2024 Travel Study Blog
The Spanish & Portuguese Travel Study Scholarship provides recipients $500 towards their participation in our immersive cultural and educational abroad experiences as part of our Travel Study Programs. Each Travel Study Scholarship recipient is required to create a blog that highlights their experience abroad.
The 2024 Spanish & Portuguese Travel Study Scholarship Recipients are:
Yun-Rong Ting
Yun-Rong Ting
Travel Study Program: Spanish: Granada Session 1, 2024
Major: Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Minors: Spanish, Biomedical Research
“As I reflect on my 6 weeks in Spain, I feel incredibly grateful for all the new friends and
memories made in our travel study cohort, the wonderful TAs and professors, and the
opportunity to have experienced a small taste of what life would be like living in Spain. After
short stays in Barcelona and Madrid during the first week of the program, we spent the last 5
weeks in Granada in the south of Spain where we were able to settle into our routines.
One of our favorite spots to eat lunch or dinner was a tapas restaurant in the heart of
Granada called La Riviera. We bonded over delicious tapas, massive bocadillos (sandwiches)
for only 4 euros, and could practice our Spanish ordering food. The great thing about Granada
is that tapas are traditionally served free with a beverage!”
Erick Portillo
Erick Portillo
Travel Study Program: Summer Spain 2024
Major: Spanish and Chicana/o Studies
“This was definitely one of my most memorable summers, in addition to having a great
time I was still able to learn so much about Spain’s history,and its diverse cultures all across its
provinces. It was great being able to earn credits towards my degree, by participating in this
immersive program, being able to visit so many of the locations that I had read about previously,
experience a new world, and culture so different yet similar. If I could, I would 100% experience
this again.”
The 2023 Spanish & Portuguese Travel Study Scholarship recipients are:
Leia Broughton
Leia Broughton
Travel Study Program: Spanish: Granada, Madrid, Barcelona (Session 1: June Start, Summer 2023)
Major: Linguistics and English
Minor: Theater
“Traveling abroad can be intimidating. Having never traveled outside of the United States before, I was scared to embark on a month-long trip around Spain, but my excitement for adventure and experience outweighed all of my fears and anxieties. As a student in the beginners Spanish 2/3 course, I was not confident in my knowledge and skills of the Spanish language; however, after meeting my peers, the professors, and the TAs, my anxieties were eased knowing that I had a support system with me.”
Sofia Irvin
Sofia Irvin
Study Abroad Program: Spain Travel Study
Major: Pre- Human Biology & Society
“This was my first trip abroad and the exposure to the Spanish language and culture was invaluable to me. Highlights of the program include visiting the La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, taking a tour of the Museo Nacional Del Prado in Madrid, learning the deep history of the Alhambra, and how to flamingo dance in Granada. Most importantly, I had the fortunate chance to develop my Spanish speaking and writing skills. These skills have already helped me in conversation both in Spain and at home in Los Angeles.”
Lynette Salas
Lynette Salas
Program Name: UCLA Travel Study — Barcelona, Madrid, Granada Session 2 Summer 2023
Major(s)/Minor(s): Sociology and Spanish majors, Education Studies minor
“Studying abroad seems like something that’s essential in the college experience. I knew it was something I wanted to do before I left UCLA. I was so glad to have chosen the UCLA Travel Study Program in Barcelona, Madrid and Granada. Classes took place in the morning until the early afternoon, after which we had scheduled excursions and tours and had free time to enjoy the city and have dinner. A five week trip, many stops to pressed coin machines and nine cities later, there aren’t enough words to describe the memories I made and the growth I experienced studying abroad in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.”
