In just a couple days I will be leaving for Oviedo, Spain. I look forward to everything about the experience except the more than ten-hour plane trip.
I expect Spanish culture to be a mixture of modern and formal. The culture has been formed by thousands of years of history, and has had many different influences, so I expect it to have many different sides. I expect the culture to be much more traditional than I am used to, but I also expect to see how Spain has modernized.
I won’t be staying with a host family, so it will be more difficult for me to meet locals. However, by living in Oviedo I will be surrounded by the culture, and I hope I will be able to get to know it well. I am very interested in the culture, so it won’t be a problem for me to accept it, and I expect to fit in well. My greatest concern is my ability to speak Spanish; although I have felt confident in Spanish classes, I know that I am much better at reading and writing than at speaking and listening. I know that it will be difficult for me to converse with native speakers who may speak too quickly for me.
However, I know that I will return home better for this experience. It will be a challenge, but I look forward to the improvement that I will gain in my Spanish language—especially my oral Spanish. Annelise
Even though you won’t be living with a host family, you’ll find many opportunities to interact with the host culture. Oviedo is a wonderful walking city. When I was there, I walked everywhere and that gave me the opportunity to discover things I wouldn’t have if I had been in a car or on a bus. In regard to language, students typically depart for study abroad feeling more comfortable reading and writing than speaking. That’s why it’s important to use your Spanish at every opportunity. Don’t worry about making mistakes when speaking to the local people, and if your fellow Americans on the program speak to you in English, respond to them in Spanish! Michele