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Claire O'Neill, Alumni Ambassador

Alumni Ambassadors

University of South Carolina Columbia

Madrid, Spain

Fall 2023

WHAT'S ONE STORY OR IMPORTANT ASPECT YOU ALWAYS SHARE ABOUT YOUR TIME ABROAD?

One thing I always mention about my time abroad is how much fun all the little things were in Madrid. Walking around beautiful parks, riding the city bikes, trying new cafes and restaurants, riding the metro with friends, discovering my favorite neighborhoods, and everything in between. The city itself is so beautiful and so I just wanted to soak up as much of it as possible, whether it was the simple or more extravagant things. Almost everyday of my semester abroad was sunny and beautiful weather, so I got really lucky in that regard as well. All of these activities I mentioned contain some of my favorite memories from my host city that I will cherish forever.

 

HOW DID YOU ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHILE ABROAD?
While abroad, I made it my mission to explore as much as my home country as I could because I knew Spain had so much to offer. Of course I couldn't make it to every place, but I visited and spent time in 8 Spanish cities. While in all these places, my friends and I would always want to try the local cuisine and traditions from there, and it just helped us feel connected and understand more about the culture of the place, people, and of course their food. It created these small learning experiences that were really unique and special to help us remember the city. Everyday, I also did my best to speak Spanish with all the shop and cafe owners and all the local people I encountered on the day-to-day. It really helped me to adjust and feel more a part of the country I was studying in.

 

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Claire O'Neill, Alumni Ambassador