Spain Global May

STEP Reflection by Anna Eversole

For my STEP Signature Project, I chose to adventure to Spain for the month of May. The program I was a part of was called Spain Global May. During my time there, I had the opportunity to learn about both the history of Madrid and immigration to Spain. I was able to travel to surrounding cities in Spain such as Segovia, Toledo, Burgos, Bilbao, Santander, Barcelona, and San Sebastian. Through this trip, I learned a lot about myself, my peers from Ohio State, people living in Spain, and the world.

During my time abroad, I encountered many moments where I found myself thinking critically about how the new information and sites I was seeing was adding to or changing my current perspectives. If I had to narrow down what the most important lessons were that I took away from this trip, it would be three ideas. One, that life should never be taken so seriously or be so busy that there isn’t enough time for me to spend with the people and places that I find most important. Two, that as an individual, I am small so I want to be living for a greater purpose than myself.  And three, that the large problems in this world need to be taken care of at the core level and to do that, compassion is necessary.

I have always been a girl who enjoys taking life at a fast pace by planning out most days and always being productive. However, this is not always a positive trait. From my time abroad, I learned that the moments where time is taken to relax, can be just as meaningful and purposeful as the moments when the things on the to-do list are getting done. The hundreds of people I saw, the numerous towns and cities I visited, and the number of conversations I had showed me how there is no time or place for the world to revolve around me. There are too many places to see, unique stories to hear, and problems to fix for me to be consumed with the minor stresses of my life. I learned that when there is a problem, it is very important to get to the heart of it even if it takes more time up front because putting a band-aid on it will never truly solve it.

The first lesson that I took away from my time abroad, I learned from the Spanish culture. I wrote a lot about this lesson in my blog because I was so fascinated by the way the Spanish culture functioned. I am inspired by the Spaniards because they do not let to-do lists, jobs, and expectations for stages of life control their lives. Instead, they prioritize their relationships with family and friends. They keep the balance in life and know how to compartmentalize so that they can live in the present moment. For example, a lunch in Spain can last up to three hours. During our time in Spain, we had multiple group meals where we ate authentic Spanish food and experienced the Spanish dining norms. These group lunches were five course meals where I got to bond with my peers through our conversation. Spaniards often times run a little late but many of the people choose to stay calm. I was talking to the director of our program and she said that Spaniards choose not to stress, they leave work at work, and take time to enjoy their lives. We also talked to an American couple who had moved to Spain. They explained how in Spain, they feel like they can actually be human beings instead of human doings.  This is definitely something I have taken back to the United States with me and have tried to incorporate more into my daily life. For example, I make sure that each day, I do one thing for enjoyment whether it is reading a book or going on a bike ride.  I have also taken more time to sit and eat a meal so that I can savor the food and the time with the people who are eating with me.

I learned my second big takeaway from the trip when I was in Barcelona. I had hiked up to a a cliff that gave a view of most of the city. I say most of the city because the city of Barcelona stretches for so long along the beach that you can’t see all of it even at one of the highest points in the city. I was talking with my friend and we were pointing out all of the places we had walked that day (at the end of the day it had been a total of twenty four miles). Sitting up on the cliff, I realized how many people live in Barcelona alone. Then, I realized that I couldn’t even see all of the city. Next, I thought about how Barcelona is a tiny data point on the map of Spain and even more so on the map of the world. It was at that moment that I decided that the little things I so easily get caught up in back home, shouldn’t ever get in the way of striving forward each day. This world is huge and even though I am small, I can make an impact each day if my efforts are focused on bettering others and the world around me.  Since coming home, I try to read out to someone each day to encourage them and I have set aside time on the weekends to volunteer at an organization that is impacting the lives of children who live in the inner city.  This lesson left me with a desire to find new ways to use what I have been given to help others around me.

I learned the third lesson when the course focused on the topic of immigration. Although we were learning about immigration to Madrid, I realized how it all could relate to the United States. We watched a documentary about men from Africa who were trying to get to the European border. One of the men  who was being interviewed brought up the point about why do we even have borders. I had never really pondered this question before but it caused me to think. He asked why an individual should be forbidden to cross a border. The statement hit me hard because I thought about how at the heart of it all, we are all human beings. This truth has motivated me not to settle for putting band-aids on problems. For example, with immigration, instead of deciding to put up a bigger and better fence, I believe it would be more beneficial to find out the reasons why the people want to leave their country and put the money and effort there. Obviously, the topic of immigration is very controversial and complicated, but this specific example taught me that the problems I encounter in the future should be worked on from the inside out.

Down the road, I hope to be a teacher for the early grade levels. I believe that this is a critical period in one’s life  and that every child deserves a person who believes in them and who offers them an open view of the world. Through traveling, I have begun to broaden my lens of the world so that I can become a better educator for the future generation. The lessons I learned from this trip have taught me to make sure that I get to know my students for who they are and what they have to offer to the classroom. I want to recognize each individual as the unique person that they are and develop their strengths so that they can reach their potential. I want to foster a classroom that allows for open and respectful dialogue on controversial topics. I desire to be an educator who does not overlook the importance of community, balance of work versus fun, and welcomes dialogue to reach the core of issues.  Spain Global May was a once in a lifetime experience which definitely opened up my mind and eyes.  I am thankful that I had the opportunity to grow as a person and future teacher from my month abroad.

 

Screen Shot 2016-07-04 at 5.13.29 PM Screen Shot 2016-07-04 at 5.13.53 PM

Screen Shot 2016-07-04 at 5.13.06 PM   Screen Shot 2016-07-04 at 5.46.08 PM

Link to the blog I kept during my time abroad:

eversolesite.wordpress.com

One thought on “Spain Global May

  1. What a wonderful opportunity for you. It sounds like you have taken time to be very reflective of what you gained from this experience. Thank you for sharing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *