Study Abroad

My study abroad experience in Spain was nothing short of life changing. I stayed with a host family in a town called Santiago de Compostela, usually called Santiago by locals. Located in the autonomous community of Galicia, found in the northwest region of Spain, Santiago de Compostela has a distinctly Atlantic climate more similar to that of Ireland and the UK than the rest of Spain. 

During my stay in Santiago, my eyes were opened to the beauty and richness of Spanish culture.  For the first time in my life, I was able to immerse myself in the language during class, as the first two months of the program were spent taking courses at the University of Santiago de Compostela. I was able to take a C1 fluency level Spanish class, a Spanish history class, reading, and a writing class. For the last month of the semester, we were able to participate in internships in nearby businesses. I completed my internship at Hotel Exe Peregrino, a four star hotel near the city center of Santiago de Compostela. I was also able to travel around Spain, visiting several other towns in Galicia, Alicante, and part of the Camino de Santiago. I also spent a few days in Morocco, traveling through the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert. Travelling to Morocco was my first time on the continent of Africa and my first time in an Islamic country. During our trip, we rode camels through 

One of the most important lessons I gained from my time in Spain was the ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments and cultures. Before arriving, I had limited knowledge and experience with Spanish culture, having only spent a week in Spain prior to Study Abroad. 

One obvious difference is not only the time zone change, but also the schedule difference. I was honestly jarred at first, lunch is eaten around two p.m. and dinner around nine-thirty. I was able to get used to it, but it did take a few weeks. This opened my eyes to the idea that even with something as simple as meal times, there can be several equally valid perspectives at the cultural level for how something should be done. I was used to eating dinner between six and seven-thirty p.m., but living with a host family made adjusting to the new rhythm much easier. Eating together, moving through the day at their pace, watching how naturally the late dinner and the long lunch fit into the rest of their lives made it feel less like an inconvenience to adapt to and more like a different logic to understand. After a few weeks it stopped feeling late and just felt normal. 

Living and working in Santiago de Compostela quickly showed me how limited my previous perspective was. Everyday interactions taught me more about language and culture than a classroom ever could. Although a difficult adjustment at first, after a while, my vocabulary, recollection, and grammar were sharper than ever. This experience also reshaped how I approach cultural differences aside from just language. Instead of viewing them as obstacles to overcome, I began to see them as opportunities to try a new way of doing something. In the long term, this shift is critical for business success in an intercultural context, where success depends less on technical knowledge and more on the ability to navigate diverse perspectives with humility and flexibility. Living abroad required a degree of independence and resilience that I had not fully developed before. Navigating transportation, housing, cultural misunderstandings, and daily problem-solving in a second language forced me to become more resourceful and self-directed. At times, uncertainty and discomfort were unavoidable, but these moments became opportunities to build confidence and emotional stability. I learned to approach unfamiliar situations with curiosity rather than hesitation and to remain calm when plans did not unfold as expected. This shift strengthened my ability to manage stress, adapt quickly, and maintain a long-term perspective. These qualities are essential for leadership, particularly in unpredictable and international contexts, where the ability to remain composed and flexible often determines success.

My time in Spain reshaped how I think about growth, leadership, and my role in a global environment. What began as an academic and professional opportunity became a turning point in how I approach people, challenges, and uncertainty. I returned to the US with a stronger sense of confidence, cultural awareness, and purpose, along with a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed in a global business environment. These lessons continue to influence how I pursue my education, career, and long-term goals, reinforcing my commitment to developing the skills necessary to operate effectively in diverse and international settings. As I move forward, the mindset I developed abroad will remain a foundation for the kind of professional leader I aspire to become.