Hola! My name is Emily. I’m a junior Public Health major on the Pre-Physician Assistant track while pursuing a certificate in Global Health. I have recently finished the amazing Global Health in Spain study abroad program and absolutely loved it! This was my first ever experience abroad, and I loved every minute of it! My blogs will be an incredible way for me to reflect on this trip and all the knowledge I gained both culturally and academically.
I chose this global experience because it aligned extremely well with my academic goals. The study abroad program covers the Introduction to Global Health course for my certificate. I’ve also taken two semesters of Spanish at Pitt and wanted to practice my knowledge of the language first-hand. I also decided on this study abroad program since its shorter duration fits with my other summer plans and the program is centered on the Mediterranean. Global Health in Spain takes place in Málaga, a port city at the southern tip of Spain, with visits to Tangier, Morocco, and Barcelona, Spain. For my first trip abroad, I really wanted to see the Mediterranean purely out of personal interest because of the sea and the food. Spain was also an amazing opportunity for my future career as a Physician Assistant. As I learned during my study abroad, Spain is the second-leading country in clinical research. This means global health is a major discipline in Spain and made learning about the different aspects so much more interesting.
Before I began my study abroad, I expected to notice some major differences between cities in the United States and Spain. As a public health major, my classes have taught me that European cities tend to be more walkable with fewer processed foods due to stricter regulations. Both of these factors have been found to contribute to a better quality of life and longer lifespan for Europeans. I also assumed that the fashion in Europe would be more formal in comparison to the United States. In Spain, everyday clothes included a lot of linens and long skirts, while in the States it’s very common to see more exercise wear and comfortable clothes. Even knowing all of these differences before my trip to Spain, I still assumed I would experience some culture shocks especaially with this being my first time outside of North America. One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the time zone difference and the struggle of communicating with my friends and family back home. Before my study abroad, I’d never had more than an hour time difference, so this was very new to me. I was also aware of the siesta in Spain, where shops close from 2-6, but I didn’t realize that was for the workers to be able to eat a long lunch. The eating times in Spain being later and taking longer was an unexpected culture shock for me.
From my study abroad, I hope to gain a better understanding of the global health discipline and how different countries work in unison to improve the lives of everyone. I also wanted to learn about public health and healthcare systems in Spain, so that I can incorporate these practices into my future career as a Physician Assistant. Personally, I wanted to take the time to gain new knowledge in topics that interest me, but also take time to enjoy a fresh perspective from a whole new area of the world!
Adiós for now! I’m so excited to continue posting these blogs and reflect on my Global Health experience!