Studying abroad gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. In my short three months of living in Spain, I made amazing friends from all over the world, connected with diverse professors, and travelled to seven different countries. I don’t think I would have ever had this type of experience if I hadn’t studied abroad.
I learned more about myself as a person in the last three months than I have in the last 20 years. I lived with a family in Spain that spoke strictly Spanish; meanwhile, I was still learning the language. Doing this, though, fully immersed me into the culture. We had three typical Spanish meals a day, lived in a little apartment, and walked everywhere (no one even owns cars). I am a notorious picky eater, but the food was amazing!
Overall, this experience taught me how to be independent. I was thousands of miles away from anything familiar, my friends, my family, and my school. I was pushed out of my comfort zone on a daily basis. I feel like I can navigate myself around any area now after getting lost in Spain countless times. I also feel much more open and accepting of other cultures because I realized first-hand what it’s like to be a minority in a foreign country. It was tough at first because of the language barrier, but after a while I adjusted and I met some amazing people because of it!
My one piece of advice to people who are even slightly thinking about studying abroad is DO IT! You will not regret it.
You can fill out an application to study abroad for this summer semester by February 1st. It’s not too late!