Hola! My name is Andrés Pérez, and I’m from San Juan, Puerto Rico. I am currently a junior majoring in Accounting at the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. My ambitions are to be licensed as a CPA and create a business as a young entrepreneur. Additionally, one of my passions is to play soccer, listen to Latin music, learn about new cultures, and going to the beach.

I am currently studying abroad through the Pitt Exchange Program in Barcelona, Spain. The program is only 3 months, but I am happy and honored to call Barcelona my home for the next few months! I decided to pursue this program because I am a big FC Barcelona fan since childhood and it inspired me to explore this city. Additionally, another reason is because my native language is Spanish, so it would be very easy for me to communicate with locals. I came here all by myself, and it was very intimidating at first, but I have not regretted my decision and loved everything Catalunya has to offer! Since then, I have learned to adapt easily, take care of myself, not fearing to meet new people, and independence. I feel I have grown so much in such a short period of time.

This semester, I am studying at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra until March 22nd. This university has introduced me to many friends from all around the world. I joined a club organization called Erasmus, which helps you meet with other foreign students through activities, social events, and trips. I’m blessed to say that I have met people from Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and United States. This has helped me tremendously to adapt to my new living situation. It is so great to meet people with different backgrounds and cultures!

My host university is very different to Pitt. Pitt feels like a college town even though it’s in the middle of a big city. Students usually live in the university or in South Oakland, which is usually a 5-15 minute walk to the heart of campus. However, in comparison to my host university, I usually have to take the Metro to get to campus or walk 30 minutes. Additionally, this university reminds me a lot of my high school because there’s only three buildings all together, and the only place you can eat is in the cafeteria.

For now, studying abroad in Barcelona has been a great experience that has help me grow as an individual and push me out of my comfort zone. In only three weeks being here, I’ve gained invaluable lessons about adaptability, independence, and cultural appreciation. Although the journey was initially very intimidating to me since I was coming alone, I now feel more confident and grateful for the opportunity to involve myself in a new environment by building friendships, and embrace everything this beautiful city and its people have to offer. Barcelona has truly become another home for me, and I will always love the memories and experiences I will make here.