REPORTS

Jp Alves

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

Without adoubt,thispast fall semester hasbeen thebest few monthsof my life Havingdecidedto spendthefirst half of my senior year inSpain turnedout tobealifechangingexperienceI will cherishforever Madridexceededany expectation that I couldhaveplacedonstudyingabroad,and I amcertainit will not bemy last timelivingthere

Studyinginternational businesstook awholenew formonceI wasphysically livingabroad, absorbingthevibrant Europeanculture Living withanincrediblefamily who took meinastheir sononly addedimmensely tomy immersioninto Spain Alongwithmy classesinMadrid,I wasalso fortunateenoughtowork asaninternfor a Spanishinvestment companycalled TheVenture City I cannot thank themenoughfor all they have taught me,bothabout thework beingdoneby the firm,but alsorelatingtothecustomsand formalitiesof Europeanbusiness Followingmy rigorousclassandwork scheduleproved tobe most rewardingwhenI couldconnect withmy coworkersandprofessorsintheir ownlanguage.

AsaDACA student,studyingabroadisan extremely complex process Therearenumerous risksinvolved whenleavingthecountrywithonly thesafety of aDACA travel document,whichcan endupbeingfallible Assumingthisuncertainty,I still consideredmyself lucky tobefulfillingoneof my biggest dreamsof goingtoEurope Althoughit wasunpredictableat times,I thankfully arrived safeand soundback home

I havenothingbut gratitudefor theMVYouth community whoconvertedmy dreamintoa reality Withthesupport of my family andfrom theMVYouthscholarship,I amnow asconfident asever inaseamlesstransitionintomy future international businesscareer