What inspired you to travel abroad?
I wanted to cement my Spanish language skills. I studied Spanish, and I knew I needed immersion to become fluent. I also wanted to travel; I had never left the United States before I studied abroad, and I wanted to see other countries. I also wanted to become comfortable traveling by myself. Study abroad seemed like the solution to all of the above!
Why did you choose ISA (International Studies Abroad)?
After finding programs that would immerse me in Spanish, I started narrowing them down by researching extracurricular opportunities. I began exploring programs through affiliate provider study abroad companies through my university right before the pandemic hit. Everything had to pause in 2020, which gave me time to research more locations.
I wanted outdoor recreation, a jumping-off point for more travel, and the opportunity to study a third language. When I discovered Bilbao had a tall ship I could volunteer in the winter, and I could learn a linguistically-isolated language (Basque). I met with my college's study abroad coordinator to talk about ISA's program there.
The view of the Guggenheim Museum from my daily walk to class.
What was your favorite part about Bilbao?
Bilbao is a small, walkable city with great public transportation and incredible cultural offerings! It was the perfect size for a student, who had never been abroad before and had previously studied at a rural college in Colorado. Bilbao provided opportunities to see art, plays, films, and live music every week (many for free at the numerous galleries and theaters within walking distance of the city center and old town).
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I met people from all over the world in Bilbao who expanded my perspective; From people who broadened my understanding of geopolitics to the international crew, I volunteered with on a tall ship during winter to the period I was an upright bass teacher in a kids' orchestra. Beyond that even, I had colleagues and students from four continents, and we learned Spanish and Basque together. Through it all, I came to better understand immigration law (in Europe and the United States) and how to support folks from many different places in a community!
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
My on-site ISA coordinator in Bilbao was the absolute best. She helped me investigate cultural and volunteer opportunities across the city and connected me with students I tutored in English.
She would also work in my university's cafe and buy me, and other students, a coffee between classes to check in. She made me feel so welcome and comfortable in a new country!
Etorkizuna Musikatan performing at Bilbao's city hall.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I love Spain, but I wish I had been more intentional with the accent I wanted to learn through Spanish immersion. My dad is Latino, but I didn't grow up speaking Spanish, so I studied Spanish in college. I've since worked as an interpreter in the United States, but I've had to work hard to suppress the Castilian Spanish accent I picked up studying abroad.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
- Wake up and make coffee and tostadas with my host family.
- Walk five minutes to Deusto University for my morning classes.
- Have coffee with my on-site ISA coordinator.
- Walk home for a family-style lunch with my host mom.
- Volunteer as a bass teacher for a local kids' orchestra/volunteer doing winter maintenance on a tall ship docked in the city in the afternoon.
- Stop to listen to jazz at a bar with live music, buy a pastry, or grab drinks with my classmates on the way home.
- Do homework.
- Chat with my host family over a light dinner.
- Repeat!
The tall ship Atyla.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I volunteered to do winter maintenance on the tall ship, Atyla. I also volunteered as an upright bass teacher, with Etorkizuna Musikatan, a kids' orchestra non-profit that combated social exclusion through free music education. Outside of my time volunteering, I scoured the city for free live music or theater and frequently hung out with my classmates, fellow tall ship sailors, and music teachers in the evenings.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I lived with a host family, and I loved how much Spanish I learned. We lived in the city center, which was ideal, it allowed me to hang out with my classmates and easily access the university for extra cultural activities.
Plus, my host mom had learned English through immersion studying abroad, so she understood how to support me in doing the same with Spanish. She only spoke Spanish to me, but she could teach me new vocabulary if I didn't know a word I needed.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
It's normal to experience culture shock, and the hardest time probably won't be right at the beginning. There are two really hard phases to moving to a new country.
The first happens after the honeymoon phase ends within the first couple of weeks. The second can be months later when you start to encounter deeper cultural differences. That's normal.
Would you recommend ISA (International Studies Abroad) to others? Why?
I absolutely recommend ISA's program in Bilbao. The city itself is a great mix of easy-to-navigate and lively. There's great food and culture.
ISA offers classes through Deusto University's Centro Internacional de Español (CIDE), a program designed for North American students learning Spanish. The CIDE literature classes challenge even advanced students while still supporting language learning (and there's an option to take one or two classes with local students in any discipline).
Plaza Moyua by my host family's house.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Traveling abroad develops resilience. It's a constant exercise in problem-solving, flexibility, and cultural intelligence. You have to de-center your culture and language, dive into an unfamiliar environment, and enjoy the challenge. All of that is what prepares you to tackle other new experiences in the future!
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time abroad cemented my Spanish and taught me vital skills, like intercultural communication and empathy. I became comfortable with traveling alone and talking with strangers (in many languages), and I learned tips to travel inexpensively and responsibly. Studying abroad inspired me to take a gap year, and I've now lived on three continents!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means adapting to the way of life of the country and the way the locals live. You're traveling and connecting with them how they want you to, instead of expecting them to cater to your needs and wants. I've visited a lot of beautiful European cities that feel sterile because tourists have pushed locals out of the city centers, and they can't hold a candle to places like Bilbao that actually feel lived in.
