Do you want to make the most of your college experience? Want to do something that makes it incredible instead of ordinary? This is exactly what Breanne Williamson, a senior in Community Health did. Breanne has always had a passion for helping others and the Spanish language, so for the spring semester of her Junior year she studied abroad in Granada, Spain. When she came back to the U.S. she started her internship at the local Kirby Hospital in Monticello, Illinois. Breanne kindly told Her Campus about her new experiences studying abroad which have made her college experience unique and exciting.
{Taken at El Palacio Real in Madrid, Spain}
What was your favorite thing about Spain?
Even though this is a broad answer, I have to say the culture. My favorite saying in Spain was “tranquila,” which means calm. People would say this to me and it was so welcoming and really made relax — a great change from America’s fast paced culture. Also, my host mom would make me meals completely from scratch everyday. Her food was absolutely wonderful.
What did you miss from home?
Although the Spanish food was great, I did miss bacon and peanut butter immensely. I also missed hearing adults speak English, I know that sounds silly, but the only people I would communicate to in English were students in my program. And of course, I also missed my family and friends.
How did you manage your money?
I was very fortunate to have the time to travel around nearby countries, but with that I tried to cut back expenses on these trips as much as possible. My friends and I would try to find the best rates on hostels and airfare. For example, when my friends and I visited Paris, we stayed with a family friend for no charge. We also each bought a large loaf of french bread and split the cost of different cheeses. After a while, the bread became a little stale and the cheese a tad stinky for my liking, but I was really proud of how much money I saved on a great trip.
{Paris}
Did you notice any differences lifestyle-wise?
People seem to be more active in general. Walking is the main form of transportation in a city. They spend a lot of time outdoors and eat fresher foods. Another major difference from the U.S. is that smoking was recently banned indoors, so everyone smokes directly outside of restaurants.
How are you going to apply your study abroad experience to your future career?
Studying abroad has given me a passion to expose myself to not only the American culture, but other cultures as well. It opened my eyes and I realized that my culture isn’t always the best, and you have to learn how to balance the things that are important to you like family, work and school.
What was your favorite thing about studying abroad?
My favorite thing about studying abroad was being completely exposed to something different and having to figure out my surroundings and values on my own. Studying abroad allows you to be a completely new person and just soak up all you can — that is your ultimate goal while abroad.
{Granada}