Alejandra Orellana-Rinaldi 

I was blessed to have the opportunity to study abroad in Seville, Spain during my junior year of high school. Studying abroad at such a young age taught me a lot about new cultures, responsibilities, independence, embracing uncomfort and being far away from home. It not only prepared me for my future, but showed me the beauty of an entirely different culture and environment that would later lead me to want me to continue my time and education in Spain. I have always enjoyed traveling whether it was alone or with my family. It is part of me, and I cannot picture my life without it. 

​

In the spring of 2024, I was blessed with another opportunity to study abroad. This time it was my junior year at Clemson University. I chose to go to Barcelona, Spain to fully immerse myself into the Spanish culture and explore a new region of the country. This experience was quite different from the last as it was four months and not four weeks. Given that I grew so much in just those four weeks, my experience in Barcelona was unbelievable and unforgettable. 

​

I studied abroad through a third party program offered at Clemson University called CEA CAPA. The school was in the heart of Barcelona located next to Las Ramblas and around the corner from La Catedral de Barcelona. During my four months I took 12 credit hours while also completing an internship with Espai Granada. Balancing the two were quite challenging, especially while trying to explore a new city and make new friends. But, the challenge was well worth it. As someone who thrives in challenge, uncomfort, pressure all in a new city, this experience pushed me to be the best version of myself. This was one of the most rewarding feelings I had felt, and it was all while I was just 21 years old. Not only does it lead me to want to succeed even further in my future career, it shows me just how capable I am and can be. 

​

Now that it's been quite a while since I have studied abroad, I can say this all with my chest. But the moments leading up to study abroad would have led you to believe that I probably would not have gone. It was very hard for me to come to terms with leaving the small town of Clemson. My time thus far had been incredible, that I could not picture myself anywhere else. I was beyond scared and anxious. I had a niche and relationships that I was not ready to be away from. It made leaving very hard. I am very grateful for having such a strong support system back home, and I truly believe that it is one of the reasons why studying abroad was such a rewarding experience. 

I was very content to be able to live with other Clemson students, who at the beginning of it all were only familiar faces. Now, I have 4 more best friends who I have been able to frolic around Europe with, seeing new worlds that we would have never been able to if we had just stayed in our comfort zones. 

​

Not only did I take classes and intern for a company, I traveled throughout other countries. I think that in itself was also educational. What I was able to learn in each city has been far more valuable. There is no better education than to fully understand and immerse yourself into other cultures. This was something I learned at an early age, as my parents emphasized the importance of traveling and being open to new people and new ways of life. But I believe that one of the biggest takeaways I learned from this experience was being okay with feeling uncomfortable. It is just an unexplored feeling, which is why it feels so odd. But Europe was also unexplored by me, so combining the two fit perfectly together and gave me memories that I will hold onto forever. 

​

Growing up in a hispanic family/household had already exposed me to a different way of life than just in the United States. When I was in Barcelona I was able to pick up on these differences especially while I was interning. The slower, enjoyable life feeling that Spain has, made me realize how direct the United States can be. Here we prioritize work and living to work. Whereas in Spain there is a bigger emphasis placed on living and not revolving around work or paychecks. When eating out at restaurants, I noticed that service was what we may consider slow in the United States. In Spain, sitting at a restaurant may take longer than we expect because there is no rush on the customers. This is a social and leisure experience to enjoy conversation rather than a quick pace service.  I also noticed a difference in communication styles and work environment culture. My work experience in the United States is quite different from what I experienced in Barcelona. I noticed how my bosses prioritized forming a relationship with me by wanting to get to know me as a person in order to establish a level of trust to be able to work together collectively, but also to have trust when working autonomously. I had never experienced this before, especially since the United States emphasizes an individualistic work culture. 

​

My experience abroad touched a bunch of different aspects when it comes to new cultures. Whether I am traveling or working, they will all be important. I feel very grateful to have been able to retain such valuable skills and knowledge.

​