Communications in Spain



We are lucky that we live in an age in which we can communicate cheaply and rapidly. You don’t have to wait two weeks or more to send a letter or pay outrageous telephone bills just because you are going to be living thousands of miles from home. The information below should help you to stay in touch with your loved ones as you study abroad in Spain.

'''HOW DO I MAKE INTERNATIONAL CALLS? '''

To call Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from the United States, dial 011+34+981+the number

To call to the U.S. from overseas, you must dial 001+area code+the number.

'''WHAT IS THE TIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE U.S.? '''

Spain is 7 hours ahead of Central Standard Time''' '''

'''SHOULD I BRING MY CELL PHONE FROM THE U.S.? '''

Maybe, but probably not. Unless you have a cell phone with a SIM card (a removable chip which holds personal identity information, cell phone number, phone book, text messages and other data), you will want to purchase or rent a cell phone in Spain. The University of Santiago de Compostela requires all program participants to have a cell phone while in Spain. During the first week of classes, a representative from the cell phone company, Piccell, will offer you reasonable rates to rent a cell phone. However, you may choose to buy a pre-paid phone through companies such as Vodafone, Yoigo, or Movistar.

WILL I HAVE INTERNET ACCESS IN SPAIN?

Chances are, yes. Students in Spain have access to the internet through the university, but it is not guaranteed that you will have wireless internet at your host family’s house. There are many inexpensive cyber cafés for emailing home or calling your family and friends on skype. At internet cafes, wireless service typically costs $.50 to $1 per half an hour or comes with the cost of a coffee or a pastry. Make sure you don’t spend all of your time using the computer to stay in touch with people back home instead of experiencing Spain!