Program: CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts & Liberal Arts in Seville, Spring
Kendall’s Majors: Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies, Spanish
How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?
The program academics were very unique compared to my regular classes at UW-Madison. Instead of large lecture halls with hundreds of students, I was in small classrooms with about 15 other people. The majority of my course work included semester-long projects and presentations rather than daily assignments and notetaking. “Culture and Cuisine” and “Flamenco in Andalusia” were two of my favorite classes which consisted of tapas tastings and flamenco dance lessons.
What is the moment you are most proud of?
Living in a country where English is not the first language is a challenging but rewarding experience. Although I have been learning Spanish since elementary school, using it in my everyday life outside of the classroom was very different. I am proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and pushing myself to communicate with local Spaniards at restaurants, grocery stores, malls, and on public transportation.
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
I never drank coffee before my study abroad experience in Seville and now I am an avid coffee consumer. Every morning on my way to class through “el centro” I would stop at a local cafe and order a “cafe con leche” which is just a shot of espresso with milk. Although the coffee was much better in Spain, I always think about the local cafes when I drink my coffee now in the US.
