Chanel Rydel

Eccles Global Learning Abroad – Information Systems Minor Spring 2022
Editor’s Note: This blog is a series written by students enrolled in the Eccles Global Learning Abroad Program, earning a minor in Information Systems in Italy and Spain. Read entries from Chanel Rydel, Hailey Mishler, and Hunter Smith about their experiences learning in Rome and Barcelona.

Learn more about earning an IS minor in Spain and Italy through Eccles Global.

In Spring 2022, 11 of us students decided to take a leap of faith and study abroad to obtain our Information Systems minor in both Rome, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain. For me, it was a way to branch out of my comfort zone. I had chosen to learn abroad on my own as a way to meet new people, push myself to learn new skills in a short time, and I also wanted to travel while I was there. From this experience as a whole, I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to learn about different cultures, travel around Europe, and gain knowledge that is necessary for my future career in business.

Arriving in Rome in January felt like a rush of adrenaline because it was all so new. I had to figure out a way to travel alone on the first day, which was scary, but I also learned that I am capable of traveling on my own. The first day, the whole group of us met up for the first time to get to know one another, try some authentic Italian food, and get a feel for the city. It was so much fun, and throughout the whole process we began to get closer and closer to one another which, I felt, made the experience even better.

When we went to our classes in Rome, some of us took different transportation methods like the metro or the bus that ran throughout the city, or if it was a nice day, we would walk around 30 minutes to our study abroad facility, CEA Rome. All of the faculty members were always so sweet and willing to help us with anything that we may need throughout our stay in Rome, like traveling to other cities, helping us understand the metro, and giving us suggestions on the best restaurants. The facility was two stories high and had a lot of space for us to enjoy studying, snacking, and meeting new people!

Being in Rome, surrounded by tons of history, made me appreciate Italy even more than I had already before, that’s why I loved the schedule we had for our classes. Our classes were held four days a week, Monday through Thursday, from 3 to 7 p.m. Although it was a long class, and typically a long night of studying, I loved the three-day weekends we had that gave us the freedom to travel anywhere we wanted. Throughout the two months we stayed in Italy, I was able to travel to Milan, Lake Como, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Florence, Venice, Pompei, and Sorrento. In all of these places I was able to have incredible experiences, like riding a gondola in Venice, going to a soccer game and visiting the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain in Rome, making homemade pasta, going shopping in Milan, visiting the ruins in Pompei, and going to my dream location which is the Amalfi Coast.

These are just a few of the incredible experiences I had in Italy and I was so sad to leave, but then our group took a plane over to Barcelona to begin the last month of our time abroad. As you can believe, Barcelona had a completely different feel to it than Rome did. We had the same class schedule as we did in Rome, however, our CEA Barcelona facility was much bigger considering a lot more students were attending their learning abroad there. The facility was three stories high and held study rooms, collaborative study spaces, classrooms, and the sweetest faculty as well. Like Rome, the Barcelona faculty helped introduce us to the city with a warm welcome, had us try traditional food like tapas, and brought us to some incredible places. CEA Barcelona was also in such a lively area, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and not far from desirable locations. During our time here they took us to travel around Spain as well as bring us to visit different companies that had to do with the Information Systems minor degree that we were obtaining.

While in Barcelona, we wanted to make the most out of our last month in Europe, so that meant a lot of sightseeing in a short amount of time. The first weekend we had included exploring the city and trying out different restaurants as well as going to the beach, which was so close to where we were staying! The second weekend, CEA Barcelona took us on a weekend trip to Besalu, Girona, and Costa Brava, which are all cities located outside of Barcelona. While we were there, we got to see the incredible history these places had, try some new foods, and explore on our own for a bit as well. My favorite place in Spain had to be Costa Brava because of the small coastal town feel that it had.

In between our second and third week, we also got to visit the Museo Picasso, which held artwork from throughout Picasso’s development. We also got to make our own tapas all together! During this time, one of my roommates and I visited La Sagrada Familia, which was just up two blocks from where we were staying, which meant we had such a beautiful view from our window of the church! The final stop we did was the Casa Mila, one of the buildings designed by Gaudi. All of the architecture was so incredible and different from what you would normally see back home, so it was fun to take it all in and explore a bit. During our third weekend, we watched the Barcelona vs. Madrid soccer game from one of the local bars. Getting to experience the game day locally and watch all the fans get super invested was so much fun!

My last weekend I chose to travel to the Netherlands to visit one of my friends who attends school there! She showed me what it was like to live there, and I learned that everyone bikes there. Since that was such a popular thing that people did, she and I biked to a small town in Germany for the day! The other days that I was there I got to visit Amsterdam and try a bunch of different food. The food there was probably some of the best I had ever had and I brought a ton of food I enjoyed back home for my family to try as well. Amsterdam was so beautiful and unique to Spain and Italy which I loved, and probably my favorite thing about it was the Keukenhof Tulip Flower Fields and the different canals.

Approaching the last week in Barcelona, we finished up our last class that we were taking. Throughout the program, our four classes were split into different blocks. Each class was three weeks long, and then we would transfer over into another class. The last week we all were trying to take in the last bit we could of the city, but I couldn’t wait to get home and see my family again. On the final night, we all gathered for dinner near the beach and enjoyed some traditional Spanish food, then headed back to our apartment to pack for our trip home. Most of us didn’t leave Europe right away though since we still had a few days left before we needed to be home!

After our semester abroad ended, I met with my mom in Paris for a week to explore one last part of Europe before going home. I loved getting to spend time with her in Paris and trying a bunch of the pastries they had to offer. While we were there, we went to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum, Galleries Lafayette, and Disneyland Paris! After being there for a week, I was so sad to leave and go home, but I also couldn’t wait to reunite with the rest of my family and friends back home.

Three suitcases and a backpack full later, reminiscing on the past three months abroad have really taught me a lot about myself and I couldn’t be more thankful for the experiences I got to make while being there. To anyone interested in studying abroad, I would say to do it! It is a once in a lifetime kind of activity and I wish I could do it over again!