Isa’s Guide to Sevilla

With more and more family and friends planning their trips to visit, I’ve been compiling a list of Sevilla touristy treasures & hidden gems to be must-sees during their time here. I thought I’d share these ideas with all of you and if you ever find yourself in the south of Spain, you’ll have my …

The People Make the Place

The first 24 hours after my mom dropped me off at O’Hare airport in Illinois were scary, fun, hectic, and disorienting. Upon arriving at the first airport of the upcoming 4, I struggled to check in and check my bag. That was when I began to worry if I was taking on more than I …

Present-oriented Pre-departure

In just a few days I will be departing Chicago to head to Sevilla! Well… technically I’ll be headed to New York… then Madrid… then Sevilla. After pushing through each obstacle leading up to this adventure, I am still shocked that this day is finally arriving.  I cannot wait to explore Spain, meet my host …

Residential Life Abroad

A look at residential halls as a study-abroad living situation other than home-stays. Before going abroad, I had heard nothing but oodles of praise for living with a family in a home-stay situation while studying abroad. I had heard how great it is for immersion and to get one-on-one support during your time abroad, and …

Bienvenido a Granada!

In the week plus since I have arrived in Granada, I have done so many wonderful things, most of which were due to my amazing orientation program through IES.

Chapter 4: The People

The people here in Sevilla will forever be the most memorable part of my time studying abroad. The culture here in Spain is so different than in the United States. It has taken some time getting used to, but these past weeks, I have finally begun to understand how Spaniards think, and how it effects …

Chapter 3: Morocco

When you think of Morocco, what comes to mind? Everyone has their inclinations. If you’ve seen movies or know a little about the country, you may feel like you have an idea. The three short days that I spent there, I realized two things: that everything I thought before was very wrong, and that I …

Chapter 2: Portugal

On Friday, February 7th, a group of about twenty CIEE students made their way onto a bus. This bus was heading to the infamous Lisbon, Portugal (or Lisboa as they say). We had the Airbnb, round trip tickets and passports ready. I came into the weekend without any expectations or notions as to what this …

Chapter 1: Setting Roots

So far, my time in this wonderful city has been nothing short of amazing. In the two weeks that I have been here, I have had the pleasure of experiencing a lot for the first time. My favorite by far is la Plaza de España which is one of Spain’s largest and most beautiful attractions …

A Beginner’s Guide to Sevilla

On the morning of January 15th, I woke up to sounds of a plane engine. Getting out of the hotel bed and walking over to the window, I could see the plane rising up over the O’Hare control tower and disappearing into the grey clouds hanging low in the sky. I was in Chicago with …