On a walk to see the sunset in Madrid

Author: Sierra Griener | Majors: Supply Chain Management, Finance | Semester: Summer 2023

My name is Sierra Greiner and I am a student in the Walton Honors Program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business studying Supply Chain Management and Finance. This summer, I spent four weeks living and studying in Madrid, Spain through an external study abroad program, API. Being immersed in a different culture and language is such a unique experience. At first, I was overwhelmed by the architecture, the culture, and speaking Spanish all the time, but in a good way. I had always seen pictures of Europe and Spain online and on social media, but nothing compared to seeing everything in person.

I was so thankful that I chose API to study abroad with. The specific program that I chose was the Summer Spanish Language, Humanities, and Business Studies in Madrid. This program gave me independence and freedom to explore the city and travel on the weekends outside of the program but also had an amazing structure and support system. A big part of this had to do with our program coordinators. They were always there for us if we needed anything and gave us so much useful information to prepare us for living in this city for a month. The main thing I wanted to get out of this study abroad experience was to be immersed in the Spanish language and to expand my vocabulary and conversational skills. I grew up speaking Spanish with my mom, but I felt that speaking Spanish all the time would transform my Spanish. This is why I chose this program, and also for the fact that I was able to take two Spanish courses at Universidad Nebrija that go towards completing my Spanish minor. I took the courses Superior Language and Spanish for Business, and these classes improved my Spanish immensely. What was different about the classes I took in Madrid was that these classes were more geared towards heritage/native speakers and it was such a different teaching style from what I have experienced at the University of Arkansas. I was able to understand concepts much easier and it reinforced my love for the Spanish language. Additionally, these classes have had a positive impact on my academics as I learned so much about grammar and vocabulary, but it has had an even bigger impact on my professional goals. My Spanish for Business course taught me so much about how culture has a great impact on business and even more about different Spanish businesses. This class was very project oriented; we did multiple projects on culture and Spanish businesses and had to present them to our peers.

Outside of classes, I was able to get to know the city of Madrid very well. There were many group activities that the API program put together, some of them being a cooking class to learn how to cook paella, a tour of the Thyssen Museum, and a bike tour of the city. Additionally, we did group weekend trips to Toledo and Salamanca. I was able to get to know the people in my program through these activities and they became some of my closest friends. We would explore the city together and try all of the amazing food Madrid had to offer. The tortillas españolas, bocadillo de calamares, croquetas, jamon iberico, and chocolate con churros are my all time favorites and what I recommend to anyone going to Madrid

One of the things I wish I knew before doing this program is that in Spain, most people that live in Spain take their vacations during July and August, so Madrid was full of tourism during the time that I went. I enjoyed getting to know a lot of different people, but I could tell it was different from how it would be during other times of the year. Still, I would recommend this program to anyone, more so if someone is looking to immerse themselves in the Spanish language and culture. I met such great people, ate the best food, improved my Spanish immensely, and got to live in a city that is full of unique art, architecture, and culture. This study abroad program and experience was an opportunity that I am thankful for every day.