Samantha Lugo Torres
Clemson University | Class of 2026 | B.A. in Language and International Business
Samantha Lugo Torres
Clemson University | Class of 2026 | B.A. in Language and International Business
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Study Abroad
In the 2025 spring semester, I studied abroad in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, Spain, through a faculty-directed program at Clemson. I spent the semester exploring Galicia and taking Spanish-language courses at the local university. This page highlights my experiences abroad, the cultural differences I noticed, and the memories I made along the way. My study abroad essay at the bottom of the page shares more about my time in Spain and what I learned from the experience.
Where I Lived and Studied
For four months in Spring 2025, I studied abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, through Clemson University’s Clemson in Compostela program. What started as an opportunity to improve my Spanish and experience another culture became one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career. Living in Spain pushed me outside my comfort zone, helped me build relationships with people from different backgrounds, explore my interests, and learn more about myself and my family history.
During my time in Santiago, I lived with a Spanish host family in an apartment near the city's historic area. I had my own room overlooking one of the main roads, which gave me a unique view of everyday life in Santiago. One of my favorite memories in my room was watching the annual Carnival parade from my window. I also shared the apartment with two Japanese students who came through the program at different times during my stay. Living with students from another country gave me another opportunity to learn about a culture different from my own while sharing our experiences studying abroad.
I studied at the University of Santiago de Compostela, where I took language and literature courses. I was placed in the C1 Spanish class alongside some of my Clemson classmates and a student from Canada. Each day, we worked on assignments from our textbooks, but we also had the opportunity to learn about each other, our interests, and our experiences. It was interesting to compare our lives as students from different places, even though we were both from North America. Our professor was very involved in the class and made an effort to connect with us. She even learned some English words and phrases from us along the way. Classes ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a break in between for lunch. During our break, we headed to the campus cafeteria to grab a snack, practice our Spanish, and spend time getting to know each other outside of class.
Cultural Experiences
What I loved most about the Clemson in Compostela program was the variety of activities it offered for international students to explore Galicia and experience the local culture together. We visited historical sites, explored different parts of the region, and took dance classes where we learned traditional Spanish and Galician dances. We even got to dress in traditional Galician clothing and experience the dances for ourselves.
The highlight of these experiences was a trip along the Camino de Santiago, where we walked approximately 20 kilometers of the route. Rather than walking the entire distance at once, we spent several days exploring different sections of the Camino. We would walk portions of the route, take a bus to the next major area, and stop along the way to visit historical sites, cathedrals, and other important locations. We stayed in local hostels, just as many travelers do while completing the Camino, and had the opportunity to experience the route from a visitor's perspective. The trip allowed me to see parts of Spain that I may not have otherwise experienced and helped me understand why the Camino is so meaningful to the people who travel it.
The Camino also gave me an unexpected connection to my own family history. During our trip, we passed through the town of Lugo, which immediately caught my attention because it is also my family name. After asking our guide about the connection, I learned that my family may have lived in that region before eventually traveling to Puerto Rico during the Franco period. I later connected this information with a DNA test I had taken previously and found that my family did have ancestry from that part of Spain. Walking through a place connected to my own family history made the experience much more personal and gave me a new appreciation for where my family came from.
I enjoyed the Camino so much that I hope to return to Spain in the future and walk 100 kilometers or more of the route. Completing at least 100 kilometers allows pilgrims to receive a certificate from the Cathedral of Santiago recognizing their accomplishment, and I would love to have that experience for myself one day.
Travel and Food
Studying abroad also gave me the opportunity to travel throughout Spain and experience places beyond Santiago. I explored different towns and cities and saw how each place had its own history, traditions, and character. I was fortunate enough to travel outside of Europe to Morocco, where I experienced a culture very different from my own. One of my favorite memories was spending a night in the Sahara Desert. We ate together, spent time with local guides, and even played songs and danced with them that night. Sharing those moments with people from another culture was an experience I will always remember.
Traveling also changed the way I think about food and its role in everyday life. In Spain, I noticed that meals often felt less like something you simply ate and more like an opportunity to spend time with other people. Restaurants and cafés were places where friends and families gathered, talked, laughed, and shared food together. This was different from what I was used to in the United States, where grabbing food is often a quick, individual experience. Seeing food as a social experience helped me appreciate how everyday activities can create opportunities for connection and community. It was one of the many small cultural differences that made me look at my own routines differently.
Internship Experience
In March, I began an internship with the Sociedad Anónima de Gestión do Plan Xacobeo, a public organization under Turismo de Galicia. The organization manages public hostels along the Camino de Santiago, works with related associations, and supports the planning and promotion of events, particularly during Holy Years, for the Xunta de Galicia. I worked there for about a month, helping with office tasks and learning more about the organization's work. I attended meetings, traveled with coworkers to visit local hostels, and gained a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes to support the Camino and the people who travel it.
Getting to my internship also became an important part of my daily routine. I took a bus every morning, and while public transportation was initially difficult to navigate, I became comfortable with it pretty quickly. Before getting on the bus, I would stop at a local coffee shop, where I gradually got to know the owner. What started as simply buying coffee became a daily Spanish conversation. We talked about everyday life, upcoming trips, Clemson, and what life was like in the United States. For a closer look at my internship experience and the work I completed, visit the Internship page on my website.
Overview
My four months in Santiago taught me much more than I expected. I became more comfortable speaking Spanish, learned how to navigate life in a new country, and built relationships with people from different cultures. Studying abroad gave me time to reflect, grow, and rediscover parts of myself. From watching a Carnival parade from my bedroom window to walking the Camino, discovering a connection to my family history, talking with a local coffee shop owner, and working alongside people in Galicia, so many of my favorite memories came from stepping outside of my comfort zone. I hope to return someday and continue exploring everything the Camino and Spain have to offer.
To get a deeper view of my time abroad, read my study abroad essay attached below!
Clemson, SC
Samantha Lugo Torres
Samanthaltgl@gmail.com