A Few Days Away...

My days are numbered here in the states as I count down the days to departure for my Student Exchange Program. During the spring semester, I will be studying abroad at La Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain through the Fisher College of Business. Since applying for the program last fall, I've been looking forward to this experience for quite a while. Now with my classes scheduled and bags almost packed, it is starting to be very real.

My weekly class schedule consists of four classes: International Finance, Into to Marketing, Intro to Operations, and Spanish for International Students. I'm most looking forward to International Finance because of the new perspective my professor will hopefully provide given his knowledge of the European Union. Also, I was able to schedule my classes with Fridays free, so I hope to have the opportunity to travel on the long weekends with my classmates. Additionally, Comillas doesn't have any on campus housing, so I will be living in an apartment with four other students from Central America. I'm really looking forward to meeting them and practicing my Spanish language skills. One of the things I'm most anxious about is the language barrier, so I hope I can learn as much as I can from them. I went through a third party housing service called HousingAnywhere to find my apartment. This company lists properties for potential students throughout Europe, and it was really easy to find a place.

This whole experience so far has been impactful because of how diligent I have needed to be with planning my trip, and I haven't even started the exchange program yet. For example, the visa process can be a little overwhelming if you don't do your research. I suggest you look into the visa requirements for the country you want to study in, as soon as possible to familiarize yourself with what you might need.

I'm so excited for my flight and to start classes. I can only imagine the people I will meet and places I will see when I arrive in Europe in a few days!