Send Aeleah to Study in Spain

Aeleah Granger Start Date: Aug 1, 2015 - End Date: Nov 28, 2015
  • San Sebastián, Spain

My Travel Story

by: Aeleah Granger Start Date: Aug 1, 2015 - End Date: Nov 28, 2015
In January of 2016, I will be embarking on a journey abroad that will present me with countless opportunities and experiences. I will spend the majority of the semester studying in San Sebastián, Spain at the Universidad del País Vasco (University of the Basque Country) where I will explore new cultures, languages, and sights. There are many reasons why spending a semester abroad will help me grow as a student. Not only will I continue studies within psychology, but I will also take courses I could never dream of finding in Maine. From Basque cultural studies to cuisine and surfing, I will open myself fully to the multitude of endeavors that will come my way. To be successful, I will need to practice great determination and self-regulation, on top of keeping an open mind to ideas I have yet to know.

One of the opportunities I am most excited for is the chance to conduct research abroad. Although it is still in the early stages, I plan to participate as a research assistant to Dr. Jordan LaBouff, a psychology professor at the University of Maine who will be teaching abroad in San Sebastián. My research focus is to examine the relationship between Muslim and Arab prejudice in attempts to find distinguishable differences between the prejudice that each group faces. This is relevant both in Spain and in my home state of Maine, where Muslim immigration is a growing concern.  I plan to use this research to write, defend, and present my Honors thesis in my senior year. Overall, the goal of this research is to better understand the emotions elicited by these minorities in hopes of better understanding how to adjust to and accept the influx of these groups, thereby reducing prejudice.

While the academic benefits of studying abroad are countless, I am most excited for the mental and emotional benefits. Studying abroad will allow me to truly immerse myself in a culture entirely different than the one I know here in Maine. Never having traveled far from the edges of New England, I can honestly say that I am both terrified and excited to be completely outside of my comfort zone. Not only will I discover new things about myself, but perhaps I will uncover things I never even took time to think about in the classrooms in Maine. I will find myself within nature, on the beach, and in the mountains. While I will miss home greatly in my semester abroad, I will learn what it means to find home within myself.
  • San Sebastián, Spain

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