Hello everyone, it’s Andrés again! I can’t believe I am halfway through the semester! Classes at my university ends on March 22nd, so I’m trying to make the most of my time here at Barcelona. I have learned more from Catalan culture, met locals, travelled around Catalonia and other cities in Europe, and study for my midterms. Something I have realized during my time here is that the dynamic at my host university is very different from that at Pitt.
This semester, I decided to take four courses that satisfy my Arts & Science Gen-Ed credit requirements. The classses are Circular Economy, the History of Barcelona, Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain, and Five Challenges for the Future of Sport Global Governance. Each class covers very interesting topics that I have learned more about and could apply it in my day-to-day basis. Additionally, the teachers are very engaging, and the class dynamics are quite different from those at Pitt.
At Universitat Pompeu Fabra, it is a requirement to attend classes. You are allowed up to two unexcused absences per class, and if you exceed that limit, your grade will be lowered. This policy really motivates you to attend classes, and I can say that it has helped me learn more about the topic. However, in my opinion, they should allow more unexcused absences because of the cultural adjustments. Over the past month and a half, I have been sick three times. Unfortunately, I have had to attend classes while sick because my condition is not severe enough to require a hospital visit and get a doctor’s note. It really takes a lot of discipline to be able to attend classes while feeling unwell. In comparison at Pitt, you can just email the professor letting them know you are sick and they will understand–sometimes you don’t even have to.
Another thing that I have realized is that the grading is completely different as in the United States. The grading scale in my university is from 1-10, and you need at least a 5 to pass the class. Additionally, professors don’t believe in homework, so your grade is based on your participation in class, midterm, and final exam. Anyone would be happy not having homework throught the whole semester, but I see this as a con. This is because you will not be able to practice the topics thought in class throughout the semester. Then, when midterm comes around, you will need to learn everything covered in class on your own.
Lastly, the tests are different as the exams at Pitt. Here at UPF, I have realized that midterms are based on open ended questions, which I believe is a pro. I really like this dynamic because it makes you think out-of-the-box and really tests if you really learned the topics tought in class. While at Pitt, usually tests are based on multiple choice and true-or-false. Sometimes I don’t like this type of tests because you usually get confused with the options provided on the multiple choice. On the other hand, with open-ended questions, you can gain great insight into a person’s beliefs and thoughts.
It can be said that studying abroad has truly helped me challenge myself and leverage my strenghts. You definitely need to be very disciplined, manage your time well, be adaptable, and independent to succeed in this exchange program. Thankfully, these are soft skills that I have been building since my freshman year at Pittsburgh. Moving to Pittsburgh from Puerto Rico was not easy, so I can say that I have been developing these soft skills for several years. This study abroad experience has only tested me whether I am capable of handling these challenges on my own, and I can confidently say that I have succeeded.
