As a part of my curriculum at Clemson, I was required to complete a semester abroad, as well as have an international internship experience. To me, this seemed like more of an incredible opportunity than a requirement, but had to be done nonetheless. I chose to study abroad my spring semester junior year, which was January thru May of 2023. Due to my language of study being Spanish, I chose to study abroad in a southern city of Spain, named Seville. The city was everything I could have asked for from an abroad experience, rich in culture, the friendliest people, delicious Andalusian food, and a great educational experience.  

 

The program that I went with was called Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA), with about 100 other students from all over the U.S.. CEA had their own building near the center of Seville, with classes taught by professors from all over the world. Some of my professors are from Spain, and some from the U.S.. One of the things I really enjoyed academically was the structure of my classes. It was very discussion based, more interactive than any other classes I’ve taken back at home, encouraging students to participate, use critical thinking skills, and not just memorize information to be tested on. In my international management class, we would discuss current events, and how that would affect our future job hunt, the politics in America, and what businesses can do financially and ethically. This was one of my favorite classes, really engaging in the dynamic structure of class.

 

Going into my abroad experience, I had many goals that I wanted to accomplish and push myself to experience. One of which was to increase my proficiency level in Spanish, and it was definitely accomplished. When learning a new language, one crucial component is confidence, which is needed to make mistakes, and keep trying again. On many occasions in Seville, I was utterly humbled by the Andalusian accent and fast paced manner in which they speak! Of course it was never mal-intentioned, with examples including my host mom shouting “no!” when I said a word wrong, or when ordering in Spanish at a cafe they would respond to me in English. These humbling experiences were crucial to my development as a language learner, which has propelled me into a confident speaker today. 

 

Being from Texas, I have grown up with a large influence of southern hospitality, and family being a very important aspect of my life. Similarly, the Andalusian region of Spain is family-oriented, and filled with kind, outgoing, compassionate people that are always willing to help. This provided a huge comfort to me being so far from home, really allowing me to immerse myself into the culture. One example that comes to mind is the friendliness given to me by one of the friends I made, local to Seville, named Jesus. Jesus was my very first friend there, inviting me to meet at a coffee shop with one of his friends. Meeting a new person in a foreign country made me nervous, but it turned out to be one of my most cherished experiences. We made a friend group, traveled to Portugal, were invited to family dinners, and even danced together at La Feria! Jesus and I are still friends, and have even seen each other in the U.S., while he was visiting. 

 

Additionally, a misconception that many Americans believe about Spaniards is that they’re lazy, don’t work hard, or are not smart. After living and working there for 4 months, I can confidently say that those misconceptions are not true. One of the things many of my coworkers said to me was that Americans “live to work” and Spaniards “work to live” which was something that I found very interesting, and true. In Spain, quality of life is a very important aspect to their culture, much more than how much money they make. They enjoy quality time with their families, sharing 2 to 3 hour long meals, going for a stroll, then taking a siesta. This is where the misconception comes in, lots of businesses close from 2 to 5 pm to enjoy this break with their loved ones, and return to work at 5 and stay until 8 or 9 pm. For many Spaniards, this is a fulfilling way of life that balances their need for connection, quality time, and making a living. The people in Spain taught me to appreciate all of the hours in the day, to slow down and take a breath, and be present in my surroundings. This is something that I have brought back with me to the US, taking longer at meals to chat with loved ones, not rushing through lunch to get back to work, and finding things in my day that enrich it, not just on the weekends. 

 

Lastly, I have always been a people person, constantly wanting to learn new things from other cultures, and be curious about those that are different from me. Seville showed me what I already knew about myself, and gave me the space to flourish as an individual finding my place in the world. I was approached by friends, thanking me for being so open and honest about my life, my lived experiences, that has helped them be honest about their own. While helping others, I was able to help myself to what the world had to offer, and I will forever be grateful.