Coming from a fully European heritage with Spanish grandparents on my mother's side and German grandparents on my father's side I have had a love affair with European culture my whole life. 

 

Although I always loved the culture in my home country of Venezuela, I grew up eating Lebkuchen for dessert during the holidays in family gatherings and switching up my empanada for a tostada con tomate y jámon occasionally for breakfast. My dad would read me "Das Kleins Ich Bin Ich" at bedtime and I would often hear my grandfather sing Seguidillas de Gran Canaria, or folk music from the Canary Islands, at the top of his lungs whenever we would visit him. Both the Spanish and German culture were of what made me who I am today.

 

Studying abroad is almost a rite of passage in my family. My uncle tells stories about walking alongside the border in West Berlin when he went to study german, my cousin loves to recite her adventures from her semester in Montpellier, even my parents met while they were studying english in Barbados. This “tradition” paired with my background, always made studying abroad a high priority on my list.When picking a university to attend, I knew this was a goal of mine and I needed to choose one that could provide me with access to the foreign world. 

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As the date of my departure from US soil got closer, it became harder and harder to leave. I have taken at head-first dive into student life at my university participating in extracurriculars like my sorority, Homecoming Council, Student Government, our orientation program, and much more. I was a golden panther through and through, I was scared to leave an environment I tremendously loved and thrived in. The weight of leaving my family, friends, and newly acquired boyfriend also dawned on me as the date got closer. But this was my dream, and despite fears and setbacks I pushed through and fought to pursue it .

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On January 24, I left everything in South Florida and took a one-way ticket flight to Madrid, with no clear return date. Adjusting to life there wasn't easy at first, as people in my residency where all Spanish and quite opposed to outsiders. I spend the week before the semester kicked off walking around and enjoying the city. I compensated my solitude with museums and parks, letting the paintings in El Prado tell me stories and the sun in Parque Buen Retiro give me the warmth I was missing. Finally orientation for CEU San Pablo came along and I got to pick my classes and interact with other people that were in the same situation as me.

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The courses I received at CEU were among my favorite I received my entire college career. Merchandising and Advertising inspired my creativity everyday and had me eager to attend class. I was so lucky to be taught by Professors who were so knowledgeable and experienced in the respective fields. The courses and exams were definitely harder than I was used to but they were worth every second of lectures, presentations, and studying.

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While in Madrid I also gained accessibility to a wealth of places not only around Spain but Europe. Thanks to the accessible public transportation systems and affordable airfare prices I was able to visit cities that each individually had their own splendor. In Spain I visited Salamanca, Avila, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Malaga, Toledo and the magical island of Ibiza, Outside of Spanish territory I was able to set foot in Milan, Paris, Manchester, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen. Getting to explore something new every weekend was a privilege and a lifestyle I will always be fond of.

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I spent 5 months exploring new cultures, cuisines, and taking new courses I wouldn't have had the opportunity to take at home. I gave up a lot of opportunities at home to pursue this dream and I wept countless times before leaving but the experience really opened my eyes, enhanced my creativity, and helped me realize that I wanted to pursue a career in advertising. I consider this an accomplishment because I had to push through so many obstacles to get myself to Spain and despite dealing with the reality of living without the people that mean the most to me for a period of time I still pushed through and kept fighting for ways to get me abroad. Now I know more than ever that life really does begin at the end of your comfort zone.

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