High-fiving the Sitges Mermaid statue. It’s said that those who touch its hand will return to the town one day.
Author: Josh Kueh | Majors: Supply Chain Management, Information Systems | Semester: Summer 2023
Josh Kueh is a third-year Honors College Fellow from Fayetteville, Arkansas studying supply chain management and information systems. He studied abroad at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, during the summer of 2023. While abroad, he experienced the vibrance and uniqueness of Catalan and Spanish culture.
As I began my freshman year, I knew I wanted to study abroad. But with the commotion of adapting to the peculiarities of college life, I didn’t know exactly where to go yet. I knew I wanted to go to a Spanish-speaking country to practice the skill I had spent five years learning. Also, I wanted to go to a big city with many different things to do. A year later, with these requirements in mind, I chose Barcelona, Spain because of the city’s diversity and its vibrant, unique culture. Having decided this, I next chose to go abroad through a program with SAI because they offered a wide array of courses in my discipline, had a program length that suited me, and offered classes at one of the country’s best universities, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
enrolled in two courses at the university: International Business and Barcelona City Planning and Architecture. Though they were challenging, I learned a lot from both classes. I walked away from my international business class with a strong foundation in international expansion strategies and cultural analysis methods. Professionally, this will be beneficial to me in the future if I work in international logistics or otherwise do business with a foreign company. On the other hand, I left my city planning class with a new appreciation for architecture and a reinforced interest in urban design. Academically, it was a class that I wouldn’t have been able to take at home and has helped me become a more well-rounded student. I also loved my professors. My international business professor was very experienced in international marketing, and I enjoyed her anecdotes from her work experience. Similarly, it was clear that my city planning professor was very knowledgeable about the subject and loved teaching it.
These courses were similar to my classes at the University of Arkansas but were different in many ways. For example, my courses relied on student presentations much more than my classes at home. In fact, I gave five different presentations over six weeks. This allowed me to further develop my public speaking skills. Similarly, I found that my classes were graded much more heavily on exams and presentations than my classes at home. I was also graded based on the Spanish grading system, which ranges from 0 to 10 instead of 0 to 100. This took some adaptation to get used to.
However, it is important to say that learning and memories also happen outside of the classroom, too. This was true in my case. I spoke Spanish to locals, which made me much more comfortable with the language. I tried new foods and flavors at restaurants and grocery stores – paella, patatas bravas, and pimientos de padron have broadened my culinary horizons. I navigated the metro system, which gave me a sense of independence as I became more familiar with it. I was ravenous by 9:00 pm every night, which is the time when most Spaniards begin eating dinner. I was struck with awe by the Sagrada Familia’s height and detail as I passed it every day on my way to school. I watched fireworks, danced, and sang on the beach on the night of Sant Joan, which marks the first day of summer. I was inconvenienced by the public library closing in the middle of the day for a lunch break. I learned that culture could have a slow pace of life yet still be exciting in small beach towns like Cadaqués and Sitges. I was shocked when the museum tour guide told me that Salvador Dalí was buried in an unmarked tomb mere inches from where I was standing. I visited Camp Nou, the legendary stadium of FC Barcelona, my favorite Spanish soccer team. I hiked up to the Carmel Bunkers and saw a view of the city unlike any other. I made some great friends that I’ll always cherish.
To those who are going to study abroad, I recommend allowing some space for spontaneity, preparing yourself to be pushed outside your comfort zone, keeping an open mind, and budgeting money for unexpected events. I wish I knew that I would be very homesick when I first arrived and that trying new things and staying in touch with friends and family at home can be a remedy for this homesickness. Additionally, I wish I prepared for reverse culture shock. After returning home to Fayetteville, driving around town felt bizarre to me after having grown used to the urban landscape of Barcelona. Without a doubt, I also recommend studying through SAI Programs at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. This is because my classes were interesting, thoughtprovoking, and enjoyable. Similarly, my SAI program coordinators did a great job setting up fun excursions and serving as a helping hand when I needed it.
While I loved my study abroad experience, I’m excited to indulge in some Raising Cane’s chicken fingers and enjoy the company of my friends and family at home. Studying abroad was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and I’ll forever be thankful that I had the opportunity to do it.