In my six days of being in the city so far, Barcelona has exceeded my expectations in nearly every aspect imaginable. Coming into this program, I had no idea what to expect and felt intimidated by the uncertainty of being so far from home; however, I am pleased to say that most of my worries disappeared once I met the others attending this program, and it didn?t take long to realize that I had made the right decision of going abroad with MAYS this summer. From the moment I arrived in Spain, I could feel the excitement of the city and knew that the next month would be a life-changing opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and experience a culture so different from the one I am used to in Texas. So far, I have really enjoyed learning about International Business and the European Economy; these classes have already taught me about subjects I wasn?t previously familiar with, and I am grateful for the privilege to learn about the international environment in such a unique city. Additionally, both of my professors are extremely knowledgeable in the areas of which they are teaching and make sure to foster the curiosity of their students. From here on out, I am looking forward to further exploring everything that Barcelona has to offer and immersing myself in the local culture as much as possible. I want to try as many Spanish foods as I can, visit many of the beautiful parks and lookouts here in Spain, and get a better glimpse into what the local residents of Barcelona are like. By the end of the program, I hope to feel more confident with speaking Spanish and my ability to navigate in unfamiliar places. My time abroad has been incredible so far, and I truly cannot wait to see what the next three weeks have in store for me.
