Are you a Spanish major wanting to go abroad but you have no idea where you want to go? Do you overthink most things in your life, and this is another example of that? Did you already make a spreadsheet of twenty possible programs and their costs, pros, and cons, and still have no idea where to go? If you answered yes to all of these questions, first of all, I want to meet you. Please reach out to me. I’m glad I’m not the only neurotic Spanish major out there.  Or if you answered yes to any one of these questions, congratulations on being less neurotic than I am. All jokes aside, I understand what it feels like to be so confused on where to go because I was there two months ago, and I want to give you some suggestions on how to decide.

1. CLASSES FIRST. Make sure the classes you want to take are available in your program AND GET THEM APPROVED BY YOUR SPANISH ADVISOR. Personally, this would have saved me a lot of heartache. If I had known that the program I chose would only transfer three Spanish major credits, I would not have applied for it. Thankfully, I was able to switch programs last minute. But without this, I would have had to consider not going abroad this semester. Even if you think a Spanish class will transfer, please have your advisor confirm this. The Spanish department at UMass is picky about what they will accept. If you have already completed the “pre-major” requirements, you will not be able to take language courses abroad that aren’t “content based”. This means “advanced Spanish writing and composition” or “oral expression” will not count for upper level electives. You will need more specific classes relating to literature, film, translation, dialect…etc.
2. PROGRAM SECOND. Even if you found a program that you think is perfect for you, check the classes first. I promise that nine out of ten programs offer the same things: excursions, homestays, interesting classes, etc. It is not hard to find these things, but it is hard to find classes that will transfer back to Umass.
3. Decide your top criteria. What is the most important aspect of a program for you? The climate of the program site? The start and end dates? The food? The price? There are so many things to think about, so decide what matters the most to you. If it’s still early on, don’t limit your programs to the ones you find on IPO. If there is another program that you love that is offered by an outside program or university, try to make it work! You could even make a spreadsheet (if you’re as neurotic as I am), but try not to let the spreadsheet make you overthink it (that’s what I did).
4. Be active in the application process. Remember that the people “on the other side” of your application are not robots; they are real people. If you have questions, ask. Email the program coordinators, or even call them. I have called mine at least 10 times (they answer questions more quickly over the phone). These people are there to help you, especially once you have been accepted. Use them as a resource.
5. Practice your Spanish! Even if you are taking classes, brush up on your basic grammar and conversational skills (whatever you think you need). There may be placement exams and interviews to determine your Spanish level, so you will want to feel prepared. Being in the correct level means getting your credits to transfer, which I already stressed is very important!

Once you have done all these things, you’re honestly so close to being ready to go. Let your excitement outweigh all the annoyance over paperwork you’ve had to do, and trust that all the planning will be worth it. You are about to embark in an adventure that you will never forget!

Here is a screenshot of the spreadsheet I made. You can see the categories listed in the top row, and each specific program listed in an individual row underneath. 

Here is a picture of me after I (finally) decided on my program. You will one day feel this happy!