Above is a picture from my first day in Barcelona. Roll Tide!
Hey all! My name is Jackson and I am currently studying in Barcelona. This post, however, is going to be about how I felt before my study abroad began.
I did not always plan to study abroad. It was something that I found out I had a good opportunity to do through the University of Alabama, and that was why I initially started looking into it. Until this past summer, I had never even left the United States, so moving to Spain felt like a big leap. However, since college began, I have been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone and moving away seemed like a great chance to do so.
I tend to do things on a whim, so I initially chose Spain only because I took a few Spanish language classes in high school. As I did more research into the country’s culture, geography, and history, I became more and more interested. Eventually, I decided Barcelona would be the best fit for me.
As my departure date approached, I started to realize just how much my life was about to change. I had moved from Cincinnati to Tuscaloosa for school, but this was different. This time, I was moving to a different country where my language, culture, and background would no longer be the norm. I was anxious about practicing my Spanish, making new friends, and adjusting to a different culture. Nonetheless, I knew this would be a rewarding experience for me, so I kept an optimistic outlook as the semester approached. Overall, I was excited to travel and experience new things that I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to experience.