The Start

May 23, 2017

My journey abroad begins tomorrow and quite frankly I am terrified of the upcoming month. Until now this whole studying abroad in Spain thing was an abstract concept, something distant in the future I did not have to worry about. But tomorrow is the day. Whether I am ready or not I am throwing myself into this experience with the blind belief that I will have an incredible time and learn so much that I would not learn just taking classes in Boston.

I decided to study abroad because I learned Spanish for years and was always intrigued by the different people and cultures, more than I was interested in conjugating verbs. In my 11th grade Spanish class, my desk was next to a shelf filled with travel books and I spent most of that year reading through “Spain for Dummies.” As a dummy who took a lot away from that book, I decided then that I would experience Spain for myself.

I have two main goals from this study abroad. From an academic standpoint I want to learn something other than Computer Science. With a rigid schedule for the next three years, I am excited to get to know a completely different field of study. More important than the academics though, I want to use this trip abroad as a test of my independence. My home is just half an hour away from Boston and even though I don’t go home too often, just knowing it is there as a safety net alleviates most of my fear in college. I want to throw myself in the unknown and see how well I can hold up.

The only way I can develop that independence is by testing myself in this alien environment. I will make mistakes and find myself lost in more ways than one, but that will help me learn for next time.

Unsure of how independent I really am, I fear that I am underprepared. Phone plans, local transport, cash withdrawal — these logistics are things I never thought I would have to research so thoroughly. In the past I have just gotten on the plane, arrived, and had a good time. Now, as a solo traveler, there are a lot more steps I have to take before I can embark on my journey. One of my fears is that traveling with a school program and taking classes will limit how much I really get to experience the country and the tourism part of Spain, but I am optimistic that I will be proven wrong when I arrive. I am also nervous about not knowing anyone on the Dialogue. Hopefully we all become close friends throughout the course of our time together.

In the days leading up to the adventure sometimes fear and nervousness overshadow the excitement, but I am still looking forward to it! I can’t wait to roam around completely new cities, immersing myself in the rich history and culture, and most importantly, finding the most delicious foods they have to offer!

Written By

Rishab Mathur

While most people in my high school Spanish classes used the lights dimming and TV turning on as a cue to pull out unfinished homework or catch up on sleep, I was always fascinated by the videos of people roaming around Spain. So when I saw the opportunity to be one of those people, I had to take it. I chose this program because studying sociology, I can actually analyze and understand the cultural differences between Spain and all the places I’ve lived in the past. My family lived in Hyderabad, India from 2007 to 2010 and those were the most formative and fascinating years of my life. You can not stay in another country for an extended period of time and not have it majorly impact you. That is exciting. I love food and I love music so I’ll be detailing Spanish food and music with all the adjectives I know. I hope you enjoy reading about my travels!