Stephen Post

Spain Global May: Study Abroad

STEP Reflection

Spain: The Country of Adaptability

My STEP Signature Project was the Spain Global May which examined the history of Madrid, a city which, like Spain itself, was shaped by empires, global crossings, immigration, migration and international commerce throughout history, long predating Madrid’s designation as the capital. I became familiar with the history of Madrid through readings, site visits and lectures; I was taught about the multicultural, global aspects of this history simultaneously, as well as through readings and videos on Spanish connections to migration and immigration in Europe, the USA and other parts of the world. We saw hands on what we are learning about as we explored the historical sites around Madrid, Toledo, and Bilbao.

I came to Spain with a lot of expectations. I expected that my years of working towards a Spanish minor would allow me to easily communicate and become more fluent in the language. I expected to try and slow down my lifestyle and adopt some of the ideals I had heard are conducive of Spain’s culture. I expected to reinvigorate my passion of learning as I explored a new place full of diversity. It is fine to have these expectations, but the important value needed for expectations that Spain has taught me is adaptability.

The Spain Global May has been a transformational one for me. I have learned about a different way of thinking that I believe I will take back with me to Ohio State. I have seen a larger presence of diversity in visiting another country than I ever did in the US, and realized that the capitalist values and other ideas that are so intrinsic to the US are not the only perspectives that exist. I have seen this most evident in the current political situation in Spain; the ideas and policies that the parties here want to implement would be considered radical in the US and yet Spain and several other countries exist with those opinions.

The culture of Spain is one that has grown over hundreds of years; it is rich with mudéjar architecture of Muslims, intellectual advancements of the Jews, and overwhelming influence of the Catholic Church. I have felt that because of the many years and influences Spain has had for its culture, it is a bit more set than the US. While both countries are constantly changing, Spain is a nation where certain aspects just have a stronger presence the will continue to last. In observable culture differences, Spain is much more open to the use of public displays of affection; they have longer days but a slower pace of life (i.e. breaks for siestas, extended big meals, and extremely late nights out socializing); and their values and thought processes are much different than in the US. Many things though are the same. Spain is a developed country that has many of the same systems that we have in the US like transportation, government, and rights/laws. Through our class and excursions, I learned that Spain and the US have been interconnected since the very beginning; I never knew how many different parts of Spain’s history overlapped with ours like how during the Spanish Civil War, Americans came over to fight.

It was this time that I spent truly experiencing Spanish culture through its many traditional foods, energetic night life, and its vast historical influences. These were experienced most in times where we actually got to interact with the people of Spain. When you go to an Atletico Madrid futbol game and get a tour of the stadium, you can feel a city’s excitement; when you walk around the streets of Lavapies finding and analyzing the political meanings of street art, you understand how it is truly art; and when you visit the cathedrals, mosques, and synagogues that have influenced Spain over hundreds of years, you can recognize why they see religion more as an identity and not a practice.

These enlightening experiences were a large part of my transformation, but not nearly as much as the relationships I made with fellow students, our Spanish counterparts, or a random stranger. These people changed my way of thinking, and offered a perspective that I had not yet received but deeply needed. Through genuine interaction and sharing our stories I found that we often had similar problems, but very different solutions.

I have enriched my academic experience not just in learning about the history of Spain or in practicing Spanish, but by gaining a global perspective. Many of the trips we went on and sites that we visited like The Valley of the Fallen and Cathedral in Toledo made me think about my own views and the opinions I hold like that of my religion. It is this exposure to new ideas and perspectives that I is the most valuable lesson I have through this experience. I feel like this study abroad experience has prepared me to go down whatever future path whether that’s a foreign service officer or a social justice activist. Through this sense of adaptability, I know I can achieve my goals.