So Far...

Programs for this blog post

Liberal Arts

Authored By:

Ciara H.

It’s been three months since my journey first started in Alicante, Spain. So, I wanted to stop for a second and reflect on everything that has been happening so far and all the things I have learned about Spain, a beautiful country, and me. I had a blurry idea of what this semester would be like before arriving, but no concrete information on how it would actually end up being. One thing for sure is that I did not expect to learn so much about myself, my values, and my hopes and dreams for the future. You might think “you had to cross the ocean to get to the other side of the world to find out who you are and what you want?”, well, sort of. But the point is that every student who goes abroad will have different experiences. For some, it might be about learning a new language or the history of the host country, for others it might be about traveling, trying new food, and meeting new people. Although this is part of getting to know a new culture, I think I was surprised to find out that it is also about “meeting” new aspects of yourself. I found that, to better immerse myself in Alicante, I went beyond the typical ways and searched for new experiences. For example, I found an internship that has taught me so much and has reassured me that I was right to major in Psychology and Studio Art because I want to use that in the future. I also decided to travel on my own, at least a couple of times. It’s fun when you travel with friends, but when you do it alone, it is a whole new experience of independence and growth because you spend time with yourself and learn about things you might have not been aware of before. Leaving Alicante will be bittersweet; on one hand I’ll miss the people, the places, and the food, but on the other hand, I keep comfort in knowing that I will be taking all of those experiences with me forever.