Bee-ology lessons in Barcelona

Over the Winter [ break I had the incredible opportunity to study bee biology and bee keeping in the vibrant city of Barcelona.

The hands-on aspects of the class were the most memorable experience of my trip, we were able to suit up in our beekeeping outfits and venture into the apiary to see the bees in action. It was amazing being able to experience the whole process from setting up the hive frames to extracting the honey and even tasting it!

I learnt so many fascinating things about bees like how they communicate using dance and can even do basic math such as adding and subtracting. As a biology student, I found the class and theory highly engaging, the content we covered flowed on from what I had learnt the previous semester at UTS, making this the perfect summer class. It was also interesting to develop new lab skills that I hadn’t learnt before such as pollen analysis and being able to test the quality of honey.

When I wasn’t at class or in the apiary I was exploring the city. The city of Barcelona quickly became one of the highlights of my trip. Over the month I was there I developed a love and appreciation for the city and its beautiful architecture, delicious food and lively atmosphere. As it was nearly the peak of summer in Spain festivals were in full swing and food stalls filled the street. I wandered around the different neighbourhoods spotting Gaudi’s iconic buildings and enjoying endless tapas and tinto de verano with my new friends. I even managed to fit in day trips to nearby seaside towns with my friends where we had cocktails by the beach, the scorching weather making this even more satisfying.

I was also part of the UTS BUILD program which was especially rewarding as I could put into action all the things I had learnt about global citizenship and intercultural communication in the workshops. The biggest takeaway from the experience was living independently in a city so different from Sydney. I found this a super fun and it helped improve my time management, planning skills, and confidence. Overall, this was an amazing experience and one that I highly recommend to anyone thinking of doing a global short program. Through this experience I was able to connect with students from all over the world and learn from the knowledgeable professors at UAB. This course went through everything you would need to know to get started with your own hive and lead me develop an appreciation for bees and beekeepers.

Paloma Soysup
Bachelor of Environmental Biology
Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal