Evelyn Sun remembers the heat of Seville, Spain firsthand. For three weeks this past summer, she traded the traditional asynchronous summer class with a live, all-encompassing dive into Spanish culture. She navigated the beautiful artistry woven into the architecture, the delicious Mediterranean cuisine and friendships with the host families who provided students everything they needed.
Sun was one of 18 students who toured Spain, met new people and embraced a new culture. The expectations of what college could be and how differently it could be experienced were rewritten in less than a month for each of them.
Coordinated by professors Catherine Eagan and Elizabeth Wing Brooks, Las Positas students flew off to the Mediterranean paradise of Seville, Spain. They were granted the opportunity to not only explore the country, but also complete courses that fulfilled GE credits.
“Learning about other people in the world makes us more understanding,” Eagan said.
The two courses taught were English 45 — Studies in Fiction with professor Eagan — and Humanities 11 — Culture and the Arts I: Ancient World to the Renaissance with professor Wing Brooks. Both courses ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Carlos V Language Institute.
After class, students were immersed in what Seville had to offer. They found flamenco dance classes, museum tours, local restaurants and trips to other surrounding cities. Their study experience could truly flourish outside the classroom.
LPC student Tatyahna Muñoz found the trip eye-opening.
“Learning, actually being able to touch and see, made me realize that this isn’t just a book I’m reading,” Muñoz said. “It’s a real thing.”
Muñoz also found everyday life to be quite different across the Atlantic. What’s standard in the U.S. might be unseen elsewhere.
“What is normal to me is so different to them. Like, they don’t have cars, whereas my home, we have five cars. Or even the tipping culture — you don’t tip,” Muñoz said.
Although studying abroad encourages students to step out of their shell and flex their independence, students were not expected to navigate the experience alone.
Student living quarters were provided by host families, who housed, fed and supplied necessities for three students each.
“When you’re put in that situation, you’re sort of forced to immerse,” Muñoz said. “I was with the host family, people I had never met … I had two little host siblings and they were so fun … I had a host mom and dad, and we just love each other so much.”
Students were encouraged to speak up by professors Wing Brooks and Eagan whenever they felt a problem arose or if there was an issue with the language barrier. A buddy system and emphasis on teamwork helped students look out for one another.
Wing Brooks and Eagan encourage this study opportunity for other students, as they believe there is merit to exploring a culture outside of your own.
“We have a very diverse population on campus, and we should be learning about it,” Wing Brooks said.
Eagan added, “Learning about other people in the world makes us more understanding.”
With this study abroad program, as well as other opportunities at LPC, students can step outside their comfort zones, develop intercultural skills and connect what they learn in the classroom to the world around them.
“It is awesome to see how beautiful and unique we all are,” Muñoz said. “(Studying abroad) makes the uncomfortable comfortable. You have to realize ‘I don’t fit in’ and be okay with that. Studying abroad allows us to do this.”
Future trips to Guatemala, Spain and Peru are currently in development.
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TOP PHOTO: LPC students tour the Seville Cathedral in Seville, Spain for three weeks in June 2026. (Photo by Elizabeth Wing Brooks // Special to The Express)
Pehnina is a staff writer for The Express. Follow her on instagram @pehnina.
