GRACE'S SUMMER IN SPAIN
This summer, I had the privilege and blessing to study abroad in Madrid, Spain for six weeks. If you had asked me six months ago what my biggest goal for college would be, I would have answered to study abroad - and I did it. I am so proud to say that I completed six weeks of cultural immersion and language studies, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
On May 8th, I embarked on what would become the biggest journey of my life. I flew from Cincinnati to Atlanta to Madrid, traveling for almost 24 hours straight - I was so exhausted afterwards. Finally reaching our destination, before we could take a nap, we had to find our way to our host family. That morning, we met Yolanda, our host mom, along with her daughter, Seyna. Looking back, I find myself extremely lucky to have been placed with a family as kind and loving as Yolanda and Seyna - they welcomed us with open arms as soon as we arrived.
After the initial stress of being in a new country for the first time, I eased into Spanish life and culture and found myself loving it more than I thought possible. Each day, I studied for several hours with native speakers to improve my Spanish. Aside from the normal textbook-style learning, we played games, took small field trips, and listened to music to aid in learning Spanish.
This trip has impacted me in so many wonderful ways. First and foremost, it granted me independence that I may not have gained through traditional college studies. Beyond that, it taught me the value of learning about the culture of others, and having an open mind when it comes to things that are foreign to one's own culture. Never again will I scoff at trying new foods, or feel uncomfortable around people speaking a foreign language. From this trip, I experienced world news from the other side of the globe and interacted with people who had completely different perspectives about such news. In short, my time spent abroad opened my mind to all things new - and now I will never want to stop traveling.
On May 8th, I embarked on what would become the biggest journey of my life. I flew from Cincinnati to Atlanta to Madrid, traveling for almost 24 hours straight - I was so exhausted afterwards. Finally reaching our destination, before we could take a nap, we had to find our way to our host family. That morning, we met Yolanda, our host mom, along with her daughter, Seyna. Looking back, I find myself extremely lucky to have been placed with a family as kind and loving as Yolanda and Seyna - they welcomed us with open arms as soon as we arrived.
After the initial stress of being in a new country for the first time, I eased into Spanish life and culture and found myself loving it more than I thought possible. Each day, I studied for several hours with native speakers to improve my Spanish. Aside from the normal textbook-style learning, we played games, took small field trips, and listened to music to aid in learning Spanish.
This trip has impacted me in so many wonderful ways. First and foremost, it granted me independence that I may not have gained through traditional college studies. Beyond that, it taught me the value of learning about the culture of others, and having an open mind when it comes to things that are foreign to one's own culture. Never again will I scoff at trying new foods, or feel uncomfortable around people speaking a foreign language. From this trip, I experienced world news from the other side of the globe and interacted with people who had completely different perspectives about such news. In short, my time spent abroad opened my mind to all things new - and now I will never want to stop traveling.
REFLECTION
Throughout my time in Spain, I felt it would be beneficial to maintain an informal journal and place of reflection. I include activities from each day and week along with my reflection of the journey. Lastly, over time, I created a set of 10 pieces of advice for anyone contemplating studying abroad. When I was thinking of traveling, I had a list of questions I wanted to ask anyone and everyone who had already studied abroad - so I created a list of things I would like to share with others who may be considering traveling.
To view the blog, follow this link: www.gracessummerinspain.wordpress.com
Additionally, I took hundreds (realistically, thousands) of photos of anything and everything. From selfies to landscapes, I documented everything I could.
To view the best photos, follow this link: https://www.flickr.com/gp/142628466@N05/8376ry
To view the blog, follow this link: www.gracessummerinspain.wordpress.com
Additionally, I took hundreds (realistically, thousands) of photos of anything and everything. From selfies to landscapes, I documented everything I could.
To view the best photos, follow this link: https://www.flickr.com/gp/142628466@N05/8376ry