Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

Posted by Lauren Shult on

I have spent the majority of my life in rural or suburban cities or the Midwest. My study abroad experience took me to Barcelona, Spain--a trendy, cosmopolitan city--which stood in stark contrast to my previous travels. I traveled as part of a group of nine music therapy students under the supervision of one faculty member from Western. In my (little over) two weeks there, I learned much about global cultures, Music Therapy, and myself, allowing me to become more rounded as a young adult still learning my place in the world.

I immediately noticed a difference between dining in Spain and the U.S. Whereas many Americans view meals as a “requirement” and something they “need” to do in order to survive, Barcelonans savor them and take time to enjoy good food and even better company. Meals are an integral part of Spanish culture that my group and I took full advantage of while we could! Even this small piece of Spanish culture expanded and opened my view of how other cultures interact with daily occurrences like meals.

A way I noticed global culture and music therapy intersecting revolved around differences in attitude towards medicine and healthcare. During our first day of classes at Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC), students from their school presented their capstone presentations of practicum work throughout the year. Many ESMUC students worked in fields that were not common in the United States. One example of this was a woman leading music therapy sessions with pregnant women to alleviate stress and feel a deeper connection with their bodies during their pregnancies. This niche area receives little to no attention in the States. Other students also chose especially unique locations and subjects for their practicum work. This was eye-opening to me seeing more of the possibilities within music therapy. Seeing other students pursuing subjects they were passionate about was extremely encouraging to me as a student still early in the program.

From the beginning to end of this experience, I went from a timid traveler to a young woman confident of the city and excited to explore more in the future. Something as simple as trying a new food or learning a new word or phrase in Spanish daily made my confidence skyrocket over time. Additionally, many locals would go above and beyond to share their culture with us if we respected and tried to learn about their culture. All of the interactions I had within and outside of my group shed light on some aspects of myself that I hadn’t yet uncovered. There are too many memories, stories, and experiences for me to be able to share even half of them in this testimonial. However, I can say with confidence that this study abroad experience in Barcelona affected me in many more ways than I expected it would. Not only have I grown as a student with the knowledge and encouragement I received from fellow music therapy students of ESMUC, but I have also learned about who I might become by expanding my knowledge of the world and its many cultures as well as myself and what I am capable of.