Leading up to this trip, I could not overstate the amount of excitement and gratefulness I had that the Spain Business trip was confirmed and scheduled to take place in the second half of summer 2021. I have always worked to make the most out of every opportunity I have been presented with, so studying abroad has been on my mind since I was in high school. In fact, I always talked with my parents about ?maybe studying abroad? in college and how ?maybe Spain? would be a really cool place to visit. Once I decided that I was going to Texas A&M University, I was so excited to hear that it was one of the best schools at sending students to study abroad, and was consequently immediately drawn to the Spain Business trip.?
The itinerary for the trip outlined some incredibly eventful and beautiful visits to some of the places that make Barcelona what it is today. The beautiful and jaw-dropping work of Antoni Gaudi on the Sagrada Familia and the city throughout, the FC Barcelona museum and stadium, and a handful of day trips to scenic and iconic areas of the country are only a few of the amazing experiences I was looking forward to on the summer of a lifetime. Thanks to the business programs’ pre-trip informational, I was able to correctly prepare for the visit by packing the right clothes, understanding the flight logistics, receiving the class expectations and curriculum, and being aware of cultural differences and norms that I should have in mind and expect as part of the experience.?
The apartments are in great locations in the heart of the town. We have a metro stop a block away. We were taught how the system works and quickly learned what we hadn?t as it is efficiently set up and easy to navigate. We have an abundance of coffee shops and bakeries we go to in the morning for breakfast. A grocery store is nearby so that we can buy food to make our own lunch and dinner when we don?t want to eat out. Barcelona has a large tourist industry meaning a lot of locals speak English, so students with rusty Spanish-speaking skills are able to get around just fine.?
Barcelona itself has proven to hold a confident people with a zest for living life in the moment. A lot of what I had read about people taking their time to enjoy their conversations and meals, the later nights, consequently, the later mornings, and overall the slower pace of life proved true in my first few days here. I think a great example of this, and one of the best and simplest moments I have enjoyed yet, was singing ?La Bamba? while someone played the guitar alongside the locals in a nearby square late at night. The people are rooted in their city?s history and are constantly surrounded by music, beaches, scenery, and beautiful, ancient buildings. Food is central to the way of life here and I have enjoyed coffee with a small breakfast, multiple long, late, big lunches, and snacking dinners on Spanish time.?
The ESA and the Mays faculty have been an incredible help in adjusting to life here in Barcelona. I cannot wait for the places that are left to visit, the experiences that are left to enjoy, and the memories I will get to look back on the summer of 2021 that I spent in Barcelona, Spain.