When I came to UMass I had every intention to study abroad. I had no idea where or when I wanted to go, but I knew it would be to a Spanish-speaking country and that I would not let it come too far into my college career because I was itching to travel. Sure enough, in my first Spanish class of my freshman year, Patricia Gubitosi came to advertise the summer program to Salamanca, Spain and I instantly became obsessed with the idea of participating the following summer. So when the spring came, I applied and figured out the financials with my family and the International Programs Office and officially signed onto the trip. 

As I enter my final semester at UMass Amherst I constantly look back at my experience in Spain. All the memories are truly unforgettable and unfortunately were cut short for me and countless other college students studying abroad in various countries. Although some of my experience was taken, I can’t help but feel super lucky because of the program I chose that allowed me to visit the beautiful city of Sevilla.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I should go for an entire year abroad. I was hesitant to go for the entire year since I knew I would miss out on a portion of my UMass experience and I would miss my friends and family. Despite missing UMass, I was glad I studied in Europe (sorry Amherst). I can guarantee that although it may seem hard at first to leave home, you won’t regret going for two semesters instead of one. I would be able to spend more time abroad learning new Spanish vocabulary, improving upon my speaking and listening skills, and integrating myself into a foreign culture for a longer period of time. One of the biggest decisions in the study abroad process is deciding where to study. Sevilla was the best place for me because the Universidad de Sevilla offered a program where I could fulfill a lot of my Spanish major, Communication major, and Education minor requirements. It is incredibly important to find a program that offers enough classes to take for two whole semesters and fulfills enough academic requirements so that you are able to graduate on time.  

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad because I had a desire to travel but my parents did not. I had heard great things about it from family members and other students who had done it. It would be my first time leaving the country and I’d be doing it alone. The process of choosing a place to go was difficult for me because I had a wedding in the beginning of May, so I had to find a program that ended early enough for me to return and attend it. I knew that I wanted to go to Europe and improve my Spanish, so I wanted to go to Spain. Barcelona had the only program that ended before May so that’s where I ended up. Continue reading →