My name is Natalya and I'm a junior on the swim team, double majoring in International & Global Studies (IGS) and Politics, with a minor in Hispanic Studies. I'm currently studying abroad in Seville, Spain and taking classes at the University of Seville. I chose Spain to improve my Spanish language skills and eventually become proficient, and I chose Seville because of all the beautiful architecture, the great weather, and all the festivals and carnivals held here in the spring. All of the classes I'm taking are taught in Spanish and are with a mix of other study abroad and local Spanish students. It's also very different than the traditional classes I'm used to because as part of the curriculum, we go on field trips and do a lot of activities in the city to enhance what we learn in class. 

A great thing about Seville is that it's a city where it is very easy to integrate with and learn about its culture. It did not take me long at all to get into a routine and know how to interact with locals and what their customs are. My host family is a married couple with a 17-year-old daughter and I get along so incredibly well with them, I already consider them my real Spanish family! My orientation group has gotten very close and we do a lot of activities together, but we also got along so well with our orientation leader, Miguel. He's a Sevillan local and he introduced us to his friends, which is great because they all hang out with us, while also helping us with our Spanish speaking skills. 

A typical day for me is to bike to class early in the morning, then I usually try to take a different route home every other day to discover different parts of the city, get home and have lunch with my host family, go back to class in the afternoon, and then after class my friends and I either go do work in a cafe or go get tapas in our neighborhood. Other than my classes, I'm also a part of a Spanish Cooking interest group, where we have different activities every week around the city to learn about Spanish gastronomy. Currently, I also am able to keep swimming on my own at a local pool, but I'm hoping to be able to train with the University of Seville swim team once their break ends. Other than those organized activities, I usually spend my free time with friends going to tapas bars, discovering artisanal shops, laying out in the sun by the river, or practicing my Spanish with my host family. 

As a student-athlete, it's usually hard to study abroad without missing training, especially since the swim season is from September-February. But a compromise can definitely be made if you want to make it work, and training in a different country can also help you enhance your study abroad experience and meet a lot of new people! So far, study abroad has been incredible, full of new places, people, and food, and I can't wait for the rest of the semester!