Rose Alexander, Alumni Ambassador

How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
Every Thursday and Sunday I went to the local markets in Seville. The culture of Spanish markets is so special and there is so much to learn every time you go. I would bring my camera and photograph everything I saw and would talk to every worker at each stand. It meant so much to me that they shared their experiences and it also meant a lot to them that I was curious to learn more.

What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One story I always tell people about my time abroad is about the time a train broke down on our way to our weekend vacation in Málaga. It was around 6 a.m. and it was still pitch black outside when we departed. After only 20 minutes on the train, it came to a sudden halt - the lights turned off, the doors were locked, and the train sunk into the tracks. My friends and I were all so confused and scared because no one knew what was happening. Since it was so early in the morning, all of us were delirious and despite being scared, it was really funny and something we look back on and joke about now. After another 30 minutes, the train was back up and running and we made it to our destination safe and sound. We ended up having one of he best vacations ever with permanent stomach aches from all the laughs and jokes we had.