After every summer, Honors Program students tell us what an amazing experience they had, and how much they loved their program site. We've asked alumni to share their own essays about their experiences in Valencia and other Honors Program sites. Note that while some aspects of the Honors Program, such as excursion locations or classroom buildings, may have changed since their experiences, the general structure of the Program remains the same.
Katie P. – IUHPFL Class of 2008 (Munster High School)
Once you set your eyes on the beautiful city of Valencia, you will instantly fall in love. Valencia, Spain's third largest city, sits nestled on the Mediterranean coast. Within the city limits, one can find a modern paradise, classic Gothic architecture, picturesque beaches, and a welcoming population. Whether you enjoy visiting museums or exploring new shops, there is always something to do in Valencia. This is the main reason I was so excited to study here. Being from a small town, I couldn't wait to spend my summer in a big city and minutes away from some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world. When I was applying for the Honors Program and even after I was accepted, I couldn't believe all that the city really had to offer. The amount of culture is insane!
Valencia has its own traditions and festivals, most notably Las Fallas. Although the actual festival takes place in May, the presentation of beautiful falleras and preparation for the festival happen all year. During the summer, I was able to see the presentation of the falleras and their elaborate dresses and beautiful dances.
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Be sure to take advantage of all of the wonderful cultural opportunities open to all visitors. Valencia boasts over fifteen world-class museums, ranging from the Fallero Museum to the Museo de Bellas Artes–a huge art museum filled with oil paintings. When I went to the Museo de Bellas Artes with my friends, we had the entire museum to ourselves! But the coolest museum, in my opinion, is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and the Oceanográfico. My whole class organized a day when we went to an IMAX show, saw the exhibits, and walked around the Aquarium. My friends and I had a blast at the dolphin show and imitating the penguins. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, though: the Oceanográfico is HUGE–the largest in all of Europe! There's even a museum dedicated to Valencia's own cool and creamy horchata, a refreshing beverage made from tigernuts. Keep in mind, however, that it is a bit difficult to get to this particular museum–some of my compañeros got lost and had some pretty interesting stories for us the next day. Valencia also offers traditional Spanish bullfighting in the historic Plaza de Toros. Although it's a bit graphic, a bull-fight is a must-see when in Spain.
The heart of the city houses gorgeous ancient buildings and trendy new centers for shopping. We spent hours riding the escalators in El Corte Ingles, an enormous department store. In the last days of our summer, a group of us even planned a mini-Olympics in the store. Apart from the modern buildings, springing up high from the hustle and bustle of the city is El Miguelte, the tower of the Cathedral which dates back to the 1418. We even got to climb to the top, where the view is phenomenal! Even if you aren't Catholic, be sure to take in a mass in the Cathedral, which is home to the Holy Grail. In the Plaza de la Reina right outside of the Cathedral, IU Honors Program students have been known to grab a refreshing helado and socialize after classes. However, the best ice cream store is right next to the centrally-located Plaza de Toros. Il Gelatario has the best flavors! I personally recommend the Nutella-flavored helado. Everyone from the program would go here after school. I'm sure most of our money was spent on ice cream, but it was definitely worth it!
Right around the corner from the Miguelete, there are more shops and cafés surrounding the Plaza de la Virgin and the Basilica. Feed the birds, take a picture by the fountain, and roam the charming winding streets, and soon you will find yourself in the biggest plaza in Valencia. In the center of the city, the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is the main attraction. With the IU Honors Program, students will have the special opportunity to tour the sacred halls of the Ayuntamiento. As part of our tour, we got to visit the archives and Ayuntamiento museum, which isn't open to the general public. My favorite experience was sitting in the actual meeting room of all of the legislatures. It was such a unique experience!
Los estudiantes de honor also enjoy some of the best shopping–especially during the July "rebajas" and sales–found within walking distance. The downtown is home to both big-name stores like El Corte Ingles and small boutiques. A short bus or metro ride will take you from the downtown area past El Mercado Central, a beautiful market buzzing with locals and deliciously fresh produce and comestibles, and through El Barrio Carmen, a very artsy neighborhood with interesting shops and some very distinguishable graffiti. While most students spend free time in the city, a good majority of los estudiantes also spend time taking in the Mediterranean sun at Las Arenas, the main beach in Valencia. Don't forget the sunscreen–I went through at least two big bottles! Host families enjoy sending their students to the beach with delicious bocadillos, a typical baguette sandwich with either jamón (my personal favorite) or tortilla.
During the week, students attend school at Casa de Salud, a clinic that has a training school for nurses. The building itself is really neat, but the coolest part is that the school is run by nuns! The nuns have some really interesting stories that they are more than happy to share with the students. A typical day includes classes in phonetics, culture, literature, grammar, and conversation. Almuerzo becomes one of your favorite parts of the day! Students have the pleasure of dining in a nearby restaurant that offers home-style Spanish cuisine. Paella, revueltos, lomo, and natillas are some of the usual favorites, and all the food is so good that you never leave hungry. Students get to unwind by participating in theater or chorus classes, and, once a week, with a day of sports at the Technical University of Valencia and a movie at a local cinema. We saw some American movies dubbed in Spanish, like Kung Fu Panda, but we also had the opportunity to see some Spanish films. One of them, 3:19, was even filmed in Valencia, and our whole class went to go see where it was filmed.
Things like this made Valencia different than all of the other cities. It has the hustle and bustle and conveniences of a large city like the metro and big shopping centers, but it has the charm of a small town with laidback lifestyle and siestas and friendly neighbors. Valencia has so much to give to IU Honors Program students. The professors themselves are extraordinary, but the beaches and shopping and the parks in the city (including a park that has a larger-than-life playground resembling Gulliver from Gulliver's Travels) truly set it apart from the rest. Even the excursions to the nearby villages and towns are fantastic! The food and culture is rich, not to mention delicious (mmmm…paella!). To experience Valencia is to experience a city with fascinating culture and tons of fun opportunities. A word to the wise: don't forget to bring sun block, a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and a camera! All in all, Valencia offers IU Honors Program students the best of both worlds: a city rich in history and tradition, as well as a beautifully modern coastal oasis. If you study in Valencia, you'll love every minute of it–I know I did!
Clinton M. – IUHPFL Class of 2008 (Lawrence Central High School)
Heading into Valencia, Spain with the IU Honors Program means a few things: great times, a group of life-long friends, and an experience of a lifetime. Between the great weather, because the city backs up to the Mediterranean Sea, and the intriguing Valenciano culture, there is never a dull day in the life of an IU Honors Program student while studying in Valencia. In a small group or as a class there are always opportunities to explore and indulge yourself in the city by shopping in the Redondo central market, touring the ancient architecture that makes Valencia stand out as a historical European city, or by heading to the beach in search of sun on the beautiful seaside. Without a doubt, Valencia, Spain is the perfect city for the ultimate study abroad experience.
Classes are held every weekday just outside of downtown Valencia and are very accessible to everyone in the program, no matter where your host family lives. The program courses of grammar, conversation, culture, and literature all help in defining you as a Spanish student and make you feel as if you fit in as a temporary citizen of Valencia. Classes take place in the morning and last only until the beginning of the afternoon. At this time, we would go to lunch with the teachers at a local café, Canelo y Clavo. Lunch was an occasion to converse and spend time with friends while using the new words and phrases that we had just learned in class. Also, the restaurant staff was always entertaining and very accepting and helpful when it came to learning the language and culture in the restaurant. Having great times with friends, interacting with the entire group, and enjoying great Spanish food made lunch a highlight of every day!
After lunch we headed back to classes where we had a thirty-minute break and enjoyed stories from the weekend, listened to Hispanic music, or got updates that we needed for the upcoming week. This then led into afternoon activities, where we got to show our Spanish skills by taking part in choir or theater. Although memorizing an entire play or singing multiple songs in Spanish seemed unachievable and discouraging in the beginning, these activities ended up as some of the most entertaining and fun parts of everyone’s day. By the end of the program, each group had perfected their feature and performed it in the despedida (final program) for all of the host families to show our improvements throughout our time in Valencia. The despedida was a great way to demonstrate all of our respect and appreciation for our families. Overall, the theater and choir classes were an unforgettable experience: the activities themselves are something very relatable to American culture, but the Spanish songs and Spanish plays are two things you generally cannot take part in in the United States.
After classes was a time to truly enjoy the study abroad experience. One day we had organized sports at the Polideportivo, a part of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, another day we would go see a movie at the theater, and the rest of the week was ours to explore! The free days were a great time for discovering the city, shopping, going to the beach, or simply relaxing with a refreshing cup of Valenciano ice cream. After school hours was the true time to show and practice our newly-acquired Spanish skills while indulging in the magnificent culture Valencia has to offer. One day I could be relaxing on the beach and the next I could be climbing the bell tower of the Miguelete to attain a breathtaking view of the city. The options are endless in the city of Valencia and the IU Honors Program allows for a great exposure to culture, Spanish, fun, and much more that you may never expect.
Peñíscola
The Honors Program also sets weekly excursions to other cities nearby Valencia in order to widen the knowledge of Spanish culture and the experience as a student and tourist of Spain. We visited places of historical significance such as the ancient castles of Sagunto, the lively beach of Peñíscola, the quaint town of Morella, and much more. Each one of these was a day trip with the entire group, which gave a break to classes and allowed for life-long experiences and loads of fun. The final excursion took us to Toledo and Madrid for several days, before climbing on the plane back to Indiana.
As a result of my study abroad experience in Valencia I can attest that the knowledge I gained and the experiences I attained have shaped me into the person I am today and have also helped to determine my future. The overall experience of the IU Honors Program is great, but I truly feel that Valencia, Spain delivered the ultimate study abroad experience that allowed me to gain the most: life-long friends, life-long knowledge, and life-long memories.
