As I write this, I am reminiscing on all the memories, lessons, and knowledge I learned over the past five weeks.? As I said in my first blog post, I was pessimistic that this trip was going to happen according to plan.? I had become so accustomed to plans going awry, and there were so many programs canceled or transitioned online that I did not want to get my hopes up for studying abroad.? It was only a few weeks before this trip that I truly got excited and realized that I would fulfill my goal, which I have had since high school, of studying abroad.
One of the most important things that I have learned from studying abroad in Spain is how to conduct business in different business environments.? The classes that I took this summer will be invaluable to my career because I will be conducting business all over the country and potentially the world.? I always knew that not all countries have the same business processes as the United States, but I had never experienced first-hand the different ways businesses run in countries.? Throughout this program, I learned about international business in the classroom, and one of my biggest takeaways came from an activity we completed.? The activity was to write an email to someone in another country but using the proper type of context expected in that country.? This was much more difficult than I thought it would be because I had no idea the vast differences there are in pure communication across different cultures.? We learned that Spain is a high-context country and how to interact with people in a high-context country.? It is essential to learn if the country you are conducting business in is a low-context and high-context communication country and to mindfully proceed until one is certain of the proper communication channels.
In the United States, there is a common saying that time is money.? The stark differences between America and Spain in work-life balance have never been more pertinent until I studied abroad.? In the United States, people are constantly hurrying and bustling around to get to the next thing on their schedule.? Whereas people in Spain are more leisurely with their time.? They see the value in stopping for a coffee on their way to work, having over a two-hour dinner each night, or shutting down during peak hours of the day to have a siesta.? I have partaken in this leisurely way of life since being here.? I have greatly enjoyed this shift in cultures and now have a better understanding of different business environments across the globe.
The past five weeks have been comprised of learning about my surroundings, excitement for each new experience, anticipation to make the most out of my time, and personal and professional growth.? As I became more accustomed to living in Barcelona, I became more comfortable trying new things and developing new skills.? My understanding of the local language has improved, and I look forward to applying it when I return to Texas.? I also developed my cross-cultural knowledge through professional visits and interacting with local businesses. This summer, I learned the basics of international business and am grateful to have a better understanding of cross-cultural business and to have grown in my international professional development that I can apply in my future.