Seville Study Abroad 2020 Reflection

 

Seville, Spain

Lisbon, Portugal

My STEP Signature Project was a study abroad program through the Office of International Affairs in Seville, Spain. Through this project, I was able to take classes in Spanish through a third party institution based in Seville, COWA, for the spring semester of my junior year. In addition to my classes, the program offered educational excursions through various cities in Spain that enhanced my cultural knowledge. Lastly, I was able to live with a Spanish family to enhance my immersion experience and improve my language fluency.

Through my semester in Spain, I experienced a complete personal transformation. First, I became much more  confident in myself. I realized that I am capable of traveling to a foreign country, living with a family from a completely different culture, and overcoming obstacles without the safety net of my parents. Before coming to Spain, I could not completely fathom how I would manage to live in another country that does not speak my first language. However, I found myself well adjusted in Seville and quickly felt like a local rather than an American tourist. This realization made me more open to the idea of living in a foreign country full time after graduation. As I overcame language barriers and travel-related obstacles, I could feel my self-doubt slowly dissolving and my adaptability strengthening.

Another surprising personal transformation was my view about the role of my family in my life. In Spain, family is highly important and has an influence on Spaniards throughout their entire life. Many young adults live with their parents long after they graduate from university and it is not looked down upon like it is more in the United States. Families are extremely willing to support their children and elderly. Often times generations of family members stay living near each other and continuing traditions, which is a much different perspective than my family holds.

Unfortunately, my study abroad experience was cut in half due to the coronavirus outbreak. Although this was very upsetting, it made me value all of the time I was able to spend with my family that I otherwise never would have been able to experience. My family was struck with a devastating loss that many families have dealt with during this outbreak and I am grateful to have been safe at home during this difficult time.

There were several specific instances that allowed me to grow personally and increase my self-confidence. When I first traveled to Spain at the beginning of my trip, I unfortunately missed two flights: one connecting me from Chicago to Germany and another from Germany to Madrid. As I was traveling alone, I was forced to deal with these issues by myself and wait for hours in customer service lines to reschedule my flights. Ultimately, I traveled for approximately 25 hours and arrived in Seville much later than the rest of my program. Despite the stress of these travel issues, I was surprised to feel a sense of accomplishment and preparedness when I arrived at the hotel in Seville.

The next few days in Seville tested both my Spanish language abilities and self-sufficiency. I moved into my homestay the second day and was immediately practicing my Spanish with my host mother. This was very challenging but after a few successful conversations I had hope for the rest of the semester. I also had to go to a Spanish bank to exchange my dollars for euros, go to a phone store to set up a cell phone plan, and purchase a metro card to use the public transportation. It was little obstacles like this that I handled by myself using Spanish that allowed me to feel more confident and capable of living in Spain. It suddenly did not seem so daunting to be an American living in a Spanish-speaking country. Throughout the rest of the semester, I traveled to different Spanish cities as well as Portugal and Morocco. Each time, I overcame language barriers and cultural differences.

In the end, my confidence in myself allowed me to focus on learning the culture and meeting new people. The relationships I made with other like-minded travelers and students inspired me to think in a more global mindset, as well as become a more independent person. I met several women staying in youth hostels who were traveling the world alone without fear of cultural differences, language barriers, or travel complications. They all had a mutual understanding that problems always arise, but these moments of discomfort are ultimately opportunities for growth. These relationships completely changed my perspective of the world and empowered me to continue my travel journey after the coronavirus outbreak is managed.

This personal transformation I have experienced will remain highly valuable for the rest of my life. Before I went to Spain, I was obviously interested in the Spanish language since I was a Spanish minor. As a business major, I thought it would be exciting to work for a company in a Spanish-speaking country. However, I did not truly believe I would be capable of doing that alone. It seemed impossible to truly live in a foreign country without being able to rely on a family member, partner, or friend to help me along the way. I doubted my ability to embark on such a journey alone, but after fully immersing and thriving in Spain I can absolutely see this as possible. In fact, I find myself constantly researching different opportunities for post graduation that involve moving back to Spain. It is hard to imagine myself not continuing traveling and meeting new people from different countries. Now, this feels even more feasible and I am no longer held back by my self-doubt. I am so grateful for this experience for not only the knowledge and cultural awareness I have gained, but also the personal transformation that I have undergone.

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