WOW! Is the six weeks almost up already? Well, I guess the saying that time flies by when you’re having fun really is true! It’s very hard for me to write this last blog entry because I have made so many new friends, memories, and travelled so many places, that quite frankly it is overwhelming. I knew that my Summer in Spain would be amazing, but I had no idea that it would be this fun and gratifying. The trip has simply been rewarding in a plethora of ways. My Spanish speaking has improved drastically, I received the experience of living and interacting with a foreign family, and I visited several historical monuments. My Summer in Salamanca will definitely be one that I will never forget, and I am grateful that I can follow up my Senior year at Michigan with such a positive experience.
As I exited the train at the Salamanca train station on June 27, 2010, I had mixed emotions about the journey that I was about to embark upon. Would my host family accept me? Would I like the food in Spain? How would I cope without seeing my family for 6 weeks? All of these questions were lingering in my head. Despite this, I can firmly say that I do not regret my choice to study abroad. I feel that I have become a much stronger, independent person from this experience. Dealing with adversity such as the chaos in Portugal and having to solely use my Spanish to maneuver through situations have all bettered me as an individual. Also, when I arrive back in the States, I will be more appreciative of things such as air conditioning and drinking water. These components are very limited in Spain and I will never take them for granted again!
For me, going to my two Cursos Internacionales classes each day and my Michigan class four days out of the week was very beneficial. The structure of the classroom here in Spain is much different from that in the United States. For example, in my Cursos classes, I learned about the history, traditions, customs, and celebrations in Spain. These things are very applicable and interesting, especially when you are able to travel and see them first hand. When I traveled to Madrid, I saw the “Guernica” after learning about it in my art history class, which enabled me to take much more away from the portrait. Even though these classes were great, my Michigan course was definitely my favorite. The reason for this is because we were never exclusively boggled down to the classroom. We visited tapas, took an excursion to the markets and supermarkets, and toured notable places around Salamanca. The class was very interactive and I enjoyed going each day. Lastly, my agri-business practicum was absolutely amazing! After visiting the ham, cheese, and wine factories, I definitely have a new found appreciation for quality food!
A large part of my experience is this Summer is due to the places that I traveled to on the weekends. When I came to Spain the first time, my family and I only went to Madrid and Barcelona. So this time around, I made it a priority to travel to as many cities as possible. That goal became reality as I was able to visit Sevilla, Granada, Toledo, Madrid, and Lisboa, Portugal. You don’t really know the true value of traveling within a country until you actually experience it. Staying at the hotels in these various places was almost like an excursion in itself, considering the fact that we had time away from our host homes. So, from the extreme heat in Granada, to our super futuristic hotel in Madrid, I will hold these memories with me forever.
The hardest part of my Spanish experience has been saying goodbye to my friends that I have made from other universities. I met people from Florida, Alabama, London, and Indiana. Over the course of the Summer, I became very close with these people after seeing them everyday and going out with them. Just the thought that you may not see these people soon or ever again is very disheartening, but thankfully for modern technology, I can stay in touch with them. Last Friday when my new friends left, I was very sad, but I’m much better now and I have even talked to them since then. The good thing about having a group that is all from Michigan is that we will see each other all the time in the Fall. So, to my other great friends that I have met this Summer, its not goodbye, but rather I will see you later!
In summary, my time in Salamanca has been absolutely amazing. I feel that I have so much more exploring to do, but I know that it is now time to go home and enjoy my family. I have a lot of work and chores to do over the next few days to prepare for my departure, but I am up for the challenge. I want to send a special thank you to my host madre, Mrs. Iluminada for her hospitality, as well as a thanks to all my teachers. You have all contributed to the great time I have had here. So, for today I leave, but for tomorrow, we shall be reunited very soon! Salamanca, Summer 2010, one for the history books!
Eric, thanks for the insightful summary of your time in Spain. It goes without saying that you have seen and done much. In a "perfect world", we'd have more time to spend learning here, but, I am sure the skills you have acquired will stay with you for the rest of your life. Thanks for the post and for suggesting Leonardo's ;-) I never would have discovered it.
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