Her Campus Colby (HCC): Hi Emma, so we decided to check up on some Colby Mules that are studying overseas this semester. Would you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Emma Klein (EK): I am a junior at Colby double majoring in Psychology and Anthropology. I transferred to Colby second semester of my freshman year and love it here! Outside the classroom, I really enjoy cooking and singing.
HCC:Where are you currently studying abroad? There are obviously so many interesting places that Colby students go, what made this particular location stand out to you?
EK:I am currently studying in Madrid, Spain. I chose to study in Madrid because I wanted to improve my fluency in Spanish as well as experience some city life. Although I love the fact that Colby is so beautiful and has such a spacious campus, I thought that studying in Madrid would be a great opportunity to experience a different rhythm of life.
HCC: What classes are you taking there? How do they compare to classes on the hill?
EK: I am three of my four classes in Spanish, and one class in English. The classes that I am taking in Spanish are Debating Current Issues in Spain, Masterpieces in the Prado Museum, and Islam and Spain. My one class in English is an anthropology course about the progression of Spanish culture throughout history. The courses that I am taking here differ from classes at Colby in that they are mostly in Spanish which really helps to immerse myself in the language. Also, I really love my class that meets in the Prado Museum because unlike a regular Art History course in which you would just study slides, my class gets to see these masterpieces in the museum.
HCC: What’s the best part of being abroad? What’s the hardest part?
EK: The most amazing part about being abroad is adjusting to and experiencing a new culture that is slightly different than what is familiar to you. It was so fun for me to adjust to a new lifestyle as well as eat new foods and immerse myself in the madrileño way of life. While I absolutely love it here it can sometimes be frustrating to have miscommunications. Although I enjoy speaking Spanish and believe that I am gaining fluency sometimes I wish that I could speak in English in order to get my point across more successfully.
HCC: What other cool places have you traveled to so far?
EK:So far I have traveled to a bunch of cities within Spain as well as Paris. In a week I am going on Spring Break and will be traveling to Italy, Scotland, and the Canary Islands. While I do love traveling within and outside of Spain, I also enjoy taking the weekends to explore Madrid.
HCC: Can you tell us about your involvement at Colby?
EK: At Colby I am a CA and a mentor for CCAK. I also really enjoy going to Shabbat dinners at Hillel.
HCC: Finally,what do you miss most about being on campus at Colby?
EK: The thing that I miss most about Colby is the people! I miss having such great friends just a few doors or minutes away from me. Although I think living in a city is exciting and rewarding, I miss the small community that is Colby and seeing familiar faces every day.
HCC: Thanks, Emma for taking the time to answer some questions. Enjoy the rest of your time abroad, and we look forward to seeing you back at school in the fall!