Life as an Exchange Student

   In 2021, when I worked as a reporter for the DGU Press, I set a new goal of being an exchange student in the wake of interviews conducted with our university classmates who had experienced exchange semesters. This is because all the classmates who participated in the interview recommended going abroad for an exchange semester. As such, I prepared for the English certificate test during the summer vacation of 2022, when COVID-19 restrictions were eased, and overseas travel was becoming increasingly acceptable. After an interview process, I was dispatched to Barcelona, Spain.

   Being an exchange student also offers a great advantage of being able to travel to many countries in Europe during my time abroad. However, in retrospect, spending my daily life with locals in Barcelona seemed to have been the biggest happiness. Experiencing the unique relaxation and the warm Spanish weather, which differs from Korea, the stress I had so far disappeared when I rested in the park. Also, since Barcelona is close to the sea, it was a small pleasure to go to Barceloneta Beach and finish the day by looking at the sunset, just like having a picnic near the Han River.

   In fact, in the second month of my exchange student journey, I was thinking about how to make my exchange semester worth it. In the end, my conclusion was to live faithfully every day and enjoy life in Europe. There seems to be no correct answer to the exchange student life. If you like traveling, you can travel all over Europe. If you want to focus on your daily life, you can find things to enjoy locally and spend each day preciously.

   So, in the second half of my exchange experience, I fit into the daily lives of Europeans and learned their way of life. I woke up in the morning, ate oranges and croissants, went to the mart for lunch, bought some bread and Harmon, packed a lunch box, and prepared for school. Then, when the festival was held downtown, I felt the locals' vibe. They also talked with travelers they met by chance and shared each other’s culture, increasing the power to look at the world wider.

   What I regret about my exchange semester is that I did not study Spanish and its history in advance. Spaniards are bright and friendly, but if you do not know the language, you might miss out on the local stuff. If I had learned a little Spanish, it would have been easier to get along with my Spanish friends and to start small talk with locals.

   Also, if I learned about Barcelona’s history, I think my life as an exchange student might have been more fun. Because the Catalonia region, which Barcelona belongs to, has an independent character in Spain, language and culture exist separately. Walking on the streets of Barcelona, you can see yellow and red flags on the terrace, which means the Catalan flag, and if you see blue there, it symbolizes the Catalan independence movement.

   Most Barcelona citizens have pride in Catalonia, so it would be very helpful to know this information in advance if you go to Barcelona as an exchange student and meet local friends. This is not only true of Barcelona, but also of other European countries. Europe has a distinct culture in each country, so it will be very helpful if you study the language and history in advance.

   I hope that many students reading this article will enjoy the special experience that only university students on an exchange semester abroad can have, and those who are about to be dispatched will have no regrets!