My experience in Spain was amazing and life-changing. Now that I am back in Pittsburgh, I find myself reflecting on my European summer and all of the opportunities that came with it.

Before this experience, I had never travelled outside of the country…Now, I have travelled to both Spain and Germany (the first of many stamps on my passport). Plus, I made it a priority to explore as much of the city of Madrid, and Spain in general as possible in one summer. I spent many weekends wandering around the city, discovering vibrant neighborhoods like Malasaña and La Latina, shopping at El Rastro flea market, and beating the heat in public pools. Additionally, I spent days on the beach in Valencia, hiked up hills to see gorgeous miradors in Malaga and Granada, was wowed by Gaudí’s architecture in Barcelona, and relaxed in Costa Brava.

Not only did I leave Spain with so many memories, thousands of pictures on my camera roll, and a travel bug to keep exploring Europe, but I also have learned so many things and grown in so many ways. My Spanish has improved drastically from the beginning of the summer, my main goal for my time in Spain. I left Spain feeling confident and comfortable speaking. I am far from perfect, but being immersed in the language made my Spanish less hesitant and more natural.

I hope to keep up my Spanish language skills moving forward. My Spanish classes help me to maintain my Spanish, but 3 hours of class a week is not enough. I hope to watch TV and listen to music in Spanish to stay exposed to the language. I also hope to start volunteering locally at a call center or someplace else where I can use my Spanish.

Finally, I have developed professional and cultural competencies that I will continue to use in Pittsburgh and in future careers. I learned how to be respectful and open while living in a different culture, and navigated cultural communication differences with my host mom and my supervisor. Additionally, in Spain, I began to develop a global professional network that will support my future ambitions as someone who hopes to travel or live abroad for my future career.

My experience was transformative: I had the opportunity to develop invaluable soft skills, such as adaptability and cultural awareness, as well as acquire hard skills during my accounting internship. I had the chance to see new places, try new foods, and experience new things.

I am so grateful for this incredible experience and to everyone who made it possible. Thank you to the generous donors from NRIEP, Fredrick Honors College, and CBA, my advisors at Pitt, and my family.

Adios España….NO, hasta luego. I hope to be back soon!

Rachel 💌