Shortly after orientation at college, I realized that my school did something amazing. They required that each and every student travel abroad during their time at the university. Whether abroad meant travel to New Orleans to build a home for two weeks or to spend an entire semester all the way in Australia, we all had to do it prior to graduation. I chose to study in Sevilla, Spain for one month. It was seriously the most amazing experience I've had in all of my 21 years of living. It truly exceeded my expectations, but it was also a frustrating experience as well. Going abroad should be all about looking at beautiful architecture, scenery, and partying all night long, right? Well, think again!

Being a Spanish minor and all, I felt proficient enough in the language to hold my own and so I thought that going to Spain would be a perfect idea. I could experience Europe while also being able to study Spanish all in one trip. I figured that since I knew how to communicate, I could learn more about the culture and even more about the language. I figured that spending time in a Spanish-speaking country, I'd have the opportunity to learn even more then by simply taking a Spanish class and I'd also be forced to speak and listen outside of the classroom rather than simply practicing with my classmates during oral presentations like back in the states.

Here, I’ll set the scene. We arrived in Spain on May 31. It was the longest day of my life. Our flight out was at 5 p.m. and we didn't arrive in Spain until 9 a.m. the next day, "their time". The six- hour time difference was extremely difficult to adjust to. Once we arrived, I found my roommate who was another girl from my school, which was a relief. Shortly after arriving, we were given a few euros, which we had to use to find a taxi to take us to our home stay.

The list of amazing memories, beautiful places, people that I met, and friends that I made would go on forever. Most people discuss the great times that they had abroad, but that’s what I made a blog for. So, here is a list of challenges, the topic that isn’t typically discussed, but needs to be.

This is my short list of all of the common challenges that students face while abroad, my personal stories, and tips with each on how to overcome them:

Challenge #1: Jet lag.

My Story: We arrived in Madrid at 9 a.m. the next morning and had barely slept on the flight over. I was exhausted. I stood in the longest line for coffee and as soon as I approached the counter, I realized that I was about to have my first Spanish conversation. I had to ask for coffee, say the size I wanted, and ask for some milk in it too.

Quick Tip: Coffee. Café. Kaffee. Coffee in Spain is like the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had from Starbucks on steroids. It’s amazing. Not sure about the coffee from other countries, but I believe that the coffee everywhere across Europe is extraordinary. Try it!!

Challenge #2: Trying to tell a cab driver where you want to go in a different language.

My Story: Somehow, my roommate and I found our way to our host parents' condo, which was located in a building on the corner of two streets on the 2nd floor, except in Spain it's really the 3rd floor because they have a ground floor called: "la planta baja," of course. They are the nicest people I've ever met. They are grandparents but didn’t live with their children or grandchildren. We quickly realized how much they’d spoil us. They greeted us with a kiss on both cheeks, which we thought was cute, but also strange because we had just met, but when in Europe kiss everyone that you just meet on the cheek, right?!

Quick Tip: Review phrases such as: "can you take us to..." and "how much do we owe you?" before you leave for your trip. Also, try to understand how the currency exchange works and what their type of money looks like..

Challenge #3: When your host parents only speak Spanish or any other language that’s not your own.

My Story: This is where it all began, the most significant challenge. Trying to live your daily life in another country having to speak a different language all of the time. We were forced to speak Spanish and to understand it, both at school and at our home stay. Anything that we wanted to ask, say, or express had to be in Spanish. The answers to those questions were spoken back to us all in Spanish. It wasn't too bad because my roommate and I helped each other out by talking it out in "Spanglish" first in order to figure out what to say. What did we expect anyways? We were in Spain, after all. We accepted the challenge and talked about how to ask and say different things so that we didn't have to think about it the next time. Not sure I would have survived with out her help.

Quick Tip: If you plan on studying abroad in a country where English is not the primary language, study their language so that you aren’t completely lost! Memorize different common phrases and listen closely to the native speakers. Also, ask questions! If you are unsure about something, ask your host parents. I learned the most Spanish from speaking with them on a daily basis.

Challenge #4: Finding your school/your way around the city you’re in.

My Story: My roommate and I had to walk 25 minutes to school each morning. Using public transportation was too confusing. I'm pretty sure if we attempted it, we could have ended up in France. It was a good thing it wasn’t too hot that early in the morning. We walked through a sketchy part of the city, but then quickly came to the beautiful bridge called: La Puente de Isabel II over the Rio de Guadalquivir, which was so beautiful. So, the long walk was worth it, especially because we were served, what we know as an Italian sub roll here in America, for breakfast each morning. Had to work that off somehow…

Quick Tip: Maps. They are your best friend. Use them! In addition, try to recognize and remember where certain landmarks are such as a large cathedral, a restaurant, or a bridge. This is helpful because it's a central meeting place or a place of familiarity to feel that you have some sort of sense of direction to where you need to go.

Challenge #5: Trying to hide the fact that you’re a tourist.

My Story: Usually this isn’t an issue if you’re on vacation. Who cares if you’re wearing a straw hat, an oversized tee, and have a large Polaroid around your neck. However, studying abroad is different. You want to fit in. I tried to go to a bank to exchange a $100 American bill into euros. My goal was to walk in and speak in Spanish to the bank man so well that he couldn’t tell that I was an American. I have dark hair, dark eyes, and my skin gets pretty tan in the summer, so I thought I could pass, however, I failed. I tried my best to communicate with the man behind the counter and no matter how slowly I spoke or what I said, or tried to say, the man couldn’t understand. He called over his co-worker who spoke and understood English better than anyone in the place. It became a huge deal because they couldn’t understand what I needed. They immediately knew I was an American tourist/student. My cover was blown. In the end, I exchanged my money through a few Spanish and English words and some hand gestures with my $100.

Quick Tip: Wear what the natives wear. Buy something from the country or city that you are visiting that isn't "touristy". Don't speak obnoxiously loud in English because people will stare. Some places, it doesn’t matter whether you look like you’re there to visit, but in Spain, many people become annoyed with Americans.

Challenge #6: Culture shock.

My Story: Breakfast in Spain is served at a normal time before I had class at around 7-8 a.m.. However, lunch is served at around 3 p.m. and dinner is at 10 p.m. In between lunch and dinner there is a time called, “siesta” where everyone naps. Shops and businesses close at around 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and restaurants and bars close from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. The reason for “siesta” is that it’s extremely hot in Spain many days out of the year. Workers in the fields need shelter from the heat, that is the traditional explanation.

This was extremely difficult to adjust to because I was starving by the time lunch came around and then starving again after that for dinner. People of Spain lead a much slower lifestyle. Not many people in Spain are in a “rush” to get where they need to be. They often spend a lot of time for their lunch, drinking at a bar, or eating “tapas”, which are appetizer type foods before dinner. After a while however, I acclimated to the time changes and learned to enjoy it. Also, young people and older ones don’t go out to clubs and bars until around midnight.

Quick Tip: Embrace it. You’re probably only abroad for a short time. If you assimilate with the cultural differences that the place you’re in has to offer, then your experience will be that much more valuable. Although you may be uncomfortable, do your best to be open-minded. Meal times, types of clothing, food options, and climate are all examples of cultural differences between America and another country.

Challenge #7: Feeling disconnected with what’s going on in America.

My Story:

I liked to stay in touch with my friends and family frequently, so this was a big deal. There was only Wi-Fi in restaurants and at my home stay. Also, my host parents shut the Wi-Fi off during the night time. The people of Spain are not as “connected” as we are, meaning that they are not on their cell phones all day long checking their news feeds, scrolling through Instagram and "tweeting" while walking through the city. While abroad, I used two apps to keep in touch with my people in America. WhatsApp for texting and Viber for making free phone calls. Both of them work great, but I only used them when I was at my home or at my school because there was Wifi.

Quick Tip: Live in the moment. Your iPhone doesn’t work without W-Ffi anyway, so why bother? Taking pictures is important so that you can capture your memories, but put your phone down. Take in all that the country that you are abroad in has to offer. Touch base with your family and friends at night time. You’re only going to be abroad for so long. So, make the most of it!

Enjoy your time abroad because the chances are you won't be back in a while because of school, work, or other obligations. There are many challenges that go along with living in a different place, but overall my experience was incredible. I recommend studying abroad for every college student whether its for two weeks, one month, or a full semester. Take advantage of the opportunity if you are able to! Living in a new place will change you for the better and help you to put things in your life into perspective.