Studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain, was a somewhat impulsive decision that I made, but it ended up bringing me so many unexpected long-term benefits: like completing my Spanish major and landing a teaching job after graduation.
As my graduation date has inched closer and closer throughout my final year as an Emory undergraduate, it has caused me to look back and reflect on special moments from the last four years.
Studying abroad can be scary, and having a language exchange with native speakers might seem even worse, but in my study abroad semester in Salamanca, Spain, a language exchange helped me feel much more connected to the entire experience.
The idea of being stuck in another nation or having to leave early during a study abroad experience is something that seems to only happen in movies. At least that is what I thought before I received that recall email from the Emory Study Abroad Office, making finding a ticket home as soon as possible my new priority.
The first few weeks of my French immersion program were more difficult than expected, but my perspective on the trip changed as I started to settle in.
While I was studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain, I experienced the horrifying ordeal of being sent home for the COVID-19 pandemic on top of ordinary challenges like homesickness. Not all your memories will be positive, and that’s okay! The friends I made helped me through everything.
Spain is often deemed one of the most accepting countries regarding issues like race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and mental health, among other factors. Although Spain isn’t perfect, I was amazed by how willing people were to have conversations on topics the US fears confronting.
Traveling to Amsterdam was an amazing experience that I was able to share with some new friends I met on my Study Abroad trip.
Outside of my host family, the people who had the greatest impact on my Costa Rican experience were the seven lovely women I had the pleasure of exploring the country with and two amazing members of the ICDS team, Naya and Nina. The special bond created with each of them is one I will cherish forever.
Studying abroad in Morocco and Greece introduced me to friends from many different backgrounds who expanded my life perspective beyond the Emory bubble. They became my abroad families, and they continue to influence my worldview today.
