Sister Spotlight: Kendall Boothe

Hi everyone! Today's post was submitted by junior Kendall Boothe, about her experience abroad this summer. Kendall consistently brings a positive attitude and an amazing sense of humor to our chapter and we are so lucky to have her as such a wonderful rode model! Enjoy!

This summer I had an amazing opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona for six long weeks. I had no idea what to expect and was really nervous about flying internationally by myself. I was heading straight for a program where I knew no one in my group but ultimately this factor opened up a whole new world of independence to me. Even though I was going completely out of my comfort zone, I knew that I was about to have an experience unlike anything I could’ve imagined.
When I stepped off the plane (at LAX, just kidding) in Barcelona, I couldn’t believe how great it felt outside. Not only was there no humidity, but the breeze from the ocean literally made its way throughout the entire city at all times. The first few days, our program director gave us endless tours of the whole city. I have to admit that the tours were a little annoying and I was worn out from all the walking, but it really did help when it came to getting my bearings straight for the city.
It wasn’t long before I didn’t need my program director to help me get around. I really clicked with two of the girls in my group and together we explored the city on our own from the amazing views to the rich history. It’s crazy how different the culture is in Barcelona from America and it took a little while to get used to their social norms. By this I mean, southern hospitality simply doesn’t exist in Barcelona. Aside from European fellas being a little more forward, I was ridiculed daily by group members for my “southern accent.” All I have to say to that is lol.

Another obstacle I faced in Barcelona was the language barrier. I went to Barcelona knowing little to no Spanish and when I got there, I found that in addition to Spanish they also speak Catalan, so the little Spanish I knew was not very helpful. It seemed like the whole city was split between Catalan and Spanish so I did my best to learn the basics of both languages.

One of my favorite things about Barcelona is that because of its location, it’s really easy to travel to other cities in Spain. While on my trip, I also got the chance to visit cities including Madrid, Toledo, the island of Ibiza and other cool towns in the Costa Brava region.

I really enjoyed meeting amazing people from all over the United States and the world who came from all different backgrounds and walks of life. My experience in Barcelona can hardly be described in just a few short paragraphs, but I really learned a lot about myself. I’m so lucky to have gotten the opportunity to live in this beautiful country for six weeks, it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Although I was having the time of my life, I still missed my family and friends, especially the ones I made in tri delt! It was fun experiencing school in a different country but I am so excited to be back at school in a few weeks with all my sistas!
XOXO, Kenny