How Living Abroad in Spain Brings Personal Growth

          Many people experience unique moments in life that are special and contribute to their individual journey. These moments can be graduating college, the birth of a child, and in my case, traveling to Europe for the first time. It’s been one month since I boarded a plane and made my way to a new life in Spain. I was over the moon; I had never seen architecture and nature render everything so beautifully.

            In hindsight, living in Madrid has given me transformative experiences that have contributed to my personal growth. Among the many benefits of living abroad, you begin to see that you are becoming more self-reliant, making friends from all over the world and are suddenly comfortable in taking risks. 

Becoming Self-Reliant in a Foreign Country:

            You quickly realize that you must do things on your own when you are miles away from home. My first weeks consisted of many phone calls with my mom as she explained how to cook her delicious Mexican dishes. I'm beginning to do things that I haven't done before such as cooking, budgeting, and taking the metro! 

        Madrid is the first place I ever rode the metro on my own. There are no metros in my hometown and I never dared to use the public transportation in a large city before. Yet, I knew it was a skill I had to master in Spain.

         On my first day of work, I built the courage to take the metro with so many people, read the orientation signs, and was alert of all my surrounding. I definitely felt accomplished when I arrived safely and have come to enjoy the metro with such picturesque landscapes. Luckily, the public transportation system in Madrid is so well organized and easy to understand. 

           Learning new skills such as navigating solo in a foreign country is such a confidence boost. Living abroad pushes you to do things outside your comfort zone and makes you self-reliant at the end.  

Feeling at Home with International Friends:

         “Friendship is one of the distinguishing glories of man. . . . From this I expect to receive the chief happiness of my future life.” – John Adams

           You know the feeling when you finally make friends that are so genuine and real, they make your heart burst? This has been my experience while living abroad. I have never had so many international friends from places like Tunisia, Venezuela, and Afghanistan. There is always something new to learn as we talk of our similarities and differences in cultures. For example, there have been many funny moments when I forget to greet with two kisses or when I try to practice the few Arabic phrases I know. 

          Living on my own in a different country has not been lonely as I thought because I feel at home with my international friends. We have built such strong bonds and a sense of acceptance with each other. Who knew that while I lived in my small town in Texas there were likeminded people around the world that I was soon to meet and would contribute to the chief happiness of my life. 

          My friends and I have already traveled to Morocco and will go to Paris next week! I have also joined a Christian church and met some of the kindest people from all over Latin America. I am so glad I took this opportunity of a life time with CIEE to teach English in Spain. What other job gives you the opportunity to travel the world and make such amazing friends along the way? 

Being More Comfortable in Taking Risks

           I have never been much of a risk taker until coming to Madrid. One day, my friends and I were planning a trip for our upcoming vacation at work when they suggested going to Morocco! I was hesitant at first since it would be a completely different world from what I was used to, but decided to take the risk.  

            It is definitely a culture shock from the moment you step out into the city of Marrakesh. The medina (an Arab market) was an exotic experience with a sea of people and vendors selling olives, silks, spices and you can’t forget the snake charmers. There was also a language barrier since the majority only spoke Arabic and French but it taught me how important it is to keep practicing my French. 

           The friendliness in which the people received us and how they tried their best to communicate with us warmed my heart. We had the kindest tour guides that were so happy to share all about the history of their architectural masterpieces such as the Bahia Palace and Medersa Ben Youssef. It’s amazing how Marrakesh has been an Islamic capital since the 11th century!

           We got to ride camels, drink delicious mint tea, and enjoy views of the majestic Atlas Mountains. I was also impressed with the popular Moroccan dish of Tagine which is a flavorful stew of meat with vegetables. But I miss their freshly squeezed orange and strawberry juices the most, it was our favorite each morning. 

          What did I learn from taking a risk and traveling to Morocco? That there is so much beauty in diversity. Although their customs and values are so different from my own, we share the same yearnings for peace, friendship and a happy life. I encourage you to travel to a country that is vastly different from your home. You might begin to see how we are not that different after all.