The Universidad Pablo de Olavide offers housing for international students in the form of host families, who use their local knowledge help students acclimate to Sevilla and Spain. I have been placed with a couple named Mayte and Angel in Ciudad de Jardín, Sevilla. I also live with another exchange student, Mac, from Northcentral University in Illinois.
Ciudad de Jardín is located very conveniently in the city, as it lies almost exactly in the middle of the metro line in Seville. The Universidad Pablo de Olavide is located at the outskirts of Sevilla, but is only five stops away on the metro. Downtown Sevilla, which hosts the Catedral and Plaza de Espana, is four stops away in the opposite direction.
My family also lives very close to the Sevilla Fútbol Club’s stadium, which draws in thousands of enthusiastic fans every Sunday. The stadium is an impressive building (pictured below) with 43,883 seats. Ticket prices depend on the popularity of the opposing team, but normally start around €35 euro. Hopefully, I can make my way to one of their games before the end of the semester.
Based on my experience, I would highly recommend that anyone studying abroad considers living with a host family. Angel and Mayte have been incredibly kind and hospitable while also giving me plenty of freedom to go out, explore the city, and spend time with friends. Angel and Mayte have three kids who have all grown up and have been host families for ten years. As such, they are familiar with the process of acclimating to a new culture and are very helpful with any questions I might have about the area or Sevilla in general. Furthermore, living with a host family is another opportunity to develop language skills, as the majority of families at UPO speak little to no English. Prices vary for housing depending on a programs location, but for living in Ciudad de Jardín with my own room and plenty of amenities, it would be extremely difficult to find a cheaper option in the city.
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