Students might ask, why bother studying abroad when they could easily purchase a ticket and fly out for a week’s vacation? I want to share my story and experience to change those student’s minds, especially first-generation students, and encourage them to study abroad.
I never thought I would have the opportunity to study abroad. I had seen and heard about people studying in different countries and having fantastic experiences, but I wasn’t sure if there would be a way I could go out of my comfort zone or be financially capable of being abroad for an extended period. So, studying abroad became more of a dream than a possibility. After talking to my advisor and receiving guidance from the Global Scholars’ professors, I realized that my dream was slowly becoming a reality. Ultimately, I decided if I was going to study abroad, I was going to do The Politics of Soccer in Spain program because it was the program that initially caught my attention. I was still a little bit skeptical because even though I was excited about going abroad, I was still very nervous and felt unprepared. I was stressing about every little thing: getting sick, not getting along with my host mom, or if I would struggle to adapt to the culture. I almost canceled my trip altogether because of how worried I was. I’m glad I didn’t because I had one the best experiences of my life. Adapting to the culture wasn’t as hard as I expected, and I believe it’s probably because I already spoke Spanish. Most of the interactions I had with “locals” and students went very well. Everyone was friendly and interested in learning about my culture and “The American lifestyle,” which was depressing because I didn’t realize how much time we spent driving and working. Although I enjoyed the Spanish classes, I looked forward to The Politics Of Soccer course daily. I felt like I was learning something new every day, both in and out of class, especially since the 2024 Euros were going on simultaneously. Whenever Spain played, our class and our professor would go to Plaza Mayor In Leon and find a bar to watch the game and take in the atmosphere. It was surreal seeing our textbook come to life when we saw how people came together to watch a game and interacted with each other.
One of the craziest experiences I had on the trip was during our final week In Barcelona, when Spain played in the final against England. It’s one of those experiences where you have to be there to believe it. I was on my way to watch the game at Plaça de Catalunya with Prof. Ron and another student when we got stuck in a sea of fans. The worst thing was that we didn’t even have a good view and were stuck for most of the first half of the game. There were fans everywhere, even on trees and statues, trying to get a view of the one screen in the plaza. Imagine being so close to people as if you were in a packed subway, and now add 80 degrees and humidity to that. Now, those are dedicated fans. When we eventually got out, we struggled to find any open bar because they were completely crowded with fans. We finally came across a bar where we still had to stand with a crowd, but at least we watched the rest of the game and enjoyed Spain’s victory with the rest of the country.
Even though My trip abroad has ended, I brought a part of Spain back with me, and I want others to have similar experiences. Many first-generation students don’t think they can study abroad because they think they lack opportunities and details. Often, first-gen college students feel alone when navigating college and don’t think it’s possible to overachieve because, like myself, I don’t have someone to look to for guidance and don’t have a place to fall if I fail. For many, studying abroad can seem unrealistic, too complicated, or even scary. So, let’s go back to how I started this blog. Studying abroad is much better than going on vacation because you get to be a part of the culture instead of a tourist (or be a little bit of both). There’s a more extensive support system than traveling solo, where you have to rely on Google for most of your information. During the trip, my professor was very helpful and informative, as were the other UWB staff members I contacted while abroad. You feel a hundred times more confident than before and experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fully immerse yourself in another country.
