Students discover confidence, connection in Spain

Written By: Tina Alvey Dale

When Spain won the World Cup this summer, Lauren Christianson was more than a spectator. 

She was in the middle of Madrid as the city erupted in celebration. 

Lauren, a Spanish major at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, was studying in Madrid when Spain returned home as world champions. She joined thousands of people in the streets celebrating the victory and, the following day, watched the team’s victory parade as players traveled through the city on an open-top bus. 

“Everyone was laughing and smiling and just genuinely happy to be experiencing that,” Lauren said. “It was unbelievable — that many people out on the streets, and everyone was getting along brilliantly.” 

The celebration was one of many unforgettable moments for Lauren and fellow UAFS Spanish major Suhei Rivas, who both spent part of summer 2026 studying abroad in Spain through scholarships awarded through the World Languages Department. 

For Suhei, the experience meant spending a month in Alicante, a coastal city in southeastern Spain, where she studied contemporary Spanish society at the University of Alicante. Lauren studied in Madrid. 

Both students say the experience gave them much more than academic credit. 

“Studying abroad, especially for extended periods of time, forces students to open their minds and adapt to living in different cultures,” Lauren said. 

Finding confidence far from home 

For Lauren, leaving the United States for the first time was initially intimidating. 

She had never traveled outside the country before Spain and said she was terrified before leaving. She even admitted to breaking down in tears in the office of Noah Schmidt, director of the UAFS International Relations Program. 

By the time she returned, that fear had been replaced by confidence. 

“I am no longer afraid to leave my home, my friends, my country,” Lauren said. “I can navigate foreign cities in foreign languages and still make new friends and enjoy myself.” 

Suhei experienced a similar transformation. 

Living in a Spanish-speaking country gave her the opportunity to practice conversational Spanish as a Spanish major while learning that even the language she knew could sound different in another country. 

She also experienced daily life beyond the classroom. Among some of her favorite down time activities included visiting the beach with friends after class, taking pole and flamenco dance lessons, and trying traditional Spanish foods like paella, gazpacho, and tortilla Española. 

“I gained a sense of trust in myself and believe that I am capable of doing difficult things even if I have to do them alone,” Suhei said. 

Learning beyond the classroom 

The students' experiences extended well beyond their respective campuses. 

Suhei traveled throughout Spain, visiting Barcelona, Ibiza, and Madrid. Program excursions included a visit to Santa Bárbara Castle and the Spanish Civil War bombing shelters in Alicante, as well as a weekend in Madrid that included a visit to the Museo del Prado and a bicycle tour. 

Lauren traveled to Barcelona with friends she met during the program and visited other European destinations, including Venice. After her study abroad program ended, she traveled to Norway and Dublin. 

Those experiences illustrate what Dr. Mary Sobhani, head of the world languages department, described as one of the most important benefits of studying abroad. 

“Study abroad isn't about leaving home behind. It's about discovering how home fits into a bigger picture and appreciating the connections between the two,” Sobhani said. 

She said students who step into another country often return more confident, independent, and resilient, with new perspectives and skills that can benefit them academically, professionally and personally. 

Opening the door to the world 

For both Lauren and Suhei, some of the most meaningful parts of the experience were the people they met. 

Lauren made friends with students from Washington, Tennessee, New York, and Thailand. Suhei met students from Sweden, Peru, and Singapore. 

“You meet people from all over the world and learn how different other cultures are from our own,” Lauren said. “But you also realize how much we have in common.” 

The World Languages Department works to make those experiences accessible to UAFS students through scholarships that help offset the cost of studying abroad. The department awarded $6,000 in study abroad scholarships last year, supported through contributions from faculty and members of the community. 

For Lauren, the investment opened a door she once wasn't sure she could walk through. 

Her study abroad experience was part of her Spanish major requirements, but it became much more than a degree requirement. 

“My classes were interesting and informative, but the experiences outside the classroom are the most memorable,” she said. 

And perhaps the biggest lesson was one she carried home with her. 

“I had so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I am now even dreaming of moving to another country,” Lauren said. 

Suhei returned with a similar sense of possibility along with a new confidence that the world is not quite as far away as it once seemed. 

“I believe that I am capable of doing difficult things even if I have to do them alone,” she said. 

For two UAFS students, studying Spanish in Spain became an opportunity to do exactly that: step outside what was familiar, discover a larger world and come home knowing they could find their place in it.