For my first Study Abroad, I went to Spain as part of a Math History course. The class was worth three credits; two credits were completed in class during the semester, and one credit was completed abroad. This program was faculty led, which meant my professor was in charge of the trip.
When I first found out that Honors required a Study Abroad trip, I was nervous. I have always been a “home body” and am not a fan of change. I really didn’t want to go away from home to a new country and study, but I knew that in order to grow as a human I needed to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.
The opportunity for this class and this trip fell into my hands when I found out that two of my best friends (who are math majors) were thinking about taking it. Being a math concentration, I was also eligible for this trip. I decided that it was the perfect trip for me, as it was only ten days, I knew some people going, and Spain seemed like a pretty cool country to visit.
Leading up to the trip, even though I wasn’t totally psyched about it, I decided that I needed to keep an open mind. After all, I wasn’t going to enjoy the trip if I was thinking negatively the whole time. I told myself that in order to get the most out of the trip, I needed to have a positive mindset. This included trying new foods, being open to activities I may have originally thought were boring, and not letting little things ruin my day. Over the whole trip, my mindset was all about pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Overall, I think I accomplished this goal. I tried countless foods, explored ancient ruins, swam in the Mediterranean, observed many works of art, and navigated my way around the cities of Barcelona, Tarragona, Madrid, and Salamanca. I feel proud of myself and how much I have grown and learned from my ten days in Spain.
Below, I have included a picture of a new food that I tried. I’m not sure exactly what it was called, but I know that it was made of salmon and caviar. Never in a million years would I think the kid who only ate pasta and chicken nuggets for dinner would try caviar, but this just proves how much this trip has opened my mind to new ideas. I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this once of a lifetime trip.
