Sayda Chales | UCB Study Abroad

"It was one of the best experiences of my years here at Berkeley."

What led you to study abroad? Why did you choose your country/program?

I had always planned to do a study abroad program in college. I had never traveled to Europe and I wanted to go to a country where they spoke Spanish. I thought Spain was a perfect place to visit for a summer.

What was the most interesting cultural experience you had abroad?

In Madrid, we had the opportunity to meet some locals and have drinks with them while we talked about every day life. It was really interesting and I enjoyed getting to know new people.

What was the biggest challenge/concern of your study abroad experience? How did you respond?

I was concerned that my Spanish wouldn't be good enough for an internship there but I practiced some technical terms that would be used around an office space before my trip. I still encountered a few difficulties every once in a while but overall I was able to effectively communicate with my coworkers.

Describe a typical day for you abroad.

I would wake up at around 7:30 in the morning, get ready, eat breakfast, then head out to take the metro in order to be at work by 9:30. I would stay there all day then come back in the afternoon. Sometimes I would go out running by the park that was located near our residency or I would go out exploring with some of the other people in my program. Then we would all get together and eat dinner at around 8:30 or 9. We would sometimes go out right after dinner.

What coursework did you take while abroad? How did courses abroad compare with Berkeley classes?

I took two classes. One was a culture class at Middlebury College in Madrid. Class was held every Friday from 10am-1pm. I also had to take an online class, which was listed as UGIS W157. The course were relatively doable compared to a few of the other courses that I've taken at Berkeley, however, we still had quite a few assignments to do for them, especially with the online course.

What was the most memorable/meaningful aspect of your time abroad?

I loved being able to travel to other places while I was abroad. I traveled almost every weekend and I really enjoyed visiting different places.

What impact did studying abroad have on you personally?

It was one of the best experiences of my years here at Berkeley. I think it really helped me become a little more outgoing.

What would you recommend to students considering studying abroad, especially to your country or program?

I would tell them to enjoy their time abroad and to try to explore as much as possible. They will only be there for a short amount of time so it's important to try new things and visit all areas of Madrid, it's a large city with a lot to do/see.