Office of Study Abroad

Profile: Angel Kuang '25

Major/minor: Biology and Health: Science, Society, and Policy majors, Hispanic Studies minor

Study abroad program: Language and Area Studies in Granada (IES), Fall 2024

Reason you chose this program: I was looking for a walkable city with rich history. I was also hoping to improve my Spanish fluency and complete my minor requirements.

Favorite classes: My favorite class was History of Spanish Cinema. As a bio major, most of the classes I've taken have been STEM-focused so it was nice to be creative for a class for once. I was really into dissecting films with intersectional lenses, as well as filming and editing my own short films!

How did you incorporate your Brandeis areas of study into your study abroad experience? As a pre-health student, I interned at a senior living residence where I helped nurses, assistants, and physiotherapists in their everyday tasks. This allowed me to fulfill the hands-on experience that HSSP students need to graduate. Additionally, prior to my abroad experience, I had only spoken Spanish in a classroom setting. This program pushed me to speak Spanish organically in my homestay, as well as in my classes. My Spanish speaking abilities have improved drastically.

Housing situation: I lived in a homestay with my host mom and her partner. My host mom, Carmen, was the sweetest. She baked me a cake for birthday and called me her "hija."

What were some parts of your identity that you thought about while considering study abroad? As an Asian-American who stood out like a sore thumb in Spain, my identity was something that I thought a lot about at the start of my program. As the semester progressed, I thought less and less of it because I got used to the staring. If anything, people were surprised when I ordered tapas in Spanish.

Favorite memory: While I have so many memories that I cherish from Spain, my favorite one has to be when I went biking through Seville with the rest of my cohort. The weather was so gorgeous that day, and I got to see the beautiful gardens and architecture.

Greatest challenge: My greatest challenge was adjusting to the food in Spain. If you ask any of my friends, my least favorite part of my study abroad experience was the food that I ate. I wasn't particularly a picky eater, but the food options became monotonous to me. I also had a lot of trouble finding dishes with fresh vegetables.

Did you apply for any scholarships? Which ones, and how did they impact your time abroad? I applied for the Gilman and Sachar scholarships. These two scholarships covered my housing and plane ticket! They alleviated the financial burden of getting to and staying in Granada.

What do you know now that you didn't know before? That I can survive and even thrive in unfamiliar environments! As a lifelong Massachusetts native, studying abroad was my first opportunity to venture out and travel on my own. I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, and I met some cool people and made some unforgettable memories.

Fact about Spain that you think people would be surprised to learn: Spain is the only country in Europe sharing a physical border with an African country (Morocco)!