Alumni Interview with Zack Patton ’22, USAC Alicante, Spain
Interview published with permission from GoAbroad.com
Zack is a marketing and Spanish major originally from Oregon. He plans to continue traveling overseas to improve his foreign language skills.
What inspired you to travel abroad?
My dad read me his journal when he studied abroad in Sevilla back in 1989. While in Spain, he learned Spanish. Every time he used it to help others was like wizardry to me.
I realized I wanted to have an experience like that too, so I looked into studying abroad. With the help of my international programs department at my university, I found USAC Alicante.
Why did you choose University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC)?
I chose USAC because it was partnered with his home university, the University of Houston (Houston, Texas). Then I read a ton of reviews on this website which sealed the deal for me, that this was the program I was going to go with.
I had to choose the city I wanted to live in for a year, and I’m a guy that likes a warm-hot climate, beaches, and palm trees — and that was Alicante. It helped that USAC Alicante has the best Spanish language classes to become fluent.
What was your favorite part about Spain?
Spain is just awesome, period. The social culture and atmosphere, late nights, laid back Mediterranean lifestyle — it’s just perfect. My city, Alicante, was the perfect mix between a city and small-town feel. It has everything you’d expect from a city, great nightlife, amazing restaurants, and sports, all with the charm of a small town.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I had never been to Spain before this trip, and when I arrived, I was stunned at its beauty, history, and people. There was so much I didn’t know and my mind was exploding with all the new information. I lived with an incredible host family who took me in as one of their own. A year later, we are still close and decided we will forever be in contact and will visit each other whenever possible.
While abroad, I achieved my goal of becoming fluent in Spanish! Also, I had the time of my life with friends from the USAC program, as well as native or local friends that I met outside of school. It was a dream.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff supported me greatly throughout the program by always making sure I was on track and getting through the visa process. Then, they helped me make sure all of my classes were in order so that I would get the credit sent back to my home university.
They were always available for anyone who needed them, whether it be an illness or an injury. The staff truly cared about us having the best experience in Alicante as possible.
Did your program provide specific pre-departure COVID-19 support? If yes, tell us what kind of support you received.
No, there was no pre-departure COVID-19 support. It was the fall 2022 semester when I left so COVID was well on its way out. There of course was the fact that we still needed our vaccine cards for flying and had to fill out some health forms upon entering the country. Apart from that, there was really nothing else in regard to COVID.
How did your program help you stay (and feel) safe abroad amidst the ongoing pandemic?
All I can say is when I was in Spain, the entire time, Covid was an afterthought. Nobody worried about it anymore. There were masks required in pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and public transportation until February 2023, but after that, everything Covid-related was completely over.
What’s one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
If I could have my cake and eat it, too, I’d have traveled much more with the students from the program. The fact that I was living with a host family made it more difficult to travel as much because I prioritized spending my time with them over traveling every single weekend. I don’t think I have any regrets though. I did the best that I could to take advantage of where I was at and I came out having accomplished my goals.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I’ll give you three different typical days in my life abroad. First, on weekdays (Monday – Wednesday) I would wake up at 7 a.m., shower and brush my teeth; walk to Luceros and pick up a tostada con aguacate y salmón con un café con leche at Bombon Boss; then take the 9:38 a.m. tram to make it to the university on time for my 10:30 a.m. first class. I would finish school at 2:45 p.m. and take the tram back home.
Then, I would arrive home around 3:45 p.m.; eat lunch prepared by my host mom and work on homework from 4:30 – 6 p.m.; and then either go for a run, meet up with friends at the beach or 100 montaditos. I had German class at the official school of languages from 4:45 – 6:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Dinner was at 10 or 10:30 p.m. and then I’d be in bed by 11:30 p.m. or 12 am and head to sleep.
Thursdays were like my Fridays since I had no school on Friday. I had the same schedule up until after lunch, where I would spend time with my host brother until around 10 p.m., then I would head over to some friends to hang out before heading out to the Thursday night discoteca, or I would stay home and chill.
On the weekends, I would sleep in until 12 p.m., go for a run, have lunch, go to the beach, explore a town up the coast, hang out with friends, travel to another city, and go out to the bars and discotecas at night. On Sundays, I would lay down and do nothing all day.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
In my free time, I loved spending time talking with my host family. My host mom, host brother, and I were always engaging in conversation. By the mid part of my second semester, I was fluent in Spanish and therefore I enjoyed talking with them even more.
I also loved going to the beach, running through the city and the port, going out with friends to the bars, and discotecas. Going to see movies and doing some shopping. That’s what I enjoyed doing during my free time.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I lived with a host family when I was living abroad. What I liked best about my homestay was the relationship I developed with them. It’s truly special. Some moments that I loved were coming home from school every day tired and hungry, with an amazing lunch prepared and my host mom and host brother smiling and excited to have me home.
I also enjoyed the trips we went on together to Madrid and Salamanca, that was incredible. Also, I liked watching Spanish TV or going out with my host sister with her friends. It was really fun.
It was just a completely culturally immersive experience and I lost part of my American-ness. It really shocked me when I got back to the US and realized how different I’d become.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
One thing everybody should know about this program before you begins: really know why you’re studying abroad. You are sacrificing a lot to travel to a foreign country — leaving friends and family behind, the comfort of your own home, and more. So, you should really think about why you are making this jump.
For me, I went abroad to learn the language. That was my ultimate goal and priority, but then so many other things came out of that — learning the culture and history of the country, meeting and making friends, living with a host family, and more. If you come into the program knowing what you want to achieve, you will have way less anxiety and homesickness, and you’ll also make the most of your trip starting from day 1.
Would you recommend USAC to others? Why?
I 100% recommend this program to others. First of all, who doesn’t like the sun, beach, palm trees, discotecas, Spanish culture, and so on? Besides that, this program has a great focus on the language tracks and the class options are pretty good depending on what you want to learn. It’s also reasonably priced. It was cheaper than my home university and I learned so much more and had a better time in Spain than in the U.S.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
You gain an amazing amount of confidence in yourself by traveling internationally. There are so many challenges to overcome being abroad, and after a year, you have climbed over so many obstacles that you feel like you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. I learned a foreign language, I made native friends, I adapted to the culture, I planned my own trips, and had to be completely responsible for myself, my finances, and my discipline in doing well in classes. (Straight A’s the whole year baby!)
Along with the confidence, you develop a more open, empathetic mind. You meet people from all different backgrounds and get used to things being done differently. So when you get back home, you will be more open to other ways of living.
Now that you’re home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Well, I’m going to France for another year abroad to learn French. Also, I would like to pursue an international career with a focus on foreign languages and cultures. I want to continue experiencing different cultures and learning new languages, whereas before I just wanted to get my Spanish major requirements and graduate.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means traveling with intention and purpose — not just going to Mexico to drink margaritas and tequila shots in Cancun. It’s about arriving to experience the culture through an immersive experience and taking something positive away from the trip that will stay with you forever. Going to Spain and living with a host family for a year to learn the language, culture, and history, is an example of what meaningful travel looks like to me.
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