Krupa Modi

I had always wanted to study abroad, even before coming to college. It seemed like such a wonderful way to experience a culture and lifestyle completely different from my own. I ended up choosing the Córdoba program after my friend recommended it to me. When I was searching through programs, I had no idea what country I wanted to study in, but the Córdoba program excited me because it gave me an opportunity to practice my Spanish, live with a host family, and experience life in a smaller town in a country I had never visited.

Living with a host family was one of the best parts of my time abroad. I lived with a single woman in her apartment (or "piso"), and we ended up spending a lot of time together just doing daily activities like watching the news or eating meals. It was so much fun to talk to her about her interests and hobbies, and it was so nice to have her as a friend when I was still getting adjusted to living abroad. Living with a host family can initially be a little nerve-wracking, but for me it was absolutely the best way to immerse myself in the culture of Andalucía. I am still in touch with my host mom and I love knowing that I have family waiting for me the next time I am able to visit Spain.

One of the biggest challenges for me was navigating being a foreigner. Córdoba is a pretty homogenous town, which was a stark contrast from the diversity I was used to. Because of this, people could tell I wasn't Spanish just from how I looked. Sometimes this resulted in not so ideal treatment, but other times it led to fascinating conversations about culture and diversity. There isn't an easy way of navigating these challenges, but one thing that helped me was appreciating the positive experiences that my foreigner status brought me, and understanding that the negative behavior wasn't a reflection of myself or the country I was in. If these issues ever become an overwhelming challenge, the UCEAP program staff are always wonderful people to talk to about it. I once talked to my program coordinator about how I responded to these challenges, and it was incredibly helpful to learn about her perspective and reframe my experiences.

On a typical weekday, I would walk to school for classes starting at 9:30. Everyone in the program takes classes together, so I would usually run into friends on the way to school. We then had a 30 minute break between our morning and afternoon classes, giving us a chance to grab a snack from a cafe or the supermarket across the street. We then had afternoon classes until 2. Each day, we had two classes per day, with each one being two hours long. At 2, we would all walk home together to our homestays, where we would have lunch with our individual host families. After lunch, I generally took a siesta with my host mom, which usually consisted of watching TV, drinking tea, or taking a nap. During siesta hours, most stores are closed. Afterwards, we were free to do whatever we wanted. For my friends and me, this usually consisted of getting churros, going to the movies, or exploring the Judería and other parts of Córdoba. There were always many other activities to take part in, like going to flamenco classes, tutoring students in English, or volunteering at non-profits. At the end of the day, I would either eat dinner at home with my host mom or go out to eat with my friends. On the weekends, we would generally travel to other cities or countries. Because Córdoba does not have an airport, my friends and I used our time in the program to travel primarily around Andalucía and other areas of Spain. I truly feel like this strategy gave us such a deep understanding of the area we lived in. Once May approached, there were so many activities and festivals happening in Córdoba so we spent our last couple of weekends in Córdoba just soaking in our last days together. Once the program ended in May, my friends and I took the opportunity to travel to other areas outside of Spain.

I took 2 Spanish classes, a Spanish history class, and an international relations class. The classes did not assign much homework, but it was definitely important to study for exams. While the classes were not as work-intensive as typical Berkeley classes, I learned so much and found that my classes really enriched my time in Spain. Our classes also included Friday field trips and a guided excursion to Morocco. I loved all of these field trips, as it provided such a unique way to see the things we had learned in class come to life.

I loved meeting new people and learning about new cultures. The program staff, my host mom, and my friends -- from Córdoba and from the program -- were all such wonderful people and I loved getting to know them. I also made new friends through traveling and it was incredible to hear their perspectives on politics, language, education, and so many other topics. I loved making these new relationships and learning about their experiences and perspectives. The relationships and family I built made Córdoba truly feel like home, and made it so devastatingly hard to leave.

Studying abroad completely transformed my perspective on traveling and experiencing different cultures. Living with a host mom and spending a semester in a small town taught me how really digging into a place will give you so much deeper insight into its history, culture, and values. When I traveled around after the program ended, I found myself wanting to spend more time in one place instead of trying to see as many places as possible. I started placing more importance on meeting locals, learning a city's history, and being spontaneous rather than making strict plans. I found that this approach really enriched my experiences and my travels. When I told our program coordinator all of this, she told me that I "had really become a Spaniard." I feel very grateful that my time in Spain taught me how to slow down and soak it all in.

Evaluate your goals in studying abroad before picking a program, and ask for as much help as you need when you're choosing. Córdoba's size and location makes it a little difficult to experience big city life and travel to a new country every weekend, yet makes it such a wonderful place to make deep relationships and immerse yourself in a different language and culture. When I thought of studying abroad, I always imagined myself in a big city, but by the end of the program I felt so grateful for having picked a program that gave me the chance to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle.