For my STEP Signature Project, I chose an education abroad program to Madrid, Spain. I was in Madrid for the past semester, studying with the behavioral sciences program at IE University. I traveled to new cities and countries in my free time as well.
Before I went to Madrid, I had never been to Europe. I had only been out of the country once six years ago on a family vacation. This time I was completely on my own and learning to navigate a new city where majority of the population did not speak English. It was like starting freshman year of college again but this time three years older and with a language barrier. I saw my independence and extroverted traits flourish when I was forced to be alone and familiarize myself with my new surroundings. I enjoy being independent and my time across seas helped me realize that I can do things without relying on others and not focus on the fact that I am alone but rather how I am accomplishing things and doing more for myself successfully. An extrovert is not the label I would give myself. However, I do have times where I come out of my shell more and while abroad, I saw it often. It led me to meet far more people than I thought I would, learn Spanish more, travel to new places, and try new foods and experiences that I never could have imagined. Traveling to a new place forced me to bring these traits out more, but it welcomed a positive journey from start to end.
A global perspective that the program hopes one will gain when traveling was something I got to see first-hand. With my classes made up of students from around the world, we were able to interact in and out of the classroom, sharing stories about our countries and our viewpoints on global issues or the world itself. The world is so big and being in the United States you only see one side of many stories. Speaking with others my age who have been around the world opened my eyes to new differing opinions and beliefs. While abroad, I had a little time to travel to other countries and I saw the way many other people lived. The lifestyle choices were very different than those in the United States (such as eating dinner at 10pm) and the way people carried themselves and interacted with others made it clear. Cultural differences were much more obvious than I would have assumed, but it gave me the chance to embrace where I was at and learn the way of that country.
The new university and my classes were a major chunk in my past semester that aided my independence and extroversion. School was a forty-five-minute metro ride from my apartment, so it already became a challenge finding my way there. The independence I had grew my confidence to rely on myself and persevere through even if I had begun my journey by missing a train or getting on the wrong one. Eventually, I knew my way around and had even been stopped by others asking me for directions in Spanish and I could successfully give them an answer. I would go days exploring the city on my own and it was nice to have time with myself that led to thoughtful reflection, peace, and the discovery of my new favorite places in Madrid. I became more content with being alone and I believe it has helped me mentally and brought my mind to a better place. Additionally, the university taught with a heavy emphasis on group-based work and collaborating on a team helped me see different viewpoints of others and also let me take a leadership role more. I was not used to the teaching styles and it was definitely an adjustment. I noticed myself taking charge and assigning roles to other group members to get the project done on time. I learned how to bring the group together to work efficiently. At Ohio State, I have not done a lot of group work in my coursework. However, in Spain I used my voice more in school and improved my public speaking skills.
A trip I took that personally made an impact for me was to Sevilla, a southern part of Spain. This trip was my last trip toward the end of my semester and I did it solo. I believe it was a great way to end my journey and it truly showcased how I had grown throughout the past four months. I stayed in a hostel for the weekend and was able to meet people through activities and events the hostel had set up. I could have chosen to stay in the room for the night, but I met one of the girls I was rooming with and together we decided to participate in the events. I met people from Australia, Japan, India, France, Switzerland, and the United States that night. The majority of those I had never met anyone from. We got to experience the culture of Sevilla and all went to a flamenco show together. It was an expressive type of dance with so much emotion put into it. We explored the city together and after the night was over we all went back to the hostel and stayed up in the common room telling stories and getting to know each other. I was almost convinced to stay an extra night and it was all thanks to the people I met because I chose to go out of my way and be more outgoing. I am very grateful I had the opportunity to travel solo for a weekend and the happiness I felt from it is a feeling I will not forget.
In Sevilla, like in many of the places I visited, I became enriched in the deep history of the place. The European countries are filled with it and I was amazed at everything I saw. From the largest gothic cathedral in the world in Sevilla to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the Vatican in Italy, everything was breathtaking. Not only the views and the detail that went into each building and each artifact, but the facts behind the work and why each thing was constructed the way it was was mesmerizing. I have never spent more time in a museum or historical building than I had at the Sevilla Cathedral. History surrounded me and I was eagerly soaking it all up. I saw a completely new world I was just being introduced to. It is important to appreciate the beauty of it all because that is when you become fully immersed and I loved it. The cities I got to visit blew me away. The architecture and scenery is not something you see in the United States and to see the significance behind it all was surreal. My outlook on the world expanded in every possible way.
I have seen the person I have transformed into. I can see the changes that were not there six months ago. The characteristics I have built up are important for my future. They are something I wish to hold on to in order to be successful. For as long as I can remember, I was an introverted person. As I have grown and matured, I have taken many opportunities to improve my confidence and strengthen my voice. It was important to me to take this chance to study abroad and become more independent while seeing the world. I was introduced to things that I never would have been if I was in the United States and what I have learned about myself and the world I will carry with into the future.
