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Name: Rachel Stewart
Program: Barcelona, Spain - Summer 2006
Hometown: Bonita Springs, FL
U.S. University: Univ. of Florida
E-mail address: rastewar@ufl.edu
Our Site Director in Barcelona, Marta, nominated Rachel to be our Student-of-the-Month because she is taking full advantage of her time in Barcelona by learning as much Spanish as she can, going to the museums, all making sure she doesn't miss out on all that Barcelona has to offer.
We talked to Rachel recently and asked her to share her thoughts on living in Barcelona, her experience with ASA, and her advice to students looking to go abroad.
Why did you decide to study abroad?
I wanted to study abroad to gain a knowledge of different cultures and to
learn Spanish by putting myself directly in a position where English is not
really an option all of the time.
What has been the best part of studying abroad with ASA in Barcelona?
The best part of this experience has definitely been the people and the
friendships I've developed. Upon arriving in Barcelona, I didn't know
ANYONE! Now, not only do I have friends here in Barcelona, but also friends
from all over the United States and even from other parts of the world too!
Describe what it's like to live in Barcelona as if you were talking to
someone who has never been there.
Barcelona is VERY easy to navigate, which makes it easier and less
intimidating (since it is a big city!). In Florida, where I'm from, there is
not really any public transport besides a few busses/trolleys, and they
don't take you very far. Here in Barcelona, if you want to go somewhere,
there's a metro or bus to take you there--anywhere! And the cost is very
very reasonable.
The people are very nice, and since Barcelona is located on the
Mediterranean coast, the weather is gorgeous! There are so many things to
do, from visiting one of the many museums, going to the beach, going to
discotecas/clubs, discovering hole-in-the-wall restaurants/shops while
aimlessly walking around, to visiting the zoo or the Olympic stadium, or
traveling over an hour by metro/bus to a mercadillo (outdoor flea market)
for an experience like nothing you'll find anywhere but here in Barcelona.
What do you like most about ASA?
I really liked how helpful everyone is. They work really hard to help you
get all the paperwork filled out correctly, answer your hundreds of
questions (I would sometimes call 3 or 4 times a day)--and
also very good with the housing placement with our host families. Having
the option of living with a host family is awesome, but it's so much better
when you are compatible with the family and any other students that might be
studying abroad, too. The locations of the houses are all awesome (in
accordance to the university you study at) and the families are very
understanding of your "language barrier" issues that you may have from time
to time!
I also liked the way they schedule your time abroad. When first seeing all
the activities that were planned, I wondered when I would get to do things
that weren't scheduled. Though the activities keep you busy, there is still
plenty of time to explore the city (or surrounding cities) on your own, and
you will find that you won't really have a lot of sitting around time, which
is good! All the excursions I have been on so far I have absolutely LOVED
and it is an experience that I will never forget!
What advice would you give to students thinking of study abroad?
Look into your options. Ask people who have visited the city to tell you
about what they liked/disliked about the city, and definitely make sure you
find out where you should go once you pick a city. Write down all the
places/museums you'd like to visit, and see them ALL!
What advice would you give to students who are about to leave to study
abroad?
Make a checklist of what you need to bring and DOUBLE-CHECK it!
If you're partial to PB&J sandwiches (or any other American
food for that matter), make sure you bring PB with you because there is none
here! Write down all the addresses of the people you may want to send
postcards/e-mails (they really enjoy hearing about what you're doing!)...it
makes it a whole lot easier than e-mailing your mom every day for more
addresses! Oh, and if there's a place in Europe or near wherever you go, GO
THERE...no matter what!!!
How has studying abroad changed you?
Coming here and not knowing ANYONE at all has really helped me be more
outgoing. I've also learned a lot about the Spanish culture, which is
something you can't get by reading a book, or even just talking to someone.
It's an experience that you have to, well, experience yourself!
What's your funniest moment been abroad?
Oh my! Well just to start off, I've only been here for about 2 weeks, and
there's an ongoing list of funny things that have happened. I will have to
say that I have had quite a few moments when it comes to the language
barrier though! The first time I went to get stamps for my postcards, I
walked in all confident and ready to ask for the stamps in Spanish and
such...well, after I left, I realized that the whole time I had been telling
them that I need stamps for a postcard for I live in Florida instead of
I need stamps for a post card to send to Florida!?! No wonder they were
looking at me funny and laughing when I left. And that's not the only
language embarrassment story!!
To read about our previous Students-of-the-Month, click here
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