After being in the Andaluz region where we had excessive heat warnings almost every day and no air conditioning, I am glad to be back in the United States. Despite the unbearable heat, I fell in love with Spain. The invaluable cultural immersion experience has left me energized to go back into the classroom and also reflect about my own cultural practices and how I want to live my life. Spain has one of the best qualities of life with their Mediterranean diet, siestas, strong social networks, work schedules, public services and infrastructures as well as universal healthcare.
My scope of the language and culture expanded through real-life anecdotes and examples that I can share with my students, making lessons more lively and relevant. In addition, I have learned new teaching methodologies and strategies by observing how Spanish was taught in different educational contexts in Spain. This experience has also increased my confidence in speaking and teaching Spanish, and has given me a renewed perspective on the importance of linguistic and cultural immersion in learning a language. Now, more than ever, I can pass on to my students not only grammar rules and vocabulary, but also a passion and love for Spanish culture.
One of the highlights of my trip was going to Morocco and being immersed in a completely different language and culture. We took the ferry to Tangier and stayed a couple nights there. On my first night, I was awakened at 4:45 a.m. for the Adhan or the Muslim call to Prayer. At first, I thought it was an alarm for a natural disaster because I did not understand what they were saying. My friends were in their deep sleep and I was trying to figure out whether or not to wake them up and go outside. As I paid attention to the sounds on the speakers, I realized it was just the call to Prayer. The following day, I headed to Chefchaouen, the “Blue Pearl” of Morocco. This town is located in the Rif Mountains and is absolutely gorgeous because the town’s buildings and streets are painted in a striking blue paint to keep mosquitos away. I loved my time in Morocco because I was welcomed with a hospitality so generous that it felt like everyone there was my family. I was also able to get handmade leather goods, Arabic perfumes, scarves, and attay- also known as tea. The tradition of drinking tea symbolizes hospitality, gratitude, community, and fraternity.
One of my friends that traveled with me forgot to notify her bank that she would be in Morocco, and unfortunately, the ATM machine withheld her card. A couple saw her in distress and helped her. They translated for her so she could communicate with the bank that had her card and even offered to give her money so she could be okay for the rest of the day. This experience taught my friend a lot, but for me, it was a reminder that there are great people out there and reminded me of West Liberty where in the past, I have seen people turn in wallets that they’ve found and help out neighbors after Derecho.
Although I ate a lot of tapas- typical Spanish appetizers, and would eat dinner at 10:30pm (that is the normal dinner time down there) I seemed to have lost quite a few pounds. I owe it to the Mediterranean diet, smaller portions, and tons of walking.
My summer in Spain was an adventure that enriched me culturally and personally. Although I was happy to return home, a part of me will always fondly remember the warm days in Andalusia, the conversations I had with the locals, and the impressive architecture. I will miss the Iberian ham and sitting in the town square watching live flamenco shows. Venturing beyond my comfort zone and exploring a new country was scary at first, but it ultimately filled me with unforgettable memories and profound personal growth.