This manuscript draws from a naturalistic participant-observation study, focused on Midwestern United States men's experiences in a short-term study abroad (STSA) programme in Spain, exploring gendered performances during the course. As global student engagement in study abroad programming continues to increase, gender demographics remains relatively unchanged with women participating at higher rates than men. Little research on men's experiences in STSA has been conducted. We argue that men's consciousness of temporality fostered through STSA discourse saturates their experience, including their feelings of vulnerability, efforts to bond quickly, the gendered roles they adopt during a short trip, and the sense of how this time would serve their future.