Biography
Name: Natalie Strauber, Class of 2020
Email: nstraube@tulane.edu
Program: WIPT Madrid, Spain, Academic Year 2018-2019
Fields of Study: International Relations, Spanish
How did studying abroad affect your academic and/or professional career?
The most invaluable stepping-stone for my professional and personal development was my study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain. My full year Spanish cultural immersion included a homestay living arrangement and a full Spanish university experience. I am grateful to have had this opportunity in which I navigated life abroad, developed intercultural relations and achieved Spanish fluency. Thriving in this multicultural environment gives me confidence that working and living abroad is my life’s next step. My study abroad experience certainly has solidified my desire to serve in the Peace Corps. The way in which my Spanish is now fully operational gives me the confidence I need to submit an application for the Peace Corps. Additionally, having lived and thrived in a multi-cultural environment makes me excited for the next step in my life, which will hopefully include service abroad as a Peace Corps volunteer.
How did you explore your hobbies, interests, and passions abroad?
As part of my study-abroad experience in Madrid I tutored five students with the goal of improving their English language abilities in an effort to achieve bilingualism. I prepared materials and activities for the three-hour bi-weekly sessions. I also offered feedback to their parents following each session, including a summary of what activities we completed, what the lesson was focused on and what their children learned that day. Now, I am looking forward to using what I learned as part of this experience in my post-graduate pursuits.
Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?
I choose to study abroad in Madrid because of the unique nature of the program, which is hosted in one of Madrid’s largest and most elite public universities, Universidad Complutense. The program offers the unique opportunity to take direct-enrollment classes with Spanish students, which is something that I knew would present quite a challenge, but also was something that I ultimately felt was the best way for me to quickly improve my Spanish and meet Spanish friends. I am happy that the academics offered by the program exceeded my expectations, and I very pleased that I was able to meet many Spaniards and make friends in my classes. I also was intrigued by the thought of living with a host family, which is something that I really enjoyed and which also was an incredibly opportunity to improve my Spanish.
What should students consider when applying and preparing for their time abroad?
As a study abroad student look forward to taking full advantage of every authentic cultural experience available to you! To enhance study abroad time I suggest living in an immersive homestay setting.Take advantage of opportunities to complete coursework that will enrich your exposure to key foreign policy issues. Learning about Spanish politics and the inner-workings of European Union in Madrid provided me with enlightening insights, and I look forward to carrying this knowledge with me throughout my career.
Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.
Having lived in a homestay as part of my yearlong study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain each and everyday I was challenged to effectively use my communication skills in my second-language, Spanish in order to establish a positive and mutually beneficial living environment. At first, communicating my needs and conversing about the details of my living-situation with my Spanish host mother proved a bit difficult and awkward. However, I was quickly able to overcome these difficulties by channeling my emotional intelligence, social competency and excellent interpersonal skills. Thanks to this experience I now feel more confident than ever in my ability to communicate my thoughts effectively with others in order to further my interests as well establish meaningful working relationships. In the end, having such a lovely experience with my Spanish host family is one of my proudest accomplishments and it was made possible in large part because of my efforts and inherent ability to communicate effectively.
