Francesca did a 6-week language trip with EF at the school in Barcelona and thinks it was the best experience of her life. Why? The best way to find out is from her in person.
My name is Francesca and I was in Barcelona for six weeks (from June 19th to July 30th, 2022). It was one of the most beautiful times I have ever experienced. I can’t remember anything negative. In fact, I met so many people and had so many experiences that it broadened my horizons and made me understand that you can feel at home anywhere in the world.
Barcelona is one of the largest cities I have ever visited. I discovered many new things just by taking a walk. For example, I found the tastiest churros of my life simply because we decided to stop at the next corner in the Gothic Quarter.
Plus, you’ll never get bored, whether it’s a weekday, a holiday or a Saturday evening: there’s always a reason to celebrate. It is a city full of culture, beautiful landscapes and even more breathtaking beaches that leave you speechless even when you pass them every day on the way to school or the next activity.
The activities organized by EF are varied and very useful for making new friends in the first few weeks. After I settled in, I continued to participate, especially the ones that took place on Sundays, because we always went to beautiful beach towns like Sitges, Platja de Oro or Aguiblava.
Then, after familiarizing myself with the place and taking advice from the staff, it became easier to organize excursions among us. For example, we went to the Tibidabo amusement park or a hill from which you can see the whole city.
One evening some friends and I booked a visit to Montjuic (a mountain with a museum and a beautiful fountain). While a Brazilian girl, a Hungarian boy and I ate leftover pasta from the day before inside the residence, two Americans with whom we were supposed to go were waiting outside.
Once we were in the lobby, we realized that the group had already left without us. So we decided to catch up with them; the only problem was that they were a subway stop away and were looking at the museum garden while we were actually walking up the mountain and lost almost an hour between the subway and the cable car. We walked a lot through the trees, and once we got to the top we saw a huge abandoned castle. We realized we were lost and when an Italian girl sent me photos of the water show that takes place every Wednesday evening, we climbed down the mountain, totally exhausted.
Eventually we arrived at a local store; we went in to buy water and discovered that the place had a huge stadium view. As we sat in the stadium seats, my Brazilian friend said, “Life feels unreal, like it has stopped.”
The experience certainly took me out of my comfort zone. I admit that at first it wasn’t easy being in a new environment without your usual surroundings and friends. I thought about going home more than once, especially in the first week.
But I am proud of myself because I have grown a lot: I have learned to interact with people from different cultures and languages, and despite misunderstandings and cultural differences, they have become friends who will always remain in my life. I hope to see her again soon.
Although I have always traveled a lot with my parents since I was a child, this was a completely different experience because coping on my own requires great maturity. I think I have definitely developed further and become much more open than before I left.
The only advice I can give is to embrace the experience. Time abroad passes so quickly that before you realize it, it’s time to go home. So why not make the most of every single moment? Think of all the adventures you can have, all the stories you will have to tell afterwards, and how great it is to have friends from different parts of the world. It is a unique, unforgettable experience that brings out the best in you.
It will undoubtedly also make a big difference on your CV as you stand out from other applicants. Additionally, the approach to language learning is very different from my experience back home in Italy, where everything is more theoretical. Being exposed to native speakers and having lots of conversations has given me an advantage when I want to work abroad or generally interact with people from another country.
