Universitat d'Alacant (UA)

I loved living with a family. They had a 4 year old daughter that I would talk to. They were wonderful people and they were the main source of my practice in Spanish.

That I needed a visa!! No one told me I had to get a travel Visa, so I got my passport with a visa a week before I was supposed to leave. Talk about stressing me out. Also, if you want to do a lot of travelling, do not take a conventional suitcase!! I was stupid and ended up halling a huge suitcase all over the train stations and ferry boats and subways. There are way to many stairs to be doing that. I definitely recommend a backpack!!! All my friends with backpacks had to watch me in pity as I struggled to make it up all those stairs.

The University is beautiful--palm trees, flowers, fountains. You'll meet a lot of people from different countries. Alicante is considered a small town--a few hundred thousand people. It is so much fun during the warmer months because you can enjoy the beach. Night life is a lot of fun too--lots of bars and discotecas if you like to dance. I loved it.

The Spanish classes I was taking were strictly with international students like me. None of them are with native Spaniards unless you are fluent and take regular university courses.

I didn't really get involved with any of the university life really, because I hung out with other international students from the States, Sweden, France, Germany, etc. But I'm sure that you could if you tried. I tend to be more introverted, so it's harder for me to do that.

I spent more on accommodation, because my host family charged a bundle for me to stay there. But if you live in an apartment on your own or with other students, it is a lot cheaper. When I was there, they didn't have the euro yet, so clothes and travel, etc. were generally cheaper. I loved shopping there!