Support Staff and Professors

March 27, 2017

Four classes, four different professors, four completely different teaching styles. Since I am taking two culture/literature classes and two politics classes, the format of the class and teaching styles of the professors are quite different from each other. Naturally, I like some more than others but it’s a matter of getting used to it, and 6 weeks into the programme, I’ve gotten used to all of them.

Since our class sizes are significantly smaller, we have the chance to each get to know the professors better than if we were a large lecture of more than 100 people. All of them are very approachable and welcoming, making it easier to get to know them and have a discussion on anything – grades, class discussions, extra readings, general interest in a topic touched upon in class. My professors are all so passionate about what they teach and love what they do, it makes the entire classroom experiences more fruitful since they part-take in our discussions well as opposed to just being facilitators.

My most interesting and favourite professor is Dr. Antoni Raja-Vich, who teaches ‘A Greater Middle East.’ He is one of the most knowledgeable professors I have had and I have been learning a lot in his class, from him, the readings he uses as supplements to his class as well as class discussions. He always puts himself in the position of devil’s advocate, allowing us as students to see all perspectives and consider all possibilities during discussions.

The support staff are also all very helpful; there is always someone in the study abroad office who is willing to help with whatever issue you may have – printing, student ID, grade conversion information, issues with their student platform software. They are always happy to help and answer any questions we have, especially regarding credit transfers and grade conversions since that is a big cause for concern for most of us ☺

Written By

Mitali Mirle

I am originally from India, born and raised in Dubai UAE. I am studying Environmental Science with a minor in psychology and Spanish. I chose to study abroad because I wanted to experience a new culture, travel to new places and in the process, improve my Spanish. While some people speak English here in Barcelona, the preferred language is definitely Spanish, therefore if I want to communicate with others, I am forced to speak the language, which will help me improve my conversational Spanish. While abroad, I hope to use Barcelona as a gateway to rest of Europe, say yes to almost all opportunities, try new things, eat new types of food and witness and be a part of new traditions and customs of Spain. I would like to come back and share my experiences with others like me who also want to travel the world and see the world from different perspectives.