Spanish Language Acquisition in Barcelona, Catalunya

Abstract

I attended an education abroad program in Barcelona, Spain from May 26, 2019 to July 27, 2019. In this program, I enrolled at the Universidad Internacional Menédez-Pelayo for two, four-week summer sessions, taking a total of 12 credit hours of Spanish language and culture classes. I lived with a host family in Barcelona, allowing me to strengthen my Spanish-language skills. Through the program, I had the opportunity to take small side trips on the weekends to other cities in Spain, including Valencia and Costa Brava. Through my travels, I was able to form connections in the Spanish-speaking world and learn more about western European culture. The classes I enrolled in were taught in Spanish and gave me credit to complete my Spanish major requirements. Outside of the classroom, I shadowed at a local hospital and helped with minor translating in their international department. The primary purpose of this program was to achieve fluency in the Spanish language by placing myself in an environment where Spanish is widely spoken. This program was coordinated through the third-party provider, International Studies Abroad (ISA) and is approved by the Ohio State Office of International Affairs.