Not wrong, just different

Before this trip I had little experiences in which I was able to immerse myself completely into a new culture. After being able to do so for the last 30 days, I am now able to sit back and really reflect on the impact this will have on me as a person. I admittedly had some ethnocentrism going on before this trip, I now see why this wasn’t a good thing, and am grateful to have experienced something that forced me to step away from this way of thinking and see things from a different perspective.

When I first arrived in Spain I was surprised to see that they drove on the right side of the rode here, as I thought all of Europe drove on the left side of the road. When I first noticed this I found myself saying “huh they really don’t drive on the wrong side of the road here.” What is funny about this is that I acted as if the right side, driven on in America, was the “correct” way, and driving on the left side would be the “wrong” way. In a sense, it would be the wrong side if you were driving in America, but it is definitely not “wrong” to drive on the opposite side of the road, it is just different, and that’s the key thing here, different. Being in Spain I have come to realize that the things that are common in my culture like driving on the right side of the road, or tipping, are not the only correct way of doing things. When I see things that are unlike things that happen in US, I now realize that these things are just different, not right or wrong. Ultimately this realization has allowed me to come to appreciate the differences in culture, and see things in a new light. This realization has also helped me communicate more successfully with others from different cultures. I now want to learn more about these differences and become intrigued by them, instead of turning my nose away from them, I have found it is more exciting and helpful to be aware or them, and learn more about them.

 I think that this trip will have a huge impact in the ways in which I approach relationships with international students at Purdue or international people in the United States. Before being able to really see how to handle cultural differences and understand different cultural values, I had a hard time relating to international students at Purdue or people from different countries. I had not really stepped out of my bubble of the American way of thinking. Being forced to step out of this bubble and this way of thinking, I have been able to have many great conversations with the students in this program from different cultures than my own. I have found it so fascinating to ask more questions about how they do things, what they believe, or what have you. I have been able to really open my mind and try harder to understand and find ways to relate to these students. I think for me this was one of the best parts of the trip. I have found myself more and more interested in getting to know these differences on a much greater level, and to be more mindful of them. I am excited to go back to Purdue and to be able to feel more comfortable with recognizing these things, and being more accepting and mindful of them.

Finally, this study abroad experience has also helped me to realize the importance of living life to the fullest, and being fully there during each and every moment. In Spain, I have come to realize that this value of just really living life, and enjoying it is really prevalent. You can see this just by their leisurely life style. You walk around restaurants from one to three in the afternoon and there are many people sitting around enjoying their lunch. They are not in a rush to get back to work, or to whatever else they may have to do, but they are enjoying themselves and the company that surrounds them. Being able to see this, I think that this experience will impact the choices I make, in the sense that I will strive to make choices that will lead to me enjoying every moment of my life. I think goals are important and reaching them is important, but I think it is important to live while trying to reach those. I see this importance more so now than I did before spending time in Spain. What I am saying is that I will now strive to make it a point to take advantage of every moment and every opportunity and live it up.

I could not have asked for a better time here in Barcelona. I am grateful for every high and the few lows that I have experienced on this trip. I am thankful for the group that I have been a part of and the amazing people I have met. And most of all, I am grateful for the lessons that this experience and each person I met have taught me.

Study abroad or school sanctioned vacation?

This weekend me and a few other students in my program went on a wine, cava, and tapas tour. There were eight of us total from our group, along with three other couples that took the tour with us. When we all sat down for tapas together, one of the men in the group asked us why we were all here in Barcelona. After explaining to him that we were here for studying purposes he made a joke about how it is more like a vacation. We all thought this was funny, and maybe in some ways true, but it got me thinking about how exactly I have managed to keep up with the work in my classes, while seeing as much as possible. 

During the first week of being here, I fell into the trap of almost forgetting I was also taking classes. I would attend all of my classes, but then afterwards, me and other students would take on a full day of adventuring. This kind of came back to bite me, when I had to spend a full Sunday working on homework and trying to catch up. When you go abroad it is easy to get caught up in all of the excitement and forget about your responsibilities for a while, but it is also important to remember why you are here. I have found that the best way to think of it, is that I am here to both learn in the classroom as well as to learn from my experiences. 

Some advice for you if you plan to go abroad:

1. Don't feel like you have to cram everything into one week, most abroad programs are a month or longer, and it's amazing what you can see and get done in that time. Spread out the adventures. Find a good balance. 
2. It is okay if you have to dedicate one day here and there to just studying and getting things done. Remember, whatever it is you want to see will most likely be there tomorrow, get your work done and keep on top of your grades too!
3. Fit in as much fun as you can. If you find a good balance with your school work, you won't have to spend hours studying. Find ways to fit something new and fun into each day, even if that is just stumbling on a cool new cafe to do some reading, or laying on the beach and relaxing for a day. 
4. Finally, remember you're not only learning in the classroom. Every experience you have or person you meet, there is something to learn. Really embrace that, and you will find that you are really learning during every moment of your days. 

In a place where it is often hard to choose whether to go out and explore or to spend your time studying, being abroad has given me some even better time management skills. As my time here is coming to a close, I am grateful I have been able to find a balance. 

All about learning

                I never quite realized the many lessons that are ingrained into my brain that are really only a part of my culture until I came abroad and started communicating with those that have a different cultural background than me. Being in a home-stay during my time in Barcelona has been of great benefit to me as I have really been able to fully grasp the cultural values that are held among those living here. A few days ago before my host family and I sat down for dinner I had the pleasure of talking with our host mother’s boyfriend for a little while. During our conversation he talked with me a lot about the current state of Spain and Barcelona, and how some in the Catalunya area want to separate from Spain. In this conversation he inserted his opinion on this sort of politics and brought up the conversation as if it was no big deal. As I was sitting there I started to think about how back home I was always taught that because things such as politics are controversial and can bring about arguments, it is best to not discuss them with those you do not know that well. This conversation made me realize the difference in mind set between my culture and the culture of the people in my home-stay. Nicholas was not at all uncomfortable with talking about this sort of topic, and it seemed that he was more focused on teaching us about what is going on in Spain rather than worried about bringing up something of controversy.

                Having this conversation taught me that with intercultural communication, there aren’t always the same “rules” that may be followed. In some cultures, it is okay to talk about certain topics while others it may not. I never thought it was wrong of Nicholas to bring up this topic, in fact I was happy he did. Not only did I have a moment where I was able to see a difference in cultural communication styles, but I was also able to learn more about the present state of Barcelona and Spain as a whole. When approaching conversations of intercultural communication, it is important to remember that while a topic may come up that you are not used to having with people you do not know, there is always something to learn from this discussion. Be open minded to the fact that they may not be thinking the same way you are about the topic, be willing to understand what they are trying to talk to you about, and be understanding of the cultural differences between you and others during these conversations.

                Talking with others in Spain has allowed me to come to the realization very quickly that each culture has a different way of communicating.  I am grateful that I have been able to talk with people like Nicholas because I believe it has given me a better understanding of the culture in Barcelona. It is not always easy to communicate with people from a different culture, and you may hit some bumps in the road, but as I keep saying, being open minded will help things become a lot easier and will most likely help you communicate with others better.

                

Jumping right in!

Months, weeks, and even days before this trip to Barelona, I had no idea what to expect. Everything I heard from students that had studied abroad is about how great things were, and how wonderful of a time I would have. The build up to go abroad was definitely a big one, and as the days approached I had the same feeling, excitement, and being one of the biggest worriers on the planet, I for some reason was worried about nothing. I was almost comforted by the fact that I didn't know much and was ready to take on this new adventure.The day I arrived I admit I started worrying. Here I am, a young American girl that speaks little Spanish being thrown into a completely new place where I only sort of know a handful of people that will be on the trip with me, it was a little scary. I didn't begin to really think about the times in which I might struggle here in Spain until I actually experienced them.

Meeting my and Elaine's (my roomie) host mother was a huge moment where I switched from being that eager excited little American, to a nervous one. Our host mother picked us up at the study abroad office and we quickly realized she didn't speak much English. This woman is one of the sweetest people I have ever met but I began to fear that we would not be able to communicate with her in ways that we would wish to, and that this would make living in the home-stay very hard. Slowly but surely we began to find ways to communicate, whether that was through her boyfriend that spoke English and would help us translate or her two daughters that would also be around from time to time to help us as well. In this initial moment however, I wished I had taken my dad's advice and brushed up on my Spanish before heading over. I was told so often not to worry that I didn't speak that much Spanish and I think I took that to heart a little more than I should. This is important friends: knowing some basic Spanish phrases and at least trying to speak in Spanish will get you a lot father with the locals. My host mother is a lot more patient with us than the average person, and unlike most locals is excited to have us here. I picked up quickly that most of the locals aren't totally excited for you to be here, and if you come off as someone who is unwilling to try and accept their culture or speak to them in their language they will most likely not be willing to accommodate you when you need their help.

Being completely enchanted with this new place definitely describes a large portion of my feelings throughout this week. But I also noticed there were things I would lose my patience with so quickly. Without sounding like I am making a  generalization, I have come to notice that the people here drive like they have somewhere to be, but they sure don’t walk like that. I am an incredibly impatient person and when I am walking behind people in the metro who are walking extra slow, I get so aggravated. What I learned with this is to just keep calm. It sounds so simple, but with every new experience you have abroad, I find the best way to handle things that are different from what you are used to is to be willing and open to immerse yourself in the culture that surrounds you.

I got in a cab the other day and when the driver asked me what address to take me to, instead of saying four hundred and forty-four, I spit out “cuatro cuatro cuatro.” He immediately laughed and poked fun at that by plugging his nose and repeating what I said.  I wasn’t even upset by his jokes

 because this made me realize that even when I try, I’m definitely not going to just blend in, I will always look and sound like an American, and instead of focusing on blending in, I need to focus on learning and growing from the cultural experiences that surround my everyday life abroad.