Love of travel leads COBI student to learn language and business in Spain

Krista Wellman, an international business and marketing major in the UT College of Business and Innovation, likes to travel.

“100%, it is my favorite hobby,” she said.

So when she had the opportunity to combine her favorite hobby with completing work for multiple courses, she did just that….and spent nearly six months in Spain earlier this year.

Krista Wellman

“Going to Spain was a no-brainer for me,” Wellman said. “It was beneficial to me in multiple ways, such as finishing course work there for business and Spanish courses, learning more about different cultures, and traveling to six different countries, all for a respectable price.”

“In the process,” she added, “as an international business student I finished my foreign language requirement and took two junior level business courses. Going to Spain to finish my foreign language was helpful to me because, instead of going to classes and then never using it out side of the classroom, I was living and breathing the Spanish lifestyle and language.”

Wellman said “I chose international business and marketing at The University of Toledo College of Business because I enjoy learning about other cultures and the way they handle business. I chose to do a double major because it makes me more marketable and versatile while looking for jobs, especially since there are so many paths you can take with marketing.”

“My most memorable moments in Spain were sitting in these little coffee shops with my friends,” Wellman recalled.  “We would people watch and we quickly learned that the Spanish lifestyle was very different from America. They really did have siestas where everything would close from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., except the restaurants. The lifestyle was very slow-paced.”  

For someone who loves travel, it was not surprising that Wellman took advantage of the opportunity while in Europe to visit some other countries. “When I was studying abroad I went to Italy, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, London, and Ireland.”

She also fondly remembers other international travel she had taken. “I have been to Honduras on a mission trip in December, 2013, which was a life changing experience for me, because I had never been out of the country before.”

“Studying abroad was super beneficial to me because I can now say I have lived in another culture and I can talk to future employers about how I have adapted in certain situations,” Wellman observed. “After graduation I would love to move and live in California for a couple years. I want to work for an international clothing store and travel and represent them, either in marketing or sales.”

So it is not surprising that Wellman would recommend international travel to other students who have the interest to do so.

“Studying abroad is an experience you can’t explain in enough words,” she said. “It is honestly indescribable. There were times where it wasn’t easy and fun, but it is by far the most amazing and unforgettable experience. It really opened my eyes to the different ways of life, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”