Hours before my flight, I would just like to take the time to thank CEA and all the staff in Barcelona.
When I first looked into studying abroad, I naturally asked everyone I knew for input on where to go and who to go with.
"Go with CEA."
"Why?"
"They're the best."
"Is that it?"
That's it. I've had such an amazing time here in the last four months and I would have to say a HUGE amount of my contentment is directly due to CEA.
From the beginning, CEA made everything easy and manageable, from personal deadline reminder emails, virtual checklists, and easy to read instructions on everything we needed in order to prepare for our time abroad. Even before I met everyone here, I knew I was in good hands. Then I came here, and I really knew I was in good hands. When we got to the airport, there was staff smiling and ready to offer a taxi service to us in order to transport us to the furnished apartment they provided.
As the days went on, CEA made it a point that we sign up for the trips they offered. Throughout the semester, CEA provided trips in Barcelona, around Barcelona, and within the rest of Spain in order to broaden our experience here. And the price? Free. Let's see. For a 100 euro down payment (which was all refunded), I went to see an FC Barcelona game in the front row, climbed the snow capped mountains of Mont Serrat, took a tour of the quaint beach town of Sitges, indulged in a night of countless tapas, and even went to Madrid for a weekend.
And to top it all off, the personnel, teachers and staff alike, were all personable, helpful, and excited to be here. Back at Delaware, it is not to hard to spot a teacher who doesn't want to be in the classroom. That's not the case at all here. Each teacher I had was extremely enthusiastic and excited to teach their material and relate it to our experience, whether the classroom that day was inside or outside. Furthermore, CEA makes it a point to integrate field trips into each class, and I'm thankful they did. I only had four classes, yet I toured the Gothic Quarter, traveled to a mosque, walked the streets of the old Jewish section, and had a language exchange. CEA realizes that learning is doing, and they are completely right.
Once again, CEA, you have truly made my time here a memorable one. Thank you for everything, and I hope you continue to enhance students' travel abroad experience like you have mine. When I land back in the US in 24 hours from now, and someone asks me what program they should study abroad with, I'm not going to have a hard time answering.
"Go with CEA."
"Why?"
"They're the best."
Kenneth Wallach
CEA MOJO Barcelona Spring 2012