Every morning, my 45 minute bus commute takes me through the center of Granada. Squished between European youth clad in trendy leather jackets pouring over textbooks and worksheets, I’m reminded that I live in a vibrant college town. My youngest host sister, a law and economics student at the University of Granada, has finally emerged from the void of final exams after weeks of preparation. Now, she has time to relax with an episode of “Gossip Girl” subtitled in Spanish and talk to me about her college life.

Since arriving in Granada, I have moved in with a wonderful host family. As an only child growing up, living in a family with four sisters is full of unexpected laughter and surprises. As my sisters are all around my age or slightly older, connecting with them about their career paths is not only fantastic way to learn about Spanish culture and educational system, but also helpful for me to reflect on my own choices.

My other sisters are all burgeoning Spanish young professionals. Irene is a secondary school science teacher and brings home painstakingly decorated science reports reminiscent of the colorful poster-boards that I obsessed over as a child. Maria is completing her residency as a dermatologist in a hospital, and works long hours compared to most, and Esther works for a travel agency. But none of them seems to agonize about their career choices. In Spain, students have to choose a potential subject area to study after they finish secondary school at age 16. They can then enter into the college preparatory Baccalaureate system, which is divided into five different tracks—Arts, Nature and Health Sciences, Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Aside from these predesigned tracks, students are required to take some courses in Spanish literature, history, and languages.

This highly specific educational system is the norm in Spain and utilized in much of Europe. I begin to realize that the American system, which encourages more holistic education and exploration, is rooted in cultural values of individuality and experimentation. However, it is difficult to make positive or negative judgments without taking into account Spanish cultural contexts. Unlike many Americans, Spaniards do not define their identity by their chosen vocation, and generally place less value on careers. Nevertheless, I appreciate the freedoms I’ve had to experiment with crossing, bridging, and intersecting disciplines. In Spain, you choose a career and strive to meet the necessary requirements to achieve that career. And if you change your mind, you have to repeat the baccalaureate to meet prerequisites. From my experience, I entertain potential careers while experimenting with subjects that captivate my attention. Rather than focusing on achieving a specific goal, I dream of having the freedom to design a job that incorporates the many areas that are important to my life. I am aware that my concept of self is intertwined with my vision of the perfect career, but perhaps over the next few months in Spain, I can further evaluate a middle ground between “living to work” and “working to live.” I aspire to achieve a balance between two cultures, two attitudes, and two systems. Overly ambitious? Maybe, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.