European Exposure

By Sierra Curney

Ihave always loved traveling and the opportunity to study abroad was one of the main factors that drew me to Virginia Wesleyan University and the Batten Honors College. During the Fall 2022, I spent a semester in Murcia, Spain through the ISEP Exchange Program. I had been to Spain a couple of times before and was familiar with the culture, but living there for a long period of time was a completely different kind of immersion.

When I first arrived in late August, I spent my time exploring the city, meeting other ISEP and Erasmus students, and finalizing my class schedule. I attended the University of Murcia and took four classes completely in Spanish that counted towards my International Studies major.

The class sizes were slightly larger than what I was used to at VWU, but nonetheless the professors were very personable and eager to help international students become successful in a challenging environment. Learning the course content while adapting to the strong Murcian dialect was quite an adjustment, but it ultimately really enhanced my language abilities. It also made me much more confident in my day-to-day interactions with locals at cafes, stores and events.

However, I learned much more outside of the classroom. I formed close friendships with students from all over, including the UK, Germany, France and Palestine, to name a few. As the semester went on, we had conversations and experiences that prompted discussions about stereotypes, the political climate, social issues and cultural norms in each others’ home countries. It was an opportunity for all of us to learn from one another and become more globally aware citizens.

Additionally, I was determined to see as many other countries as I could while living in Europe; I visited Hungary,

Morocco, Portugal and England. In my host country and the new places I visited, I tried new foods, participated in local traditions, learned about the history, explored the nature, and made lasting, lifelong connections. I still keep in touch with these friends who I made unforgettable memories with, and will for years to come.