I have officially completed my month of studying abroad in
Alicante, Spain. I would sum it up as a success. It has been a big dream of
mine for a long time, and I was so blessed to have had the opportunity. My
whole purpose was to study Spanish, live the culture, and earn credits for my
minor in Spanish.
I wanted to start off with some suggestions for my readers
or just people interested in traveling/studying abroad:
- -Bring a water bottle (It has helped me a lot! In
Spain, water supply is few so a water bottle is a necessity.)
- -Travel to other cities or countries if you can!
My motto was “You can only fit so many souvenirs in your bag- so spend your
money on travel & make memories.”
- -Take more photos (the more the better, right?!)
- -Write or blog your moments (I believe some day
when the memories are growing faint, I can read my blog or my journal and be
reminded of the awesome experience.)
- -Don’t take all the room in your suitcase for
clothes (You will want to shop & bring back new clothes or other
souvenirs.)
- -Bring toiletries that you can throw away (again,
you will want space traveling home.)
- -Have a translator! Google translate, dictionary,
etc. (I used it every day!)
- -If in Spain, learn how to shower in eight
minutes or less because the water supply is slim.
- -Be prepared to walk everywhere!
- -It is very hot- dress appropriately & extra
deodorant.
- -Ladies- I suggest a cross-body bag & a
bigger shoulder bag for books and other things
- -Eat lots of ice cream! It’s even better in
Europe!
- -If you’re ever in Alicante, you will not need
any rain gear. It NEVER rains.
- -Do not buy sunscreen in Spain- bring it with you
(it is about 20 euros a bottle!!)
- -The tram or metro is best (I never felt safe in
a bus.)
- -Make friends! The amount of diversity is
amazing. (Personally, I think it is awesome to have other friends from
countries all over the world!)
- -You will be surprised at how many hand gestures,
reactions, body language, and context will help you understand a foreign
language.
It was a bittersweet moment this morning when I boarded my
first plane departing from Alicante. I thought about how the city had been my
home for a month and how I really have gained so much from the whole
experience. It was very hard to say goodbye to my friends last night. They are
all from different parts of the states, so there is a very slim chance I will
ever see them again. But I call them angels- from the Lord.
Finally, to sum up the trip:
- -(He aprendido mucho) I have learned a lot! It
was a struggle at the beginning with my classes being a little overwhelming. It
took me a week or so to adjust to life in Spain.
- -The life/culture is very different than the
states, I would say that eating lunch at 3 P.M., dinner at 10 P.M. and night
life until 2… very different than how I spend my days in the states.
- -I never went hungry in Spain, but I sure did
miss my sweet mother’s cooking.
- -I really am so blessed to have met some of the
most amazing students in our program. They were angels, and I don’t know if I
would had made it without them.
- -I came to Spain with good grammar and weak
conversation, but I am leaving with better grammar, I can speak more
comfortably, and my vocabulary has grown exponentially.
- -The whole trip was an eye opener! If you have
read my previous posts, I mentioned how Spain is NOTHING like Mexico or the
Spanish culture we are exposed to in the states. Also, even with 7 years of
Spanish in school it was a slap in the face to be thrown out into this foreign
country & it’s like “now it’s time to really learn.”
- -It was a challenge, but I am so thankful I was
forced to learn and forced to appreciate another culture. It was 100% worth it!
I learned so much, and now I appreciate my own culture & heritage even
more.
Thankful for the land of the free
and home of the brave.
I miss my wonderful country.
-Hasta Luego Spain!
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