First off, I will keep in contact with the people in the
program. The people in the program is what made the program worthwhile, and
having the connection of going to Barcelona together made the bonds even
stronger. From planned day-trips to the beach to weekend excursions, I know I
could not have survived the program if it were not for the twenty-some people.
I know for a fact the GroupMe will still blow up here and there on my phone and
I look forward to that. Definite reunions will be in store this upcoming year
at Purdue and even further down the road. You also never know what networking
can happen in the future with all of us as we plan to start our careers.
Second, as I enter my last year of college in the fall, I
plan to take this study abroad program and enhance my resume and future career
from it. To openly share a global experience to a recruiter shows a student’s
willingness to focus more than just purely academics. It not only takes up a
good portion of the interview, but it shows a lot of skills and abilities in a
time where job competition exists. I can show that I can take time and adapt to
a place as well as many admirable skills—critical thinking, flexibility, communication,
etc. International business is priority for many companies and having an
experience like this program can set aside one candidate from another. Before
this trip I did not think about the all of the benefits it would have on my upcoming
career, but now I know how much studying abroad has an affect on a person and
how that can transfer to the workplace.
Next, I plan to have much more empathy for international
students at Purdue. The campus seems to be diverse, but definitely not
integrated. I am part of a club in the International Programs, and now I have
so much more respect and liking for students who have to leave their country
for four years to study in America. Comparing that to just one month makes me feel
even more empathy for them. It is, in fact, rather hard to talk in a different
language than you are not used to and it can be scary to go up to a domestic
and have a conversation. It is much easier than I realized to stick with people
who speak your language and are from an area where you are from. This program gave
me a willingness to reach out to the international students even more to be
actively available to help them adjust to life at Purdue as I have now been on
the international student side.
Furthermore, I will be more willing to take more chances in
my life as they appear. If someone were to tell me that I would have been
snorkeling in Costa Brava or hiking up Monserrat a year ago, I would have never
believed them. Both things are out of my comfort zone and more adventurous for
my liking. But those two experiences ended up being just some of the highlights
in the trip and are now my unexpected interests. I even found myself not being
afraid of things throughout the trip that I would typically be afraid of. I now
plan to become more fearless and willing to accept new opportunities that come
my way. Life has so much to offer and if you are constantly in your comfort
zone, it can get rather bland.
Lastly, I have a long-term goal of traveling the world as
much as possible. Coming to Barcelona was my first time out of the country, and
I absolutely loved experiencing a whole new culture so much that I just want to
travel more of the world. The world feels ten times bigger and there is so much
out there that I feel capable of visiting. Traveling teaches you so much more
than just sitting at a desk reading out of a textbook or Wikipedia. I remember
being so nervous of being in a different continent beforehand, and now thinking
about different traveling opportunities just excites me. I am no longer afraid
of having a language barrier or being the stereotypical ‘American tourist’.
Overall, my study abroad experience has made me grow so much
and see the world so differently, and I only look forward to keeping all of the
memories with me as I grow more into my own person. It sounds so cliché, and
maybe it is, but I plan to soak up all of what I experienced into many short-term
and long-term future goals.
