Exchange Program in Spain

INTRODUCTION

My name is Lim Sze Ning and I am having my Bachelor Degree of International Hospitality Management in Taylor's University, Malaysia. The reason why i would like to join this exchange program is because i would like to be a responsible and mature individual with an ability to quickly adapt to different situations. Thus, i decided to participate in this exchange program. Luckily, i was chosen to go for this exchange program and i was so excited about it.

The University i am going to have my exchange program there is Cett University of Barcelona. Barcelona is located in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the second largest city in Spain.There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castillian Spanish.The average annual temperature is 21.2℃ during the day and 15.1 °C at night.Time Zone difference from Malaysia is -6 hours. CETT-UB, School of Tourism, Hospitality & Gastronomy is affiliated to the University of Barcelona and it is established in 1969 which located at Vall d'Hebron, a neighborhood in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona The fall semester start from 07/09/2017 until 22/12/2017.

Before the semester start, my friend and I decided to travel around Europe as all the country in Europe are nearby each other. We planned for our Europe trip and divided the important information that we need to plan into several categories which is accommodation, transportation and attractions.It was not an easy process for us because we had to find various of important information correctly and we only can count on ourselves which means we only have each other in these unfamiliar countries. We really been through a lot in this trip but without a doubt we really gain a lot of memorable experience. it was our first time to travel to Europe and we are so far from home so we are so scared at the same time we are really looking forward to this trip. We went to Vienna in Austria for the first stop, Hallstatt in Austria for second stop, Munich in Germany for third stop, Grindelwald in Switzerland for forth stop and Rome in Italy for fifth stop. After the trip, we finally came to Spain and ready to start our new semester here. When the time we reached Spain, we were really tired as we been traveled around Europe for around two weeks so what we need is rest.

LIFESTYLE AND HOSTEL

The lifestyle in Spain is totally different from Malaysia. The first thing to strike me was the difference in the daily ´timetable´. Lunch, which is the main meal of the day, is eaten between 2:00 and 3:00 pm. The second thing is there is beer in Europe is cheaper than water however i don't really drink beer. The third thing is they convinced us that the tap water is perfectly safe to drink.

The most well-known bar food, known as tapas, usually consists of prepared dishes, many of which are quite elaborate and are often smaller versions of main-course dishes. There are hundreds of different tapas, but a few typical ones are mushrooms in garlic sauce, marinated seafood, Spanish omelette, lamb brochettes, and octopus in paprika sauce. Moreover, their famous food included paella- a rice dish made with seafood, meats, and vegetables as well as gazpacho- a delicious cold soup made of tomatoes, garlic, and cucumber. They have a lot of incredible and great foods!

My friend and i shared the room together as we would like to save some money for accommodation here. We stayed in the city center as we think this is the best place for us to explore the city however we still felt afraid because there was a terrorist attack few weeks before we reached there. Our hostel is in city center so there are a lot of markets, restaurants or cafes.Besides that, the closest metro station is just five minutes walking from the apartment, and it is only 20 minutes direct line from the center of Barcelona. Our housemates come from different country for example Netherlands, United Kingdom and India. They are really friendly however we still had some culture shock during we get to know each other. They are really open-minded which is really different from Asian people.

ACADEMIC

The teaching style in Cett University is quite similar to Taylor University teaching style. The lecturers provide appropriate mix of each teaching style which included directing style, discussing style as well as delegating style. For directing teaching style, the lecturers always be clear and concise while providing sufficient detail.. The lecturers always told us exactly what we must do to succeed and by what criteria our work will be evaluated. By giving clear goals, specific deadlines, and concise directions which increase our motivation and eliminate confusion. Moreover, the lecturers also prepared questions in advance which they interested in learning what each student thinks for discussing teaching style. In addition, the lecturers assign team projects so that we can learn to work in a team and collaborate with each other for delegating teaching style. Our class sometimes was in a big group while sometimes in a small group which half of the classmates will be the local student. The student around there are really friendly and they willing to share Barcelona information with us. We had a great conversation between each other! During the class, it was quite difficult for us at the first place as the lecturers communicated in Spanish sometimes with the local student however the lecturers were very professional and they explained to us that because the local student do not understand so they have to explain in Spanish. The lecturers are really knowledgeable and well-educated as their experience in the society is very strong. The class was conducted fully in English thus we had no problem during the learning process.

ATTRACTIONS

The first interesting attraction that i went is La Boqueria which is a large public food market in the Ciudad Vieja district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. La Boqueria boasts over 200 stalls selling all kinds of fresh food, from various sorts of fish and seafood to fresh-garden fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, spices, and flowers. In addition to the wide variety of local products and exotic specialties colorfully displayed on the stands, the market features a series of restaurants, take-away dives, and traditional tapas bars where visitors can sample delicious goods. La Boqueria market is usually open from Monday to Saturday, between 8.00 and 20.30. I fall in love with this food market as i love to eat! This place is like the heaven for me!

The second interesting attraction that i went is La Playa de la Barceloneta which is Barcelona famous beach.Sailing and swimming are popular activities at the beach. There are a lot of restaurant around the beach area.

The third interesting attraction that i went is Park Güell. The Park Güell is a public park system composed of gardens and architectonic elements. Park Güell originated in 1900, when Count Eusebi Güell bought a tree-covered hillside (then outside Barcelona) and hired Gaudí to create a miniature city of houses for the wealthy in landscaped grounds.

REFLECTIONS

Through this exchange program, i am able to see the world and broaden my experience Due to there are so many amazing things to experience around the world as well as I can see different natural landscapes and climates. Besides that I gain a new perspective on my own country. By being exposed to so many diverse traditions I understand the significance of keeping our own traditions alive. Moreover, i gain new insights and outlooks through new relationships.The relationships formed while studying abroad become some of the deepest friendships I develop in Spain. This is because i had the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures, and some of these people become my life-long friends. By joining this exchange program,i can take control of my future.During my semester abroad, i exposed to countless different experiences that may influence the rest of my life. As i learn invaluable lessons, grow into a more responsible and mature person and, undeniably, create some priceless memories throughout this exchange program. I am challenged to reevaluate my own values and cultural norms when i tried to adapt the culture here. I believe when the time i back to Malaysia, I bring a widened perspective of the world with myself.