Student Interview: Cultural Immersion Program
Jessica came to study with us from South Dakota, USA. She wanted to take an internship in physical therapy in Spain alongside studying the language at our Euroace Spanish school. She is in the last year of her studies, studying a BA in Exercise Science.
Here’s what she had to say about her experience!
Why did you choose to study Spanish in Valencia?
I was in Spain before, having visited Barcelona, Toledo, Malaga, and Madrid. I wanted to get to know a different city this time so I chose Valencia. I really like the city, it has a beautiful old town with lots of medieval architecture. I love cities with lots of history. Everything is very close and well connected. The climate is quite different from the weather at home, in South Dakota, where we have cold and snowy winters.
You are staying in Valencia with a host family, can you tell us more about that?
I really like my host mom, she is very caring and very helpful in every way. In the beginning, it was a bit hard to understand her, but shortly after being here I got used to it and we have had nice chats. She likes preparing and serving food for me and often offers me too much! Overall I feel very welcome at her house.
Did you attend any of the extracurricular activities that Euroace organizes for the students?
Yes, I visited some of the little towns around Valencia, with the organized excursions through Euroace. I went to Xátiva and Peñíscola, I really liked the castle of Xátiva. Peñíscola was a nice town by the beach, we had a good time, even though the weather that day did not permit us to enjoy it fully!
Can you tell us a bit more about your internship? What has your experience been like and how do you think it will help you in your future career development?
I work at a clinic as an assistant physiotherapist. I help with the design of the exercise programs, I attend the classes of the therapists, and listen to what they say to the patients. I can see the exercises they choose for different patients and attend the consultations with the patients. I also talk to patients in Spanish to advise them with any questions they may have. The whole intern experience has helped me a lot to become more fluent in Spanish as a physiotherapist, to see how physiotherapy works in reality, and how theory is applied in practice. I feel confident that I will be able to work with Spanish speaking patients once I graduate back in the USA.
Besides the internship, you are also taking Spanish language lessons with Euroace. How do you think the classes have helped you improve your Spanish?
I am very satisfied with the classes. We make grammar reviews and this gave a good structure to my previous Spanish studies. I have also enriched my vocabulary with more colloquial, informal expressions and I have become more confident to speak, as the classes are very interactive!
Would you recommend Euroace to your friends from college once you are back in the USA?
Yes, definitely! Euroace helped me find a meaningful internship placement, a place to stay, and I enjoyed the Spanish lessons at the Euroace Language School. The Euroace team was always very friendly and helpful, advising me on any questions I had during my stay in Valencia.