An Ode to the Barcelona On-Site Team

They’re the ones who greet you at the airport, create a homey student center, offer the best tips and advice, answer the phone if something happens, and toast your successful semester at the farewell dinner. They’re the CEA on-site team.

We all know them. They are the ones who support your every minute while studying abroad in Barcelona, start to finish. We also know that without them, studying abroad would just be another normal semester or summer. There would be no magic. No spark. They’re the ones who want to see you grow, succeed, and take advantage of your new home away from home.

The CEA Barcelona team and I at the end of summer celebration day!

The on-site staff at every CEA location prepares for incoming students months ahead of their arrival. Every activity, housing assignment, weekend trip, and cultural immersion endeavor is meticulously and carefully planned up until the hour before your arrival. They know your host city like the back of their hand, and they are proud to show it off and have you fall in love with it as much as they do.

From the very second you step off the plane, their enthusiasm and passion shows. The next day and the following week at orientation and welcome activities, their energy and genuineness is prominent. Trust me, these adjectives don’t fade throughout the program.

Day 1 of my On-Site Ambassadorship at the CEA Barcelona Study Center. It's so funny looking back at our first few weeks together.

Every time you connect with a member of the on-site staff, you can see their passion for CEA and its students in their eyes. Academics, Student Services, Housing, Program Administration, you’ll see their commonality; they want their students to succeed and make the most of their time abroad. Don’t forget, they’ve all been in your shoes before. They’ve all studied or worked abroad, they all love travelling, they all believe that immersing yourself in a new culture is one of the greatest things in life.

I truly believe the CEA on-site staff is what makes studying abroad so magical and such a memorable experience. Returning to Barcelona as CEA’s On-Site Ambassador allowed me to, again, see the passion of the on-site staff. Only this time, I’m fortunate to be involved in creating the magic behind the scenes and be part of the team. Being on the other side of the looking glass has allowed me to see how hard the team here works and the time and energy they put into making the CEA Barcelona program so successful. They sincerely strive for perfection, and for anyone that has the opportunity to study or visit in Barcelona or any other CEA on-site teams, will realize the same the second they meet them.

Ana G. is the CEA Barcelona On-Site Ambassador. She is a CEA alumna from the Spring 2014 semester in Barcelona, and Summer 2015 semester in Dublin, and a recent graduate of The University of St. Thomas.