Over the course of my project, I was focused on enhancing my Spanish language skills. Abroad in Barcelona I took four classes weekly, two being Spanish, and lived with a host family who only spoke Spanish. Aside from academics I spent my time exploring what Barcelona has to offer and immersing myself in the cultures of other European countries.
Prior to my arrival, culture shock was something emphasized by program leaders, guidance counselors, etc. This forewarning was given to prepare students for the drastic lifestyle change that would occur abroad and allow mental preparation for homesickness. I quickly learned I would have to have an open mind and be willing to make many adjustments if I wanted to have the best possible experience. It was a blast engaging in Spanish traditions that I learned from my host family and with friends I met along the way. The most transformative part of studying abroad was hands down learning about different cultures firsthand in many different countries.
I took four classes every week including two Advanced Spanish classes, Globalization from a Historical Perspective, and Cross-Cultural Communication and Management. Being in Advanced Spanish taught in Spain was a challenge as it was the most faced paced and my professor hardly spoke English. I also lived with a host family for the entire duration of my time abroad, who also spoke no English. The combination of constantly practicing at home and eight hours of classes a week helped my Spanish exposure tremendously. Living with a host family was a great experience in itself. I had a very nice couple who taught me all about the history of Barcelona and gave great advice. They cooked me dinner every night and would create traditional dishes from Spain and Argentina, where they are originally from.
Living in Spain introduced me to a lot of new cultural adaptations. One of the biggest transformations I made was slowing down. In Spain, schedules are much more relaxed, and people are often not in a rush. It is normal to think of set times as a guideline. This gave me the opportunity to fully enjoy every moment and made me realize that flexible sense of time allows an improved quality of social life and balance. In Spain most people eat dinner at around nine or ten at night which seems extremely late to Americans who usually eat around six. For them, they are trying to make the most of their day. Dinner is how many people wrap up their night before relaxing and going to bed. In Spain they want to elongate their day as long as possible and not eat while the sun is still up because that is their time for social activities. I was very inspired by their mindset to make every moment count. Another tradition in Barcelona is tapas. Tapas are shareable dishes of Spanish cuisine such as patatas bravas, Iberian ham, or croquettes. However, tapas are shared amongst friends, family, coworkers as a gathering to build or maintain relationships. These common practices shaped my daily life and made a lasting impact on how I will continue life in the U.S.
One of the first trips I went on was Morocco. I was primarily interested in going to the Sahara Desert to ride camels. However, throughout the trip it was very eye-opening to see some of the living conditions that are considered very normal in Morocco. Despite living in impoverished areas, locals welcomed us with tea and were eager to teach us about their culture. At every location we stayed overnight they provided us with authentic Moroccan cuisine and ended the night playing their instruments, singing songs, and teaching us how to join in with them. When we finally made it to the desert I was stunned at the true beauty. By nightfall you could see a million stars, and I even counted 5 shooting stars. I couldn’t believe the visibility, and it made me realize how polluted the United States is. It was an absolute surreal experience to be in such a desolate, pure place that is so unaffected by pollution. My trip to Morocco was a truly life changing experience and inspired me to be more positive and appreciative towards all I have and the resources that I can easily access. This is one out of many trips I went on, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn new things from people all around the world.
This change is very valuable for my future career plans as my major is International Business with a minor in Spanish. I had originally wanted to go abroad to improve my Spanish speaking abilities in hopes of adding being bilingual to my toolbox. It was very important for me to live with a host family for full exposure and constant practice. Prior to spending three months in Europe, I had no idea the lasting impact it would have on me. Exploring new cultures first-hand is something that has opened my mind significantly. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in different lifestyles in over ten countries. This is extremely important for my profession as I will likely be dealing with international business partners. One thing stressed heavily were the steps for doing business overseas and the importance of having awareness towards cultural differences. In my Cross-Cultural Communication and Management class we dove into the values, traditions, and behaviors of multiple different countries and I was shocked to see how each one is different than the next. This really helped me understand that I need to be very conscious and do prior research before jumping into business abroad. Overall, this has been an unforgettable experience and has expanded my knowledge that will prove to be very useful in my career.
