Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

When I first arrived in Seville, everything felt like a blur. I was thrown into an entirely  Spanish environment. My host mom didn’t speak a word of English, and suddenly, everything I had learned over six years of Spanish classes was being put to the test. But surprisingly, it all started to click. Within a couple weeks, after the jet lag wore off, I found myself holding real conversations, telling my host mom about my day, and realizing just how much I had grown. Dr. Everhart once taught me the word recalcar, meaning “to highlight,” and that’s exactly what this experience has been. It is a true highlight of my life.

Coming into this program, not knowing anyone felt like freshman year all over again. Most conversations were the typical ice breakers of “where are you from?” and “what’s your major?”, small talk, and trying to find my place. But now, those strangers have become my family abroad. We’ve explored the glowing streets of Seville, danced at local festivals, taken a weekend trip to London, and we are even leaving tomorrow for Morocco! There’s a special kind of bond that forms when you’re far from home and learning to navigate life together. Our relationships are built on trust, laughter, and pushing our potential and independence.

The most educational part of my time here has undoubtedly been my internship. It’s given me real-world financial experience and professional insight that I could never gain inside a classroom. I’ve learned to communicate across cultures, adapt to new work dynamics, and use my Spanish in a fast-paced business setting. It’s been both humbling and empowering.

This experience has set me up for life. The current jobs I interview for love that I can have international business experience now, and it has set me apart from other candidates. I gained social skills making new friends wherever I go, and I have stepped out of my shell and blossomed into a happier, more peaceful, and independent version of myself. I got everything I could have ever wanted out of this. I am so happy I got on that airplaine and I owe it all to my donors in the Speros family.

Lucy in Granada: