When entering university, I had decided I wanted to study abroad before I graduated, as it was a dream I had since high school. In the beginning of my trip, I was nervous to be in a different country using a different language, but this anxiety quickly melted away as I saw the opportunities and experiences that study abroad had to offer.
I studied abroad in the summer for 4 weeks in Alcalá de Henares, Spain which is also the birthplace of Cervantes and a UNESCO heritage site. My main goal for the study abroad program was to advance my Spanish fluency and learn more about Spanish culture. On the one-month long trip with Dr. Gastañaga, though, I got the chance to experience so much more. Not only did I get to learn more about the academic side of their culture such as their political beliefs and health care system but also the other side of Spanish culture such as their cuisine, dance, daily and social life.
I definitely did have a choque cultural in the beginning. Spain is very different from the U.S. One thing that took me a while to get accustomed to was the food, but I ended up really enjoying the cuisine, especially dishes such as croquetas, paella and tortilla. Although Spain is very different from the U.S, Spain is also very divided in terms of politics similarly to the United States. In Spain, though, it seems many don’t openly talk about their views in politics, and it is more of a personal belief that they keep to themselves. In the U.S., though, it seems we are more vocal about which side we are on.
Learning a language and experiencing a culture are two completely different things, but I realized how important study abroad was for my academic growth. At UTC, I had always read famous works from Cervantes, but I never learned about Cervantes’ life. In Alcalá, I saw the house where he was born. I got to imagine the community and streets he lived in. Study abroad has allowed me to experience my classroom studies in a different context, and I would definitely recommend study abroad to college students.
Overall, my experience studying abroad improved my Spanish fluency, but it also helped me make friends and life-long relationships along the way. I was really nervous about my future plans, but after the advice of a lot of my professors, I feel very hopeful with my future career opportunities. After college, I plan to obtain a Master’s degree.
Julie Goonetilleke (BA Modern & Classical Languages: Spanish and Humanities: International Studies) spent Summer 2022 in Alcala de Henares, Spain as part of a faculty-led trip linked with a UTC course. Julie had the following to say about study abroad, “When people who have studied abroad say “study abroad”, seriously consider it. It might end up being one of the most formative experiences in your life.”
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