Don't let the fear of being in a foreign country or meeting new people stop you from studying abroad. All those fears are completely normal to every study abroad student, even from someone who has been in that country. Yet the rewards that you will reap will be so much more worth it.
Name: Emma Perez (Cohort 5)
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Give a brief description of the experience.
During my two-week summer program for Clark Scholars, I discovered through my mentor the opportunity of studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. Since that moment during freshman year, I made sure to include study abroad into my four-year plan. It was a dream come true the minute that plane landed in Europe. Unlike most of the other study abroad students, I'd already been to Spain as my mom is originally from there. So, my take on the experience is very different, as it gave me the opportunity to understand myself and my culture better. I stayed at a student residency that was about 30 minutes from a metro ride to Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. I explored all I could of Madrid including the museums, shops, and weekend flea markets! During some weekends I traveled to different cities in Spain and stayed with family members that I hadn't seen in over four years. Studying abroad was the best decision I've made in my undergraduate years and has impacted me in so many positive ways both academically and personally.
What was the most impactful part of the experience?
The most impactful part of being in Spain was getting to know myself better and understanding where I am from. I can't count the number of times I had an 'aha' moment realizing that a habit of mine that is considered unique or different in America was very common in Spain. Even the simplest interactions had the most profound effect on my development abroad. Also, growing up I didn't have much of a connection with my mom's side of the family as they lived so far from me. Getting to see them while I studied abroad strengthened my connection with them and they were able to show me what the cultures were like across the regions in Spain.
What surprised you?
Honestly, what surprised me the most was how easy it was to adjust on the return to America. Part of my fear of studying abroad was that I'd miss my friends or special events that were occurring at UMD. However, I made sure to keep in contact every month with my friends and family back home and schedule hangouts for when I got back. This made it much easier to adjust to my original routine and not feel like I had missed a big part of life back home.
Did you make any personal and/or professional connections with peers?
Meeting people whose first language is different from my own was definitely intimidating but one of the most rewarding parts of studying abroad. I stayed in a Spanish residency with about nine students all with different backgrounds, some being from Spain, Panama, Mexico, Columbia, and Argentina. This was in many ways out of my comfort zone, yet they quickly became my best friends. Every week an activity was planned in my residency, and we'd all go out to dinner, play mini golf, find an arcade, or go bowling. These moments with them made me feel at home in Spain and helped me to understand a variety of different aspects of their cultures. Even after coming back to the U.S. I still keep in contact with them, and we have an active group chat!
What were your major takeaways? What did you learn?
There were so many valuable lessons I learned while abroad. The most basic thing I learned was to do "adult" things like grocery shopping, planning my meals, and traveling. Doing all of these things abroad was intimidating at first but doing it with friends made it so much more enjoyable. Additionally, living in a different culture from where I was born was such an eye-opening experience. It has helped me to understand better the way people are and has made me appreciate so much more the different ideas and perspectives a person can bring.
How have your career or academic goals changed or evolved as a result of this experience?
Studying in Spain motivated me academically even more than before. I had a Spanish professor that admired the U.S. education system as it was more research based and emphasized innovation in engineering. Hearing this from him made me realize that we can't take for granted the resources we receive. I returned to the U.S. with a research position lined up for the fall semester and with more motivation to pursue graduate school.
What is one piece of advice you would give to another Clark Scholar about engaging in this experience and/or pursuing an experience like this?
To just go for it! I definitely recommend putting studying abroad in your four-year plan and begin planning what classes to take beforehand so that your study abroad experience is lighter academically. This will allow you more free time to travel and enjoy the country you are studying in!
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