Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona – My Experience

Studying Abroad in Barcelona!

I had the immense privilege of being able to study abroad with SAI (a study abroad company) at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spring 2023. This school is located in Barcelona, whereas the main campus is located about 45 minutes outside of Barcelona. The picture to the left is a view of the front entrance of the school. As you can see, it is built with beautiful, intricate designs, displaying Catalan Modernism. The building used to be part of the Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau. I used to ride one stop to the Sant Pau/Dos de Maig stop, and walk 6 minutes from the station to school everyday! A dream!!!

What was it like? 

I took a total of 12 credits at UAB during my semester abroad, taking 4 classes of 3 credits each. The classes were:

• Managerial Skills for International Business
  • This class took a very psychologically approach to thinking about management. We learned about people’s motivators, values, and other aspects that a manager must take into account when leading a team. We also did various activities outside for team-building! It was very interactive, and also showcased the different cultures that we all brought to the table.
• Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage
  • This class focused on learning different eras of art in Spain. We also learned about the technical aspects of Gothic, Baroque, and other era’s architecture. The class even had us go to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya — which was on top of a mountain overlooking the city! 
• Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
  • This class featured a semester long project of creating a new product. My team and I designed and “launched” a coffee mug that heats liquids itself! We also talked about the struggles that come with starting a business. The picture to the right features a classic team-building exercise— learning how to use strategy and imagination— to build the highest tower out of spaghetti!
• The Image of Barcelona in Literature
  • This class involved reading several texts/books that talked about Barcelona. We learned about the tumultuous history of the city, as well as the never-ending fight of the Catalan people who wish to become independent from Spain. We read the book “Nada” by Carmen Laforet, which told the story of a girl studying in Barcelona— a book full of themes of self-discovery and coming of age.

UAB also has no class on Fridays! It was the perfect situation to explore the neighboring countries in Europe, as well as explore Barcelona further. Being able to study in a different city was an invaluable experience for me, learning from talented Spanish professors.

People I met along the way:

I am happy to say that I met lifelong friends during my time in Barcelona. Pictured to the left is Nora (middle) and Sydney (right). We all attended UAB during Spring 2023, and they truly made the experience 100000x better. They are some of the best things I took away from that era. To this day, we remain close and try to visit each other whenever we can. ❤️

My experience at UAB remains a pivotal moment in my college career. I had the opportunity to be surrounded by (and taught by) people with different life experiences than me— which is one of the best ways to learn! That, paired with the various adventures I would embark on on the weekends transformed my worldview and outlook on life. If the opportunity presents itself, STUDY ABROAD!! It is one of the best decisions you’ll make. I will be writing more about the process of applying, visa requirements, etc. in later blog posts. If you or anyone you know is interested in studying abroad — contact me! I’d be so happy to help :).

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THANKS FOR READING! ❤️

Happy adventuring,

Cristy