Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad in Seville

Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad in Seville, Spain

Last year, I studied abroad in Seville, Spain, and it was the best decision of my college career so far!

I went into college knowing that I wanted to study abroad for a semester during my college career because I felt that it was a once in a lifetime experience and was not sure when in my life I would have another opportunity to spend four months living in a different country.

This was the best decision of my college career because it truly was a unique experience that has impacted my life and personality greatly. Since I am minoring in Spanish, I knew I wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country, so that I could immerse myself in the language and improve my Spanish-speaking and comprehension skills.

I decided to go to Spain because I had never been to Spain before. I had never even heard about Seville before I started looking into study abroad programs. I ended up picking Seville because it was the only university that offered a course that would go towards my major. Seville ended up being my favorite city, and it was the perfect fit for me and the cultural experience I was looking for.

Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad in Seville Spain - Academic Studies Abroad

Travel

Getting a Student Visa:

The student visa process snuck up on me, because I was under the impression that a United States passport was enough to study abroad. Do not make this mistake!

A student visa is needed for all American citizens who are visiting Spain for over 90 days.

The process differs for each person based on your college and home state. Based on my university and hometown, I was given the option of going to the Spanish Embassy in Houston, TX or Miami, FL. At the time, the Houston Embassy was appointment only, and they did not have any open appointments for my time window.

I decided to go to Miami, which was walk-in only. I went there with all of the specified documents, including the Visa application, passport size picture, money order, notarized bank statement, proof of medical insurance, letter of acceptance from my university in Spain, and passport.

These requirements change based on which Spanish embassy covers your region of the country.

I got there at 8:30 am right when the embassy opened and was handed a number, which was my place in line. I waited for about 30 minutes then entered an office where the lady collected my papers and asked me a few basic questions regarding my purpose of going abroad. The whole interview took about five minutes. Plan ahead because they have to keep your passport for two to four weeks in order to attach the Visa to the passport!

Getting to Seville from the US:

I booked a round trip flight because that is what is recommended in order to avoid any problems in the Visa and travel process. I flew from the U.S. to Madrid on an 8 hour flight from Chicago, and then a 1 hour flight from Madrid to Seville.

I recommend booking your tickets as early as possible because they get more expensive the closer you book it to your travel date. Once you arrive in Spain, you will have to go through customs. At the customs counter, you will show your passport.

The officer may or may not ask you questions about the purpose of your trip and then will stamp your passport for entry into the country. You will also have to claim your checked baggage, which in my case meant moving it from one baggage claim line to another that will take it to your final destination.

Getting from the airport to central Seville:

The train station and airport in Seville are pretty accessible as there is a special airport bus that makes stops at both the San Pablo Airport and Santa Justa Train Station along with several stops all throughout the city. This bus is called Linea EA, and the costs are way cheaper than an Uber or taxi. Taxis are usually about 25 to 30 euros depending on the time of day. Ubers are around 20 euros also varying depending on the surge and time of they day.

Within Seville:

Throughout my four months in Seville, I mostly walked to get around, as my host family’s residence was very close to the center of the city. I used Uber and the super simple and convenient metro for other travel within the city. I did not use the taxi system because Uber was pretty cheap when I needed it.

Travel outside of Seville:

Studying in the south of Spain allows for easy travel to many nearby countries and cities. The most exotic place that I was able to visit, which I was not even planning on visiting, was Morocco.

I went to Morocco through a travel company called We Love Spain, who has been in business for over 30 years taking students on high quality yet affordable trips around the region. On this trip, I was able to visit many different cities in Morocco along with the Strait of Gibraltar. I also traveled to Portugal with this company.

Cadiz is a beautiful beach city just a short and cheap train ride away from Seville, which is also where one of the best-known carnivals in Spain takes place. The Carnival of Cadiz takes place in February for 11 days. It is best described as an on-going street party, where people where costumes and dance and celebrate all over the city. Thousands of people visit Cadiz during this time to experience this festival.

People in streets dressed up in costumes during the Carnival

What to do in Seville

Must eats:

The best homemade gelato out of countless places I tried was Créeme. They had the most unique flavors, so it is definitely a must-try for the foodies that like something out of the ordinary.

Address: Pl. del Museo, 2, 41001 Sevilla, Spain

For more of the common but still delicious and rich gelato flavors, Rayas is the spot to try.

*Address: Calle Almte. Apodaca, 41003 Sevilla, Spain*

Churros are a popular afternoon snack in Spain, but they are different from the thick, cinnamon covered American churros some are used to. The best churros in Seville are at Bar El Comercio, and are served with the richest yet lightest chocolate dip.

*Address: Calle Lineros, 9, 41004 Sevilla, Spain*

Milagritos is a great restaurant with a good deal: 20 euros to experience a flamenco show while eating a local dish and sipping on one beverage of choice.

Address: Calle Alemanes, 35, 41004 Sevilla, Spain

Best attractions:

One of my favorite attractions that was a bit of a hidden gem was the art fair that took place in front of the Museum of Fine Arts every Sunday morning. Local artists showed off paintings, drawings, handicrafts, and other items that made for great souvenirs and gifts.

An art display from the Sunday morning art fair

My second favorite place in all of Seville was the Setas, also known as the Metropol Parasol. The Metropol Parasol is known to be the world’s largest wooden structure and has become a city icon due to the unique design. This is a popular attraction in Seville, but no matter how many times I visited or even walked by it, I was always mesmerized by the structure. I tried to study and picnic on the steps of the Setas as much as I could.

While abroad, there were many clubs and bars that participated in the International Student Nights, which were great opportunities to meet other students studying abroad. My favorite of these nightclubs was Koko. We definitely appreciated the McDonald’s express window that stayed open until 3 AM on our way home after a fun night dancing at Koko.

Honest opinion: McDonald’s in Europe is a hundred times better than America, but do not expect honey mustard in Seville.

Koko Address: Pl. de la Encarnación, 38, 41003 Sevilla, Spain

McDonald’s Address: Paseo de las Delicias, 5, 41013 Sevilla, Spain

My favorite experience was attending a SFC futbol game. Futbol is such a huge part of the Spanish culture, so a few of my friends and I decided to buy tickets for a game at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in Seville. It was such a great cultural experience being in the stadium and experiencing all of the hype and joy of the crowd every time Seville scored.

The inside of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in SevilleAddress: Calle Sevilla Fútbol Club, s/n, 41005 Sevilla, Spain — The inside of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in Seville
Address: Calle Sevilla Fútbol Club, s/n, 41005 Sevilla, Spain

School + Academics

In Seville, I attended Universidad Pablo de Olavide, which was on the outskirts of the city, so I had to use the metro to get to school. Honestly I was a little nervous at first because I had never used public transportation on a daily basis, but the experience of commuting each day with locals and learning how to explore the city via metro helped me feel more like a local and less like a visitor.

While abroad, I took Spanish Art, Spanish History through Film, Sports Psychology, and Intermediate Spanish. All of my classes, except Intermediate Spanish, were taught in English and were only with other International students. However, my school offered many out of class opportunities to interact with local students through “intercambio” events and excursions that included both international and local students attending Universidad Pablo de Olavide. I was also able to babysit during my free time through a program set up by the university.

Host family

Living with a host family was the best decision I made when it came to studying abroad. I was so nervous about it beforehand, but it ended up enriching my cultural experience so much.

My host mom made traditional Spanish meals and explained the meals and traditions when we ate them, which enhanced my understanding of the culture. She was so accommodating and provided me with advice when it came to things to do in Seville and traveling.

When I got homesick or sad, my host mom was there to offer support. Living with a local greatly improved my language skills beyond the classroom. My host mom did not speak any English, and this made me so nervous, but it actually ended up helping me learn the language and become more fluent.

Everyday I would wake up and just speak Spanish without really even realizing that I was speaking Spanish. I faced some cultural adjustments when living with her, but it made me feel like a true part of the Spanish community. Some of these adjustments included 10 minute showers (which is short for me), later meal times, lunch as the largest meal of the day, and no central heating or AC.

Culture in Seville

Seville is a smaller city when compared to Madrid or Barcelona, but it was the perfect size in my opinion. I got to know the city so well in four months that it actually felt like home when I left.

Although many tourists visit Seville, it still keeps its authenticity and charm, which made my experience even more special. The locals did not treat me like a tourist but rather as one of their own. Almost everyone speaks Spanish and may or may not be able to switch to English, but everyone was super hospitable and tried their best to accommodate me and my novice Spanish language abilities.

One of the most noticeable differences between Spanish and American culture was that people dress presentable everyday even to go to the grocery store. Wearing athletic clothing is not common unless you are heading to the gym. When I asked my host mom about this, she said that people dress nice here because they take pride in how they present themselves to others and want to make sure they present themselves well at all times. I took this as an important part of living and learning another culture and started to dress nicer unless I was going to the gym.

Another big cultural difference is that people, even young kids, love being out in the streets until about 1 or 2 AM partly due to the “siesta” time during the day, which is usually a 2-hour mid-day break where shops and businesses close. After this break time, some shops stay closed for the day or re-open.

Since I lived with a host mom, I did not shop for groceries often, but I loved walking into different grocery stores when roaming the city just to see the different products. I was so shocked when I saw they do not refrigerate their milk or eggs because they process their milk and eggs differently to where they do not require refrigeration.

Little did I know that most of the world does not refrigerate their milk and eggs. They also charge extra for plastic bags, so I made sure to always take my backpack. Fruit availability greatly changed based on season, so many of the berries were not available for part of the time I was abroad. One of the biggest differences was the ticket number system used in the big markets. Each customer grabs a ticket number upon arriving at the stalls and then waits to be called to the front to tell the vendor what he/she wants. It is also considered rude to touch the fruit and vegetables when looking.

In Seville, it is uncommon for people to invite friends to their house; they would rather meet in restaurants and bars and hang out there until around 1 or 2 AM. Waiters in restaurants also do not want customers to feel rushed, so they do not check on customers multiple times like “good” servers in the United States do.

My first restaurant experience in Seville lasted three hours because I was waiting for the waiter to come over and take my order and bring me my check. However, I learned that I had to call the waiter over when I needed something.

Water is also not served unless asked for, and if a customer asks for water at a restaurant, the server will automatically bring over bottled water, which costs money. Ask for “agua de grifo,” which is tap water, to avoid having to pay for water.

My adjustment

When I first got to Seville, I had the opposite experience that most students studying abroad normally have. Homesickness and culture shock hit me first, and then about a month and a half later I was in the honeymoon phase. My ASA director, Nicole, played a significant role in helping me adjust to this big transition. Since she knew I was struggling, she reached out during the first few weeks and made sure that I had someone to talk to and made sure that I was doing okay.

Meeting the other students in the ASA program is when my experience completely changed, because I started to make new friends. ASA planned dinners and coffee meets that really helped all of us stay in touch and talk about our experiences! Through this study abroad experience, I grew so much and learned to appreciate new cultures and lifestyles. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

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