Sebastian’s Summer season Overseas in Madrid

12

Desperate to step into the footsteps of a school pupil who’s experiencing life in Madrid? We not too long ago caught up with AIFS Overseas pupil Sebastian from Texas A&M Worldwide College. He spent his summer season break learning overseas within the capital metropolis of Madrid on our program at Universidad de Nebrija.

Learn on to be taught extra about his research overseas expertise with AIFS Overseas and the influence of being a global pupil in Madrid.

Lexi: Hello, everybody. My identify is Lexi and welcome again at the moment. I’m right here with Sebastian. After I studied overseas again in fall of 2022, I went to Maynooth College in Maynooth, Eire. Sebastian goes to be my visitor at the moment. So why don’t you inform us just a little bit about who you might be and the place you studied overseas, Sebastian? 

Sebastian: Howdy, everybody. My identify is Sebastian. I studied overseas at Universidad de Nebrija on the Estudios Hispanicos program in Madrid. I studied overseas for one month. It was such an important expertise. My first language is Spanish. I had a good time with individuals from Spain. I discovered lots about their tradition. I am going to Texas A&M Worldwide College. My college is immersed lots into Hispanic tradition since now we have a whole lot of totally different cultures from Latin America. And I’m simply right here to speak about my expertise.  

Lexi: Superb. Yeah, so considering again to earlier than you went and studied overseas, was there type of like a defining second the place you undoubtedly determined that that is what you needed to do, you needed to check overseas and the way did that really feel to you?  

Sebastian: Initially, I had a lot concern to check overseas – going to a unique nation and the bills. I used to be unsure if I used to be going to have the ability to do this. I used to be simply scared, however I used to be helped by an AIFS ambassador in my establishment. She helped me to go overview the scholarships, the applications, the prices, and every part and after cautious consideration, I selected Madrid, Spain. I feel it was one of the best resolution that I may have ever made. The defining second after I determined to check overseas was after I talked to college students who had studied overseas in my college. We obtain a whole lot of college students from totally different establishments on the planet and simply to speak to them and listen to about their expertise, the way it has modified them each personally and in an expert sense… it motivated me to proceed and simply do it.  

Lexi: Yeah, there’s at all times that second of when you have got the belief that you simply’re going and it’s fairly scary to make that large bounce and that large dedication however when you undergo with it, it undoubtedly pays off.  

Sebastian: Yeah, undoubtedly. I feel it’s one thing that I’d advocate to everybody simply to check overseas and much more with AIFS. I feel the workers from AIFS is absolutely useful, not simply within the educational sense, but in addition in the way in which they assist you immerse your self in a unique tradition, current you with totally different alternatives, and on the identical time, assist you join with different individuals.  

Lexi: Sure, undoubtedly. I completely agree. Particularly by way of AIFS, there’s a whole lot of totally different choices that not every kind of research overseas applications can supply… with excursions, and the ambassadors, and every part that goes with you when you are there to type of assist you really feel comfy in your new setting. I undoubtedly suppose that one of many greatest advantages of AIFS is having that group with you, as you’re going across the nation.

Lexi: So, did you discover in Spain, was there any type of give attention to combating local weather change or inexperienced initiatives when you have been there?  

Sebastian: One of many initiatives that I seen most is the bins containers. They might have containers to recycle the totally different stuff you’ll use in a each day foundation. That’s one thing that basically impacted me as a result of I’m from Southwest Texas the place I don’t see that fairly often. It’s just about you’re taking out the trash. That’s just about it. Simply taking a look at how they attempt to preserve their setting. For instance, these (holds up bottle cap) could be related to the bottle. I feel it’s nice what they do in Spain. I feel there’s one thing that we must always do within the US. One of many issues that amazed me probably the most, one of many issues I favored probably the most is that they drink faucet water. So simply how protected it’s to drink faucet water whenever you go to a restaurant, you don’t should pay for a bottle of water or something like that.  

Lexi: Yeah, that’s one other factor that stood out to me was the bottle caps being part of the, the cup itself. Yeah, after I first tried to get it off, I used to be like, wait, why is it not coming off? After which I noticed it’s truly connected to it. After which after I lastly got here again to the USA, I used to be like, oh, wow, I can truly take the entire thing off. That is loopy.  

Sebastian: Yeah, it’s loopy. I feel we must always do this within the U.S. I feel it’s actually useful for the setting. From the place I’m from they normally accumulate them and everytime you accumulate so many, they pay for most cancers therapies for individuals. 

Lexi: Oh, wow, that’s superb.  

Sebastian: So, I feel simply by taking good care of the setting, if all of us come collectively and maintain the setting, I feel it’s an important factor. Not just for us as a inhabitants, but in addition for animals, individuals, the world basically.

Lexi: Yeah, undoubtedly. Yeah, I completely agree. I feel that there’s so many advantages to it that I want that America was just a little bit higher on the entire recycling facet. Yeah, so how did you’re feeling being overseas in your individual type of id? Did you type of really feel like there was any tradition shock whenever you first went overseas or was it type of a neater transition?  

Sebastian: I undoubtedly had a whole lot of tradition shocks. After I went to Spain, I took Worldwide Administration course, and on this course, we might find out about totally different cultures. So that they taught us the best way to interpret Spanish tradition and different cultures of the world. 

I feel it’s actually fascinating for me. I used to be raised in Mexico. Then later, after 12 years, I went and lived within the U.S. in Texas. I’m 20 years outdated. And simply being immersed in two totally different cultures between Mexico and the U.S., that are actually totally different, and going to a different tradition, I even have tradition shocks from the U.S. So, I’ve had tradition shocks from the U. S., I’ve had tradition shocks from Spanish tradition, and after I got here again, I had tradition shocks from each, from Mexico and the U. S. It’s actually fascinating. That’s one of many causes that I’d advocate everybody simply to check overseas, since you’ll perceive your self greater than you do earlier than. And I feel it’s one thing that has benefited me lots, simply to have this angle of issues.  

Lexi: Yeah, you actually don’t type of perceive how totally different every place on the planet is till you’re in a position to truly go and expertise it. And yeah, I completely agree. I feel everyone ought to be capable to research overseas if they will and be capable to see firsthand what it’s like outdoors of the nation that they’re from. 

Sebastian: Additionally, I met lots of people from totally different Latin American nations. I had tradition shocks with totally different cultures from Latin American nations. It’s actually fascinating how, regardless that we’re all totally different, all of us share some similarities and simply studying from them, I feel it connects us very a lot.  

Lexi: How did you adapt to Spain’s Spanish-speaking setting? 

Sebastian: Sure, even after I first arrived, I had a whole lot of difficulties to speak to individuals from Spain. All of us communicate the identical language, however we in fact have totally different accents and totally different phrases. For instance, after I first arrived, I requested for a restaurant americano. And so they gave me an espresso. I’m unsure why. Perhaps they have been in a rush. Yeah, it was fascinating to see. I traveled round 4 cities in Spain. One of many cities that I had probably the most issue to speak to individuals was in Seville. They discuss very quick in Spanish so it was tough to speak to them, but it surely was nice simply to, to have that have throughout my research overseas, simply due to the way in which that I can now see the world, how the Spanish Language is so large all over the world. It’s not simply with Spanish individuals, I’d even have issue to speak to individuals from Colombia or individuals from Venezuela. Nevertheless it’s one thing that I’d encourage English audio system as a result of because you’re not simply studying about Spain, you might be truly studying about individuals from different nations which can be arriving to Spain. So, I feel it’s an important alternative. 

Lexi: Yeah, it’s at all times like irrespective of the place you go, even when it’s the identical language, there’s totally different accents or totally different slang phrases that it’s a must to be taught and adapt to as you might be there. So even when you go to a spot the place you communicate the language, you would possibly nonetheless be studying some new stuff when you are there which is fairly cool. 

Sebastian: And likewise to be respectful to them, as a result of for instance, though I’ve a vocabulary, it’s totally different from individuals’s vocabulary that’s utilized in Spain. I attempted to be taught the phrases in Spain as a result of I needed to be respectful and in addition as a result of I don’t wish to use phrases which will imply one thing else. So, I simply tailored into it.

Lexi: Yeah, undoubtedly. Yeah. I feel that that’s nice going to a different nation and simply attempting to be respectful and simply studying and adapting to the way in which that issues are over there, for positive. So, considering again once more to earlier than you went, type of proper earlier than you have been going, packing, was there something type of particular that you simply want you had packed that you simply hadn’t, or something that you simply did pack that you simply have been like, oh, I suppose I didn’t actually need this.  

Sebastian: Actually, throughout my orientation with AIFS from my college, it was really helpful to me to not take a whole lot of stuff, which I admire very, very a lot. For anybody that’s learning overseas, I’d advocate not taking as a lot. There’s washing machines, there’s dryers, yeah, wash your garments. And one of many causes that I’d advocate that’s as a result of we will purchase a whole lot of stuff within the different nation and in addition convey a lot stuff again. For instance, in Spain, they’ve a retailer, it’s known as Primark. It’s so low-cost. For instance, some shorts, a shirt or possibly some sandals – every part prices 5 euros. It’s fairly low-cost. So I’d advocate that. Additionally, I’ve pals which have studied in Italy or in South Korea. It’s actually low-cost. They arrive again to the U.S., and so they also have a totally different type of how they gown. So, I’d encourage individuals to not take a whole lot of stuff – when you get right into a research overseas location, simply purchase every part there.  

Lexi: I hundred % agree. Yeah, you’re going to finish up I really feel like a whole lot of the occasions shopping for stuff there simply getting stuff simply from dwelling there, you’re going to wish some issues or see something you need. Ensure you have sufficient area to have the ability to convey it again with you. Typically, beneath packing is the way in which to go as a result of you possibly can at all times exit and purchase stuff whenever you’re there. In case you overpack, then you definitely acquired to possibly do away with some stuff, which you may not wish to do. 

Sebastian: Sure, I had a buddy who took a whole lot of stuff. She took two luggages and he or she just about left one baggage in Sweden to take one again. And she or he even bought one other one to take again. So yeah, I simply thought, you recognize, don’t take that a lot stuff.   

Lexi: So, I’ve one final query for you. What’s a chunk of recommendation that you’d give somebody who’s enthusiastic about learning overseas? 

Sebastian: I feel it’s simply not to consider it that a lot. It’s about nearly doing it. At first, as I mentioned to start with, I used to be considering an excessive amount of, I used to be frightened about the financials, about how every part was going to occur, about how it may be. It may be fairly costly, however simply by taking a step, I used to be in a position to get a scholarship from AIFS. And AIFS is a program that I actually admire. The individuals from AIFS, I actually admire them simply within the sense of how they helped me. And it’s a program that I’d advocate.  

Lexi: There are such a lot of totally different sources you could undergo on our web site or discuss to individuals by way of our web site and other ways you possibly can type of get extra data. There are such a lot of totally different alternatives for scholarships and simply to be taught extra in regards to the applications basically to search out no matter works finest for you. In case you’re focused on learning overseas, there’s so many alternative locations you possibly can go, applications you are able to do, occasions of the yr you possibly can go. Additionally, there’s one thing for everyone, which, yeah, I feel is absolutely nice about this particular program.  

Sebastian: For positive. And likewise, that they’ve the chance, as you might know, to intern overseas, which is one thing nice. I met lots of people from AIFS. They have been interning overseas. They are going to discuss their expertise, how these employers are offering the chance to be concerned within the work. They’re in a unique nation, and I feel it opens so many doorways to individuals.

Lexi: Oh yeah, interning overseas I feel is without doubt one of the finest components of this program as a result of, such as you mentioned, it opens so many doorways, it offers you the prospect to really be taught what it’s prefer to work in a foreign country if that’s what you wish to do. And I feel it’s an important, like, baseline for people who find themselves actually critically focused on doing that.  

Sebastian: Positively, sure. For everybody that’s watching, take step one. If I used to be in a position to do it, in that case many individuals have been in a position to do it, simply take step one.

Lexi: Thanks a lot, Sebastian, for all of your perception and all of your recommendation. It was very, very useful for everyone tuning in, I’m positive.  

Sebastian: Thanks for inviting me to this. It was nice to be on this assembly.  

Lexi: Superb. Yeah properly, thanks once more, and thanks everyone for watching and tuning in. Thanks.

Are you a pupil who’s able to take the leap and research overseas on a summer season program in Madrid like Sebastian did with AIFS Overseas? We’d love that will help you begin your journey!

Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to school college students and pre-professionals research and intern overseas. Our applications are extremely inclusive, which takes a whole lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency assist, on-site workers, and extra, you’ll take consolation in figuring out you’ll have assist all through your total expertise overseas.