Surprisingly, ACCT 229 and FINC 341 have not been the hardest parts of my Mays career- the hardest thing has been navigating a study abroad in the thick of COVID-19. It’s difficult to grasp just how long this pandemic has gone on, but for some perspective let me tell you that my first study abroad, the summer after my sophomore year, was cancelled in March of 2020, and now in January of 2022, after FOUR cancelled trips (three different countries) I am finally abroad.
Fast forward to the present- I am writing this in my apartment in the heart of Barcelona, Spain! Since our arrival, we have been going nonstop- straight from the airport (landed at 7 am Spain time and midnight Texas time) to tour the city. Our first day consisted of seeing the Gothic Quarter where the Cathedral of Barcelona is located, shopping (lots and lots of shopping), and a scavenger hunt before dinner. The scavenger hunt was surprisingly helpful because we were actively engaged in discerning our surroundings from the get-go. Our second day here was also our first day of class. Class was held in an office that I assume is similar to a WeWork in the US- there were small desks everywhere, offices of various sizes, large meeting rooms, and even a small cafe area. We had a lengthy discussion about “Cultural Intelligence” and explored the many differences and similarities between the US and Spain. These differences are important not only from an individual standpoint but also from a business standpoint.
After class we visited Sagrada Familia. All I can say is I have never actually been at a loss for words until I stepped foot in front of that basilica. It was one of, if not the, most stunning buildings I have ever seen in my life. Pictures don’t do it justice- nothing could have prepared me for how large and how intricate it would be. If there’s one thing you need to do in Spain, it’s witnessing the beauty of Sagrada Familia. Our third day was spent in Sitges- a coastal city not far from Barcelona. This is where we had our first company visit. We visited Cellar Diaz and were taken step by step through the process of making vermouth. We talked a lot about their current business strategy, and I’m really excited about our presentations to them next week on what we think they can do to better their family business.
Day four was a visit to Parc Guell and the celebration of Los Reyes Magos. Parc Guell is a beautiful park designed by the artist Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi has architecture all over the city of Barcelona (Sagrada Familia to name one) and Parc Guell does not disappoint. Los Reyes Magos is the celebration of the Three Wise Men and is very similar to Christmas and Santa in the States. Most of the shops were closed in observation of the holiday, but there was a large parade the night before- we were lucky to be in Spain to witness it!
Overall, Spain has just been a dream. The culture is different, yes, but our guide, Crristina, has been such a blessing and I really can’t imagine this trip without her. The best thing I’ve picked up in the last couple of days is how to order coffee in Spanish! If you are even considering studying abroad, I really encourage you to consider Spain. Barcelona wasn’t my 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd choice- but I cannot imagine a better place to live and learn for a couple of weeks!