Ketina’s Spring Semester in Salamanca

25

Eager to step into the footsteps of a college student who studied abroad in Spain? We recently caught up with Ketina from the University of North Dakota, who studied abroad with AIFS Abroad in Salamanca during the spring semester. 

Discover how Ketina’s study abroad experience with AIFS Abroad helped change her perspective on life and become more fluent in Spanish. 

Deciding Where & When to Study Abroad 

Choosing where and when to study abroad can be a difficult choice for many students (especially considering all the great options with AIFS Abroad!). Ketina wanted a Spanish-speaking country that wasn’t too touristy, so Salamanca was an ideal choice. Below, she explains her decision to study abroad during spring semester with an early start: 

“I chose an early start so that I could ease into being in a new place. I selected spring because it fit better into my schedule. Spring in Spain is amazing! Experiencing Reyes Magos and Semana Santa is truly wonderful. I think tourism is higher in the spring, but that didn’t bother me.” 

Academic Experience 

Studying abroad gives you access to unique courses, new professors and classmates, and a fresh academic environment. Hear Ketina describe her academic experience in Salamanca: 

“It was daunting at first, but I really came to love it in the end. All of the professors were very nice, and I learned a lot! I especially loved my GTA (graduate teaching assistant) for morfología (morphology). I loved morfología. It was hard. I definitely had to study a lot, but I loved the challenge. I loved how deep we got into the topic, and it really piqued my interest.” 

Language Learning 

While you are not required to speak or learn a second language to study abroad, many students like Ketina do. She explains her experience learning Spanish in Salamanca here: 

“I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know until I got there. My Spanish improved immensely just by being immersed in the language all the time. I also took a lot of grammar courses that refined my Spanish skills. By the end, many people told me that my conversational Spanish was really good and that I sounded fluent. My advice is to put yourself out there. Spaniards love it when people speak Spanish, even if you’re a beginner. So, just embrace the struggle, and you’ll eventually reap the benefits.” 

Budgeting & Finances Abroad 

Finances are a major consideration for many study abroad students. Oftentimes, student financial aid packages can be used for study abroad programs if your university allows it—so make sure to check with your financial aid office! Also, AIFS Abroad offers a number of scholarships and grants that can reduce costs. 

Additionally, you should consider extra costs while you’re abroad, such as traveling and shopping. Below, Ketina offers some tips for budgeting while abroad: 

“My advice is to budget more than you think you will need. Being in Europe, you’ll want to visit all the nearby countries since they are so close together. Another piece of advice is not to forget about spring break. In my program, most of us didn’t have school on Fridays, which made it easy to travel frequently. By the time spring break arrived in April, we realized we didn’t have much money left.” 

Housing 

All AIFS Abroad study abroad programs include housing. Ketina chose a homestay, and as she explains, she was glad she did: 

“I lived in a homestay and IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. No problems, everything was great. Theresa (my host mom) was a queen, such a great cook and a kind soul. A great way to dive into the language and culture while also making friends along the way.” 

Making Friends Abroad