Irina’s Spring Semester in Valencia, Spain 

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Eager to follow in the footsteps of a college student who studied abroad in Spain? We recently caught up with Irina from Adelphi University, a Nursing major who did a study abroad program in the seaside city of Valencia during the spring semester. 

Discover how Irina’s semester abroad helped shape her outlook on life and appreciate the laidback Valencian culture! 

Choosing When & Where to Study Abroad 

With countless study and intern abroad destinations to choose from with AIFS Abroad, it’s not always easy to choose just one! As Irina explains, choosing to study abroad in Valencia came down to several factors: 

“I chose Spain because I wanted to be in Europe, and the program in Valencia had more biology and health courses, which I was interested in. I would recommend this program to students interested in improving their language [proficiency], since Valencia is a smaller city and most older people only speak Spanish. It is a warm and relaxing city with many celebrations. It’s a great place for people who like both the beach and the city. It’s about a 30-minute bus ride from the main city to get to the beach, which also has many tasty restaurants and a boardwalk.” 

For students who want to study abroad for a full semester, deciding between fall and spring semesters can be another tough decision. But if you’re a nursing student like Irina, your choice may come down to your academic requirements, as she details below: 

“I chose the spring term because that was the only semester I was able to study abroad since the nursing program has a very strict schedule. In my opinion, the spring term in Valencia is very fun and culturally engaging. During the month of March, there is a huge festival called Fallas that is celebrated throughout the month. It was always sunny and warm, and almost never rained. There were almost no tourists until the end of March since many people came for the festival. We also got a few days off for catholic holidays.” 

Budgeting Abroad 

Finances are an important consideration for many students who want to study abroad. Fortunately, AIFS Abroad offers multiple scholarships and grants; plus, student financial aid packages can often apply to study abroad programs—just make sure to check with your financial aid office! 

While AIFS Abroad includes trips and excursions with every program, if you’re like Irina, you may want to go on some additional trips on your own to visit neighboring countries. Here’s Irina’s advice for traveling on a budget during your study abroad program: 

“I managed my finances by deciding on where I wanted to go and creating a limit on how much I spent on each trip. To future students, I recommend looking at the cheapest flights and staying in hostels or Airbnb with many people, as that is the cheapest option for living. If there is a place you absolutely want to go to and it’s on the more expensive side, then you might have to prioritize that over going on another trip.” 

University Experience 

When you study abroad, you get to experience a fresh academic environment. You may take courses with classmates from all over the world, learn from professors with unique cultural perspectives, and study subject matter in a new context. Hear Irina describe her experience at Universidad Católica de Valencia: 

“I attended Universidad Católica de Valencia. I had a great experience and was able to learn with native Spanish students. Classes were based on the Spanish system, so it was different than the American school system. We were given very few assignments throughout the semester. Most of the class grades were based on either class participation or a final exam/project. Although it seems like a lot, the professors were very engaging, and it was easy to keep up with the material.” 

Many AIFS Abroad study abroad programs offer hands-on courses that incorporate the local culture into your learning, as Irina describes below: 

“One of the main class assignments that stood out to me was when my professor for beginner Spanish assigned us to walk around the city and take a picture of the ninots (sculptures). This was during the Fallas festival, and there were many massive sculptures placed around the city. In order to engage us more in the festival he asked us to go around and find one specific ninot that we liked and later come back and make a presentation about the structure in Spanish. This allowed us to both enjoy the cultural festival of Valencia and practice our Spanish.” 

Language Learning as a Beginner 

Language proficiency is not required for most AIFS Abroad programs. Irina took a beginner Spanish language course in Valencia, which didn’t require any prior Spanish knowledge, as she explains: 

“I took beginner Spanish in Valencia, so there was no requirement for me to know the language beforehand. The class helped me learn basic words, which allowed me to communicate with my host mom. Being in Valencia, I also had to learn Spanish quickly since many of the older locals didn’t speak English. Some advice I would give is to not be afraid to speak, even if you know very few words. Locals are very patient and are willing to help you and understand what you’re trying to say.” 

Housing 

Housing is included in all AIFS Abroad programs. Some programs offer an option for a homestay, which allows students to live in the home of a local. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about their culture and practice your language skills, like Irina did: 

“I lived in a host family with an older woman. I liked that I had an American roommate because it was nice to have [another study abroad student] to talk to. My host mom also had a partner who would come over for dinner, and he spoke both English and Spanish fluently, so he was able to help us translate and learn more Spanish words. Whenever he wasn’t there, we would try to talk to the host mom as much as possible, but if it was hard to understand each other, we would use the translate app.” 

Making Friends Abroad 

Worried about making friends abroad? Just about every study abroad student does! When you study abroad, you’ll find that most people are just as eager to make friends as you are. Plus, AIFS Abroad programs include social and cultural activities, as well as trips and excursions, which are great opportunities to bond with the other people in your program, as Irina explains: 

“I was able to make friends through the cultural activities provided by the program. During this time, I met all the students and was able to get to know them… I would advise future students to go to as many [AIFS Abroad] events as possible… It is also important not to be afraid to reach out to other students, especially if you are living with a host family. It can be a bit harder to get to know everyone if you’re not living with them, so I recommend going to any planned group hangouts.” 

Cultural Appreciation 

While there may be a bit of an adjustment period as you get used to your program destination’s culture, many study abroad students learn to appreciate these differences, as Irina describes: 

“I really enjoyed the laid-back and relaxing lifestyle as well as the unity during holidays. In Valencia, my day would start around 9:00, and I would spend lunchtime, which was around 2 hours, with my host family eating at a cafe. After I came back, I had to readjust my schedule back to waking up early and not having any breaks till the end of the day.” 

Trips & Excursions 

When you study abroad with AIFS Abroad, you’ll get to go on some amazing trips and excursions around your host country. On the weekends, you’ll also have the opportunity to set out on your own or with the friends you’ve made in your program, as Irina did: 

“I tried to travel almost every weekend unless there was an important cultural event in the city. One of my favorite destinations was Bern because I met with my distant family and we traveled to the mountains, which were close to the city. It was pretty and clean there. A few other memorable destinations were skiing in Andorra and exploring Seville.” 

Advice for Future Study Abroad Students 

For anyone who is going to study abroad in the future, Irina offers the following advice: 

“It’s important to accept a different culture in all aspects and go into everything with an open mind. If you are ever having any trouble, don’t hesitate to seek help from [AIFS Abroad] on-site [staff] or friends you make abroad. Keeping track of this once-in-a-lifetime event is important; keeping a journal or a photo diary can help you look back at those memories. The experiences you go through during this time may shape and change your outlook on life and how you will continue living. My advice is to make the most of your time abroad.” 

Are you ready to take the leap and study abroad like Irina did in Valencia? We’d love to help you start your journey! 

Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students study abroad. Our programs are incredibly inclusive, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like cultural and social activities, trips and excursions, 24/7 emergency support, comprehensive insurance, on-site staff, and more, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.