During my semester in Bilbao, I was able to complete 19 units (18 transferrable) towards my Spanish major. I took six classes at the University of Deusto, three of which were language- and grammar-specific (“Advanced Conversation”, “Advanced Composition” and “Spanish for the Professions”, the highest offered Spanish grammar course for exchange students), and the remaining three electives (“Spanish Film and Literature”, “Europe in the World”, and “Basque Language and Culture”). The professors at Deusto were so encouraging and welcoming and made it a priority to create a safe and engaging environment to practice and better your language skills; all six classes helped me vastly improve my communication skills and comfortability.

I was involved with Deusto’s TANDEM program, a mentorship program that matched American exchange students with Spanish students attending Deusto; the program’s goal is for student pairs to meet up on their and practice both Spanish and English together. I was paired with a student from Bilbao, Rebeca, and we met up several times throughout the semester. It was a fantastic experience, as I was able to learn about the Basque and Spanish culture from, and of course practice the language with, a native Spaniard. To this day, Rebeca is one of my closest friends! We keep in touch weekly.

My time overseas was transformative in so many ways, and has ultimately inspired me to pursue graduate programs abroad in the near future. Thanks to the incredible professors I met, I have learned about the unique master’s programs that the University of Deusto offers, programs of which I would not have known about if I didn’t choose to go abroad. I am immensely grateful for the time I had in Bilbao, and look forward to the time I can visit again!