Learning About Going Abroad 

My goal is to become a bilingual occupational therapist. Spanish is the second most popular language in the United States, and the need for bilingual workers is increasing. The desire to learn Spanish was strong. What better way than to study abroad and immerse myself in the Spanish language and culture? After learning about my school’s wide program for studying abroad, I considered whether it would be possible. I am a first-generation student and learning to pave the way and pay for college is hard enough. Could I even afford to pay for a semester in another country? Could I make it on my own, away from family and friends and familiarity? After speaking with a representative from CEA CAPA, the process became much clearer, and my confidence in studying abroad was strengthened. 

These are some of my favorite foods from Spain: tortilla de patatas, paella, and tinto de verano. 

Process of Getting There 

The process of going abroad was a difficult task. There was packing, tickets to buy, visa applications, classes to choose, and credits to match and transfer. The most difficult part of the entire process was learning how to balance going abroad next semester while balancing my current semester. As a first-generation student, finding out how to go to college and balancing it was a struggle on its own. The CEA CAPA staff helped me and answered a lot of questions I had and made my process as easy as possible. I had to travel to get a visa, but to get the visa, I had a checklist of specific items to bring, such as a background check. After applying for the visa, I had to go back and pick it up. The waiting game for many of these documents was a struggle. I had to wait for a background check, approval for some credits, my visa approval, and more. To go study abroad, you must learn to be patient and go along with the process but not be afraid to follow up.  

Feeling overwhelmed by these steps is normal, but especially as a first-generation student. The way I kept myself most organized was a list of everything that needed to be done with dates. Packing was at the bottom, while securing the visa was closer to the top. Talking to other students who had gone abroad was helpful to get advice about how they went through the process and what they packed for their semester. Navigating the way through college and study abroad is possible and has been done by many others, but you have to have the drive for new experiences and figuring out the process. 

A field trip to the Museo Taurino de Alicante, a bull ring and museum for the history of bullfights in Alicante. 

Time to Settle in 

After arriving in Alicante, my nerves were high. It was a new city, a new country, and a new environment to explore on my own. The thing about studying abroad was that everyone in the program felt the same way. Everyone was nervous but excited to be there. The students were friendly, and it was easy to connect and make friends quickly. CEA CAPA gave us a tour around Alicante. The other students and I went around the city exploring new restaurants, the beaches, and the university campus. We had a lot of fun getting to know each other, and I felt a lot more comfortable.  

There were still new things for me to learn, like more about the language, public transportation, and homesickness. I would not have been able to settle in without our two amazing CEA CAPA advisors, who made me feel welcome and kept me busy with activities to stay engaged. I felt so lucky to have the opportunity to not only go to college, but to study in another country. Being the first in my family to do that was nerve racking, but also exciting. I loved sharing the experience with my family, especially my younger brother. 

CEA CAPA took us to wine tasting! 

One of my favorite excursions was when CEA CAPA took us to a chocolate factory and the Villajoyosa town where we ate chocolate and churros by the beach. 

Halfway 

CEA CAPA made my stay so fun! The excursions and friendly faces made me feel like I was in a new home. We did flamenco lessons, a paella cooking class, and visited local cities and beach areas. I felt confident in the new city and loved the new lifestyle. Studying in Alicante was so refreshing for my health. I became healthier physically and mentally. The food was delicious and much healthier than in the United States, and combined with the walking everywhere, my body had never looked better. Mentally, I enjoyed being outside and walking in the sunshine, and seeing the plants on campus every day. I loved exploring new restaurants and stores. My comfort spot has always been the beach growing up, so living just a bus ride away from the beach made me the happiest ever. The free time I had as a study abroad student reduced my stress to the lowest, I had experienced in a long time, and I can say I truly enjoyed myself. Being a first-generation student is scary, but it can also be exciting and if you embrace it, there can be so many opportunities to explore.  

This is one of the large structures that artists make for the Hogueras festival I went to in June. 

Good-bye Blues 

As my time to go home approached, my desire to experience as much as possible grew stronger. I traveled to two more cities in Spain in my last weeks and went to the beach as much as possible. I was excited to go home and see everyone I missed but was unsure how I was going to get used to my American lifestyle again. I was nervous about making the trip back. It felt as though I would have to start over again. I also felt like my opportunities and new experiences would end when I returned. As a first-generation student, it can feel as though you only have one path to follow, but you have to change your mind set to go and experience all these new things. I spent the last few days enjoying the Hogueras festival in Alicante. Hogueras is a festival of fire to celebrate summer. There are fireworks, elaborate statues set on fire, and lots of fun activities to end my time abroad in Spain.  

CEA CAPA takes you to neighboring cities, and this was our first trip away from Alicante in Valencia. 

Readjusting 

Arriving back home was bittersweet. I missed my family and friends so much, but I loved my new life in Alicante. Being back in the United States was nice; however, it was hard to readjust. I had to go back to work and summer classes and then get right into the new semester. The semester was hard. The focus on school and work was a big change from going to a few classes and heading to the beach afterward. Alicante, compared to Baltimore, is a big difference as well. The weather and outdoor environment are the biggest differences. I missed the sunshine and warmth, and the friendly environment. The workload was a lot more back at my home university as well. Going from 4 classes total and being treated as a study abroad student to a regular student with 7 classes and two jobs is a big adjustment. I reminded myself again how lucky I was to be able to have the experience abroad and embrace my time being back. I was still lucky enough to go to college and get a good education for my future. 

Overall, going abroad gave me the best experience to learn, grow, and explore. I love sharing my experiences abroad and would recommend it to anyone who is even slightly interested in going. As a first-generation student, I experienced struggles that other students didn’t have, and I love to advocate for and encourage the other first-generation students I know. My desire to travel and return to Spain has created new goals for me as well.