Author: Alexandria Trotter | Major: Supply Chain and Information Systems | Semester: Spring 2025

Barcelona Cathedral

Hello, my name is Alex Trotter and I go to the University of Arkansas! I am a current junior, and my majors are supply chain management and information systems. This summer I had the opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona with API, and it was the most life changing experience. Ever since I was a little kid I have wanted to study abroad, and I knew especially that I wanted to study in Spain. I had always heard about their amazing food, culture, and I wanted to learn Spanish while I was there. My cousin also did a study abroad program in Spain and came back with the best stories, which in turn fueled my desire to study abroad even more. After talking with friends who had studied abroad in the past and with the study abroad office, they recommended Barcelona, considering I was wanting a large city in Spain to study in with lots of good food and things to do! Upon doing my research, I found a program that was partnered with a reputable school in Barcelona, ESADE, and it was highly recommended by faculty and students. After ensuring that it would qualify for the classes I needed, I applied and eventually became a part of the Summer in Barcelona: International Business Studies at ESADE program with API which could not have been a better choice for me. The API team was very knowledgeable about the city, and the people in my program became some of my closest friends. I was abroad for 35 days total (I wish I had more time), and spent an additional 14 days after travelling to Switzerland, Morocco, and Italy. During my time at ESADE Barcelona I got to learn in depth about international management and finance, as well as topics such as AI prompting and digital advertising. Not only did we attend lectures but we got to be a part of experiences outside the classroom to supplement our learning. Some of the many things I did with ESADE include getting to tour local businesses, learning about how to run businesses under international policy/culture, and getting to talk with local professionals. The biggest academic moment that stood out to me was taking my international marketing class and learning how to make businesses successful across borders and culture differences! It was eye opening and I will forever remember the tactics I learned and how I can apply them to my future career. My advice to future study abroad students is to really research your program and your host city to see what appeals to you the most and to be open minded! Some particular experiences you should prepare yourself for are learning how to make new friends, getting outside your comfort zone, and learning to live like a local! During my time at ESADE, I was one of the only Americans in our group of 50 international students which was such a cool experience! I had such a great experience this summer in Spain and it definitely taught me so much both in and out of the classroom, thank you Honors College for all of the support!