IES Abroad Barcelona

Why did you choose this program?

I chose IES Abroad Barcelona - Liberal Arts & Business for a multitude of reasons. First, I knew I wanted to be in Spain. I had studied Spanish all my life and wanted to put my knowledge to the test. Second, the program opportunities and various language levels and immersion opportunities afforded me the academic rigor my home institution required. Third, I wanted to be by an international airport that gave me endless travel options.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

IES helped me every step of the way. The process is guided and when a mistake happened, a staff member emailed me and helped me complete my class registration.

I had an unfortunate family emergency while abroad and the staff at IES Barcelona were amazingly helpful! They understood why I had to miss class, rearrange my finals for the possibility of early departure and one staff member even dropped off Oreos at my apartment to make me feel better!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Ask the staff for the "local low-down." AKA where do locals listen to music, hang out, eat tapas? The wealth of knowledge the IES staff has is incomprehensible. They plan the free cultural events and really understand how to make them enjoyable for us young adults. Additionally, they know the cheapest gym, the best mercado and best local flea and farmers markets!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Typically you are in class Monday through Thursday from 9am until 7pm, depending on your class schedule. Fridays are reserved for traveling, with or without the program. IES Barcelona gives students the options to take classes with the program or at a local university.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it and/or how did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was fitting in. Was I going to make new friends? Would those friends be American or Spanish? Could I communicate well enough? Could I really do my laundry without a dryer? Could I still find Nutella or my favorite snacks?

I didn't realize I had overcome my fear of fitting in, on many levels, until my 21st birthday. My birthday is in February, so plenty of time to eat, meet people, attempt laundry, etc. It was at a bar when I had all my new friends, of whom I had only met a month before, came out to celebrate with me that I realized it wasn't about fitting in. For me, it was more about being adaptive and understanding. I wanted people to like me and I wanted to be proficient enough in Spanish to order my own meal. On my birthday, no one cared that I needed help ordering my meal or getting directions, it was my attempt to communicate that was enough.

My fear disappeared as I developed. In my first weeks in Barcelona I was outgoing, meeting as many new friends as I could, striving to only speak in Spanish, skipping the local box store (Corte Ingles) for my local mercado to learn the local cuisine and asking for help with the new way to do my laundry. I not only got by, I thrived. By jumping right into abroad head first, I didn't allow my fear to keep me from adventure.

Did you keep a journal?

Yes! I wanted to keep a journal for a few reasons. 1) My dad kept a journal of his travels post-college and shared them with me prior to my departure. Understanding my dad's personal journey and his adventures was beyond describable. One day, way in the future, I want to be able to share my self-discovery with my child. 2) I wanted to be able to do more than just share photos with the world via Facebook. 3) I wanted to track my progress in achieving personal goals I had set for myself.

I started off writing everyday! Who could blame me? So much was happening the first two weeks I was afraid of forgetting every little nuance - be that my first night out or my first flamenco show. As time progressed though, I found myself recounting two or three weeks of events in two pages in a bullet pointed list. Not my initial intention in keeping a memory alive, but it was better than nothing. It wasn't that I was any busier than my first weeks abroad, but that I was tired. Traveling is rough on you and sometimes, at least for me, you just need a nap. I took a lot of naps between classes so I didn't have FOMO (fear of missing out) in the evenings or on the weekends.

The pace of Barcelona, the smells and tastes of Barcelona, are all written and documented in my little journal. The people I've met, the places I've visited and the recipes I've learned to cook are all on those sacred pages. Whether recorded with immense detail or just a bullet point, I have a special possession to narrate all of my Facebook photos. This journal traveled with me everywhere I went: Spain, France, Morocco, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal, Monaco and the UK. I have memories of flamenco dancing, hot mint tea and Arab baths, being scammed at an ATM, taking a 17 hour train ride alone and sharing my new world with my family all documented in those pages. The journal was the best gift (besides going abroad!) I have ever received.

What is your favorite travel memory?

I studied abroad in Seville, Spain, as an undergraduate. Six years later, I went back to Andalucía with my parents and my sisters and had a wonderful time sharing with them the culture that I fell in love with as a student. As the only Spanish speaker in my family, I was the interpreter, navigator, and—most importantly—the one who ordered at every restaurant. I introduced my family to refreshing tinto de verano and authentic jamón ibérico, and even ordered fried sesos (brains) without translating the word before everyone got a chance to try it! The trip sparked a love of Spanish food, art, and music for my family. Sharing my passion for travel with them was a truly meaningful experience!

Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?

Siena, Italy! Students are often attracted to big cities for their glamorous reputations, but smaller cities like Siena offer students a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feel at home in a foreign place. I have had the pleasure of visiting our Siena program twice in recent years, and I am so impressed to see that our students get to know their local baristas, greet their neighbors on the streets, and identify strongly with their neighborhoods. Living somewhere with a slower pace of life and a smaller community can make study abroad even more meaningful. I encourage all students to look beyond the capital cities and travel hubs while choosing a study abroad destination. After all, you can be a tourist your whole life, but the opportunity to live and study abroad only comes once—maybe twice if you’re lucky!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

When I started working at IES Abroad, I brought Spanish language skills, administrative experience, and a passion for international education. In the past eight years, I have developed many more professional skills related to management and leadership. Early in my career, a mentor encouraged me to “think strategically.” It took me a while to figure out what that meant, but now I’ve made strategic thinking a habit. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day of any job, and it’s so important to take a step back to innovate and to challenge the status quo.

Also, working with people from different backgrounds and with points of view—both domestically and abroad—has challenged me to become better listener and to develop a stronger awareness of my own biases and preconceived notions.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

My colleagues at IES Abroad are passionate about cultures, languages, the humanities, and looking at the world through a global lens. Working here has encouraged me to continue traveling, to stretch my comfort zone, and to see myself as part of a global community. The most exciting time of year is each October when our Center Directors from around the world come to Chicago for our Annual Conference. I am continually so impressed by their commitment to our students, their insight into the histories and cultures of their home countries, and their perspectives on the United States. I also have to mention the other major highlight of working at IES Abroad—our international potlucks cannot be beat!

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Turkey, France, Belgium, and other locations where our students live and travel, I am so proud to see IES Abroad staff around the world step into action to support our students.

The tragic events of November 13 in Paris had a huge impact on our students since we operate several programs there. In the hours after the attacks, we swiftly ensured the safety of not only our students enrolled in our programs in Paris, but also IES Abroad students studying all over Europe and North Africa who may have traveled to France for the weekend. After the initial task of contacting every student and parent to confirm their safety, our staff helped students process the events with facilitated discussions, presentations from faculty about the historical and political climate in France, and support from local English-speaking counselors. Our response to this and other recent tragedies affirms my confidence that I am part of an organization that deeply cares about the well-being of students.