From the streets of the Gothic Quarter to the courtyard of Vita Pobleanau. From the Catedral de Barcelona to the Jubilee at the Vatican. From the bus ride to the Delta to the camel ride through the Sahara. From the daily coffee runs after ERSP class to the delectable cooking classes savoring specialty dishes. From sharing tapas practically every evening to wandering La Boqueria. From thirty four total strangers to a new group of best friends. I truly do not think my study abroad experience could have been any more incredible.
There are about a million little details that I could share about my time abroad, and I have absolutely no doubt that for the rest of my life I will be recalling stories about my experience this past month. The people I met, the activities I engaged in, the bucket list items I checked off, and the overall adventures I participated in over the past month have filled my heart and mind with stories that I will tell my kids one day – that is how wonderful my time in Barcelona (and traveling abroad) has been. While in Barcelona, I have learned a lot about myself and international business.
Moreover, relating to this, the aspect of our international trip that I found to be the most positive surprise was definitely the strong relationships that each student in our group built with each other and the Spanish citizens we encountered every day. Starting with the group flight a month ago, we all could tell there was something special about our study abroad group. Not to mention, the six hour delay in the airport obviously gave us a head start when it came to finding your people and introducing yourself to the members of our study abroad group. We all shared the desire to travel, learn, and grow with the international surroundings we were exposed to. Furthermore, we all yearned to meet new people abroad that could help us reach our full international business potential. I think that going into the trip with this shared mindset encouraged each of us to push each other out of our comfort zones and really adapt to the culture we were surrounded by. I think that this bond all of my classmates shared throughout our international trip was the component that made this trip the best month of my life. Undoubtedly, without my amazing classmates, I would not have been nearly as immersed into the Barcelona culture or learned as much as I did over the last month. Truthfully, I feel like there is not a single thing that I thought I would gain from our international immersion component of the course that I did not. I gained invaluable skills and an appreciation for other cultures that will help me grow as an individual in the international business world.
All thirty four of us soaked in and truly absorbed the culture of Barcelona – not only in the educational realm, but at restaurants, historic sites, museums and throughout the little side streets of the city.
