First Daze of School

Remember that feeling you got, on the first day of high school? Scared, nervous, not knowing what to expect.  Would you make friends, or be an outcast? Would you find all of your classes on time? Would the professor label you as “that kid” without giving you a chance to prove yourself?

You may not admit it, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all gone through the same experience on that first day. Lucky for me, I was able to relive it once again. 

This past Monday, the students in my program began the first day of core classes. Now, you may be thinking, what has she been doing in Spain for the past two weeks? The program is structured in such a way that students MUST take a 10-day intensive Spanish course, to bring them up to speed at the University’s teaching level.  After this three credit class is completed, students start their major classes and attend them until the end of the semester…like any university back home.

Like the other students, I arrived to FCEYE (Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales or the Business School for short) a half hour before my first class.  Not quite sure of where my classroom was I was relieved to see VT, AV and NB, fellow Kelleys.  Coincidentally, we were all in the same class; NB had had a class earlier that morning, so she knew the lay of the land.

European Corporate Organizations – a management class required for graduation at Kelley – was led by Adolfo, a well-dressed and well-spoken Professor, Director and Consultant.  The class itself was very interesting, as we analyzed different styles of management in companies based out of both Spain and the United States.  The best part: the class is centered on movies and documentaries (i.e.: The Godfather) to spur up conversation and debate.

Services management – a requirement for my International Business Major – was taught by a corky old, bald man with a five word name that I can’t seem to remember at the moment. Within the first 30 seconds, he taught us the difference between “Yo comprendo” and “Yo entiendo” (when said by a male).  The first meaning “I understand” and the second “I am gay.”  His jokes quickly resonated with many of the students.  As the class progressed, we found out that this Professor was no ordinary professor, but rather a real big hot shot in the business and academic world.  Monday night, he was to have dinner with the owner of the Betiz Futbol team (if you know anything about Spanish Soccer, you know this is a BIG deal).  He also mentioned his best friend was the Number 1 guy for McDonalds Europe (who will also be speaking to us in class in the near future!!!). AWESOME.

On Mondays, I am in the unfortunate position of running from the business school (more like brisk walking) to the CIEE center, for my internship class (a 30 minute walk that I’m given 25 minutes to complete).  Thank God Stevenson High School prepared me for this very moment.  For four years I had mastered the art of getting from the 2000s in the Old Building to the corners of the 8000s in the New Building.  I was able to get to the center in about 21 minutes, NBD.

Tuesdays and Thursdays I only have ONE class (love my life) from 3-430PM.  On these days, I will be interning with Vorsevi for some five to six hours and then attending class.  International Trade and Finance is equivalent to a Finance 400-level class back at Kelley. DEATH! I was so worried before that class.  But as the universe would have it, it ended up being my favorite class of the bunch.  Professor Jose Luis Jimenez Caballo (I only remember his name because I just received an email from him) came off as "that teacher" (no offense).  Strict posture, stern face and judging demeanor he asked each and every one of us why we chose his class.  I think I hit a note when I said that I was very interested in learning about stocks, the exchanges and hedging, because Professor Cabello’s eyes lit up.  I didn’t know what I had done, but I rolled with it.  The class’s discussion revolved around the current economic crisis and the role of banks.  We even took our first quiz (Finance in Spain = difficult). 

Overall, a great first and second day. I’m sure my future posts won’t be as positive…as the homework starts piling up.

It’s Always Sunny en Sevilla

Today has been AWESOME. Ever have one of those days when everything just seems to be going right? A day that’s too good to be true it makes you want to knock on wood to avoid jinxing it? Yep, I experienced one of those today.

Not only is it literally sunny in Sevilla (we’re enjoying 60 degree weather, be jealous you Hooisers and Chicagoians), but my Intensive Spanish class has been going REALLY well, I have the most bomb dot com presentation group, two trips outside of Sevilla are now booked and I’m planning a third, I had Rosemary Chicken and chocolate covered strawberries for lunch AND there are only three days left in this week.  See what I mean? GREAT DAY!

But the highlight of my day was having “Afternoon Tea” with a friend’s intercambio.  At the beginning of the semester, each of us was assigned an intercambio (Spanish student from the University). The goal was to help American students improve their Spanish and eventually help the Spanish students improve their English…also making new friends! I have yet to meet my intercambio; we’ve only communicated via email since he’s in the middle of midterms.  However, I’ve sort of adopted this friend’s intercambio.

Carmen and I met my first weekend in Sevilla and became friends instantaneously.  From our conversations over the past week, I learned that she and I have the similar values and dreams for the future.  I was super excited to meet her this afternoon.  After classes, Carmen, MS, MF and I went to a tapas bar and had a great conversation over café con leche (coffee with milk).  We talked about everything: school, relationship (or lack thereof), trips to other countries, festivals…pretty much everything under the sun (all in Spanish). 

On my walk home, I couldn’t help but feel a great sense of accomplishment. I had just carried on an hour long conversation, in Spanish, with a local.  Almost suddenly I had this epiphany: I LOVE this place, absolutely love it (cheesy, I know).  It was in that moment, I truly appreciated being in Sevilla and having the opportunity of becoming fluent in another language, immersing myself in a different culture.

I’ve got to make the most out of my time here and today was a big step in the right direction!

Snap Back to Reality

Don’t worry, we’ve still got gravity.

I’m referring to the reality of school kicking into gear.

The first few days in Sevilla were all fun and games.  Friends were made, historical sites were visited and much dancing took place.  However, the past week has been taxing for all the students in my program.  We were all required to take an Intensive Spanish for Business course for the first ten days, to get acclimated to common business terms used during lectures.  For the last four days, my colleagues and I have been cooped up in our rooms/study areas (with the exception of last night’s Sevilla vs. Real Madrid futbol game) memorizing a plethora of words, practicing correct Spanish grammar and paying close attention to the words rapidly spoken by Sevillanos. 

Tomorrow’s midterm exam (worth 30% of our grade) will consist of oral, written, comprehension, grammar, numeric and vocabulary sections, lasting close to two hours.  For this reason, this entry is much shorter than the rest…as the complexities of Spanish prepositions stare me right in the face.

Never fear, I’ll update you all on the well deserved celebraciones (celebrations) that will take place tomorrow night, after an arduous week of completing worksheets and making flashcards.

Hasta Mañana! (Until Tomorrow)

Speed Dating…For an Internship?

Times have become so terrible that the unemployed in España need to speed date in order to land an internship. Or so that’s what it felt like.  Approximately thirty business students were vying for some twenty positions offered by our study abroad program.

Sounds intense. Well, it WAS intense. Kelleys (business students at Indiana University) are used to bidding for interviews, getting selected as one of ten (or however many the company chooses), arriving at our Undergraduate Career Services Office (UCSO) fifteen minutes ahead of schedule and having a one-on-one interview with a recruiter. Unfortunately, all that interviewing at Kelley never prepared us for what we experienced today: a small hotel banquet room, twenty some tables, two hours and awkward five to ten minute interviews in the open…in SPANISH.

You read correctly. For roughly 100 minutes, I babbled on and on about Indiana University, my internship with Wrigley, my aspirations for the future, my hobbies and why I chose Sevilla of all places to study.  At first, I had a major case of word vomit – spewing “umm” and “so” between Spanish words – but after the first two interviews, I felt my Spanish improving exponentially.  By the tenth interview (yes, ten), I had my script down and was incorporating new business terms I had learned along the way. Clever, I know.

Though it may seem like the worst is over, interviews were only the calm before the storm.  Tonight begins the first of many sleepless nights most of us will be enduring.  While we cross our fingers and twiddle our thumbs, our study abroad program director will be pairing each candidate to an empresa (business).

Seems simple, right? If it were simple, I’d have nothing to blog about. The process goes somewhat like this: after the two hours, each company is asked to rank the students they spoke with.  The students are also asked to do the same. The director takes both lists and matches all the empresas with their number one choices and then goes down from there (like our intense Greek system, for all you Hoosiers reading). Now, this can end in one of four ways:

1.       A student ends up with his/her top choice

2.       A student settles for his/her second (or third) choice

3.       An empresa decides it doesn’t want any interns, if it doesn’t receive its first choice

4.       A student ends up with no internship

With more students than businesses, number four is a likely option.  In this case, students will have to interview with other companies, on their own time…an added stress none of us want with major classes starting in a few days.

Nonetheless, you’re looking at some accomplished Kelleys who, I have no doubt, will secure internships within the first round.  With any luck, this picture will make it into our business school’s marketing tools. ;)