The Beginning of a New Journey
My Fly Delta app tells me I am 24 days away from beginning my international journey, and I am extremely excited. I know traveling to Spain will give me a new insight and introduce me to another way of life. This trip will help fuel my business curiosity and what better way to do that than live in one of the world’s most vibrant countries!
Going to Spain has been a major goal of mine ever since high school and knowing that I am now days away from achieving this goal is beyond me. It is one thing to write down your goals and hope for them to come true versus actually living them. But with hard work and the help of organizations, like FEA, all of my goals are within reach!
While living in Spain and going abroad in general is very exciting to me, it isn’t the only thing I am looking forward too. I have spent the last six years of my life (currently a rising junior) working to place myself in instances that force me to challenge myself and evolve as an individual. Going abroad and immersing myself in Spanish culture definitely meets those goals. In fact, it is my biggest challenge yet. Nevertheless, I am actively preparing myself for this trip, taking the necessary actions to ensure this trips life changing possibilities.
Making the Most of Seville, Spain
How will I make the most of this trip? Well, I am not 100% percent sure on how to accomplish this goal, but I have created a list of things to focus on.
1) Improve My Spanish Comprehension
As I sit here in the states, I feel as though I have encountered a wall in my Spanish education and I am hoping the immersive experience Spain offers will help me breakthrough this wall. My main problem is my listening comprehension. I can read and speak Spanish, but I cannot always comprehend what I am hearing. Listening and being able to comprehend what I am hearing is necessary to have meaningful conversations. So hopefully, when I land in the lovely land of Spain, my language skills will be vastly improved. And to ensure that I make this goals as achievable as possible, I will be immersing myself in the language. I will be speaking Español and only Español. English will be spoken only as a last resort.
2) Studying Spain’s Business Market As Much As Possible
As an International Business Major, going to Spain is a remarkable opportunity to make use of my studies. This opportunity is real world application with real world data. Conducting research on the top marketing tactics of “mom and pop” shops versus major corporations is just the beginning of what I can do in Spain. I really want to see how the siesta works in Spain and how business tailor their days around it. I will also be taking a Business Spanish class which will give me the necessary vocabulary to have meaningful talks and conduct the research I want. Hopefully, the class will offer opportunities to do tours of businesses and attend lectures. Maybe, if I’m fortunate, I could even come back and work in Spain.
3) Immersive Discovery of the Spanish Culture a.k.a Have Fun
One of my most anticipated activities is going to various cafes in Spain and just sitting there listening to the interactions people have. This might sound a little creepy, but I call it cultural research. I want to watch and see how people’s daily lives go. I want to do is visit as many museums as possible. Spain has a rich history and their architecture is amazing, so I will definitely make time to take all that in. Last but not least is my goal of playing chess in a park or plaza. It would be even better if could play with an elderly person. I might even be given the answers to life in the process.
Investing in Progress: Motivate and Dominate
As the days wind down, I have been thinking of more and more things I want to do while abroad in Spain. It has felt overwhelming at times, but I know this investment in my future will pay off tenfold. I decided at a young age to strive for progress and improvement and it is my hope that I make the most of this experience and maximize every moment. I will be keeping you updated on my study abroad experience, but in the meantime check out my pre-departure video below.