Calling All SAIIE Alumni!

This goes to all the SAIIE-ers out there… Alumni, fear not, we have not forgotten about you! Now SAIIE brings you a LinkedIn group, created just for you. Aren´t you lucky!?

I am sure you have noticed that lately we have been expanding our social media network, our latest being the SAIIE Athletics Facebook page.

Last year, we started this group with the objective of giving you a place to reconnect & share professional experiences. We want this group to act as a platform for you to meet any others who may be working in similar fields to yourself.

It´s here for your benefit, and as our world becomes increasingly techy, LinkedIn will undoubtedly become a crucial element to building the important connections you need to follow your career paths!

So, if you thought your study abroad experience had ended, you will be surprised how SAIIE & the people who shared the same experience may be able to shape your professional life.

On this group, we encourage you to leave small descriptions of any current jobs & if you´re particularly adventurous, add in any past work experiences!

You never know how a fellow alum may be able to help you out in the working world!

To access the LinkedIn group for SAIIE Alumni, click here https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8287970

Day Trip to Carmona

On Friday 10th November, the students spent the day exploring the nearby town of Carmona, a city older than the Romans dating back to 8-9 years before Christ.

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For many of the students, the day started with their very first tram ride in Seville to San Bernardo station where they caught the bus. 50-minutes later, the students arrived in Carmona and headed for the Roman Necropolis.

Very well preserved, the Roman necropolis contains tombs of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd centuries which the students got to see and even enter. They learnt about old burial rituals, like how wine, which is symbolic of blood, was poured into the tombs to purify and clean the ground. Also, on the birthdays of those deceased, surviving descendants would have a party and eat food on the tomb, if food was dropped then it was left for the dead.

The students visited the “tumba de elefante” (tomb of the elephant). In the 19^th century, the area was excavated and they found a sculpture of an elephant (hence the name). However, due to the lack of technological advancements at that time, the excavation site was ruined so they could not determine more about the tomb apart from that it dates back to the 1^st and 3^rd centuries and that most likely the elephant sculpture was later placed there.

Another tomb visited was the “tumba de Servilia”, the most impressive in Carmona’s Roman Necropolis. Built between the 1^st and 2^nd centuries for an influential and wealthy family of Hispano-Roman heritage, it is inspired by a Roman villa with its very own courtyard surrounded by porticos of arches.

Upon leaving the Roman Necropolis, the students also got to see the oldest amphitheater in Spain, built in the 1^st century before Jesus Christ. Afterwards, the students went on a walk back through the town of Carmona and past La Giraldilla, a smaller version of Seville’s La Giralda, towards the “Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla”.

In the Alcázar, the students enjoyed the walk up to the top of the tower to get a wonderful view of the Carmona landscape. They even got to witness some small Roman’s getting ready to defend the fortress from attackers!

The rest of the day was spent seeing the remaining parts of the town before jumping back on the coach and heading back to Seville.

Visit to “Los Alburejos” Farm

For the program that SAIIE will be hosting in 2019 in Seville for the School of Agriculture of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the SAIIE Director, Mr. Stuart Chipres, and the Faculty Led Director, Mr. Sean Chipres visited the farm “Los Alburejos”.

For the program that SAIIE will be hosting in 2019 in Seville for the School of Agriculture of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the SAIIE Director, Mr. Stuart Chipres, and the Faculty Led Director, Mr. Sean Chipres visited the farm “Los Alburejos” which belongs to the Domecq family (The Domecq family comes from the former French region of the Bearn, near the Spanish borders with Navarre and Aragon, nowadays included in the department of the Low Pyrenees with over two centuries of history in Spain).

During this visit they got to see some fighting bulls and Andalusian horses, as well as visiting a pig farm that belong to Domeqc family.

They also got to visit a cheese farm factory around the area.

It was a great visit where our directors had the chance to learn about some of Andalucía and Spain’s most important products.

Day Trip to Italica

Friday October, 20, the students went to the well-preserved Roman city of Italica located in modern-day Santiponce to learn more about the ancient ruins!

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After a short bus ride, the students arrived at the old city which was founded in 206 BC. There they were greeted by little modern-day Romans who had dressed up for the occasion!

Firstly, Elena took the students on a tour of the old amphitheater, one of the largest in the Empire. Located north of the city, it could accommodate between 20,000 – 25,000 people in its heyday. Interestingly, records show that there were never more than 15,000 residents of Italica at one time, suggesting that people would travel in to watch and enjoy gladiator fights.

At the amphitheater, Elena spoke of how it was namely used for gladiator fights. In fact, the students could see the tunnels where gladiators would have once walked and the den which would have housed the lions. Elena also spoke of the glorified image of the gladiator and how they were often viewed as brave and heroes in death, although in reality only a small percentage of them actually died in the fights.

Because the amphitheater is so well preserved, it has even been used as a film location for Game of Thrones which the students were very excited about. Can you recognize it in this scene from the hit series?

Next on the tour was a visit to where the city of Italica would have been, located only a short walk from the amphitheater. There the students got to walk along the ancient city streets, laid out very much like a grid with distinct spaces where houses and buildings once stood.

In these spaces, mosaic floors were still perfectly preserved so the students got to see Roman designs. One example was the mosaic of the planetary deities, who gave their names to the days of the week.

Center is Venus (viernes/Friday). Clockwise from bottom center are Selene or Luna (lunes/Monday), Mars (martes/Tuesday), Mercury (miercoles/Wednesday), Jupiter (jueves/Thursday), Saturn (sábado/Saturday) and Helios or Sol (domingo/Sunday).

The students spent the rest of their time at Italica “roaming” the streets before the bus ride back to Seville.

Weekend Trip to Lisbon

During the last weekend of October, the students went to Lisbon to tick another European city off their travel list!

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Friday morning, they set off on their 6-hour journey on a private bus to the capital of Portugal. Once they arrived, they checked into their hotel and were then whisked away on a private tour of the city. Here they saw many of the sites and monuments that make Lisbon one of the most attractive places to tourists.

Their tour took them to the civil parish Belém, historically named Santa Maria de Belém (Belém derived from the Portuguese word for Bethlehem). Here they visited the Belém tower, a military outpost built to protect the Tagus Estuary from threats and attacks.

They also visited the nearby Jerónimos Monastery, an impressive visual symbol of Portugal’s power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. Built in 1502 on the orders of King Manuel I, the monastery was inhabited by monks of the Order of Saint Jerome whose duty it was to pray for the king’s soul and provide guidance to sailors who departed from the nearby port. In the monastery, you can see the tombs of Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer who was the first European to reach India by sea, and Luis de Camões, considered Portugal’s greatest poet.

A noteworthy stop on the tour was at the Sanctuary of Christ the King in Almada. Likened to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (the original inspiration for the Portuguese monument), the Catholic shrine casts a powerful image overlooking the city of Lisbon. Interestingly, the statue was constructed to express Portugal’s gratitude for avoiding the horrors of the Second World War.

After the tour, the students enjoyed some free time in the city where they did the compulsory souvenir shopping and even rode the funiculars, a must when visiting Lisbon! The students even got to try some of the local food and found it very much to their liking! A particular favourite was the Pastel de Nata, an egg tart pastry which is a delicacy in Belém. In the evening, the students went out for dinner and tried the fish on the recommendation of their tour guide as fish is another delicacy from Portugal!

On Saturday, the students visited the picturesque town of Sintra, a short distance from Lisbon. Known for its beautiful historic buildings and amazing scenery, the students spent some time there visiting the stunning Palacio Nacional da Pena which stands on the top of a hill. Constructed in the 19^th century by King Ferdinand II as a summer home for the Portuguese royals, it was meant to replicate his opulent tastes. It is actually supposed that King Ferdinand II wanted the palace to look like an opera!

Afterwards, the students hiked down the hill and explored Sintra for the rest of the afternoon, taking advantage of another opportunity to go souvenir shopping!

They even visited the coastal town of Cascais, west of Lisbon, where they enjoyed a stroll along the beach with some ice-cream! During their short time there, they stumbled across a grotto with some wonderful views! Finally they all headed back to Lisbon to enjoy their last supper before heading back on the bus Sunday morning!

Day Trip to Cádiz

Our Fall 2017 students enjoyed their first ever SAIIE trip to Cádiz on Friday 29^th September!

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Cádiz is a city south of Seville and is recognized as the oldest inhabited city in Western Europe. It is the principal home port of the Spanish navy and was where Christopher Columbus set sail from on his second and fourth voyages. Last Friday our students visited this historic city to learn more about its past and to enjoy an afternoon relaxing by the beach.

The first stop on their trip was a visit to the Roman theater, which is believed to have been one of the largest theaters ever built in the Roman Empire with a capacity to fit around 20,000 spectators in its day. The students got the chance to see some of these ruins, which are still being uncovered to this day. It was a perfect opportunity to see Roman influence in Spanish culture, which is important for their Artistic Monuments course taught at SAIIE.

Next was a brief walk through the Mercado de la Plaza de Flores. There were some lovely fresh foods on offer at the market which the students were eager to try! Afterwards, Elena took the students on a brief tour around the streets of Cádiz where they got to see sites such as the cathedral and the fortified city walls.

The students got to spend the rest of the day relaxing at La Playa de la Victoria and enjoying the sunshine. They had a wonderful time at eh beach, sunbathing and swimming in the sea. They even had a picnic consisting of bocadillos and empanadas packedby their host families!

A busy first week for the students at SAIIE

Our Fall 2017 students have had a busy first week here in Seville, with the start of classes and the various trips organised on by SAIIE!

Our Fall 2017 students have had a busy first week here in Seville, with the start of classes and the various trips organised by SAIIE!

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After a long and tiring plane journey, our Fall 2017 students arrived at Sevilla airport on September 20 to a warm welcome by the staff at SAIIE. After the introductions, they were whisked away to meet their host families and then shown around the SAIIE facilities and the city which they would call home for the next few months.

On their first full day in Seville, they visited the gorgeous Plaza de España, a historic landmark built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Elena, the Student Affairs Director at SAIIE, gave a tour of the plaza and spoke of its fascinating history.

On Friday, the students attended an orientation here at SAIIE to prepare them for the courses that they would begin on Monday at the school. That evening, all the students and colleagues at SAIIE enjoyed a lovely dinner at Hostería del Laurel in barrio Santa Cruz (Old Jewish Quarter) to welcome the new students. For many of them, it was their first time trying tapas and it was certainly a good learning experience!

On Saturday, the students enjoyed a bus tour around Seville where they got the chance to see Seville´s most famous monuments and learn a little more about the history of them. Perfect for their Artistic monuments in Seville course!

This Monday classes began at SAIIE. Our students got the chance to start meeting their teachers and begin their Spanish learning experience.

Wednesday evening, after a day of studying hard at SAIIE, Elena took the students to watch a Flamenco performance in barrio Santa Cruz. It was an enlightening and cultural experience for the students who got to witness a traditional Sevillian custom.

Today the students are visiting Cádiz, a beautiful historic city close to Seville, and will be spending the day at the beach soaking up the summer rays! We are sure they are having a wonderful time!

Ashley takes on Seville!

Our Summer 2017 students have now officially spent their first full week in Seville! If you want to see what a week in Seville looks like for yourself, keep reading!

Take a look at one of the blogs written by our current student, Ashley Schoenbeck from UW-La Crosse, who talks all about her first week in Seville! She writes about her personal experience of the city so far, the sites she has explored, trips she has taken, and her blog features some beautiful photos of what a week in Seville looks like!

To read Ashley’s blog, please visit http://ashleytakesoneurope.blogspot.com.es/

If Ashley’s blog has made you think about studying abroad, you can find out more about our SAIIE Study Abroad program now by visiting https://saiie.com/programs/study-abroad/

New UW-La Crosse Scholarship now available!

Calling all UW-La Crosse students! We have another scholarship just for you!

Seeing as we already offer you scholarships for Spring, Fall and Summer, we think it’s only fair we offer you one for Winterim too!

So, SAIIE is now offering all students at UW–La Crosse the opportunity to win a scholarship worth $300 for the Winterim term.

If you’re a UW-La Crosse student and you are interested in studying abroad, there is no better location to do this than Seville, and there is no better program to guide you on this experience than SAIIE! Live the Spanish life and experience the Spanish culture as never before, SAIIE and Seville await!

To find out more about the UW-La Crosse scholarships we offer, please visit https://saiie.com/student-resources/financial-aid/

If you want more information about our Study Abroad program, go to https://saiie.com/programs/study-abroad/, or apply now at https://saiie.com/apply/

All about Maria Morgan!

Today we want to tell you a bit about Maria Morgan!

She is an SAIIE alumni from University of Wisconsin-Stout, who studied with us back in Spring 2007.

Maria has a BS in Dietetics, a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and an M.B.A. in International Business and Health Care Administration.

Since studying abroad with SAIIE, she has certainly gone on to conquer the world of work. She has worked in a variety of nutrition-related areas including research, education, and clinical practice. Maria has since gone on to become an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, at Viterbo University.

In 2018, we hope to be working in collaboration with Viterbo University, to set up a faculty-led program for them.

Last but not least, we want to say a very big Feliz Cumpleaños to this SAIIE alum today!!! We are very proud of all your achievements to date, and proud to have you as one of our alums!

And Maria, don’t forget your Sevillian roots tonight… Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa dentro!

SAIIE signs with the University of Seville!

We are happy to announce that on top of our existing partnership with EUSA, we are now in collaboration with the University of Seville!

We have specifically signed with the departments of Language Study, Geography and History (Facultad de Filología y Geografía e Historia), as well as Business and Political Science (Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales).

By Spring 2018, our students will be able to take courses at the University of Seville. Information regarding the courses that will be on offer for students at the University of Seville, will be available shortly.

SAIIE is very excited to start running academic programs through the University of Seville, and we hope that this partnership will continue for many years to come!

Lora Tamayo Visit! Spring 2017

Last Friday, we took some of our Spring 2017 students to visit the C.E.I.P. Lora Tamayo Primary School!

This is part of the service learning project we are organizing this semester for our students at the local Sevillian school located in the outskirts of Seville.

Our students got to engage and interact with kids from the school, organising fun activities and games for them in English!

You can find photos from our Lora Tamayo visit on our Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/pg/saiieseville/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1730362040313165