Studying Abroad in Spain and How it Changed My Perspective as a Young Marketer

A year ago, I had the opportunity to travel abroad through my university. When I was in high school, I had watched my older sister travel abroad during her Junior year to Florence, Italy. As a typical younger sister I wanted to do everything my older sister did, but I understood how the experience changed her in such a deep way. Growing up, I have always been surrounded by Spanish in all levels of my education. I "learned" the culture of different parts of Spanish speaking countries through reading textbooks and watching videos in my classes. Yet while learning about different cultures in school, I have always been used to being around people that were in a lot of ways, similar to me. I felt a desire to be in an environment that was surrounded by people with different backgrounds and stories than me.

Research proves that studying abroad increases adaptability, cultural awareness, and career readiness. According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2020), employers rated critical thinking, problem-solving, and individual management as the most important skills for moving into the workforce in 2025. In addition to that, employers are seeing an increase in international work experience as being an important aspect in hiring globally aware employees.

My semester in Spain shaped how I’ll show up as a young professional entering the business world.

Spain is a country that prioritizes community, through their long dinners, siestas, plazas full of laughter and conversation, and slower mornings. This type of lifestyle is the opposite to one that I have grown up knowing, fast, productivity- driven and less of a work-life balance.

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