Lizette Sandoval

I wanted to learn more about a field outside my major and the class offered was on a subject I know little about so I hoped to be more informed. I've always dreamed of exploring Barcelona in depth and this program gave me the opportunity to do so.

I'm a first-generation Latina student, so being the daughter of immigrants pushed me to learn more about the immigration processes in the US and in the Mediterranean. I knew that I would encounter stereotypes in Spain, so I prepared myself to be aware of the different contexts I would encounter which may cause people to act in ways I wouldn't usually experience in my hometown or in Berkeley.

I always walked to class, it was a 35-minute walk so me and my friend would make that more enjoyable by taking a different path every day and going into the small businesses which inhabited the narrow alleys. Most of the time that consisted of window shopping but whenever we encountered a bakery we always came out with a croissant or churro in our hands. Once we got to class, we discussed, listened to lectures, or listened to guest speakers. After class, I called my parents and then finally, got dinner and ice cream which was also always something new.

I took ethnic studies n180, a class comparing immigration at the US/Mexico border and in the Mediterranean. This course was more understanding of our time abroad compared to Berkeley classes meaning we had a reasonable time stamp to finish our assignments while still enjoying our free time and exploring.

Studying abroad helped me realize that I should be proud of who I am. I'm proud to be a Latinx first-generation student and work along others who may have different or similar upbringings. The class inspired me and helped me see that what I'm working towards is a big accomplishment. Besides, I learned that people aren't always accepting and can be discriminatory yet this behavior only made me more proud of my background.

The most memorable aspect of my time abroad was having the freedom to explore any place I liked. This experience helped me realize that I could do anything if I set my mind to it. I can always find my way and reach my goals, the important part is persistence and having fun.

My biggest challenge was getting my luggage lost for a week the first week of classes and also getting my flight back home canceled. This stressed me out as I had to spend money on new things since I was left with no clothes, school supplies, or toiletries. When my flight home got canceled I was upset I had to book a last-minute flight home as well. Although this was an extremely stressful experience, I had my friend experience the same thing with me so we were able to bring each other up and make light of it. I learned not to put too much importance on materialistic things and tried to live in the moment without letting it take away from my experience.

I would recommend that they be prepared to experience some type of conflict but to stay open-minded and learn how to seek lessons in negative experiences.