Author: Thomas Pate | Major: Finance and Accounting | Semester: Summer 2025

This photo was taken moments after departing the metro in Sol station. You can see the excitement in my eyes as I took my glances of Madrid’s city center.

My name is Thomas Pate, a rising senior in the Honors College at the University of Arkansas, majoring in Finance and Accounting. During the Summer of 2025; I had the privilege of visiting Spain, Italy, Morocco, Germany, and Poland. I participated in CIEE’s Summer in a Madrid, a six-week program in Madrid, Spain. I have studied Spanish my entire life, and I wanted to immerse myself in the most culturally rich Spanish environment the world has to offer. I became interested in Spain through my Intermediate II Spanish course, taught by Isidoro Villa Ligero, a native of Madrid. He always spoke so highly of the people, cuisine, and history of his hometown. I did my own research in the months leading up to the application deadline, and I knew Madrid was the place I wanted to spend my Summer. I found the city offered authentic cuisine from around the world, easy and efficient public transportation, and a place that has something for everyone. While abroad, I took two classes worth six credit hours, which were unlike any courses I had ever taken. My classes met every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and Wednesdays were often filled with day trips and excursions set up by my program. My first class of the day was “Culture and Cuisine. ” This course explored the history of gastronomy in Spain, delving into the strong correlation between global events, religious movements, and traditions that have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Our classes were a combination of lectures accompanied by films and trips to local markets. The class was engaging, and it required me to write weekly reflections on my experiences of the week. My second course was Social Psychology, taught by a practicing psychologist in Madrid. I had never taken a course on psychology before, but I was intrigued by the idea of learning how humans operate in society. This class was only taught in the classroom, but my professor kept the entire class engaged by randomly asking students for their thoughts and feelings after introducing a new topic. As a double major in Finance and Accounting, it is difficult for me to find time in my schedule for courses outside of those required for my major. The courses I took over the six weeks in Madrid provided an opportunity to explore my interests in cooking and human philosophy. I did not spend my entire time in Spain. I started my trip exploring northern Italy with my family. We started in Naples, Italy, and then traveled to Pisa, Florence, and finally ended in Rome. I had an incredible time exploring Italy’s most beautiful coastlines, Cathedrals, and cities. A typical day in Italy for my family and me involved waking up early, walking several miles to check off historic landmarks, and enjoying the best pizza and pasta we had ever had. I left my parents and my sister and departed for Madrid. After my first week of class, my groupmates and I went to Marrakech, Morocco. This was my first time in a muslim country, and it was a unique learning cultural learning experience. After Morocco, I spent the rest of my program time travelling in Spain. I enjoyed the beaches of San Sebastián, Sotogrande, Cadiz, Marbella, and Barcelona. I was mesmerized by the unique cultures across the regions of Spain. After my program ended, I travelled to London, Germany, and Poland to meet up with family and friends. If it weren’t for my experiences travelling in Spain, travelling to different countries in such a short period would have seemed overwhelming. Thank you, CIEE, and thank you, Arkansas Honors College, for the incredible experience