Picture this: family vacation, one week, Barcelona. If you know my family at all this sounds like quite the trip. I always have to sit in the middle so that my siblings don't fight, and if we wait too long to get food in the morning there is no telling how the rest of the day will go. To top it all off my dad absolutely hates when we sleep in. Sleeping in on vacation? That's absurd! Well, with all of the bumps in the road nothing kept me from falling in love with Spain.
Two years ago I decided I would go back no matter what it took. By the time I was 14 I had made up my mind that studying abroad sounded like a dream. Seems young, but this decision only drove me to work harder through high school. Lo and behold four years later I found success and was well on my way to browsing through universities in Spain. I remember calling my best friend less than a month into the first semester of freshman year- "Do I go for a full year or just a semester?" Her response was, "Dude, already?" There was no time to waste- I needed to get to Spain! Sometime between the recurring family & friends trip to Mexico growing up and family vacation in Spain, I fell in love with the Spanish language and the vibrant culture that comes along with it. I wanted to be immersed in the Spanish culture and there was no doubt about it. It seems that this is the best way to do it! Beginning the process of studying abroad was even more confusing than deciding where to spend the next four years of my life as a lost and overwhelmed senior in high school! There were so many factors to consider that I had never thought of before. One of the biggies for me was selecting a school that would accept my scholarship- so I decided to go as a transfer student. That one piece of criteria narrowed my choices from nearly 50 schools to around 20 schools. Not too bad. I had my heart set on studying music in Spain, but I was quickly faced by the harsh reality that this was going to be incredibly difficult. I am perusing degrees in music, business, and Spanish in school. When my boyfriend and adventure buddy, Ben, decided to join me, we faced the challenge of finding a school that offered programs for each of our very different areas of study- business and music versus computer science. That was a tough one. We ended up compromising. When push came to shove I settled on business classes and he decided to further his Spanish language skills by enrolling in the Language Culture program. What a surprise! He wasn't planning on taking this much Spanish. Ben loves making music as much as I do; so, although my attempt to study music in Spain was unsuccessful I am still hopeful that we will find other opportunities to play music. All things said and done, we ultimately decided on Universidad de Vigo located in Vigo, Spain! As our departure date creeps closer I am becoming more nervous than I expected. Did I pack well enough for varying weather? Did I pack all of the necessities? Will we make friends quickly or will it be a slow process? Most of all, how well do I really know my Spanish? One of the things I am most nervous about is my ability to speak Spanish. I have always been confident in my Spanish skills when it comes to asking simple questions and holding a basic conversation; but, as we get ready to head to a small town in Spain the idea of only using a foreign language to communicate is daunting. When I was researching universities in Spain one of the things I considered was the location. I decided pretty early on that I did not want to spend six months in a city buzzing with tourists who mostly speak English. My biggest goal for this semester is to improve my Spanish, and that is why I chose a smaller town. (Knowing that Vigo is a coastal town made my decision a lot easier to make!) I am hoping to become totally and completely immersed in the culture and in the language. I hope that I'll be forced to use my Spanish, but, ironically, this is what is making me the most nervous! In order to prepare for this adventure I have done a few things. First, I changed the language of my phone to Spanish. I don't want to be completely out of practice when we first arrive, so I have been practicing comprehension this way. I have also been listening to the top music charts in Spain from the last year, as well as reading blogs and articles of other students who have gone abroad. Recently, Ben and I watched Pan's Labyrinth on Netflix- a movie about a girl who finds herself battling good and evil all the while deciphering between a fantastical world and a harsh reality just following a bloody Spanish civil war. Not only was the movie based in Spain, it was also in Spanish! I would definitely recommend it, but be warned that it is a little graphic and somewhat creepy. Although I have been practicing, it has been minimal. When we get there one of the first things I want to do is find a good easy-read in Spanish. In the few remaining days before our departure I will try to read the Spanish newspaper and start a Spanish tv series. There isn't much time left, but I will make the most of the time I do have! There are things to do and people to see before I leave, and I'm not quite ready for this adventure. But, on the other hand I am more ready than ever! I am so excited to be living near a beach and to become immersed in the culture. Early on I started dreaming of day trips to Portugal and spending weekends in Barcelona; but, in reality I have absolutely no expectations. Honestly, I think that is going to be a good thing. If I don't know what to expect everything is going to be a positive experience- right? I am so excited to share my adventures with you here! Blogging is going to be an adventure in itself, but it sure is a great excuse to spend hours getting to know the local coffee shops. And having no expectations for my blogging experience means that this, too, will be all positive- right!?
6 Comments
Chris Swain
1/16/2019 07:45:02 am
Bueno suerte! Hope you’ll enjoy the experience kaitlyn, Spain is wonderful place . I always enjoyed visiting when I was in the military. I too hope to return for a visit/vacation in the near future to revisit the food, history, and people. Have a great time!
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Kaitlyn Sump
1/16/2019 08:14:45 pm
¡Gracias! I hope you make it back- maybe while I'm there!
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Stephanie
1/16/2019 10:51:56 am
I am so excited for you! I spent a week in Madrid a few years ago and like you I was instantly in love with Spain. I also have always been really drawn to the spanish language and culture. Maybe you will inspire me to to get back into learning the language. It was so funny, the lady I stayed with in Madrid didn't speak English and I spoke very little Spanish yet me would have these long conversations and seemed to understand each other quite well..haha! You guys will do great! Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!
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Kaitlyn Sump
1/16/2019 08:19:20 pm
You could totally pick it back up again! That's such an awesome story I hope I get a few of my own like that. Sounds like it was great practice for both of you, and it reminds me of "Love Actually" the movie!
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James Pate
1/16/2019 04:30:02 pm
Tenga buen viaje, mi nieta maravilloso!
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Kaitlyn Sump
1/16/2019 08:16:26 pm
¡Muchísimas gracias, Papa! I didn't know you speak Spanish- I could have been practicing with you all of these years!
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