As my study abroad program has ended, I am reflecting upon the lessons that I learned outside of the classroom from my experience.

To start off, I learned that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. More specifically, it may seem that other people, countries, or cultures have it all figured out, though they still may have their own grievances with how their country is set up. It can be easy as a visitor from the United States to feel that Spain and Europe overall is a perfect place and that life is just fine and dandy there, but they have their own issues they deal with. These challenges may differ from the United States, but no place is perfect. While abroad, I heard about and witnessed protests occurring in Spain (some even relating to tourism!). It is clear to me that the people of Spain have things they want their government to address and fix. From this, I learn to be open-minded and not take everything for how it is portrayed in the media, since there is most likely more to the story.

Next, this experience taught me the value of flexibility. As the saying goes, “life is not fair”. Although this phrase is extreme and harsh, it is true that not everything will go your way. While on this trip, I noticed that those who were super strict about what they wanted to do and how they wanted to do it tended to have a worse time than the others. Having a rigid mindset often leads you to be disappointed since you aren’t as open to other possibilities. Thus, when traveling being flexible and open-minded allows you to skip that disappointment and look on the bright side, finding the beauty in the unexpected. This sense of openness is something I would like to take with me as I graduate from Pitt and begin my professional career. This attribute is appealing to both peers and supervisors which encourages me to carry it into my future.

One final lesson that I learned outside of my classroom experiences is the value of connecting with others. Some of my favorite memories from my study abroad experience were with people that began as strangers that I got to know. For instance, my host parents. I looked forward to meals each day as it gave me the opportunity to learn about my host parents’ lives and compare how their experiences are the same or different to mine in the United States. Another examples is when I was visiting Sevilla and attended a social event and met people from all around the world. Although I will never meet those individuals again, I had a fantastic time getting to know them. I will likely never see them again and to me there is something scary and beautiful about that- it’s bittersweet. I both enjoyed connecting with others as well as learned from them. This demonstrates how you never know where a conversation will take you and how it is valuable to put yourself out there to meet others.

This study abroad experience to Spain was amazing and I am beyond grateful to have been able to go. I know this is just the beginning of my experiences around the world- filled with new lessons, connections, and memories.