Author: Abigail Bordelon | Major: Public Health | Semester: Summer 2024

Preparing Paella

I have spent the past seven weeks living and learning in Spain. My desire to travel to Spain began in the 8th grade when I first saw a picture of La Sagrada Familia as a generic laptop screensaver. Now, I can confidently say that my experience both exceeded and differed from my expectations.

Five of the seven weeks I was in Spain were spent studying abroad through the ISA Hispanic Studies program in Valencia, Spain. Through my classes I earned six credit hours toward my Spanish major. Valencia, a lesser known city than Madrid or Barcelona, was a strategic choice for where I studied abroad. Valencia receives far less English-speaking tourists than Madrid, and the presence of a regional language is not as strong as it is in Barcelona with Catalan. For my program I took two classes through the University of Valencia: Spanish Culture and Advanced Grammar. Naturally, both of my classes were taught in Spanish; however, I encountered some unforeseen challenges. Neither of my professors slowed their typical rate of speaking nor simplified their vocabulary, and I initially struggled to match my comprehension to the rate at which they spoke. The speed was particularly challenging in my Spanish Culture class where we learned about unfamiliar topics such as Spanish geography, history, architecture and art. With time I adapted to my professors’ brisk manner of speaking, which immensely increased my confidence in comprehending native speakers’ Spanish. Additionally, we delivered in-class presentations each week, all of which increased my confidence in public speaking. My other class, Advanced Grammar, presented a unique challenge. My professor, Jorge, was Spanish, but he was from the Andalusia region of Spain. Previously unbeknownst to me, there are regional differences in accents across Spain similar to the variety of accents found across the United States. The Andalusia accent is markedly different from Spanish found elsewhere in the Peninsula. A stark difference is the lack of pronunciation of “s” at the end of words. Thus, my grammar class not only strengthened my command of grammar, but also exposed me to another Spanish accent. Both of my classes effectively increased my appreciation for the beautiful complexity of the Spanish language and its culture.

Outside of the classroom, I encountered challenges with seemingly simple everyday interactions. From recharging my metro card to asking about sunscreen in a Farmacia, I had many experiences learning how to speak “naturally.” I quickly realized how different the academic Spanish I utilize daily in classrooms is from colloquial Spanish. The most effective method I found for “sounding more natural” was living with my host family. My host family was a matriarchy; the head of the family was a woman in her early seventies named Lola. Lola spoke virtually no English but was endlessly patient with me. She would wait expectantly as I formulated my questions or even occasionally searched for specific words I had never needed until that moment. Over time, I became accustomed to how she spoke and picked up some of her turns of phrase. Eventually I learned that Lola is hilarious! By the end of my stay hardly a conversation passed without laughter. Moving in with a host family is undoubtedly daunting, but I believe it is an invaluable tool for language acquisition when studying abroad.

Aside from studying Spanish, I went on a variety of excursions with my ISA program group. We took a boat ride through the Albufera nature preserve, cooked traditional paella, and took a guided bike tour through the Río Turia amongst other activities. Every excursion was a new experience, but one in particular gave me a new perspective: La Sagrada Familia. The construction of this still-unfinished cathedral commenced in 1882 and is largely emblematic of the city of Barcelona. One weekend, my group traveled to Barcelona and had the opportunity to explore La Sagrada Familia while listening to a guided audio tour. Through this tour I learned that Gaudí, the architect, devoted his life to working on the cathedral knowing that he would not finish it in his lifetime. He instead drafted plans and models to guide future architects. Although I plan to draft Public Policy instead of blueprints, I was deeply impacted by the serenity Gaudí’s mindset provides. As I move forward in my career I will remember Gaudí’s story and know that my work has value even if some of its results outlive me.