Studying Abroad in Barcelona, Spain in July 2018

Name: Ally Chitwood

Type of Project: Education Abroad

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

My STEP project was a study abroad to Barcelona, Spain for a month in the Summer 2018 semester.  There, I was be able to immerse myself in the Spanish language, experience the culture of Spain, and take two courses to complete my Spanish minor.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

While abroad in Spain, I gained self confidence.  I learned to seek to understand those around me. I have more cultural competence and appreciation for history.  Also, I largely improved my Spanish conversation skills.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

I learned how to navigate the metro transit system.  I met new people. I talked to strangers in a language that is not my first.  Everyday I learned a new Spanish word. From the Bunkers of Caramel, I developed lasting friendships.  From my host mother, I learned about her experience of growing up in Colombia and living the most recent decades of her life in Catalunya.  She talked about how she can see that people can work for money rather than for personal fulfillment.

While in Barcelona, I learned about the history of Spain by studying Spanish films.  Movies filmed throughout the 1900s reflected the nation’s political climate. I was able to learn about how francoism affected the people in Spain.  The country became a parliamentary monarchy in the late 1970s when Francisco Franco died. The rule of Franco ingrained misogynistic ideals into the culture of Spain, which can still be seen in remaining doses today.

While walking through alleyways, I saw beautiful building and churches with a rich history.  We took a tour of the gothic district and learned about bombings near a church while seeing the damage on the walls.  In Barcelona, we took a tour of the Gala exhibit. Our guide told us how Gala was not only the muse of Dalí, but the creative source and creative genius.  Explaining that women did not have much representation in the artistic world, she showed how Gala was a big part of the surrealist period.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

For my future, I have a much better understanding of the Spanish language.  This will help me conversate with more people in my workplace. Also, having more cultural awareness will help have better communication with people that I don’t know as well.  Finally, in my future career, I will be brave enough to be a proud woman in my field and speak my ideas clearly.