There are journeys that begin long before you ever leave. I never travel alone, even when my hands carry only my luggage. I travel with everything my parents gave up so that I could study, with the sacrifices that made my education possible, and with the people who came before me who never had the opportunity to experience what I was about to experience. As a first-generation college student, being able to pursue higher education has always meant more to me than simply earning a degree. It is an opportunity shaped by my family’s sacrifices, and studying abroad became another shared milestone for my family and me. When I arrived in Granada, Spain, for the first time, I knew I was not experiencing the world only for myself. I had my family very present.
Before arriving, I was excited, but I was also nervous. I worried about getting lost at the airport, finding the bus to my residence hall, navigating Granada, feeling the absence of my family, and not knowing what to expect academically. I had never been that far from home for that long, and I did not know what it would feel like to create a routine in a place that was completely unfamiliar to me. Looking back, those fears became part of what made the experience so meaningful. They pushed me to become comfortable with not having all the answers and to trust myself in situations I had never experienced before.
Granada taught me that being abroad means learning far beyond the classroom. The streets were unfamiliar and the rhythm of everyday life was different from what I was used to. At first, those differences reminded me how far away I was from everything familiar. But slowly, Granada began to feel less unfamiliar. Spanish is my first language, and it became a tool that helped me navigate the city and connect with the people around me.
Some of my favorite memories were the least expected. I remember walking to the Alhambra with my friends, out of breath as we tried to talk about our classes. Eventually, we fell quiet and just admired the nature and beauty around us. I remember trying new ice cream places and tapas, laughing over meals, and exploring parts of the city together. These moments might seem small, but they became meaningful because of the people I shared them with. The people who were strangers at the beginning became the people I ate dinner with, traveled with, studied with, got lost with, laughed with, and called when I was homesick. I learned that independence isn't necessarily about not “needing” people; it's about learning that I can find my footing in unfamiliar places.
Academically, I also discovered parts of myself that I had not expected. I explored subjects I didn’t know I would enjoy, like Urban Culture, and met professors like Professor Isabel Daza, who expanded the way I think. I learned to see the connections between the city’s history and its art, and how the spaces around us can tell stories about the people and cultures that shaped them. As an intern at an elementary school, I met little kids who reminded me of the curiosity and free spirit that can get lost when we become too comfortable in our routines.
When I came home, I realized that studying abroad had changed more than my understanding of the world; it had changed my understanding of myself. I became more confident in what I could navigate on my own, but I also became more appreciative of the communities I could build along the way. Most importantly, I realized that I could carry my family’s values with me without being afraid to step outside of what I knew. Being abroad gave me the opportunity to see where I came from from a different perspective. I began to understand that my family’s sacrifices did not limit me to one way of living; they gave me the opportunity to experience the world beyond what they had known.
If I could give prospective students one piece of advice, it would be to let yourself be uncomfortable. Do not be afraid of getting lost, missing home, asking questions, or not knowing what you are doing right away. Give yourself time to adjust and allow the experience to teach you instead of expecting yourself to have everything figured out. Try the food, walk the unfamiliar streets, talk to people you might not normally meet, and say yes to things you haven’t tried before. Most importantly, remember that you do not have to leave who you are behind to experience somewhere new. Bring your values, your family, and your story with you. For me, studying abroad was not about leaving home behind. It was about realizing how much of home I carried with me, and how far those values could take me.