Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to study abroad when I got to college. I didn’t know where exactly, but I looked for a Spanish-speaking country since I have a major in Spanish. After being connected with the Study Abroad Office my freshman year, they helped me look at programs so I could choose which one was best for me. I ended up going to Bilbao, Spain for five months during the fall of 2022, the first semester of my senior year. It was by far the best decision I’ve made during my time at Wichita State.
I won’t lie to you and say the logistics of getting to Spain were easy. Figuring everything out was stressful and took up a lot of my time, though with the help of the Study Abroad staff I made it across the Atlantic with no issues.
In order to study abroad, you have to start planning several semesters ahead, apply through the WSU Study Abroad Office a semester before you go abroad, apply to the university in the host country, choose which classes will transfer back for WSU credit, find housing, apply for a visa (in my case, I went to the Spanish embassy in Chicago to do this), book flights, and find international health insurance. And don’t even mention the packing! Packing to be gone for five months with just a suitcase and a carry on bag should be an Olympic sport. But in the end, it was worth it.
Wichita State political science and Spanish major
I arrived in August and started with a two-week Spanish intensive course before moving into the regular semester at the University of Deusto. I took three classes in Spanish and one class to learn Basque, which is the other language spoken in Bilbao since it’s located in the Basque country. For students that don’t speak Spanish, there were plenty of classes taught in English as well. Our grades in Spain were mostly based on tests, and though it took some getting used to, it meant we had much less homework compared to in the United States. With the free time we had because of less homework, I went to the beach often, met new friends, and explored the city of Bilbao. Other WSU students and I also took the opportunity to travel almost every two weeks to a new city or country. By the end of the semester, I visited six cities in Spain and eight different countries!
Photo courtesy of Nicole Bloomquist
However, traveling wasn’t even the best part. The most rewarding aspect of studying abroad is meeting other international students. Not only did I have Spanish friends, but I made friends from Ireland, Poland, England, Japan and Germany. I loved learning about their own cultures and how they view the world differently than I do. My worldview has expanded and I learned just as much outside of the classroom as I did in the classroom.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Bloomquist
My advice for anyone wanting to study abroad is to start looking into it now and just go for it. I’ve heard numerous people say that their biggest regret in college was not studying abroad, but I’ve never heard someone say they regretted studying abroad. If you can’t commit to an entire semester, look for a summer program or even a one-week travel seminar. If the cost is what’s holding you back, look into study abroad scholarship options and apply early. (Pro-tip: depending on where you go, a semester abroad is about the same cost as a semester at WSU if you live on campus, plus your financial aid at WSU works for study abroad as well). If you’re even considering it, set up a meeting with the Study Abroad Office and learn more about it. There is no harm in getting more information and just seeing what happens. Let your Shocker pride show worldwide!
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