazing and the safety information provided was very useful.

Summer 2016 Participant

I really liked all of the excursions we went on. In class we would talk about a place or landmark than we would go see it in person. My favorite was the town of Girona.

Summer 2016 Participant

The on site orientation was very short, but gave us all of the information we needed to know. The excursions were a lot of fun, and I really appreciated that we got to spend a decent amount of time outside of the classroom, because that feels like the point of a study abroad program to me. I would have liked to have more opportunities to interact with locals and actually develop relationships with them.

Summer 2016 Participant

On-site orientation from CIEE was helpful. Very similar to orientation at CU. All of the excursions were so awesome - they really made the program. La Sagrada Familia, all of the day trips, La Pedrera, the Picasso and Dalí museums were some of my favorites.

Summer 2016 Participant

I really enjoyed all of the excursions provided by the program. I feel a though we got to see all of the most important sites in Barcelona, and also had the opportunity to explore and learn about some of the cities that surround Barcelona. I liked how we were typically provided with some sort of reading or presentation about the site that we would visit before the excursion so that we could learn about the history and significance of the location. I also liked how all of are tours were in Spanish, but it was sometimes challenging to fully understand some of the information that was presented to us. It was challenging, but I think that it helped my comprehension of Spanish to improve. We also had something to do, and I was never bored or homesick during the program. There wasn't much of an on-site orientation, but I like how we were able to discover Barcelona for ourselves, and the professors told us anything that we should be aware of. One of my favorite opportunities was the student exchange, where we could talk with other students from Spain. However, I wish that this had occurred a little bit later in the program because I wasn't as comfortable speaking in Spanish in the beginning.

Summer 2016 Participant

All of the on site activities were amazing, I loved having a tour guide for each activity because that really enriched each experience and opportunity.

Summer 2016 Participant

The excursions were fun and varied. I will always remember going to the Sagrada Familia. Our tour guide made us look at the floor as we entered and walk to the center of the building. Then, he had us close our eyes and look up simultaneously. That moment was special and if I ever go back, I'm going to do what our tour guide did. I really enjoyed going to Tarragona, Girona and Montserrat. It was cool to get a feel for Spain outside of Barcelona as well. I love Roman history, so Tarragona was right up my alley. I visited Girona again after the program ended because I felt transported to another time, walking along the ancient walls of the old city. Montserrat felt like home, but also gave me an expansive view of Spain in all directions.

Summer 2016 Participant

All of these things were fabulous and I would highly recommend this program

Summer 2016 Participant

The on-site orientation was a helpful introduction to the city and program. It covered all major areas and offered needed facts. The excursions were well planned and always worthwhile.

Summer 2016 Participant

The excursions were a fabulous addition to the program and I enjoyed them thoroughly.

Summer 2017 Participant

The excursions were amazing and were great opportunities to escape the hustle of Barcelona. In Tarragona, we got to see so many ruins from the ancient Roman times and we went to the most beautiful beach I've ever been to. It wasn't crowded and was a city full of history and wonder. In Figueres we visited the Salvador Dali Museum, which allowed us to see his diverse artistic styles and his abstract ways. In Girona we saw ancient cathedrals and castles where Game of Thrones was filmed. We also got to eat in a restaurant that is renown for being one of the most romantic restaurants in the world.

Summer 2017 Participant

The excursions were essential to the class. I feel like the majority of what I learned was done when we were out in the city exploring and visiting important places. It was very nice to have all the important locations included in the program. The on-site orientation was adequate. There were many opportunities for extracurricular activities and Juan and Javier always had good recommendations for these.

Summer 2016 Participant

I had a home-stay and it was perfect! My host mom did not know much english which encouraged me to practice! She also gave me a lot of advice on how to experience a more authentic Barcelona, opposed to the touristy experience. I walked to school everyday. It was about a 10 minute walk and gave me the opportunity to scout out things to do in the city near to my apartment.

Summer 2016 Participant

I lived in a homestay. My host mom was a young single lady. I lived with a girl from the program I was on. Although, I didn't get to meet my host mom very well I still really appreciate her hospitality.

Summer 2016 Participant

I lived in a homestay and really loved the experience. My host mom and I got along very well and it was nice to feel like I was learning some privileged information about Barcelona's culture by living with someone who lives there year round. I thought the transportation was lacking. The metro and regional buses were both on strike for separate reasons at the beginning of the program, and the bus that was most convenient to us was often so full that it was impossible to get on. Sometimes I felt like, even though there were several methods of transport that were available, it was easier to just walk- which, to be fair, was not too far.

Summer 2016 Participant

I stayed in a homestay with a roommate from the program. It was awesome! Great chance to practice your Spanish and really learn the culture. Our host mom was phenomenal - she always made sure that we were having a good time. My daily commute was a 20 minute ride on the metro, and then a five minute walk to CIEE. I liked the metro a lot. It was a pleasant morning commute.

Summer 2016 Participant

The housing was a homestay, with one housemate. The situation was a pretty good fit for me, but I am quite flexible. The host mom was never really home so there was not much interaction with her, which was very unfortunate, but I enjoyed the freedom to come and go as I please as long as I communicated with her about my whereabouts. I would prefer this situation time and time again to living on my own in an apartment with other students. This provided much more structure and immersion into the culture and how daily life is.The commute was very simple. I always took the metro wherever I went and found that it was a great source of transportation. I would walk 10-12 minutes to the metro, take the metro for 5 minutes and then walk for another 10 minutes to get to CIEE. The daily commute was very simple and I loved it!

Summer 2016 Participant

I lived with a host family. I loved them. They were kind and generous. I felt welcomed, like I was part of their family for a short while and not just a student earning them money. I used the metro almost exclusively for transportation. I'm glad we got a pass for the full program. It made everything more convenient.

Summer 2016 Participant

A single family house with two amazing, interesting parents.

Summer 2016 Participant

I lived in an apartment. It was a nice fit but was somewhat far away from the school. I had been told that all the host families lived within two metro stops of the school and my commute had 6 stops. Overall it was a nice apartment and I really liked the family.

Summer 2017 Participant

Homestay - great fit. Had to constantly be speaking Spanish, so I learned a lot.

Summer 2017 Participant

I lived in an apartment in Barcelona with a local host family. It was a perfect fit for me because the host family allowed us to have as much freedom as we wanted, but also were there to have dinner with us every night and were very patient and supportive of me practicing Spanish and asking them 5,000,000 questions about local culture, politics, and really anything that came to mind. It was a wonderful balance of independence and support.

Summer 2017 Participant

We lived with a host family in an apartment complex, since most of the housing in Barcelona consists of apartment complexes. It was a great fit for me, my host mom was very friendly and welcoming and I got to practice my Spanish speaking with her a lot. She made us dinner every night and let my roommate and I do our own thing. She lived pretty close to our school, only a 30 minute walk, so usually we would walk to school. We also took the bus and the metro when going to places further away. Local transport was easy to use with the help of google maps.

Summer 2017 Participant

I lived in a home stay. Although my host family was not home very much, I feel like living in a Spanish speaking environment was very helpful for my own Spanish. In addition, the apartment was located next to a large train/bus station which made it very easy to travel around the city. My typical commute to class would take about 30 minutes. I would walk to the closest metro station and then go 8 stops to down town. From there, I would walk about 5 minutes to the building where our classes were held.

Summer 2016 Participant

I learned an incredible amount of history and language, as long as developed an appreciation for art and culture.

Summer 2016 Participant

I really enjoyed the class that were taught. I learned a lot about the history and culture of Barcelona. The pace of the classes were great especially for only being 2 1/2 weeks of each class. The classes were taught in Spanish which I really liked because my Spanish got a lot better in just 5 weeks.

Summer 2016 Participant

I learned a lot on this program. Overall I thought the courses were almost too easy, but it encouraged me to do my own research and learn more about the parts of the class that were personally interesting to me. The teaching was amazing- both professors that I had were extremely engaging and helpful. I received responses to emails in good time and felt like my learning was really supported.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were very interesting, and I love that they tied into our site visits. I learned a lot about Barcelona's culture, politics, language, history, different neighborhoods - it was all awesome! I feel like I left with a really solid understanding of the city. I wish that as a group we had practiced our Spanish more, but my understanding of Spanish definitely improved between classes, tour guides, our host family, and just being around the city.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were not as challenging as a typical course would be at CU, but I liked that because it gave me more free time to explore Barcelona. I really enjoyed the first class taught by Javier because the materials that he had us read really went along well with our excursions. I also felt as though I learned more about Barcelona in his class. Juan's readings didn't correspond as nicely with our excursions, but the material that he presented was still interesting. I liked how we learned about a wide variety of topics that have do do with Barcelona such as the culture of the city, the history, and the architecture. I understand Barcelona as a city much greater now than I would have if I had only visited as a tourist.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were great and gave me a deeper appreciation for art, literature and culture. I have had such an amazing experience with Juan and Javier and I am so lucky to have had them as professors for this program! I would 10/10 recommend this program with the same professors to any and all students who want to go to Barcelona.

Summer 2016 Participant

My academic experience was great. No complaints here. I'll reiterate: I will remember more of what I learned because the excursions crystallized the information.

Summer 2016 Participant

The academics were perfect! All A's across the board and a perfect workload!

Summer 2016 Participant

I really liked both professors, learned a lot about Barcelona, and feel my Spanish improved.

Summer 2016 Participant

The courses were informative and engaging. I felt like I knew a lot more about Barcelona, and the academic context helped me to participate more fully in the culture of Barcelona. The classwork was not time consuming, which left me with a lot of spare time to explore the city.

Summer 2017 Participant

Academically, the course was engaging and the classwork did not feel like work at all but rather an opportunity to reflect on my experience and the excursions we went on.

Summer 2017 Participant

In our first course, we learned about the Roman history of Barcelona and how it expanded to become the city it is today. We also learned a great deal about architecture in the Gothic Quarter and about the works of Gaudi, especially La Sagrada Familia. The homework was manageable for this class; we had readings, blog posts, three quizzes and a final exam. Our professor, Javier Krauel, was very kind, patient, and intelligent. In the second course, we learned about the citizens of Barcelona and their opinions on the layout of the city. We also learned a lot about the architecture and works of Gaudi. The homework included readings, blog posts, a three page essay and a final exam. Our professor, Juan Herrero-Senes, was very intelligent and humorous. He was also very laid back.

Summer 2017 Participant

The overall academic experience was exactly what I was expecting. The classes had a very fair amount of work associated with them. The teachers were very prepared and engaging. The material covered in class was relevant and interesting. What really stood out to me were the excursions. I looked forward to going to class every day because I was excited to see what cultural site we would be visiting that day.

Summer 2016 Participant

I stayed with a host family and my recommendation is to not be shy! They are hosting you because they want to get to know you; ask questions and start conversations!

Summer 2016 Participant

I had little to no interaction with locals. If there is any student that really wants to develop relationships, I would suggest they separate themselves from the group and make a real effort to put themselves out there and approach people. It's basically up to the student. We had one cultural exchange at the beginning of the program but I found it difficult to build any relationships from there.

Summer 2016 Participant

We had very little interaction with locals. We had a go-to restaurant / bar and we got to know the staff pretty well. My advice would be to find a go to cafe or bar or restaurant and get to know the staff there! Some people met friends during the intercambio so definitely take advantage of that!

Summer 2016 Participant

I loved trying to speak in Spanish as much as I could while I was in Barcelona. I would recommend to not be afraid to speak Spanish in the beginning because the locals appreciate the fact that you are trying to speak Spanish more than the fact that you may make some mistakes. Whenever I would go to a restaurant, or a store I would never refrain from speaking in Spanish because I knew that every bit of practice would help me in the long run.

Summer 2016 Participant

At first, it was hard to speak with locals. Most of my interactions were with staff in restaurants and local bakeries. Sometimes, they would switch to English, but I kept speaking Spanish and they usually would switch back. I would recommend speaking as much Spanish as you can while you're in Spain. I feel like I am a competent speaker now compared to before the program.

Summer 2016 Participant

Don't stick with the CU students or your American counterparts. They're overrated and you want to immerse yourself in the local culture. Be outgoing and talk with everyone you run across. Push your Spanish skills to the max and try every new thing you can!

Summer 2016 Participant

If you want to interact with locals you need to make an effort to stay in touch with anyone you meet (ie exchange contact info and reach out to them)

Summer 2016 Participant

The program used local tour guides for a lot of our outings. Outside of my host family it was difficult to meet locals, since the program was limited to CU students. It was fun to chat with bartenders, waiters, and shopkeepers throughout the city. It would be helpful if the program included more interactions with other local students, since the language exchange we did was limited to two hours.

Summer 2017 Participant

I did yoga every week in a Catalan speaking class and after a few classes I could understand almost all the instructions and started speaking (Castellano) with the other people who frequented the class.

Summer 2017 Participant

Most of the interactions with locals occurred in bars or clubs, usually with men. They were friendly with us and spoke Spanish to us which helped improve our speaking skills a lot. I would recommend being social with locals in social settings, since most are friendly and will help you practice your Spanish. I also got to learn a lot about the daily lives of locals through living with a host family.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt safe but it is important to always be alert and aware, same as any large city. Never put your phone in your back pocket.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt very safe. The people in Barcelona are very friendly. There are also a lot of people out at all hours of the day and night so walking alone at night is not scary. My advice would be to always be alert of your surroundings and always know where your personally items are such as a purse, wallet and cell phone.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt safe all the time. For future students I would just suggest that they use their common sense and do not drink too much in excess.

Summer 2016 Participant

I always felt very safe! As long as you have common sense, you will be okay!

Summer 2016 Participant

I never had an experience where I felt unsafe in Barcelona. There are always so many people in the city, and I felt like I could always ask for help if I had needed anything. I didn't feel comfortable going places by myself in the beginning, but once I learned how to navigate the city I had no problem going places alone. At night I felt safer in Barcelona than I did some nights in Boulder. I was always cautious with my belongings, surroundings, and tried not to look like a tourist as much as possible, but other than that I did not take any other precautions.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt incredibly safe living in Barcelona. The advice I have is to always be aware of yourself, your friends, and your surroundings. Keep your bags in front of you when in crowded situations (metro, train) to avoid getting pick- pocketed; that will help you always know that your belongings are safe at all times. Be weary of people on the street but don't completely dismiss anyone who tries to talk with you, just make sure you are still aware to prevent getting tricked or getting put in a different pick-pocket situation, like a team of people who are trying to distract you. Always charge your phone before you leave home, especially if it is for the night! I recommend purchasing a portable charger, this was crucial to make sure that my phone was always available in case of emergencies. Only bring the cash and cards you need on you for the day/night and keep all your extra/spare cash/cards at home. Overall just look out for yourself and the people you are with at all times and then you won't ever feel unsafe or unprepared in case of an emergency situation.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt completely safe while abroad. I never feared for my safety or my life. Watch your wallets for pick-pockets and just be aware of your surroundings.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt safe, but it is a city so you need to use precaution.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt very safe with my host family and the location of their apartment. Similarly, I felt safe at CIEE with the program. There were many nights were I was walking (both alone and with other students) to the metro or to find a taxi and we were followed by men, catcalled, or harassed. It is extremely important to have a buddy with you, especially late at night. Always walk in well-lit areas and never respond to catchers.

Summer 2016 Participant

I personally did not notice any discrimination. Barcelona is a fairly progressive city and seemed to be very inclusive of all people.

Summer 2016 Participant

Our program was quite homogeneous, so it's hard to comment on total inclusion. I didn't sense any exclusion, though.

Summer 2016 Participant

I definitely felt that we were discriminated against in some of the souvenir stores because we are Americans. They would charge us more while buying things. I also feel like broadcasting the fact that we were a big group of Americans carried a stigma for the people in Barcelona because they could definitely tell that we were wealthy tourists. This would cause the people selling things on the streets to always approach us. I also was sometimes approached at night if I was only with a group of girls.

Summer 2016 Participant

I never experienced any inclusiveness or discrimination while on my program based on any of the categories listed.

Summer 2016 Participant

No discrimination whatsoever for me.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt everyone was treated fairly and equally.

Summer 2016 Participant

I felt that Barcelona was an extremely inclusive, accepting city and I was awed by the incredible human diversity in the city.

Summer 2017 Participant

Barcelona is known as being a pick pocket capital but I had no problem with this. The biggest thing is always being aware and trying to appear as a local when you can. A thief will normally target tourists or those not paying attention. You have to be especially careful on the metro or in crowded areas. Learn to be comfortable wearing your purse in front of you.

Summer 2016 Participant

I have developed a new world view after being able to view the United States from the outside and experience a new way of life. Things I always thought of as necessities have proved to be luxuries and I no longer view my culture norms as the only way of life. I also have a new found wanderlust and need to learn more languages and experience new cultures.

Summer 2016 Participant

I think this experience has made me want to travel abroad more frequently and possibly live in a different country.

Summer 2016 Participant

I have learned a lot of things about Barcelona as a city, and its history. Personally, for me, this experience also helped me realize a lot more about what I do and do not want in terms of a place to live long term.

Summer 2016 Participant

I learned the value of traveling and learning about other cultures, and now I want to travel more and see more! I also gained a lot of independence and a stronger sense of self from the program. I learned what type of surroundings I should live in one day, and which ones I should avoid.

Summer 2016 Participant

I'm now fluent in Spanish. Great!

Summer 2016 Participant

It gave me an idea of what it's like to live in a big city and to live abroad. It further encouraged me to study abroad more and travel abroad if I have the opportunity.

Summer 2016 Participant

Dinner with my host mom was always interesting because she would make me traditional Catalan dishes using her mothers recipes and it felt so special to experience food passed down through generations.

Summer 2016 Participant

On two three-day weekends some friends and I went to Paris, France and Rome, Italy.

Summer 2016 Participant

I went to the Pyrenees with a friend and helped him chop down a tree that would later be used in a traditional catalan festival. The trees we cut were carved down, set ablaze at the top, and then carried down a mountain. From above, the line descending looks like a fiery snake. My friend was telling me the whole time that I was probably the first US citizen to ever take part in the tradition.

Summer 2016 Participant

We went to Paris for one weekend! It was so, so much fun. We saw the Euro Cup going on, we saw the Eiffle Tower, the Louvre, etc. It was so much fun and such a great experience to get away for the weekend.

Summer 2016 Participant

I befriended the entire staff of a local restaurant and made lifetime friends!

Summer 2013 Participant

That I should have brought my smart phone, and used it solely as a wi-fi device. Phones aren't necessary, but using your phone over wi-fi as a messenger was incredibly useful.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wish I had known that it is not a cultural norm to pet strangers dogs.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wish I would have known how humid Europe is. I would have packed differently.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wished I had really known how hot it was going to be. I also wished I had known that it didn't matter so much what I wore (I was lead to believe that there was a very specific way that everyone dressed in Barcelona). Both of these would've affected my packing decisions for the better.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wish that we had known to plan trips before leaving. I traveled on three of the weekends, and all of the trips were phenomenal, but there were some that could have been a lot better had we planned them further in advance. So I wish that we had all gotten to know each other better earlier and planned some trips earlier.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wish that I had known how safe of a city Barcelona was in the beginning because then I would not have been nervous to explore by myself during the day.

Summer 2016 Participant

I wish I would've convinced myself to make more local friends. If I could've I wouldn't have hung out with any of my fellow CU students. They were less welcoming and a lot meaner than the local population haha.

Summer 2016 Participant

It is very hard to live in a large city like Barcelona when you have never lived in a city larger than Boulder before!

Summer 2016 Participant

I would recommend this program to anyone who is interested in Barcelona! It was such a great experience!

Summer 2016 Participant

Don't come to Barcelona with any expectations, just be flexible and go day by day enjoying each experience you have to the fullest! Takes lots of pictures and write a journal if you can keep up with it! These will help you for when you want to look back on your trip. This experience will change you in the long-term and was amazing for me to build my independence and help me learn more about myself.