It has always been a dream of mine to go to a foreign country, especially one in Europe. I would hear of people’s experiences and see the numerous photos of places I could potentially travel to, which led me to become impatient sometimes. It was not until this past spring semester (‘14) that my dream was becoming a reality. I searched for multiple exchange programs where speaking Spanish was common, and I saw two. One of the programs was in Costa Rica and the other was in Spain. I thought that my chances of going to Latin America were greater than Europe, so I chose the Spain exchange.
In the fall (‘14) I will be a student at James I University (UJI) in Castellon, Spain and living with a host family. The application process was a little long; I had to fill out an application, wait for the acceptance letter, apply for a visa, and make sure that my medical benefits would cover me while in Spain. Then, choosing a host family was also a tough process since all families sounded like wonderful people: I chose a family that lives in walking distance of UJI. My host parents are in their early 50s and have three daughters in their mid to late 20s. One of the neat things about the place where I will be staying is that I am only 2 miles from the Mediterranean Ocean!! The selection of classes I was told to choose from was wide-ranging and had to choose some from one specific field, so I picked five from the media and communications department. Hopefully my 20 years of speaking Spanish will be helpful.
I am excited to say the least, and cannot wait until August 28th for my departure. The great thing about studying abroad in Spain is that there will be another student from Coe, whom I get along with fairly well. We have been communicating this summer composing a list of places to visit, and trying to figure out the little things before leaving (baggage, travel, etc.). It will be a fun filled experience, I cannot wait. ~Alexis (Editor's note---Alexis worked for the library this summer. I hope this Kohawk has a wonderful experience in Spain.
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