Eastern Student Nicole Hess Studying in Spain

2016 Nov 16

Nicole Hess '18, a sophomore from Manchester majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in communications, is studying at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) in Barcelona, Spain, through the CIS Abroad program.

Hess chose Barcelona of its beauty and because she wanted to learn Spanish. Most of all, she liked Barcelona because of its proximity to the beach and its easy access to travel to other places, her favorite thing to do while abroad.

"So far, we've been here for six weeks and we've gone to a new place every weekend. We've been to Mallorca, Costa Brava, Germany, Rome, Amalfi Coast and Tarragona. I've been able to travel so much throughout my stay here, which has taught me so much about other cultures. Before the semester ends, we have trips booked to travel to Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin, Hungary, Switzerland and Ireland."

The most challenging parts of studying abroad for Hess is getting used to relying on public transportation to get around, the language barrier and missing her family back home. However, she says study abroad is "the most valuable experience that I ever could've gotten during my college career."

"It has pushed me out of my comfort zone every day and continues to make me grow as a person. I would recommend study abroad to any student at Eastern. It's the best decision I've made so far in my educational career. At UAB I take business classes such as international business, international marketing and human resource management. I also take an art class that explores the public sculpture and graffiti on the streets in Barcelona."

After graduation, Hess plans to earn a master's degree in business administration and land a position in a marketing or advertising firm.