I can’t believe my time abroad is really coming to an end. Time has flown by in the blink of an eye. I am so glad I made the decision to study abroad because I have learned so many different things and places I would’ve never imagined of visiting. This whole time abroad has been so surreal, some weekends I couldn’t believe I was in a different country in the span of just 2 hours traveling. I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to be abroad and see so many different places in the world.
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| The walk to school every day |
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| Admiring the beautiful view of Seville |
I have learned so much about the culture, history, and people of different countries I have visited. Seville was a perfect city to study abroad in because of the rich culture there is to engage with. Interacting with local Sevillanos and learning about their social and cultural values made my experience abroad well worth it. Walking around Seville is not only so aesthetically pleasing but also a history lesson. The city is filled with so much history and many ancient monuments that people pass by every day.
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| Hidden in the big Plaza de España |
An important skill I have gained from being abroad in Seville is improving my Spanish. In Seville, it is the perfect way to perfect your Spanish because not many people speak any other language there. This forced me to speak only Spanish to any local when eating at restaurants, shopping, passing by, and any place where I met Spaniards. I loved talking to them, they are so welcoming and are were so interested in my life and why I chose to study abroad here. You can tell they are so passionate about their city and love that other people visiting feel the same way. I no longer feel nervous to speak Spanish and am confident with speaking to any Spaniard that approaches me. This skill of being bilingual will help me in the future for not only work but also being able to visit other countries that speak this language and communicate with people that speak Spanish.
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| Palace of San Telmo: historical building in Seville that is now the seat of the presidency of the Andalusian Autonomous Government |
The only thing I wish I knew before going abroad would be to plan your weekend trips way in advance. If you wait until the week before, prices can be very expensive. If you know you want to visit a certain country abroad, then I would recommend buying tickets before hand. Other than that I would say there’s nothing I wish I knew before coming abroad because the most experiential moments abroad have been learning and seeing everything for myself in person.
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| Took a 2 hour bus ride to Setenil de las Bodegas |
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| Quick day trip to Ronda from Seville to see el Puente Nuevo |
Studying abroad this fall has helped form me into the person I have wanted to become. A more well-rounded person and appreciative of the things I have in my life. It also made me realize there is so much out there in the world to see. I now want to travel a lot more to see and experience for myself the different cultures there are out there. I have fallen in love with so many places abroad, but in particular studying abroad in Seville is the best decision I could have in my life.
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| View from the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world - Cathedral of Seville |
Daniella S. is the Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in Seville, Spain. She is currently a junior studying Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
