Some of the greatest memories I made during this study abroad came from all the cultural visits and company visits that we did. The main difference that I noticed is that in every company that we visited, a majority of the employees spoke English but also their native language. Even when we visited small towns in Spain, I was amazed to see the number of people that could communicate in English. In Europe, many countries implement more worker-friendly labor laws than they have here in the US. Many companies would have longer lunch breaks so that their employees can rest but also not get as burnout as some employees here do. There is also a big separation between work and personal life. When employees are out of the office, they tend to forget their office life and focus more on themselves and their personal lives. By being able to come on this study abroad trip, I was able to experience things that I wouldn?t have had the chance to if I had stayed at home. Antonio Gaudi was a famous architect from Barcelona, so we were able to see all of his famous pieces across the city and they were truly beautiful pieces of art. I am grateful that I was able to experience a different culture, something that really pushed me out of my comfort zone. When a first arrived, I thought I was going to struggle with navigating myself around the city but by the end of this trip, I was able to easily get myself around with the bus or the metro. Studying international business also gave me a clear idea of what it is I want to do when I grow up, and that involves traveling and experiencing new things. I most certainly will be traveling back to Europe and especially Spain in the future.
