La Universidad

Universidad de Sevilla

I am officially a student at the University of Sevilla!  I have finished two weeks of classes and finally have a hold of things.  The first week, “shopping week”, we could try out as many, or as few, classes we wanted.  This was a great way to see what classes were better than others before we were stuck with a definite schedule.  But since we weren’t officially registered for any classes, we were responsible for looking online for any classes we wanted to try out.  So it was a little stressful.  I asked my guides for advice about the professors and figured out a schedule that seemed manageable.  But when I showed up for class the first day, there was no one there.  I was really confused when the department secretary tried to explain to me that the courses I had picked were from last semester.  After getting over the initial embarrassment, I went back online to come up with a new schedule.  Day two felt like I spent more time trying to find my classes than actually sitting in class.  And by day three, it felt like I finally had the hang of things.  And now, after two weeks of classes, I feel like a regular student.

CIEE Study Center

At the university I am taking two art courses, called Contemporary Spanish Art and Art & Society, and a literature course, called Comedy: Cycle of Lope.  The people in my classes are full-time students at the University but I also have two or three friends in each class that are part of CIEE.  It’s nice to have the comfort of a familiar face when I go to class and to know that I’m not the only one who doesn’t speak Spanish as a first language.  In addition to my University classes, I am taking two classes at the CIEE study center.  One is a grammar course with the same students who were a part of my intensive course.  The other course I am taking at CIEE is called Psychology of Learning a Second Language and it is right up my alley.  I feel like I am in my element when I am in this class and I can already tell I am going to love it.  Initially I didn’t think I would be able to take a psychology class in Seville and I am so happy that I could fit this course in my schedule.  I know I am going to have a great semester.  To me, my courses seem interesting and I like all of my professors.  And the best part of my schedule here?  No classes on Fridays!