“Studying abroad is not only a childhood dream come true, but it's also broadened my perspective as I meet people from all around the world with diverse sociopolitical viewpoints and cultural backgrounds,” reflected Catie Russ, an international business major who is currently abroad on the Fisher College of Business Undergraduate Exchange - Universidad Pontificia Comillas program.
Russ is attending Universidad Pontificia Comillas for the spring semester, taking a mix of business, international studies and humanities classes with domestic students.
“My time studying abroad has given me a window into how non-Americans view the world. Through in-class debates on topics like diversity, radical transparency and gender roles and out-of-class interactions with people my age around the city, I've come to realize that certain truths I hold about the world are a result of my American upbringing and are not universally agreed on,” said Russ, who hopes to use her experiences in the classroom in her future career.
“The cross-cultural competency I've developed here will be immensely helpful as I hope to pursue a career in international human rights law, a field where being able to understand your clients and their backgrounds is very important.”
Outside the classroom, Russ is learning a lot about herself, and how exploring the surrounding cities and areas can lead to an increases sense of self and independence.
“As the baby of my family, growing up I always had someone stepping in to fight my battles for me. However, coming abroad and not really knowing anyone has made me realize that I am capable of being far more independent than I ever thought I could handle,” said Russ, citing a trip to Bilbao alone a particularly valuable experience.
Some of Russ’s favorite moments thus far haven’t come from visits to tourist sites or big excursions, but something as small as bonding with her new friends abroad or a simple mishap with public transportation, both things that she will never forget.
“I feel as though I have grown more in the past five weeks studying abroad than in the entire past year… It's truly fascinating to realize just how big the world is and how different realities and ways of life co-exist.”