Vanderbilt-in-Spain 2009

Introduction

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To begin, of the numerous study abroad opportunities available, the Vanderbilt-in-Spain program appealed to me because it provided a more structured program that made me feel much more comfortable with the idea of studying abroad. Before this experience, I had not traveled abroad much, and was afraid of what I might encounter. In addition I was pleased that I would receive seven hours toward my Spanish major. Prior to this experience I was not comfortable in my abilities or level of independence to travel in foreign places; little did I know I was capable. Although some errors were made here and there, I was able to travel to Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain with a group of my friends. Now I know that I am capable of handling business in a foreign country using the language that I strive to gain more fluency in. Furthermore, this experience has pushed me further along on my Spanish major--allowing me to take some ot my required classes. As earlier alluded to, I realized that my Spanish has reached a point to where I can effectively converse with native speakers. Before embarking on my journey I was afraid that my Spanish was not up to par. The experience has given me reaffirmation that I really want to continue my study of Spanish. I would like to graduate with my Spanish degree, and hopefully serve as a translator as a part-time job while in graduate school.

While in Europe, I encountered a lot of interesting experiences that stemmed from the color of my skin. One thing that I noticed was that a lot of people often asked me what country from Africa I was from. At first I was taken aback whenever this question was posed. Then I always had to explain the concept of “African-American” and how I had no clue “what country in Africa I was from.” Later on I realized that most people of color that live in Europe have immigrated straight from Africa, therefore it makes since that they have no concept of “African-American” because that is not a part of their history. Once I made this realization, I stopped being so annoyed at the frequently asked question. To continue, being an African-American female in Spain, most of the “piropos” or catcalls were to the effect of “!hola morena!” which means “hey girl with the brown skin, dark hair and eyes.” This term,while it might have negative connotations in the United States, was a positive comment in Spain that was considered complimentary.

Before arriving in Spain, I had learned from the channels like “The Travel Channel” that Spaniards had a more relaxed lifestyle, and that people like to go out, be social, and party a lot. Well their lifestyle was definitely more relaxed. A prime example of this is the traditional Spanish “siesta” during which all of the stores in neighborhood closes and many people take a nap. It took me awhile to get used to this idea—I would always get so confused when I would try to go to the store around 3 o’clock pm and nothing was open. However I got the hang of things quickly and started taking a nap myself during these times :). I definitely noticed the differences in “party habits." Spaniards start partying later in the night, thus typically finishing early in the morning. This took a lot to get used—especially if you wanted to go out and but not stay our too late.

My summer experience is Spain was a life-changing one, and I am so grateful for the Chancellor's Scholars program and the Global Education Office for their contributions that made this summer very educational and eye-opening for me.

Blog

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When I first arrived in Madrid, I had a mix of nervous excitement. The nerves probably came from me having to meet my host soon, and knowing that I would have to find her house before I met her. Luckily I had some fellow Vanderbilt students with me and we found a cab, negotiated a price, and found the neighborhood where we were living--we were very proud of ourselvesJ. When I got to my Senora’s apartment that was when the real nerves set in. I was worried about her not understanding me, or not remembering I was coming! However when I got there she was very welcoming and made sure that I felt like I was at home. Her name was Teresita Negro and has been hosting Vanderbilt study abroad students for over 20 years! When I found that out I felt much more comfortable in the situation.

The visit to the Real Madrid Soccer Stadium was very interesting. I am not a huge sports fan so, honestly, I did not know how famous the Real Madrid stadium was. However, when I found out what it was, it was very cool being there.

Our first group excursion for our independent study class was to the town of Segovia, and to El Palacio de Rio Frio. The portion of this trip that really stuck out for me was the town Segovia. We learned about the Aqueduct that spans the entrance of the restaurant and about the Roman architecture that it displays. To me the town of Segovia was the “model Spanish town.” With cobblestone streets, sprawling balconies, and outdoor places to dine, the town had a great atmosphere. Here we also had the opportunity to tour “El Catedral de Segovia” which displayed a gothic style of architecture. During this trip we all also had the opportunity to enjoy a traditional “Spanish Siesta” as a group. During this three-hour break we got a chance to get to know each other better. All and all, I saw and learned a lot on this day trip.

On this day we had the opportunity to go to a Flamenco show at a local theatre—it was so entertaining! Being in the room and feeling the energy from the cheering crown and the performers as they loudly tapped their heels and stomped their feet, you were surrounded by excitement as you took in the traditional Spanish dance—it made you want to get up and give it a try yourself J.

We took a trip to “El Palacio Real” and “Valle de los Caidos.” This trip was very enlightening because we learned a lot about the history of Franco. “Valle de los Caidos” was built by Franco for him and his staff to be buried in. This was very thought-provoking because it showed how extreme Franco’s power was. The structure was huge, built into a cave, and was built with human hands. Not to mention, it took years to build. The space inside was very serene and brought about mixed emotions. Although it was a place that warranted respect it was hard to forget the type of dictator that he was.

As a group, we had the opportunity to go to a Real Madrid soccer game! This was very exciting and showed us another huge part of Spanish culture. Being in the historic Real Madrid soccer stadium and sitting in the crowd made me feel like I was really acclimated to Spain.

My favorite palace that we visited was the Royal Palace of Madrid. This Palace had floors full of rooms that were beautifully adorned with art and detail. Going into different rooms was a surprise every time because they were decorated so differently. Today, the king of Spain does not live in the palace, but he holds special occasions there.

The first weekend trip that I took with a group of friends was to Barcelona—the city was simply gorgeous. We were only there for two days, but thanks to Barcelona’s “Hop-on, Hop-off” bus tours, we got to see all of the major parts of the city. One of the coolest things that we saw on the bus tour was the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that was been in the process of being built for decades and is a massive structure. Riding up to the cathedral and looking up at it was an overwhelming experience. Not only was the cathedral massive, the architecture had a lot of detail. On this trip, we also got a chance to hang out on the beach. So we squeezed a lot into our two-day trip and made the most of the weekend.

Another whole-group activity that we did was take flamenco dance lessons. We went to an actual dance studio and it was a very interesting experience. Little did we know that we would be joining a class that had been practicing a routine for six months (keep in mind that we only wanted one lesson). So clearly that situation was a little awkward to walk into. However, the teacher and students were very nice adjusted the class accordingly so that we could learn something as well.

As a part of our independent study class we had the opportunity to attend a cooking class. We learned how to make five traditional Spanish meal items: Sangria, Paella, tortilla Espanola, and a dessert dish with almonds. I was very excited about attending this class because I am by no means a cook, and I was looking forward to trying to prepare something. Good thing everyone had the opportunity to make a tortilla Espanola—which is like an omelet with potatoes inside of it. My tortilla turned out great, and I think everyone really enjoyed learning how to make them. The facilitators also gave everyone a copy of the recipes to take with us J.

Another fun sports activity that we attended was a Spanish basketball game-- which was very different than an American basketball game. I do not know a lot about sports but I definitely noticed that the court was smaller than usual and the basketball hoop was much lower to the ground. One thing that was the same was the loud and excited cheering that came from the audience—the energy was great! I also noticed from looking at the program book that a lot of the players were from the United States. It was really interesting to see guys that were from US cities, it was weird seeing that being that we had been in Spain for so long.

My favorite group excursion that we took as a part of our independent study class was to the town of Toledo. The city was so picturesque—simply breathtaking. We had the opportunity to explore all parts of the city and try marzipan (?) which is very important because the dessert originated in Toledo. This was a great trip because we had the opportunity to explore a lot on our own. We went in to a lot of the little shops and talked to their owners. One shop we went too made very intricate had made souvenirs. They used a very thin gold string to and hammered the string into a certain type of rock. The end result was very beautiful and unique looking.

We went to the zoo as a group as well. The funniest thing that I noticed was that the animals spoke and understand Spanish! I guess it’s just another cool thing to realize when you are living in a foreign country.

During my time in Spain, my friends and I took a trip to Paris—it was great! We started by seeing the tourist recommended sites; like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, etc. When we were finished seeing all of the tourist attractions, we had the opportunity to relax and explore the city on our own. This was definitely an unforgettable experience and I am so glad that had the opportunity to go.

Our last weekend in Spain was spent in the towns of Cuenca and Valencia. This was a class trip so we toured a lot of cathedrals and museums so we learned a lot during the three days that we were there. Cuenca was an extremely small town and there weren’t that many people around. However I did see a lot of American tour groups touring the same attractions we were so I inferred that the town’s economy is dependent on its tourists because the sole groups of American tour groups there were no locals around.

Valencia, like Barcelona, was a beach city and was just as beautiful—a very relaxed atmosphere. I was really impressed with how much of Spain we had the opportunity to see while participating in the program—I really felt like the program gave me a broad variety of experiences.

Additional Comments

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In Spain they don’t have different types of malls that all have different names like we have here. Instead they have large buildings that are all called “El Corte Ingles.” In these buildings they have everything from supermarkets, bars, and department stores to banks and currency exchange stations—it is definitely a “one-shop” and very convenient.

While in Spain I also learned that “chocolaterias,” or chocolate factories are very popular in Spain. We visited one called “Valor” and each ordered a different chocolate dessert—it was delicious! J

I took three classes while in Spain, and although in a different country all of my classes had the typical rigor of a Vanderbilt class. So although, we spent plenty of time exploring Spain on our own, we definitely had to study as well. Of course it was well worth the effort when the seven hours that I earned appeared on my academic record.

The home-stay situation worked out very well also. Three Meals a day were prepared for us—during which we had the opportunity to practice our Spanish through dinner conversation. Also, sometimes I would go watch TV with our Senora. It was great practice listening to Spanish TV shows and talking about them with her.

Pictures

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