University of Wisconsin–Madison

Spain: Alejandra Butcher-Salazar (My program experience in 100 words )

Six people on roller skates stand in a line in front of someone squatting on roller skates, all in front of a graffiti-ed wall.
This is a post made by my roller-skating instructor during one of our classes. I, Alejandra, am pictured on the far-left hand side 

Living in this vibrant cosmopolitan city, you are able experience a range of lifestyles by exploring the many subcultures in the city that pique your interest. It is a fantastic city to discover more about yourself as the list of activities, clubs, food, and nature is overwhelmingly full. Being a part of this large and popular program gave me the opportunity to continually meet new people from my college town and the rest of the states, but in my experience, meeting and interacting with locals requires you to step out of your comfort zone socially and put yourself out there!

It was most challenging to summarize my time in the program while making meaningful points about it because in my case, I participated in many activities and experiences that were not necessarily aligned with a common theme. For example, I spent a lot of the time traveling on weekends throughout Europe but also joined a Pilates studio and roller-skating community in Barcelona. Even though it was challenging to choose what was most important to conclude and how to summarize my whole experience, I think my paragraph pretty accurately summarizes my general sentiment and reflections.

 

A black-and-white photo of Alejandra wearing a hat in front of bushes.

Alejandra Butcher-Salazar

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin

Major: International Business and Marketing

Program: CIEE Barcelona Business and Culture

My interest in international business compels me to build cultural connections and understand how multiculturalism impacts businesses in our globalized world. Barcelona is known for its unique blend of Spanish and Catalonian culture and as a “travel hub”, attracting a wide range of people. I think it will be a relevant and exciting environment for me to build an appreciation – and perhaps skill – for bridging cultures both professionally and socially. For this reason, I believe the Barcelona Business and Culture program structure and offerings can provide me with the appropriate opportunities, education, and connections to support this goal.