Jeaniseel Rodrguez Torres Recipient for Spring 2012

Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Arriving

It all has been papers, documents, applications, and

loans. Nothing has prepared me for this. This has

been my first time living away from my parents,

siblings and my whole family. Arriving in Santiago de

Compostela represented the opportunity for growth

as an individual and the experience of being by

myself.

Studying

The University of Santiado de Compostela is located

in the historic center of the city. Santiago is a quiet,

small city that is of big importance in Spain.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of

Gallice, located in the northwest region of Spain.

The city played a role in Christianity and gives

importance to spirituality. Studying in Santiago was

the opportunity to understand my field of study from

another perspective. Besides that, I had the

opportunity of studying Latin American History from

a totally different perspective and appreciating the

Modern Thinking class.

My University

Even the university was different. Back home the

university is located in one place but in Santiago the

buildings are located throughout the city. The

university counts with modern and historic buildings

which make it so much interesting in studying there.

I was in between two faculties, Economic and

Commercial Sciences and Geography and History.

Meeting People

One of the most important parts of studying abroad

is socializing. In classroom you get to know people

who made the same as you and share in classes and

other activities. Meeting people from Latin America

and Europe was an exiting part of my exchange

program and they still are friends of mine and very

important people in my life. Some people just touch

our lives in forms we do not understand and we

learned from them. These people form a bond and a

sense of care and understanding for each others

cultures and countries.

Getting To Know The City

It is amazing to know a place by heart. You find very

pleasing to spend enough time in one place to call it

your second home. Getting around the city and

exploring the wonders it offers is a great feeling. In

Puerto Rico, it is very difficult to get to places on

foot and the feeling of freedom you get from getting

to places walking and seeing how people lives in the

city. In Spain, I walked everywhere. It not just

healthy, but mind opening to get the opportunity of

getting to know a place.

Getting to know the city

Walking around helps you discover places and

interesting details about a place. In Santiago de

Compostela there is a lot of interesting cafes,

restaurants and stores. Santiago has a history of

Celtic heritage and there is a lot of curiosities and

souvenir allegorical to it. In a passage near the

Cathedral there is always a bagpiper playing Celtic

music and amusing the tourist and inhabitants of the

city. Santiago de Compostela is know for its

pilgrimage. The Way of St. James is famous around

the world for its routes of pilgrimage and strong for

its tradition. This

is one of the most

important

pilgrimage routes

in the world and a

lot of people get to

the city because

of this. Santiago is

in the Worlds

Heritage List for

having one of the

most beautiful

urban areas in it

historic part of the

city. Living here

sure has impacted

me and helped me

love the world

even more.

The Country

Fair land! of chivalry the old domain, Land of the

vine and olive, lovely Spain! Though not for thee with

classic shores to vie In charms that fix the'

enthusiast's pensive eye; Yet hast thou scenes of

beauty richly fraught With all that wakes the glow of

lofty thought.

-Mrs. Felicia D. Hemans

Museums

Traveling inside of Spain also made me experience

the importance of their museums. During my

exchange program I had the opportunity of visiting

these museums:

El Prado Reina Sofia Museo de la Alhambra Museo do Pobo Galego

Spain represented the opportunity to grow as an

individual and to learn how to live with other people

that are not from your country. It meant to learn

about my heritage and the Spaniard in me that flow

in my veins from my family. Studying abroad was the

best decision I have made do far in my life, and I do

not regret anything that happened during these

months. Being an exchange student has helped me

discover my plans for the future and structure myself

as a professional. I have met some wonderful people

that will be my family for the years to come, even

though we do not live in the same country. Of

course, none of this would have happened without

the help of certain people and organizations. I thank

my family for supporting these voyage and for

making me feel like I was taking a great decision.

Thanks to AIESEC for forming me as a professional

and for feeding my hunger for international

experiences. Thanks to the Benjamin A. Gilman

International scholarship for supporting these

adventures as well.

Thank you all,