Lucy Vo

What are you up to these days? Have you graduated? Are you working? How did your experience in Barcelona have an impact on your life?

My favorite thing was exploring new things everyday. I was never bored in Barcelona.

If you were to sum up your Barcelona experience in one to two words, what would you say? My Barcelona Experience is…

LIFE-CHANGING

Explain why you chose those words.

Do you ever have the feeling when you wake up in the morning and instantly want to get out of bed just to walk around the city? I had that same feeling every single day while I was there, sometimes I wonder if I will ever get bored of it. Not to mention the people I’ve met through the program: my randomly assigned roommates, in my classes and even the staff members. I promise that you will never feel lonely, there are always people around and willing to do fun stuff with you.

What was your favorite place to eat in Barcelona? Favorite food?

My favorite tapas restaurant is Cervesería Catalana…and my favorite food is grilled cuttlefish!

What was your favorite tour, day trip, or cultural activity? Why?

I loved my time with the program in Sevilla and Cordoba. It was on Valentine’s Day and they took us to see a Flamenco show that was AMAZING. The cathedral of Sevilla is also really beautiful and artistic.

What was your housing experience like? Did you live in an apartment with other students? A homestay with a local family? A residence hall on your Barcelona campus?

I lived in a homestay and it was great. I speak ZERO Spanish so it was so fun to learn the language from our host mom and my other three roommates. I would 100% recommend homestay, even if you don’t speak much Spanish. My host mom was the most strong, positive women I’ve ever met, and she was always happy and fun.

We also went to local market during the weekends and get Churros con chocolate, and she loved us like her true family. We still have a group chat to keep in touch.

Is there a site in Barcelona that you would recommend to future students that may be a little more “off the beaten path”?

I took classes at the UPF so I had a chance to meet and talk to local people. One of my local friends took me to some of her favorite spots in Barcelona, and it was a totally different experience to explore the city through local eyes.

If you had one perfect day in Barcelona where would you go, and what would you do?

I would go get a breakfast bagel from “Europa” for €3.95, then I would go for a run to Montjuic Castle and check out the many parks and museums in the area.

What was something you were surprised to learn about Barcelona or Spain? Or what aspect of the country or city were you least expecting?

Pictures can’t express everything, so you have to come to Barcelona to see with your own eyes. The transportation system is so nice because you can reach any points of Barcelona with either bus or metro. I live in Chicago, but the nightlife there is incomparable to Barcelona.

What is one piece of advice that you have for future students coming to Barcelona?

Life is too short to hesitate, you have to take the chance.

Why was Barcelona SAE the right program for you?

I’m very happy with my experience with Barcelona SAE. I had a problem with my classes at the beginning but the staff here were so helpful in adjusting things. I know that the program worked really hard to create the best experience for us while we were here and I could really see that.