• Valladolid Application
• Brochure (to print)
• Itinerary
• Valladolid Program Directors
• Payment Schedule
• Student Comments
• Travel and Safety Tips
• Registration Form for Non-CSB/SJU Students
• Transcript Request Form for Non-CSB/SJU Students

Student Comments

From the 2010 Summer Program

(Photos by Drew Goede '09)

Program Excursions

Salamanca

• "The trip was amazing and the cathedrals were like nothing I have ever seen before. I would recommend everyone to go and see these buildings."
• "The buildings and churches were breathtaking and were filled with history that left everyone in awe." 
• "The Cathedral was absolutely incredible." 

Segovia

• "Segovia was beautiful. Though the weather at first didn´t cooperate it did in the end. I would have loved to do an overnight there but the day trip was really good."
• "Great city! Lots to do and see! The castle was amazing!"
• "Most beautiful town to visit. I would continue to take excursions there."

Other

• "Las Hoces were amazing. I really enjoyed a natural excursion like this and I would highly recommend it. It was a great opportunity to experience the wilderness of Spain."
• "We went to Valencia and Barcelona on our own and they were amazing! It was fabulous being by ourselves and having opportunities to relax and explore the cities."
• "Our weekend trips were a blast and I really enjoyed them."

Room and Board

• "I had a wonderful family Aure & Victoria Posada. They were very nice and made me feel at home. They respected my privacy and they made me feel apart of their family. The meals were great, I tried just about everything and they never forced me to eat anything I told them I did not eat at the beginning of the program." 
• "I loved my family and housing arrangement. Everything was great. My family was Sandra y Raúl Cano. They had a little girl age 9 as well and everything was perfect. I think that because of my family, my experience was one of the best out of the entire group." 
• "My family was so nice and always willing to help in any way! They helped us work on our Spanish and the food they made was always delicious."
• "My host parents, Monica and Javier Sanchez, were very kind and generous. They truly made me feel as if I were at home." 

Program Directors

• "They were great. Always available when needed and had a great attitude. Did an awesome job at getting us settled and comfortable in the new environment."
• "Nelsy was amazing! She was so much fun to be around and we learned so much from her. She was always willing to talk if we had problems and made us all feel welcome and comfortable." 
• "I cannot say enough good things about Jose, Patrica or Gladys. They were outstanding directors, I hold them in the highest possible regards. From the excursions, dart games and review sessions the directors were simply the best."
• "Very professional, very well prepared, always had our best interests in mind. Offered daily tutorials to help learn the material better. Let us make our own decisions but always made sure we were safe and well behaved. Excellent job." 
• "The program directors were excellent. Jose Fabres is an amazing director. He is very fun, helpful, and makes sure everyone is doing okay. Gladys White, although she wasn't supposed to be on the trip, was amazing. I felt like she was my temporary mom. She helped sick people find medicine, took kids to get haircuts, went shopping with the girls, etc. Everyday, she asked everyone how they were doing and made sure everyone was doing okay with their host families."

Advice from students to students planning to go

• "Be ready to embrace changes from studying abroad and just take advantage of every experience the program has to offer." 
• "My advice would be to go with the flow. Things are fairly unstructured so you just have to let things happen. Don't be too scared and intimidated at first because it gets easier. Try to talk and meet the locals because they are so funny and it helps learning "real" Spanish and about the culture. I suggest going with at least one friend because it is nice to have a taste of home once and a while and I would not want to live alone but it depends on your preferences. Also, don't bother buying a phone, you won't need it. Oh, and go to the Mediterranean for the long weekend... it's amazing!!!" 
• "Talk all that you can. I wish I would have spoke more while I was here. Also don´t get into a routine. There is so much to do here don´t get stuck doing the same thing every day." 
• "Pack light! And save up money before the trip, you can save while you are there, but if you will never go back, you will want to spend a lot." 
• "Go to the meetings before and get to know people. Also listen to the students who have gone in the past. Ask them what to bring."
• "Be open to the experience and have fun. Be open to new things and you will have a great experience. This program will help you develop as a person and you will learn so much about yourself and other cultures."
• "Pack light! Go on all the excursions, associate with the locals, learn some Spanish, and apply it in stores and talking with the locals, eat at home with your family, explore the city...there is more than just the bar."
• "Have an open mind coming into the program and don't be so judgmental or critical. Some things are different from the USA but it doesn't make them worse."
• "Spend less time drinking and more time speaking with people in Spanish that are patient enough to listen. Wean yourself off of all English and don't give up on Spanish (especially the tests on Fridays) and write down stuff that you want to learn and ask your teacher and program director to work through it with you. When you learn new words and expressions, write them own and use them frequently."
• "Be open to trying things! Food, conversations, activities, everything is an experience that you can learn from and enjoy (with the right attitude)."
• "Bring more than enough money. A swimming suit is not necessary. Good walking shoes are a must. Leave enough room in luggage for gifts. The food is very different. Classes are more difficult than expected. Just enjoy the experience."
• "Don't always hang out in the large groups. Talk to the locals whenever you can."
• "Expect to work hard and take advantage of every opportunity. Be open-minded and don't complain about everything that is different from America."
• "Ask questions! And don't stress your first couple days, it gets easier and don't be afraid to have fun!"

How has this experience changed you?

• "I've changed so much because of this! This was probably the best experience of my life. I feel like I've grown up and matured a lot. I also got so much better at my communication skills with everyone in general."
• "This was such a great learning experience for me. Living and experiencing a different culture made me learn so much about myself, our culture back in the States, and the culture here in Spain. I am so thankful to have experienced this trip, I would recommend it to everyone."
• "I have learned that the world doesn't have to revolve around cell phones and fast-paced activities day in and day out."
• "I have changed only for the better. Being away from home for a month in a foreign country has helped me to develop and enrich myself far beyond what I had thought I would. I would recommend this trip to anyone thinking of studying abroad or wanting to further develop as a person."

• "I really learned to appreciate a culture that is very different from my own. I also met some really great people that I probably would have never taken the time to get to know back at school. I have had such a great experience and I've learned a lot about myself and the Spanish culture."