As cliché as it sounds, studying abroad has changed my life for the better. I have never traveled outside of the country and had limited knowledge of Spain and Europe in general. It was always somewhere I wanted to travel, but it was never at the top of my bucket list, nor did I ever think I was going to be able to experience it myself. Being immersed in the Spanish and Catalan culture for the past month is something that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but in the end felt so normal. Having observed the global nature of business and the varying work cultures outside the US, I have set new goals for myself to incorporate some of my favorite aspects of Spain into my daily life.
Engaging with individuals in Spain was one of the best parts of the experience. Navigating the language barrier was a positive challenge and something I found fun doing. I learned to navigate through pointing, smiling, and using a combination of English and Spanish. Trying Catalan line dances was one of the first things I did on the trip and one of my fondest memories. It was completely random how it happened. There is a Western-inspired dance bar that infuses traditional Catalan dancing with American line dances. I figured this would be something familiar to compare to the US, but I was completely wrong. The dances were extremely intricate, fast-paced, and had almost no repetition. This experience also challenged me to work past a language barrier. The dance bar was located about 30 minutes outside of Barcelona, where there was a limited amount of English spoken. I was able to learn dances through locals pointing in different directions to guide me, smiling when I did things right, and using a mix of simple English and Spanish in order to communicate.
My time abroad changed my perspective on traveling. Seeing the world doesn’t have to be a vacation: it is an opportunity to experience cultures, be grateful for the journey, and make memories to last a lifetime. I had no expectations walking into study abroad, so I was able to live in the moment and see everything with fresh eyes. Thank you, CIBS, for putting these programs together because it is truly an eye-opening, one-in-a-lifetime experience.
