Remember when I wrote about my indecisiveness in my last post? Well, my desire to embrace seemingly contradictory entities complicated my decision to study abroad. I knew I wanted to study abroad because of my fascination with different cultures and their interactions. As a politics and international relations major at Scripps, I constantly reflect on the implications of institutional and cultural change for international communities. Even though I have an personal understanding of globalization and its consequences from living in the United States and China, I wanted to gain fresh perspectives.

When it came time to choose a place to study abroad, I was torn. Did I want to go to a developing country experiencing rapid social and political transformation? What region of the world do I want to be in? I considered Asia because I have family in China and have a good understanding of culture and customs. However, going to Asia, particularly China, would not be a completely new experience for me. Understanding the Middle East would also be extremely helpful for future international work, and I felt personally connected to the region as my hometown Urumqi is close to Kazakhstan. I was also interested in women’s issues in the Middle East, but was hesitant to commit to a region I had little contact with. Similarly, Africa seemed foreign to me, and I knew my parents would be concerned if I traveled to a place they did not understand well. However, I knew I wanted to work with developing societies in the future, and believed that I could acquire the necessary tools from my semester abroad.

But even though I am passionate about globalization and social justice work, I also wanted to travel and live in Europe. Though I had never been to Europe, years of Western education made the region seem familiar. I also reminisced on a childish infatuation with the British monarchy, and a not-so-childish infatuation with literature. Because I wanted to study English and had not planned to continue a foreign language in college, I thought England would be an ideal option. I stumbled upon the Pomona in Cambridge program while researching and chatting with my friend from Pomona about study abroad, and promptly fell in love with the idea of Cambridge. I gathered my materials, conducted the necessary interviews, and petitioned to apply for the program.

My petition was accepted, but I hit a roadblock. I had applied and been accepted to a fellowship program with the Institute for International Public Policy. IIPP is designed to support minority students who are interested in careers in international affairs, and provides academic and financial support to encourage students to enter graduate school. The fellowship was an amazing opportunity that included a scholarship for study abroad, but only for countries where English is not the primary language. My plans for Cambridge fell through, and I frantically started researching other programs. It was already August, and I was sitting in my grandmother’s apartment in China with no plans for a semester abroad. I am not a person who stresses often, but I began to get nervous.

Then I remembered, during the international affairs summer program associated with my fellowship, I often wished that I could speak Spanish as well as my friends there. Spanish would be infinitely useful in the United States as well as abroad, especially in community work. I wondered if I had been wrong to eliminate Spanish-speaking countries because I did not fulfill the Scripps prerequisite of four semesters of language. I began researching intermediate level programs, as I had several years of language experience from high school. Then, I spoke to Neva in the Off Campus Study office who encouraged me to explain my situation and goals in a petition. I chose the SIT Language, Community, and Culture program in Granada, Spain because I wanted to experience Europe for the first time, improve my language skills, and view Spanish society through a critical lens that considers recent societal changes. The program was small, seemed perfect for intermediate Spanish students, and included a mandatory homestay with a Spanish family. Furthermore, I was especially interested in issues surrounding immigration and multiculturalism in the region, and Granada is a city in southern Spain that incorporates a fusion of Spanish and Arabic cultures. The SIT program also includes an excursion to Morocco, so students can compare Moroccan cultures with the complexities of Granada.

As I sit on the terrace outside my school overlooking the Alhambra, I know that I could not have made a better choice. My Spanish has already improved immensely from living here for a week, and my host family has been the most welcoming, enthusiastic, and fascinating people I’ve met in Spain. I think the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a study abroad program is that each experience will be uniquely wonderful in its own way. My journey to Spain was arduous and required a lot of reflection, but I trust that I will learn more than I ever expected in one semester. Buena suerte to the Scrippsies struggling to decide where to go, and hasta luego!