Author: Reagan White | Majors: Supply Chain Management, International Economics

Before choosing Sevilla, I knew I wanted to study abroad in a city where I would gain an international understanding of supply chain management and economics. Additionally, I wanted to study in a Spanish-speaking country to improve my speaking skills by practicing daily. The seventeen autonomous regions of Spain further piqued my interest because I had briefly learned about the cultural differences in Spain during my previous Spanish classes. Furthermore, I wanted my study abroad experience to prepare me for my future career and aspirations. After graduating, I aspire to work for a global company in the field of international supply chain management and I hope to incorporate Spanish into my role by collaborating with suppliers in Spanish-speaking countries. While abroad, I enjoyed practicing my Spanish and made it a personal goal to work toward becoming fluent. However, my biggest goal in life is to use my experience within supply chain management to create a non-profit organization that makes educational resources more globally accessible. The lessons learned during my time abroad will serve as foundational building blocks for these future aspirations.

During my time in Sevilla, I enjoyed the structure of most of my classes, because many of my classes were more discussion-based than my previous classes at the University of Arkansas. However, the grading system and the assignments were quite different from the United States. My favorite class was my Spanish Culture and Civilization course because I gained more in-depth insight into the cultural differences that I was experiencing firsthand as a student abroad. The class was taught entirely in Spanish and several of the topics covered included the history, geography, politics, cuisine, architecture, and fashion of Spain. I learned so much about my host country and have been sharing a lot with family and friends since returning home!

“Cada día tiene un motivo para celebrar” which means “each day has a reason to celebrate” and “Trabajamos para vivir” meaning “we work to live” quickly became two of my favorite expressions while living in Spain. These expressions truly illustrate the beauty of Spanish culture, which is lively, upbeat, full of celebration, and centered around spending time with family and friends. In Spain, small dishes called “tapas” are typically served at restaurants and shared between friends. It’s normal to order several tapas so that way everyone can try a bite! Going out for tapas with my friends was one of my favorite parts of Sevilla because we would often eat outside because the streets were always bustling with excitement. In Spain, “la vida está en las calles,” meaning life is in the streets.

While in Sevilla, I was amazed by the mixture of cultural influences on the architecture and music of the city. During my first week, I visited the palace known as the Real Alcazar, which combines Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance elements to create the unique Mudéjar architectural style. Another famous landmark is the Plaza de España, which was built in 1928 and even made a guest appearance in Star Wars Attack of the Clones! The Plaza de España is known for its fountain, towers, bridges, and 48 pavilions which illustrate important historical events from Spain’s provinces. Sevilla is also home to the largest wooden structure in the world, known as Las Setas. This structure bears a striking resemblance to mushrooms and offers a stunning view of Sevilla from the top. Traveling back in time is simply a 20-minute bus ride away to visit the ruins of Itálica, which was the first ancient Roman city established outside of Italy. As a lover of Roman architecture and history, my visit to Itálica was incredibly special.

Beyond architecture, Sevilla boasts a rich history of music and dance since flamenco originated in southern Spain. I attended several flamenco shows and witnessed the amazing combination of guitar playing, dancing, and singing. Typically, flamenco performances include a bailaor (dancer), cantaor (singer), and tocaor (guitar player). Flamenco is an important part of Spanish culture, especially during the Feria de Abril, which is a celebration that typically occurs during the last week of April in Sevilla. Unfortunately, this year Feria de Abril took place during the first week of May after I had left Spain, but I hope to revisit Sevilla and experience this incredible celebration in the future

Reflecting on my study abroad experience, I would recommend this program, especially if improving your Spanish is a top priority. Before studying in Spain, I knew about the main differences between Latin-American and European Spanish but was unaware that the dialects within the Andalucía region are often the hardest to understand. Studying in Sevilla introduced me to new dialects of Spanish which challenged and improved my listening comprehension and speaking skills. Before traveling abroad, I wish I had known more about the Sevillian dialect of Spanish and had listened to podcasts or TV shows from that region to better prepare me for the language transition.

One of my biggest regrets is not journaling every day during my experience. While I did journal, I wish that I had been consistent every day and I would encourage future study abroad students to prioritize daily journaling. After returning home, I have spent a lot of time journaling my reflections and lessons learned from my experience. Eager to share my experience with family and friends, I created postcards with photos from my time abroad. Throughout the summer, I hope to recreate some of my favorite landscape photos with watercolor paint. While the memories are still fresh, I am taking every opportunity to write, draw, or paint my feelings about this incredible experience. I’m very grateful to have been given this opportunity and know that a piece of my heart will always be left in Sevilla.