Exploring Plaza de España in Seville
Author: Lily Racassi | Majors: International Business and Supply Chain
This summer, I participated in the University of Arkansas’s Spanish in Madrid study abroad program to study Spanish at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija. I took a total of 4 courses (12 credits) that fulfilled my requirements for a Spanish minor with a business orientation: one culture class, two grammar classes, and one business Spanish class. As an International Business major and a Spanish minor, I find Madrid to be the perfect location to study business Spanish. This globalized and diverse city permitted me to witness the economic development of Spain relative to Europe and Asia, which broadened my knowledge of international business. Tourism, agriculture, and textiles are the largest sectors of the Spanish economy. Its most successful apparel company, Zara, draws significant attention and profit from both tourists worldwide and locals alike.
Nebrija’s Spanish language curriculum focused on speaking and listening comprehension rather than lectures and busy work. We were prohibited from speaking English at all and encouraged to only speak Spanish. In addition, the relatively small class size, patient professors, and friendly classmates produced an atmosphere free of judgment. Each of my classes lasted around 80 minutes, but time flies by when classes are discussion-based. A couple of my courses required a group presentation instead of a written exam. I find presentations already anxiety-provoking, so presenting in Spanish only deepened my fears. Surprisingly, the Spanish presentations boosted my confidence in public speaking.
The most difficult aspect of studying this language in Spain was the Spanish accent. C and Z are pronounced th, and V is pronounced B. At first, I struggled to understand my professors whenever they said “a ver.” It sounded like haber, which means to have, but I later realized that they were saying “a v[b]er.” On top of that, the vosotros verb form, which I have never learned, is only heard in Spain and further challenged my comprehension. The Spanish accent, the word “vale,” and vosotros make Spain Spanish stand out from its Latin American counterparts.
The most challenging culture shock was late schedule. The Spanish do not start their days until 10 AM and end their days past midnight. Restaurants and stores close between 2-5 PM for siestas and do not serve dinner until 9 PM. My stomach could be heard grumbling hours before dinner time. In addition, most places remain closed on Sundays, especially outside of Madrid, so the cities seem like ghost towns.
As a coffee fanatic, I was excited to try the Spanish coffee shops. Contrary to coffee shops in the U.S., Spanish coffee shops are places for socializing and not a pull-out-your-laptop to work and/or study environment. I discovered this harsh truth after a barista reprimanded me for using my computer in the café.
The Spanish clearly center their lives around family, friends, and community. They value relationships over financial success, and mental health over burnout. They acknowledge the importance of unplugging from the distractions of this world to enjoy life fully. They work to live, not live to work.
Before arriving in Spain, I had planned to travel to and visit as many European countries as I could during the two months I was there. I had originally planned to visit Italy, France, or England. However, a man whom I sat beside by during my flight to Madrid asked me a question that changed my mind as to how I ought to spend my two months in Spain. He asked, “Do you know the difference between a traveler and a tourist?” “No,” I replied and thought it was a silly question. He answered, “a traveler immerses himself in the culture of the destination he travels to and mimics the local way of life. A tourist visits the destination with the sole intention to sightsee. Are you a traveler or a tourist?”
Realizing that my mission was to study Spanish in Spain, I heeded his advice and sought to fully immerse myself in the Spanish culture and experience all that Spain has to offer. I visited a new city in Spain nearly every weekend during my time abroad: Segovia, Toledo, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Tenerife. The only other city I had traveled to outside of Spain was Porto, Portugal.
After living without air conditioning in Madrid’s 100ºF weather for the past two months, I am excited to have air conditioning back in the States. I am excited to order an iced coffee, cook my own food, and eat eggs for breakfast. Still, I will miss ordering a tinto de verano with my dinner, purchasing a fresh baguette for 50¢ from the supermarket, riding on the clean and efficient metro around the city, drinking café con leche twice a day, and making friends with people around the world. Most of all, I will miss speaking Spain Spanish and saying some of my favorite words and phrases in its accent like “que guay,” “bale,” “grathias,” and “no pasa nada.”
Traveling has taught me more about life than any book, movie, class, or anything else ever will. It has taught me perseverance, flexibility, independence, and humility, and academically, my Spanish has improved drastically. I will never grow up wishing I had traveled less or settled sooner, so I am thankful for this study abroad experience. The stories that can be shared with people around the world, the once-in-a-lifetime kind of moments, and the unforgettable memories are—I believe—what makes life extraordinary.