I studied abroad during May Session 2016 with the Spain Global May program. I explored the way that Spain plays in the globalized world.
While studying in Spain, I have noticed many similarities, differences and interconnections. There are many parallels between the entertainment options in Spain and in the United States. Fútbol in Spain is very similar to American Football in the United States. I went to an Atlético Madrid game and the experience reminded me of going to an OSU football game. The fans outside the stadium were drinking and eating, similarly to tailgating before an OSU game. During the game, fans went crazy when Atlético scored a goal which reminded me of my reactions to OSU touchdowns and big plays. The cheers during the Atlético game were very similar to the cheers during OSU football games. There are many aspects of the Atlético fútbol that reminded me of OSU football games.
No matter where you are in the world, people always need to eat. In Spain, the eating habits vary greatly from the US. At home, I’m used to three solid meals a day, with a larger dinner. Here in Spain, however I’ve had to adapt to a different culture about food. Breakfast in Spain is very small and can be as simple as a pastry. Lunch is a full meal like what I’m used to at home. Dinner, however, is vastly different. In Spain, it’s common to go to different bars and order a small beer, a caña, or a glass of wine, a copa. With your drink, most places will give you a small finger food, a tapas, to go along with it. Several of these tapas could be considered dinner in Spain. I like to eat a lot. Coming to Spain was a bit jarring because I found it hard to eat as much food as I’m used to. In order to cope, I would often eat small tapas at bars downtown and then return to the residency to eat a full dinner here. Other times, I would stop in my favorite bakery and get a pastry to hold me over. While my return home will be bittersweet, I’m looking forward to get back on my regular eating schedule.
Before I came to Spain, the only Spanish I knew was what I picked up from Dora. To say there was a language barrier would be an understatement. My two favorite Spanish words are sí and bien. Whenever someone asks me a questions that I don’t understand, I reply back with a feverish mix of those two words and everything works out. The hardest part of the language barrier is using taxis. There have been a few trips home where I’ve used multiple taxis in succession because I have trouble telling the cabbies where I live. To circumvent that, I started pointing to the residency on a map on my phone, or simply going to Moncloa and then walking from there. Wherever my broken Spanish took me, I always made it home safe and sound.
I have learned much more on this trip than I thought I would. My education has gained a global aspect that was previously lacking. Before this trip, I knew nothing about Spain’s history, but now I knew more than I ever thought I would. I’ve learned about the different architectural styles that blend together in Spain’s history. When I went to a bullfight I identified Moorish horseshoe and lobed arches that were part of the ring that was used for traditional Spanish entertainment. The course topic of immigration is a topic that’s very important to me in the upcoming presidential election. By studying the way immigration has shaped Spain’s past and present, I am more informed about the immigration issue that the US is facing today. Travelling to Spain has made me a more diverse and interesting person.