Case Study: Holly Murray, Valencia, Spain 2025-2026
Looking back to September last year, I was just a nervous girl with a suitcase and a passion for Spanish, about to throw myself into a new, city life in Valencia. Little did I know how much confidence and perspective this incredible journey would help me build. I’ve conquered challenges, immersed myself in the language and built a resilience I never knew I was capable of. Throughout my year of study abroad the John Speak Trust has been supporting me in the wings. I feel so grateful to have been a recipient of their scholarship, which has enabled me to extend my adventure beyond just academics, and really jump into exploring the rich Valencian culture, all while removing financial burden from my shoulders.
Undoubtedly, I’ve gained everything I wanted out of my study abroad experience and so much more. Being launched out of your comfort zone and into both a brand new academic and cultural environment really forces you to adapt. When I first discovered I was the only international student in the majority of my classes, studying economics in Spanish, I felt afraid to be different. I worried about failing my classes and failing to make friends. But I decided to shift my mindset and embrace the challenge- after all, this would be my life for the next 10 months. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that choosing positivity and being proactive in building friendships with my peers was the catalyst for what would be some of the best 10 months of my life.
Experiencing Valencia and all it had to offer with my wonderful local friends meant opening a door to the authentic, culturally rich and community driven reality of Valencian life. I was introduced to new food, such as the juicy Valencian paella (religiously eaten every Sunday here in their homes- much like our beloved British roast dinner), architecture (the city of arts and sciences felt like time travelling into the future!) and traditions. The highlight of these traditions was of course Las Fallas, the vibrant spectacle of a festival which united art, fireworks and people from all over the world. I truly believe everyone should experience Valencia in March at least once in their lives!
I feel so grateful for the impact this experience has had on my Spanish. Navigating my studies, social life and every day in my second language may have started with the occasional headache at the end of day, but has ended with me feeling confident and empowered. The immersion that living abroad offers has seen my language acquisition accelerated and I now feel equipped with an array of new vocabulary, ready to take on new contexts and challenges. The John Speak Trust has been instrumental in this aspect of my journey, providing me with more than financial support; their feedback on my monthly reports and voice recordings has been detailed and incredibly helpful for my progress. In fact, writing my reports gave me a sense of reflection and catharsis I needed at the beginning of every month, and I thoroughly enjoyed weaving them into my routine.
I look forward to taking my Spanish back with me into my final year of university, but also one day into the working world, were I hope to combine my language skills with economics and business in a role that makes a real impact. However, I also plan on bringing home the unique outlook on life that Valencia and my study abroad has gifted me. The emphasis on community, enjoying outside and appreciating the simple things in life is a mindset I’ve found to be embodied by the Valencian people, and their values have certainly left a mark on me.
Once more, I can’t thank the John Speak Trust enough for providing both financial and personalised support while I’ve embarked on this international adventure. Their help alleviated the pressure of self-funding myself through this year abroad and enabled me to branch out into new experiences and really make the most of life in Valencia.