Greetings, y’all! Wow, it has been too long since I’ve had the opportunity to greet my fellow Longhorns.
I’ve spent nearly two months adjusting to student life at the University of Navarra (UNAV) in Pamplona, Spain — and now I have time to reflect on how much I’ve learned!
When I arrived in Pamplona, I was endeared by the hospitality of my host’s daughter and her husband, who picked me up from the airport, took me on a tour of campus, and escorted me to the apartment. My host, an elderly woman who speaks Spanish exclusively, welcomed me with traditional Spanish food and ice cream. She even provided me with a pair of personal house slippers (a necessity!) and a loaded bus card for transportation.
My two housemates are university students from Japan, who are adamant believers that “football is everything.” I’ve found it incredibly enriching and unexpected to learn not only about Spanish culture while I’m here, but also Japanese culture. As Valentine’s Day approached, I learned that in Japan, the holiday is split into two parts: Girls give gifts to boys on Valentine’s Day, and boys give gifts a month later in reciprocity. Moreover, different gifts have varying significance, with cookies being for friends. To their surprise, I followed through with cookies for my host and housemates some weeks later, and now must patiently wait until March 14 for the return on my investment. Such exchanges of culture have been at the heart of this home, where English, Japanese, and Spanish are spoken daily in the same conversations.
Speaking of cultural exchange, there is a strong commitment to international students in Pamplona, as 30% of students at UNAV are international. Organizations coordinate affordable trips, activities, accommodations, and even SIM cards for incoming students. I’ve been able to travel to national parks and Spanish cities while meeting a wealth of students from countries such as France, Poland, Germany, Canada, and Czechia. The students and I have further connected by hosting dinner parties, cooking paella, and taking dance lessons together.
The university has provided its own education in cultural competency. El Día del Patrón is a day dedicated to each school at the university. As a law student, classes were cancelled, and a time of friendly competition, Catholic Mass, paella, and concerts commenced. Both students and professors participated in the festivities, a theme that I’ve found consistent in the university culture. The small size of the school allows students to often take the same professor with the same students, creating a tight-knit community. I’ve had a professor generously take me on a tour of the main university building and explain its Catholic heritage and history. Professors and students mingle in the same social spaces and engage in fellowship outside of class.
Despite all this warmth and cheer, it sounds ridiculous to confess that discontentment has weighed heavily on my heart. Out of all the feelings I was warned of, such as homesickness and academic adjustment, no one prepared me for this one. It seems so out of reach when you have the privilege of being abroad. Perhaps you are in the thick of completing your own study abroad application or are clenching your jaw as you await a response from the VISA office. You think this frustration will all be over as soon as the plane touches down. I wish I could tell you it will.
Maybe you spend the first weeks calling representatives after every app and account on your phone went into paralysis upon entry to Spain. Enter Disorientation.
Maybe your university courses end up not qualifying for the credits you wanted them to, and you’ll likely need to load up on courses next semester. Enter Loss of Determination.
Maybe you feel exhausted at the end of the day, discouraged by how little Spanish you understand or how little you can speak, no matter how hard you try. Enter Doubt.
Irritations like these add up and are then inflated when looking at others’ experiences. Maybe you will meet two exchange students who managed to avoid Thursday and Friday classes. While you were unable to maneuver a schedule around Fridays, others were taking 4-day vacations to other countries every week. Enter Discontentment.
Amidst all the beautiful experiences and friendships, I felt insecure that my one chance to study abroad would fall short in comparison to my peers’. When you feel the daunting pressure that this is supposed to be the greatest and most life-changing semester of your life, I hope you feel encouraged by what God has kindly pointed out to me: Your life is not confined to this semester. There will be (and already have been) other adventures, and simply because this one has failed in perfection does not mean it is not meaningful.
When I begin to retreat into the spirit of discontentment, I remind myself of what has already been accomplished during this time. I’ve seen my worldview enriched and confronted. I’ve relied on the patience of strangers as I fumble my Spanish sentences. I’ve learned that it is imperative that I visit Japan one day and that I adore traveling in the pleasure of my own company. I’ve even grown more in love with my own language by explaining new vocabulary to my friends in the EU. All these experiences do not even include the beautiful places I’ve been able to visit! So, no matter what limitations or irritations, I’m confident that any time I spend abroad will be fruitful, developing my character and perspective in a way that cannot be imitated elsewhere. It will be imperfect, and yet (take a deep breath) it is all still worth it — and it will be for you too.
This blog was contributed by Mariana Kadirvel, Global Ambassador for Spring 2026. Mariana is a College of Liberal Arts Junior participating in an exchange program at Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.
