| 
| 
| 
|  |
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
Spain: Student Comments
“It's been a great experience; I loved it, and I am really glad I did the year program. I've gone through my moments of homesickness and tough times, but there have been so many more good times. I have matured and grown in many positive ways. I accomplished everything I set out to do, including getting an internship and discovering what I want to do after I graduate. I've always been independent, but I just feel so much stronger as a person than I did before. Although I am a native speaker, my Spanish has improved. I know that I am a better person because of this experience. ” —Christine Alvisurez, UC Santa Barbara “Spain has become my adopted country. I'm so glad I was there for the full year. I'm fluent in Spanish and have lifelong friends from all over Spain and Europe. I know my career and future will be enhanced because of this unique and challenging year. Thank you EAP!” —EAP Student “Cádiz was awesome! I now have friends (Spanish and American) all over Spain and was very glad to arrive in Barcelona with a month of Spain under my belt.” —EAP Student “My Spanish has improved exponentially and this was the purpose of coming to Spain. After studying here, I realize that I want to further pursue my interest in Spanish and get my master's degree in Spanish.” —EAP Student “Madrid is such a fun city: so much to do, so much to see. I had a lot of fun just living the life of a city girl and getting out and practicing Spanish with whoever would talk to me.” —EAP Student “Academically I learned ten times more than I thought I was going to. It's not simply the classes that are taught, but also the way in which classes are taught and the kinds of things that are emphasized.” —EAP Student “I returned with self-confidence, self-reliance, and a wisdom that came from my experiences. For around 20 years you have lived within a culture and surroundings that define you. Then you move to a place where these things-music, language, clothing, trends, faces, buildings, transportation-alter how you view yourself. You are free to ask yourself who you are and who you want to be. It's scary but I would not do it differently for anything” —EAP Student “I truly feel that the essence of the study abroad experience is in the inconsequential, everyday experience of living in a foreign country-like daily sightings of the little old lady who sold bread in La Plaza Trinidad, known for its 'friendly' old men, begging dogs, and beautiful fountain.” —EAP Student “It was truly the best year of my life-a positive experience in personal, social, and mental growth. Going to Spain enabled me to improve my Spanish-speaking skills, and then get a job teaching Spanish-speaking students.” —Seda Aykanian, UC Los Angeles “My most memorable and important accomplishment that I achieved while in Barcelona was learning to dance the salsa. It brought out a passion within me that I never knew I had. It aslo provided me with the opportunity to meet so many international people and a whole new outlet for making friends.” —Laura Bachrach, UC Santa Cruz “My junior year in Spain was the first step on the road that has led me to my career in the press and cultural sector of the U.S. Foreign Service. I feel deeply indebted to EAP, the administrative and teaching staffs, and my fellow students for making the rest of the world so interesting for me.” —David Bustamante, UC Los Angeles “Participating in the EAP Program strengthened my interest in the Spanish language and Latin American culture. Being Mexican, I also felt I got in touch with part of my roots, one part being indigenous.” —Roxana Cardenas, UC Los Angeles “My year in Madrid was my year to travel like I had never imagined possible. With all the cheap airline sites online to discounted train and bus tickets I got from STA, I was able to travel to 10 countries! These travels and my travels throughout Spain were incredibly important to me and have subsequently changed the way I look at the world.” —Roberto Contreras, UC Los Angeles “More than just traveling, EAP offers the opportunity to live and study in the host country on their terms while still making real progress toward a UC degree. I changed my major from biology to Spanish literature because of my experiences in Mexico and Spain. I went far away to learn about other cultures and nations and people, and I learned more about my own country, my own culture, and above all, myself. Once I finally did change my major, I received higher grades than I ever had. This I owe to my understanding of what was important to me, something I would never possess to the same extent that I do now were it not for EAP.” —Lenore De Asis, UC Irvine “One of my favorite memories of being in Spain would be going to the grocery store and pretending to be Spanish. I'd use my best accent and would constantly be mistaken for a Spaniard, one of the most rewarding feelings while being abroad. Fitting into a society and looking at it from a foreigner's point of view are two things studying abroad afforded me.” —Sean Dubberke, UC Santa Barbara “Spain is an extremely diverse country. To go from north to south is to see two different lifestyles and mentalities. Granada is a beautiful and peaceful city. The people do not live the fast-paced life that many of us are used to in the States. They have an appreciation for life and know how to enjoy it. In Granada the undiscovered jewels are as abundant as the olive trees that fill its plains.” —Jason Edwards, UC Santa Barbara “It was the best decision I made in college!” —Jeffrey Fein, UC San Diego “My experience gave me a 'world' perspective on life and other cultures/peoples. A very important part of a liberal arts education-now even more so with the diversity we find here in our institutions and our reliance on international interaction/collaboration on all fronts (i.e., business, education, and politics).” —Joyce Fernandez, UC Santa Barbara “EAP expanded my views of the world and completely destroyed any geographical limitations I had imposed on my life's goals. I now see my future as global, not limited within the borders of the United States. I was unaware of the limitations I had been imposing upon myself. EAP and living abroad helped me take a tally of my life and really come to grips with what I want to do with it.” —Ian Forrest, UC Irvine “Through my EAP experience, I had the opportunity of meeting and interacting with many different professors. One in particular, Gabriel Cardona, encouraged us to talk with him about the cities we would travel to prior to going, as he had considerable traveling experience. I had arranged to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, and then to Fes, Morocco. Prior to these trips, I had only traveled within Europe, and these cities and cultures were sure to be extrodinarily different from the places I had formerly visited. I explained this to Profesor Cardona, who immediately scheduled a time for us to meet over coffee, so that he could remark on the different cultures and advise me on where to eat and what to see. It was both fun and enlightening, and in retrospect, one of my dearest memories. What a sweet man!” —Lauren Friedman “Spain is wonderful and Madrid is so alive. Every square meter tells a story and around every corner awaits a beautiful sight.” —Crystal Gonzalez, UC Irvine “Sometimes you need to leave your comfort zone to grow, live, and learn to your potential. Be adventurous and discover yourself and the world around you.” —Margarita Gonzalez-Jorda, UC Irvine “Though I didn't expect to play any sports while abroad I was surprised to find a co-ed lacrosse team. After spending a long weekend in Barcelona I donned a red Madrid shirt and played against a few Engish teams. Calling "aqui" and communicating other instructions in Spanish, I could only stifle a giggle that one of the English girls seemed surprised that I spoke English so well.” —Brigette Henk, UC Irvine “I haven't found the solutions to the problems of humanity. I still have trouble finding my house keys and I still get lost a lot. But I have found a self-assurance, a readiness to deal with the problems of the world, an ability to handle the problems of my own life. A year abroad helped me learn a little bit about the world that surrounds me, and a lot about what I have within me.” —Ryan Hill, UC Irvine “EAP broadened my perspective on the world in which we live. Within the extremely fast-paced and dynamic business environment of the Silicon Valley, today's solutions quickly become yesterday's obsolete practices. We must constantly question the status quo. My deep introspection and realization that there are many roads to the same final destination were revelations gained from my EAP experience.” —George Holmes, UC Los Angeles “Barcelona changed my life forever. I learned to never look back-only onward. This Earth is far too large and ever-changing to feel that you have seen or done enough. Thank you, ¡gracias! EAP and España.” —Jose Iniquez, UC Irvine “My stay in Barcelona was stupendous. I would learn about the estilo gótico in my art classes then reflect upon what I had learned as I walked through my own neighborhood. My world was constantly alive as I learned new words from two languages (Castellano y Catalán). My neighborhood, although what some consider to be the worst in Spain, felt eons safer than Channing Way at any time of the day. I spent less money that year than I would have spent in Berkeley, including tuition. And I visited much of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Turkey. I am so fascinated with the Spanish language now that I have decided to move to Buenos Aires.” —Karen Keller, UC Berkeley “I loved Spain! I really liked living with the family I was placed with because they had four kids who were all pretty close to my age, so I learned a lot from them. I loved how open Spainards were, especially the men.” —Adrienne Kezirian, UC Santa Barbara “In Madrid, I lived in an apartment with seven other girls, all from different countries. My favorite memories were sitting in the kitchen with a couple bottles of great, cheap Spanish wine trying to relate to each other in Spanish. By the end of the year, I had visited most of them in thier home countries, and hopefully I will see all of them in the U.S. sometime in the next few years. I made such amazing friends from all over the world, and to me, that was the most rewarding part of my EAP experience” —Elyse Klein, UC Santa Barbara “One of the best parts of my time abroad was forging bonds with a family in another country. I would have felt so homsick and lonely if I didn't have the support and comfort of my señora, host sister, and roommate. They taught us how to make Spanish dishes, like tortilla española and churros con chocolate.” —Alicia Lakomski, UC Santa Cruz “The only thing that was awful about my EAP experience was the fact that I had to come home. While studying abroad, you forget about a lot of aspects of your life back in the U.S. You become acclimated to a more lenient school system, far worldier people, and a lifestyle that affords you seemingly endless travel opportunites and a chance to truly define your social and night life.” —Benjamin Lazarus, UC San Diego “One of my favorite activities in Spain was a swim class I took through the university. I was the only American there. Making Spanish friends isn't an easy task for shy ones, like me, so this was a great opportunity.” —Becky Lee, UC Los Angeles “Studying abroad in Spain was one of the greatest experiences of my life and probably the greatest of my undergraduate years! Nothing beats the daily siestas when all the shops close down and everyone takes a break to get together with friends and family for lunch and oftentimes a nap. Traveling to the different regions of Spain allowed me to immerse myself in the distinct sub-cultures that exist in the country. Studying in Spain also allowed me to easily travel to nearby European countries. Through the EAP program, I've met many people from diverse backgrounds who I still keep in touch. The academic curriculum supplemented my EAP experience by offering a wide range of cultural, language, and history classes. The native Spanish professors not only taught us lessons in their class, but also taught us about the way of life in Spain and their culture. It was really great to apply what I learned in class directly to the real world, especially the language and grammar classes that helped me communicate with locals and my Spanish roommates. Also, taking classes such as literature and learning about Spain's development really allowed me to appreciate the sites and tourist attractions more because I could understand the history behind them.” —Richard Lee, UC Los Angeles “Córdoba is a nice mix of the old and the new. The Juderia is the old section of the city where the Mezquita and the ancient synagogue are housed. The city has a blend of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian architectural influences.” —Emily Lerner, UC Santa Cruz “Having an interest in music, I got involved in the university radio program at the Facultad de Ciencias de la Información. I shared a 30-minute program with a Spanish student who played mostly British pop. I focused on independent American bands. Through this valuable experience, I vastly improved my Spanish and met great and fun people.” —Mike Locke, UC Los Angeles “Spending my junior year in Spain was probably one of the best things I could have done to enrich my university-level educational experience. I became fluent in Spanish and have now been working as an interpreter for the past six-and-a-half years.” —Rachel Lundquist, UC Santa Cruz “One of my best memories was working so hard on completing a 15-page paper, finishing it after multiple weeks and receiving a great grade for it; to complete that in a foreign language is a great feeling.” —Melissa Main, UC Santa Barbara “Due to my experience and increased language proficiency through EAP, I have had wonderful job opportunities. I was a flight attendant for an international airline for eight years, sold wine for a distributor in Bordeaux, France, and have worked as an INS agent for the last eight-and-a-half years (where Spanish is a requirement). This year I went to the Federal Law Enforcement Academy to teach Spanish to other INS officers for four months. My experience living in Europe has made it easy to travel back there on a regular basis.” —Roseanne Mangano, UC Irvine “Absolutely the most amazing experience of my life. To this day I am in touch with my Spanish family. My favorite memory is the dinners we would have: We would sit around the table for hours chatting about everything from politics to religion to sex. It was so nice to have such a strong bond with these people, to the point where I feel completely comfortable to call them family.” —Desiree Manoucheri, UC Santa Barbara “The highlight of my year abroad in Madrid was my cultural interaction with a Spanish family. Even though I only started out as a babysitter, they quickly adopted me as a member of their family, invited me to eat with them every weekend, and even brought me along on family vacations. It was a great experience to see how a Spanish family lives every day and it greatly improved my Spanish. They will always be like real family to me. They have invited me to return to stay with them anytime and I hope someday they will come to America to visit me!” —Kristi March, UC Los Angeles “I have had the most incredible year of my life. I feel like I'm part of Granada and Granada is a part of me. To every potential EAPer: By going abroad, you do not miss out on anything-you gain a whole new world of friends and experience and an enriched perspective on home life. The culture of Spain is incredible-vibrant, warm, and full of life. Aside from the academic experience, I feel like I have learned invaluable lessons about people, myself, the United States, and the future that I want for my own life.” —Amanda Miller, UC Los Angeles “Come with an open mind and Granada will become a part of you: the Alhambra lit up at night, the narrow cobblestone streets of the Albaycin lined with Arabic tea houses, the musicians in Plaza Nueva, and the friends I'm leaving behind in this magical city that is now my home.” —Dana Mullins, UC Davis “While traveling throughout Andalucía, Spain, I remember arriving in Córdoba too late one night to look for hostels. Instead, my friend Alex and I decided to sleep on park benches with our bags tied to our limbs for warmth. The next morning we woke up to a Japanese tour gathering around us to take photographs” —Victor Negrete, UC Santa Barbara “I traveled to the Canary Islands with a Spanish friend and stayed at his house with his entire family. His family was incredibly hospitable and personally showed me the entire island. I had the opportunity to experience this family's dynamic culture and lifestyle, which was much different than that of a typical family in the U.S. It was tough at times to adjust to my friend's family and the little idiosyncracies that defined them, but I feel that I am now less ignorant to cultural differences and mannerisms in people from a country different than my own.” —Daniel Oblath, UC Davis “My year in Spain was the best experience of my young adulthood. Being totally immersed in Spanish, I learned to speak it. But what I learned about myself was of the most value to me-my interest in the Spanish culture, my own spirit of adventure, and self-reliance. This experience shaped my life. I strongly recommend it to anyone even considering it. The possibilities for discovery are numerous and fascinating. The effects are far-reaching.” —Naomi Pollack, UC Berkeley “Cádiz is beautiful and the locals are super friendly. Spending my first month there was a great way to start my year in Spain. The professors worked hard to help us understand not only the language but the cultural differences it represents. Not only did my confidence in Spanish grow but I was able to learn about Spanish traditions in a fun city. When I arrived in Madrid, I felt more adapted and academically prepared to face the year ahead of me.” —Kimberly Pope, UC Santa Barbara “My new career choice (teaching Spanish) is largely a part of the influence the year in Spain had on me.” —Kimberly Pope, UC Santa Barbara “I joined my host university's rugby team and the experience allowed me to make great friends and travel.” —Jessica Price, UC Santa Barbara “No matter what strange twists and turns my career has taken, I've loved being able to speak to Spanish speakers in their language. I plan to bring medical care to immigrant communities and to relief efforts abroad. EAP helped me realize all this.” —Laura Robinson, UC Berkeley “I wanted to be a journalist. I have used my year in Spain as a touchstone experience. Learning Spanish and the art history of Europe through the Prado have been invaluable. Knowing Spanish hasn't helped in my career decisions, but I believe it has helped in my writing.” —Susanne Rockwell, UC Davis “My year abroad at the University if Madrid directly impacted my career decisions to become a flight attendant, high school Spanish teacher, and a library media specialist. It gave me the confidence and security to delve into other intensive language acquisition programs and to live abroad for five years in West Germany and Mexico. It whetted my appetite to travel and explore more of the world, other peoples, and cultures. I can't recommend it enough!” —Karen Roelke, UC Irvine “Just sitting in the cafeteria where each of your friends is from another country and has another story to tell for hours. Trying to avoid the blazing Madrid heat by sipping on a cervezita with some olives. Only the best!” —Mikhael Roussos, UC Berkeley “I had a great time making friends in Spain. Unexpectedly it was challenging, but my struggles are reflected in lessons I learned from friends there. I allowed myself and then forced myself to be more curious than ever before. And I think I may have had a lot more fun living that way.” —Paul Shirk, UC Los Angeles “I loved it! I have friends from Italy, France, Belgium, the U.K., and of course, Spain. I happened to live with two Italian girls, a German couple, and a Spanish guy. At first we were all kind of shy and just kept to our own rooms. But little by little, we started to hang out at the common area and kitchen more. In the end, we were throwing parties every month. My experience was a constant culture exchange. Little things like how we do our high fives, how we date, how to say this word in this language, and big things, like politics. I love the inter-mixing of all these different beautiful cultures. I would not have seen or known all these different things like German hotdogs don't fit perfectly on a bun or Italians get enaged after a year of dating or if you invite a Spaniard to something you're paying. Oh man, it's amazing. Go study abroad.” —Sawako Sonoyama, UC Berkeley “Every morning, as is the custom, I traveled to her cramped little cart, 'Ernestina, Panadería.' I made my way through the old men to find her sweet little face among the bread and ordered a loaf of pán italiano. The first time I just pointed and held my hand out full of foreign money. She took the correct change and gave me a totally indecipherable, yet somehow friendly greeting. By mid-year she knew my order and I handed her the right change. We were on a first-name basis: I was la niña and she was la señora. She complimented my accent and I told her I liked her haircut. For an entire year, every morning, I blessed my belly with her heavenly bread until one morning something very special happened. La señora gave me a bonus loaf (a privilege only granted to her most beloved and regular customers). I blushed and thanked her; she replied, 'Que te vaya bien niña,' (Go well child), and I walked away tearing into the warm, fresh bread of Granada.” —Laura Tabet, UC Berkeley “Being a Spanish literature major, my goal was to study Spanish lit and experience Spanish culture. EAP has made many of my dreams come true. Not only did I study in Spain, but I also had the opportunity to see and experience other European cultures as well. What I learned through EAP was that there is so much more to see and experience than what I thought there was. EAP expanded my horizons and now I feel that there is so much more I need to accomplish.” —Arasely Valadez, UC Riverside “Iv'e been abroad three times and each time has been equally rewarding. I have grown as a person each time I've been away from my family and I'm very grateful for having been abroad as an exchange student and not only as a tourist.” —Daisy Villicana, UC Santa Cruz “This experience has taught me the true definition of independence. It has made me more worldly and has shaped my views about a myriad of things, ranging from my career to my thoughts about the States. It is impossible to describe a typical day while abroad because there is no set routine and it is incredible. One day I may be stressing out about a test, the next day I may be sitting next to an ancient cathedral drinking a beer, while the next day I may be in a totally different culture. This experience is completely unpredictable and has far surpassed any expectations that I had.” —Keren Wexler, UC Santa Barbara “My EAP experience in Madrid was the start of an international career/lifestyle. I had never lived abroad before that time. Since that time I have lived in Brazil, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. I have continued to use Spanish and Portuguese in my work here in New York and while traveling. EAP introduced me to living abroad and gave me the confidence that I could settle in and enjoy other countries and cultures.” —Marie Wickham, UC Davis “The most rewarding aspect of studying abroad is the courage, strength, and building of self-esteem you receive. One day you realize that you can live in a foreign country and survive. You become accustomed to life's daily routine-you smile and are proud of yourself. And you should be! Granada is a walkable town, yet big enough to find everything you could possibly need. It is close to the mountains and the beach. The atmosphere of Granada is great for developing yourself during your experience abroad.” —Kimberly Zierten, UC Davis
|
| x | Copyright ©
the Regents of the University of California |
