Isabelle Weston
STUDY ABROAD
SEVILLE, SPAIN
SPRING SEMESTER 2023
Traveling the world has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. In the spring semester of my junior year at Clemson, those dreams became a reality as I embarked on an amazing journey across the pond. From January 2023 to May 2023 I had the opportunity to study abroad in Seville, Spain as a requirement for my major, Spanish and International Business. I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but I never realized how impactful that experience would be on my life. There is nothing that can compare to the lessons I learned and the journeys I traveled throughout this short time in Europe. Not only did I get the privilege of immersing myself in new cultures, but I also created lifelong friendships and crossed off so many extravagant goals.
Before I boarded the plane in January 2023, I had never been outside of the United States, nonetheless alone in a foreign country 4,000 miles away from my family and friends. With great anticipation and excitement all fall for this experience, I envisioned my life abroad and the goals I wanted to accomplish while I was there. It is so crazy to think that we can have one idea of what something will be like and it can be a completely different outcome in reality. Genuinely, I had no idea what to expect when I set out on this adventure.
With that being said, I set specific, attainable goals for myself while I was abroad. Firstly, I wanted to enhance my knowledge of the Spanish language and become more confident in my ability to communicate in Spanish. I did this by embracing every opportunity to speak Spanish, whether at a restaurant, in class, with my friends, or immersing myself in Spanish music with my roommates. I used every opportunity I had to show off my knowledge of Spanish and my desire to grow more fluent while I was there. One thing that I found to be so interesting was that every time I traveled to a new country where the language was not Spanish or English, I would find myself trying to communicate with people in Spanish first rather than English. I definitely was not alone in this phenomena either, so many of my friends did the exact same thing, which really just fascinated me the entire time. Although I feel like I advanced exponentially in my language skills while in Sevilla, which predominantly speaks Spanish only, I still do not feel like I have crossed the threshold of not having to translate in my head before I speak. I hope in the future I will be able to immerse myself in a different hispanic culture to further develop my language skills.
Another overarching goal I wanted to accomplish abroad was immersing myself in each culture I experienced inside and outside of Spain. While living in Spain I had the privilege of traveling to two continents, ten countries, and twenty-six cities across Europe and Africa. I cannot even express in words the amazing sights I saw, people I met, meals I ate and so much more. How many people can genuinely say the spent St. Patrick’s day in Dublin, Ireland or Easter in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City? My mindset before every trip was to live like a local, but remember I am a foreigner and it was totally okay for me to stand out. To experience the local way of life in each city, my friends and I would always ask for recommendations from the locals on activities and restaurants. We often booked tours of the major attractions in each city, but then we would spend our time freely roaming the streets and getting lost in the European architecture and ambiance. For me the most effective way to genuinely join these cultures was through their food. I prioritized avoiding tourist restaurants and eating like a local in their favorite spots. For a picky eater like myself, this was not always the easiest task, but I was definitely up for the challenge. In London I attended a formal tea party, in Vienna I tried Wienerschnitzel, in Spain I ate jamon and queso, and in Italy, I of course had pasta. Food is such an important aspect of every culture, so for me I knew that would be a great way for me to connect to these places as a foreigner.
No two cities were the same either, there was something so unique about each place. For example, Vienna was one of my favorite cities I have ever seen with the Belvedere Palace and Sigmund Freud museum, but so was Asilah in Morocco with its amazing coastline and exquisite artwork, and these places could not be more different if they tried. One is a completely underdeveloped city in a country of corruption, while the other is a modern, elegant city of rich history and alluring charm. From the streets of Africa to the Buckingham Palace of London, I jumped at the opportunity to absorb every ounce of these foreign cultures.
Sevilla, Spain was the most ideal location for me. There was not a single day that went by where I wasn’t in awe with all of the beauty and culture that surrounded this city in the south of Spain. Sevilla is in the region of Andalucia, Spain, the southernmost region of Spain. I was born and raised in the southeastern United States, where we are known for hospitality and friendliness; those same ideas apply in southern Spain which I saw from my very first day in Sevilla when the locals tried to help a confused little American girl find her apartment. With famous historic neighborhoods, amazing architecture, beautiful parks, rich culture, and friendly locals, Sevilla truly is such a gem. My walks to class everyday were captivating as each day I would recognize beauty in something I may not have noticed the day before. I was completely enthralled with the beauty of the city, from the orange trees to the all consuming sunsets that cast over the cathedral every afternoon. While in Sevilla I saw flamenco shows, attended the famous Feria, experienced business cultures, made the best friend ever with a local, danced the nights away, and made memories that will last a lifetime.
I will never stop learning from this experience and sharing it with anyone who is willing to listen. I had the most amazing time of my life. I have become so much more independent and cultured from this short experience, and I cannot wait to share my knowledge with others and go back to explore these spectacular places and add more to the travel list.
