One highlight from this semester and the Oviedo program was all of the opportunities to experience the culture of Asturias, such as the incredible Asturian food, the small towns included as excursions that would have otherwise been inaccessible, and of course, living with an Asturian host mom (Eva) and being able to experience, first-hand, daily life in Spain. I thoroughly enjoyed all my conversations with Eva. We talked about her family, her goals, and even topics such as the economic situation in Spain and how that has affected her life and the lives of other people living in Asturias. The program is incredibly well-developed and our coordinator, Ana, was such an integral part of the experience. Ana guided us through our new lives in Spain and took us to nearby towns and restaurants we never would have experienced on our own. She helped ease the transition so that it felt natural, and she made the trip feel so personalized.
In addition, the program was invaluable not only for my ability to learn Spanish but also to revive my passion to continue studying it. I was reminded of the importance of learning another language by living with Eva, who knew no English. Through communicating daily with her, I started to become much more comfortable with speaking Spanish, to the extent that I felt confident enough to apply and interview for an internship for the Spring semester that involves speaking in Spanish and requires me to be bilingual (and I got the job!). I remember before going to Oviedo, I was nervous even to speak for a few minutes for speaking assessments in class. Now, I am planning to double major in Spanish and study abroad again next Fall in Argentina. I am excited for the next phase of my journey and that it may be possible for me to become fluent in Spanish (though I am currently a long way from that).
I am a stereotypical American in that I have become comfortable with a fast pace of living. I’m constantly preoccupied with the future and I pack my life full of things that I think will benefit me someday, leaving next to no time to enjoy my life in the present moment. The culture in Spain is much more sedentary. I was forced to slow down, and by doing so I was able to see how unhealthy it is to live life the way I had been living it. Spanish people move at a much slower pace than they do in the United States. They prioritize what matters, such as their mental health and time with friends and family. I began to feel more comfortable being present and not needing to be in constant motion. Our classes did not give us lots of busy work, so we had time to travel and enjoy our time abroad. We had opportunities to explore the major cities in Spain as well as a few cities surrounding Spain, such as Lisbon, Nice, and Monaco.
I am very content with my decision to study abroad in Oviedo and extremely grateful to have had the opportunity.