For the month of July, I participated in the Pitt in Spain study abroad program at the University of Alcalá. My involvement in this program has been an extremely fulfilling and enriching experience. I originally came into this program with the hope of improving my proficiency in the Spanish language, increasing my understanding of Hispanic culture, and learning more about myself as a student and person in general. Now that the program is over, I believe that I have made much progress in achieving each of these goals.
Many different experiences and interactions during the study abroad program helped me to accomplish these goals. For example, the six credits of coursework that I took while in Spain allowed me to interact with professors that speak fluent Spanish. By working with them on a daily basis from Monday to Thursday, I was able to continuously practice my speaking, reading, and writing skills. In turn, I was able to pick up on more profound nuances of the language that I would not be able to acquire from a textbook. In addition, this program has brought me closer to truly understanding Hispanic culture. Not only did I learn much about the history of Spain and the development of its culture over time, but I have also had the opportunity to experience its culture in the present. For instance, I was able to experience new types of food, such as croquetas and paella; adjust to the daily habits of people in Spain, including the siesta; as well as enjoy the music of Spanish artists. I enjoyed experiencing Hispanic culture, and hope to incorporate some of its aspects into my life in the US.
As a whole, this program has provided me with so much knowledge about Hispanic language and culture. I remember I initially felt a bit skeptical about how much I would truly learn, considering I was only spending a month in Spain. However, I believe that this was the perfect amount of time to fully immerse myself into the program and achieve the goals that I had set for myself prior to embarking on this journey. Some advice that I would offer students planning to participate in the Pitt in Spain study abroad program includes setting specific goals before leaving for the program, leaning into moments of discomfort while abroad, and exploring the country of Spain with available free time.
The Pitt in Spain study abroad program has helped me to affirm my desire to study Hispanic language and culture as well as pursue medicine. As a student of the Medical Translation class in Spain, I gained experience using Spanish in medical-related scenarios. More specifically, we practiced medical translation by playing a variety of roles, such as a bilingual interpreter, Spanish speaker, and English speaker. Playing these roles was eye-opening to the medical translation process. As a result, I realized my passion for helping others can be greatly expanded with my ability to speak Spanish more proficiently, such as in a medical setting.
My biggest takeaway from this program is the importance of acting with conviction and intention. None of my personal or academic growth during this program would have been possible without acting deliberately, whether that be choosing to speak to foreigners in complete Spanish, planning trips to further explore the landscape of Spain, or overcoming moments of discomfort and stress. Now that I am back in the US, I will use this lesson, among the many others that I have learned, to guide myself and others through our academic and personal journeys throughout the future.