As a sophomore in high school, I knew that I wanted to become fluent in Spanish and to study abroad during my undergraduate caree
r. Auburn provided me with both of these opportunities, and I chose to spend the Spring semester of my Junior year in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. I lived with a host family that could not speak English, and all of my classes were taught in Spanish. Alcalá is in central Spain, where the language is pure and there is no other prominent dialect. This made learning the language a continuous part of everyday life. The small, historic city is located just a short train ride from Madrid and/or a short bus ride to the airport, allowing for easy travel.
The trip was unique to me because I was able to study with roughly 60 or 70 other American students at a Spanish university, with 9 other Auburn students in the program as well, yet it was individually my experience. I enjoyed living in Alcalá, sightseeing in Madrid, and traveling. Madrid always has something to offer. We could go into the city for the weekend, or just to tour the Reina Sofia Museum, Palacio Real, or go to a Mumford & Sons concert! I enjoyed enrolling in classes to learn things that will be relevant to my career, and I loved doing it all overseas. I traveled virtually wherever I wanted within reason, and I took the time to prioritize my dreams and watch many of them come true. Although it was difficult being away from family and friends at times, they were gracious to me- we managed to keep in contact a bit while I was away and, more importantly, pick up right where we left off once I returned from Spain.
I crossed off many of my “Bucket List” items while abroad. I traveled throughout the Madrid province and to Barcelona, Granada, Paris, Valencia, London, Rome, Pisa & Litvorno, Portofino & Santa Margherita (Italy), Nice & Eze (France), Lisbon, Sintra & Belem (Portugal), and the island of Majorca, off the East coast of Spain in the Mediterranean. I toured FC Barcelona Stadium and went to a Barcelona versus Real Madrid game. I climbed mountains in Cercedilla and drank straight from the creek. I saw Wicked in London, toured Wimbledon, and took communion at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I spent hours looking over the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal. I posed by the Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, the Gaudi Park and La Sagrada Familia. I tossed a coin into the Trevi fountain and saw the Sistine Chapel. I enjoyed plenty of good food and I ate gelato whenever I wanted. I toured Notre Dame and Westminster’s Abbey. I chopped off all of my long hair and got a pixie cut for the first time. I navigated train, metro, and bus systems in five different countries, and I found a Starbucks in the big cities for the few times I was really missing home.
The best part about traveling abroad is the personal definition and refinement that comes as a result of the experience. I was surrounded by people I had never met before, my American classmates and Europeans alike. I wrestled with how to communicate my faith and my values and some of the deepest parts of who I am, in a language that felt so rich but I had not yet mastered. I faced new decisions on a daily basis, ranging from what I wanted to eat, to where I wanted to fly and travel for the weekend, to whether or not it was a wise decision to travel by myself, and more significant, character-shaping decisions. I lived life in a context that was new to me and full of opportunities. That doesn’t mean that everything was always easy- it wasn’t. But I am thankful for the opportunity to seek my God in a culture that isn’t talking about him all the time, and for the opportunity to see the world while doing it. I made plenty of mistakes and I messed up, but I went, I traveled, I loved, I explored, I laughed, and I learned.
I learned how to better love those around me, and how I can put myself in a position to better serve and look after the friends I’ve been entrusted with. I learned how to stand firm in your convictions and the importance of standing up for what is right, even when the culture around you may not agree. I learned a lot of Spanish and I learned about bilingual education. I learned about the world economies and the ways Globalization is affecting the European Union and the economies of developing nations. I learned the history of Latin America and its relations with Spain, and I learned about managing international businesses across different cultures. I fell in love with Spain and I look forward to going back someday. Above all, I am thankful that the experience was not just a fairy tale or one long, mega-spring break, but it was truly life changing.