Studying abroad was always something I had an interest in, but after transferring schools in the middle of my sophomore year, it didn’t seem like it could be a possibility for me. Having to adjust to a new campus, catch up on credits, and begin my search for internships, I found myself unable to leave campus for a whole semester. While my main focus was finding my place at a new university, the urge to go abroad was always present. This led me to look into ways I could still go abroad without having to move away for a whole semester, and this is how I found CGIS.
I was drawn to the programs CGIS offered, and thought their May semester was the perfect fit for me. With this program lasting only 3 weeks at the start of summer, I was able to gain the credits I needed, explore a new city, as well as make it home in time for my job beginning in June.
While 3 weeks may sound like a short abroad journey, I was able to accomplish so much! I got to check out dozens of restaurants with super good tapas. I became a regular at a few coffee shops close to class, and developed a routine. I shopped my way through Las Ramblas. I got to watch a Flamenco show. I saw the ins and outs of Barcelona, stopping by the touristy areas, while also exploring the local favorites!
My time abroad didn’t just include Barcelona as I was able to travel on the weekends! I visited Paris, France, as well as spent a weekend in Mallorca which is just a 30 minute plane ride from Barcelona.
During my time in Barcelona, I learned a lot about their football club, FC Barcelona. Just days after arriving in the city, the FCB won against a rival team, putting them in first place in La Liga. To celebrate, a parade was hosted in the streets and the team rode through the city. While it was amazing to see the players, and what I enjoyed most about this night was the excitement and pride that was present. People were waving flags, repping jerseys, playing games of their own, and chanting. FC Barcelona has a saying that they are “more than just a club”, and in these moments I saw that ring true.
Since this was a study abroad experience, of course I attended class as well. At first when I found out I had class everyday for hours at a time, I was a little nervous. However, I quickly found out that I had nothing to worry about and looked forward to attending school everyday. I took the Sports and Society course and found it so interesting to learn the origins of sports, to how it currently impacts our world. The learning was not limited to the classroom, instead we had a few field studies per week. We visited locations based on what we talked about in class that day including the bull fighting arena, the FC Barcelona stadium, and countless museums about sports history. I loved how we were given the opportunity to connect what we were learning to real aspects of the city.
Before I departed, I was extremely nervous. I had never been out of the U.S before, so the thought of traveling alone to a foreign country terrified me. Yet, after three weeks in Spain, I came home with many new friends, an appreciation for a new city, and my biggest regret was not signing up for a longer program! As a transfer student, I didn’t know how going abroad would fit into my schedule, as I had so many other things I was worrying about. Participating in Barcelona SAE not only helped me catch up on credits I was behind on from transferring, but also gave me an experience I will never forget. If you are on the fence about going abroad, my advice would be to 100% give it a try. While it can be intimidating, Barcelona SAE is a welcoming program that easily gets you comfortable with the city, and makes you never want to leave!
