From Peru to Barcelona: Studying Law as an International Student

The international student Barcelona experience is often described as transformative. For María José Rengifo, studying Law at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU meant leaving Peru at the age of twenty and redefining her professional and personal identity. writes María José Rengifo in her article for Todojuristas. In her reflection, she explores the emotional and personal impact of leaving her home country and the person she once was in order to complete her professional education on another continent. Behind this reflection lies a real story of uncertainty, sacrifice, and transformation—one that began when she packed her life into a single suitcase and left Peru to validate her studies and complete her Law degree at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU in Barcelona.

“The hardest part was leaving my family, my friends, and everything familiar. The fear of starting over mixed with a strong sense of loneliness,” she explains. However, this decision was marked by doubt and uncertainty. She vividly recalls receiving her letter of acceptance, a turning point that would redefine both her personal life and academic path: “It was the most beautiful and the saddest stage of my life, because I saw that my effort had paid off, but leaving my home was becoming real.”

Leaving Home: The Reality of a Foreign Student in Barcelona

Moreover, beyond geographical distance, the most significant change came with independence. In Peru, Rengifo admits she had a comfortable and dependent life: “I had meals prepared, clothes washed and folded, and a car to get around.” However, moving to Barcelona required her to manage administrative procedures, responsibilities, and everyday decisions on her own. “I had to learn how to rely solely on myself,” she explains. As a result, this autonomy strengthened her character and reshaped her professional outlook.

Discovering a True Vocational Purpose

Interestingly, vocational clarity also emerged far from home. Although she was already studying Law, she acknowledges that, at first,  she was more attracted to the social recognition associated with the degree than to the discipline itself. “I liked that people thought I was studying something difficult.” However, navigating bureaucratic processes independently, supporting friends in similar situations, and actively engaging in academic circles allowed her to discover a deeper motivation. “I began to feel useful through my studies, and that’s when I truly started to enjoy them.”

A New Approach to Learning

As a result, her international experience further transformed her approach to education. While she previously focused primarily on achieving high grades, she now prioritizes understanding and meaningful learning. “I no longer think only about financial success, but also about helping those who need it,” she explains, noting a growing interest in orienting her career toward International Relations.

International Student Barcelona: Academic Support and University Life

The university environment played a central role in this process. Rengifo chose her institution after researching universities that offered academic and personal support for international students. She highlights the international composition of the student body and the availability of merit-based scholarships, from which she has personally benefited.

In addition, she emphasizes the accessibility of the faculty as a key element of her experience. “You can approach professors, ask for guidance, and participate in recommended activities. Many offer not only respect, but genuine support.” In contrast to her previous university experience in Peru—where personalized academic guidance was limited—she found consistent support, even after joining classes several weeks into the semester.

From Theory to Practice

Early exposure to legal practice has also been fundamental to her training. From the first year, students are encouraged to attend court hearings and engage with legal writing, allowing her to connect academic theory with professional practice from the outset.

Cultural Adaptation and Resilience

Nevertheless, cultural adaptation presented additional challenges. For any international student Barcelona can represent both opportunity and challenge, especially when legal systems and academic cultures differ. Despite sharing the same language, the presence of Catalan in the legal sphere and differences in social and academic culture required additional effort. “In Law, it’s not only about written rules; custom also plays a role, and to understand that, you need to understand the culture,” she notes.

When asked whether she would be the same person had she remained in Peru, her response is unequivocal. She believes her personal development would have been significantly slower. “I had everything there—family, friends, comfort.” Living abroad has made her more mature, self-aware, grateful, and independent.

If she were to define the impact of her university experience in a single word, Rengifo chooses “resilience.”

Her story ultimately reinforces the idea expressed in her original article: leaving home in one’s twenties is not merely a physical displacement, but an opportunity for profound personal and professional growth. In her case, crossing borders not only brought her to a new academic environment, but also closer to an authentic vocational purpose.