• MyStudyAbroad
• Contact Us
• Student Experiences

"Study Abroad Fever”

Name:  Breanna Bart 
Major/Minor at WSU:  Public Relations and Spanish
Program type:  ISA, Spring Semester 2007
City, Country:  Granada, Spain         

Junior Breanna Bart wants to “spread the study abroad fever.”

 With money she saved since she was ten years old, Breanna spent a semester in Granada, Spain with International Studies Abroad. As an Honors College student double majoring in Public Relations and Spanish, Breanna was looking for a program that fit her academic needs. “Because ISA was a smaller program, they were always there for us, whatever we needed,” says Breanna. “It was empowering being an international student… just being there in the first place was something special but taking part in the Spanish daily life, experiencing things I would never have experienced if I had stayed in the United States- was truly amazing.”

At the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Andalucía, Spain, Granada boasts a unique mix of Spanish and Arabic influences. Breanna feels that living in Granada gave her a “taste of the world.” “The people were so willing to integrate us into their culture, especially my host family,” she says. Living with a host family made Breanna’s experience abroad more personal. Her Spanish family included a host mother and father, and two host sisters. “Our host mother definitely took pride in cooking her Spanish cuisine for us. Her brother owned a farm outside of Granada so a lot of our meat and vegetables were from his farm. It was such an enriching experience!” she shares. 

With her experience in Granada, Breanna believes she has become more globally competent and aware of opportunities in the academic and professional arenas. “I want to reach people who are underrepresented. I’d like to work in a PR firm and give people a voice in the multicultural community. I feel inspired and empowered.”

Breanna encourages students who are thinking about studying abroad to continue exploring their options. “You will come back a different person, having seen, experienced, and met people you otherwise would never have known.  It will truly be the best semester or year of your life.”