Headed for Spain: efforts to study abroad finally pay off

PHOTO: Enid Frank will study at a school near Madrid, Spain for the 2019-20 school year.

By Lyah Fitzpatrick,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–

Enid Frank’s dream to study abroad all started in ninth grade. Now a junior, her dream has become reality.

But before Frank could think about boarding a plane to Spain, she had to undergo a difficult process. The first step in the procedure was choosing a company to guide Frank through her experience.

“I had to go into the unknown,” Frank said, reflecting on her lack of knowledge at the beginning of the process. “I sorta went in blind.”

Frank appealed for help from school counselors, but did not initially receive much help. She related that counselors “maybe wanted to discourage [the idea],” as transferring credits and ensuring proper credit accumulation for graduation is difficult when attending a foreign school.

Davis High counselor Ann Murao’s thoughts reinforced Frank’s experience.

“We have to ask, ‘how is it gonna impact graduation?’” Murao said. “And if so, that also has ripple effects […] to secondary education.”

As a result, Frank first had to extensively research on her own to discover the optimal company. Once she chose an association, Youth For Understanding, Frank applied online in the spring of 2017. She then received more assistance from counselors.

After acquiring the necessary documents and recommendation letters, she was accepted by YFU in April 2019. She also began contacting her Spanish host family by email, and filing to live with them.

One of Frank’s friends, junior Hayden Taillon, was aware of some struggles Frank faced.

“I know there were a few hiccups along the way, including documentation coming late and a flight delay,” Taillon said.

But, after complications and time spent, Frank is finally ready to leave for rural Madrid, Spain. She will be gone for around 10 months, during which she will be meeting new people and walking the streets of the big city.

“I’m a little nervous, but it’s almost like it hasn’t set in yet,” Frank said. “Sometimes I think, ‘oh my god this is really happening.'”