Study abroad: The people make the biggest impact

For business student Melissa Brandle, being abroad in Spain was full of incredible sights and experiences. Above all, the people she met made all the difference.

Study abroad is synonymous with endless traveling, incredible sights, and the most mouthwatering food. Being abroad this fall semester in Sevilla, Spain, I’ve definitely had my fair share, but my absolute favorite part of my experience? The people.

I will admit that studying abroad can feel lonely at times. Just before the halfway point in my trip, I was feeling very sad and missing ASU way more than I thought I would. Despite having a great time touring cities and trying new foods, I felt like I didn’t quite fit in. Or at least I was too scared to try to fit in — it was easier to just step back and stay in the shadows. But that was only hurting me, and I had to stay busy to keep myself from dwelling on my homesickness.

A few weeks ago on a Friday morning, I was bike riding in a part of the city I hadn’t explored yet, far away from all the touristy attractions. A tiny indoor neighborhood food market around the corner caught my eye — there was nothing super flashy, yet something about it drew me in. I hopped off my bike and tip-toed inside with curious eyes, being careful not to disturb the peacefulness of the sleepy little market.

I made a loop around all the fruit, meat, and fish stands, and right when I was about to leave, I walked by a little café located at the front of the market. “Churros con chocolate,” the sign read. The owner walked out as if he somehow instinctively knew I was craving them. He looked at me, waiting for me to speak. I hesitated for a few seconds, out of nervousness for putting myself out there. But enough was enough. I decided to go for it.

Hola, buenos dias. Como son tus churros con chocolate?

The man, reminding me of a Spanish Santa Claus, smiled, chuckled, and said I had to try them. He brought me inside his café and seated me at the bar. His wife, who was also working, flashed me the biggest smile and told me my glasses and hair reminded her of her daughter. She served me a “café con leche” and a chocolate-stuffed churro. I devoured the churro in 10 seconds, and when it was gone, so were my nerves. I asked them, in Spanish, about how they like living in Sevilla, and they opened up to me right away.

They asked me questions too about where I’m from and what I was studying, and introduced me to all their other customers as “the brave girl who came from the United States” as if I was their own daughter who they were super proud of. We were laughing, sharing pictures, and having a grand time. Before I knew it, we had been talking for an hour! They invited me to come back to their café, to have lunch them, and to watch their son’s soccer match!

All of a sudden, I wasn’t feeling homesick anymore. I was genuinely laughing, and all my previous insecurities vanished. During a time where everything had once felt so foreign, their hospitality and jolly laughs made me feel comfortable and right at home! Here I was, in what felt like the most random situation, in a random little cafe in the middle of a continent halfway across the world, talking to a random couple. Yet, deep down I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

They then called over their friend, who was the owner of a fruit stand in the same market, to meet me. When I told him I was studying Spanish, he got super excited and took me behind the counter of his stand. He introduced me to his son and daughter who were my age, and they were so excited to show me how they ran their business. Again, I couldn’t believe how ingrained I had become in Spanish daily life at that moment — I was in this tiny neighborhood, behind the cash register of a fruit stand, and talking completely in Spanish to the locals! I was completely bubbling over from excitement. It was so heartwarming and encouraging to be accepted, welcomed, and wanted by people of a different culture.

Feeling like a local myself was a dream come true, and I didn’t want it to end. That morning was the absolute best time I'd had so far on this trip. I returned day after day after day to the café and market to chat and laugh with them. And they were always there. There's no greater feeling in the world than seeing my Spanish friends waiting to greet me, with a fresh churro and a café con leche in hand, and with the biggest smiles on their faces.

So that’s the coolest part about studying abroad: the people. You get the chance to create relationships with the locals and dive deep into their everyday life, which eventually becomes your own daily life. The key is to not resist it, which at first I was unintentionally doing out of fear to expose myself to a new place, thus leading to the homesickness. But once I let go of my thoughts of home and opened myself to all the treasures just waiting to be discovered, I never felt happier. Their stories, their values, their customs, their jokes (THEIR FOOD). These magical moments with the locals I will cherish forever. They’ve taught me so much without even realizing it, and I cannot thank them enough for the happiness they have brought me.

If you are studying abroad now or will in the future, my biggest piece of advice is to open up and be bold. Get away from your program group (from all the Americans), visit that local café by your host family’s house, and strike up a conversation with anyone. The best time of your life starts with a simple “Hola.”