BIB Alicia Cornell
Universidad Antonio de Nebrija
Madrid, Spain, 2009-2010
If I had to sum up my year abroad in one word, “¡perfecto!”, as they say in Spanish, would be the answer. My year studying abroad has been the most incredible and rewarding experience of my life thus far, and I think anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad should take it without a second thought. Prior to coming abroad I had my apprehensions and doubts, and at one point in the summer before I left, I even considered changing my major from International Business to Commerce in order to avoid the requirement of a year abroad. Looking back now, my fears and worries seem inane as my year abroad was more than I ever could have asked for or imagined!
I spent my year abroad living in Madrid, Spain, and studying at La Universidad de Antonio de Nebrija. It is located just outside Madrid, and is a beautiful campus in the hills. The buildings are old refurbished castles, and it seems more like a nature park than a school! It is a private University, which means there are a smaller number of students compared to the public Universities. This was perfect for me, and any other International student, since it enables a closer student-Professor relationship, which helps when you are abroad. My first day at school in Madrid was quite daunting, as everything is completely unknown. I can remember sitting in my first lecture, which was a business course taught in Spanish, and thinking that the Professor might as well have been speaking in Chinese since I could not grasp half of what was being said! That feeling quickly diminishes as you pick up the language, make friends to help you out, and become more comfortable in your new home.
Aside from my studies, in my year abroad I was fortunate enough to be able to travel all over Spain and Europe, and learned many invaluable life lessons along the way! Travelling while abroad provided lots of challenges; from landing in a new city, to having to find your way from the airport to your accommodation, trying to decipher maps and find the tourist landmarks, to ordering food from a foreign menu. I was always amazed that I could land in a new, completely foreign destination and within a few hours I would be settled into my hostal/hotel, have figured out how to say basic words, and most importantly, I would have found out where the closet store was to buy food and alcohol! Prior to studying abroad I never would have dreamt of travelling alone like that, but now I feel I have the capabilities and skills to go anywhere in the World!
As great as living abroad is, there are difficulties that everyone goes through. At the start of the year the adjustment to a new place may cause some culture-shock, however it is only a matter of a time before you will discover and enjoy many new things about the culture! You many feel frustrated when things that seem simple enough to accomplish at home, such as getting a bank account, or a student card, can turn into being the most difficult thing you have ever had to do in your life. The process of attaining my International Student Card in Spain was by far one of the most complicated processes ever, and this was mainly due to the fact of misinformation; I would be told to go to one place to apply for it, which would then redirect me somewhere else, and then the office would be closed, or I needed to fill in a different form, etc. In the end I was able to get my card, and the process taught me that I should always ask many, many questions in order to get all the information you need! Feelings of home-sickness come and go, especially around birthdays and holidays. In December I felt home-sick, depressed and was very anxious to go home for the holidays, but after being home for two weeks, I was itching to come back to Spain! Being home was great to see family and friends, but it also made me realize how much more exciting living abroad is, and by the end of my year abroad, I never wanted to leave!
My advice to anyone studying abroad is savour every moment, the good and the bad; don’t be shy, meet new people everywhere you can; do something or try something new everyday; because before you know it, it will all be over!