Departure Reflection

1. What did you discover about yourself?

I discovered that I am capable of going to places I never thought I would go to in my life along with a stronger sense of independence. Most of the time I would go to places on my own as everyone either didn't want to do anything or didn't want to join along. I was nervous at first because you are adventuring by yourself somewhere you have little to no familiarity of and the constant warnings about being aware of your surroundings. After the first day of walking around by myself, I felt more confident in doing this more during my time away from home. There were many places I went just by myself such as the Zoo, the F.C. Barcelona Museum, and just walking around the city. I really enjoyed it rather than being inside my room.

2. How can you extend these skills into a professional setting?

From my time abroad I found the skills I have used such as patience and adapting to situations which can be used in my professional life. Patience is crucial for dealing with people whom you might have a difficult time communicating with especially if you are in another country where English, isn't a commonly spoken language. There were many situations where I had to adapt such as switching tram lines after going the wrong direction. Both of these skills are crucial within a professional environment when dealing with unsatisfied clients or in any scenario where you are tested mentally.  

3. Consider the people you met along your journey. What did you take away from them?

At first, I didn't know what to think of my group because this was the first time seeing them, probably by the second day, I got used to everyone. The more you interact with someone the more you see them less as strangers. Everyone seemed to have their own interests and personalities which can take a while to get used to as they might have similarities to yourself or are completely the opposite. I found both to be the case as everyone seemed to be a little different than me. A lot of the people in our travel group were more introverted than myself, which is ok.

. What surprised you the most about your experience?

The one thing which surprised me the most was how many people were able to speak English, Whenever I spoke in Spanish or German the best of my ability, they could notice that I am an English speaker. I thought I would have to speak more Spanish and German, but this was not the case in many instances. The other surprise was that the class time wasn't what you expect. Instead, it was mostly guided tours around the city which I thought was neat.

5. What did you learn from a challenging situation you faced?

For me, I came across a few situations such as using public transportation on my own. I would get nervous about missing a stop or not getting to the metro station on time. From this I learned that it is not the end of the world if you miss your ride, many of this public transportation systems are very fast and there are screens which state when the train will make it.

6. How would you best describe your experience to someone who haven't lived it?

I would describe studying abroad as something which is very rewarding, but it isn't a walk in the park. This is my third and last study abroad program. I have loved all of them and have seen so much during these trips. You have to be able to get out of your comfort zone and to live in the moment. With so much to do and see, you won't have time to sit around and watch tv in your hotel room. It is a once in a lifetime experience. You should explore as much as you can because there are many amazing things out there to see and experience. These trips have fueled my love of travel and learning about the history of other countries.