This past summer, I experienced the opportunity of a lifetime when I studied abroad in Spain for over five weeks through St. Bonaventure’s Salamanca program. My time in Spain was truly one of the most formative and exciting experiences I’ve had in my life, both academically and personally. This program is unique from other study abroad opportunities, as it improved my Spanish immensely and allowed me to experience an entire country and its culture, all while meeting people from St. Bonaventure and all over the world.
As a Spanish major, I have been taking Spanish since I was in middle school, and have been learning the language for 10 years. I can honestly say that I learned more during my time in Spain than I have in a decade.
There is so much to gain from being immersed in another language and culture. Through this immersion, my communication skills in Spanish and my confidence while speaking improved within days of arriving there. Imagine the effects after five weeks!
Toward the end of the trip, I was comfortably speaking and found myself thinking, and sometimes even dreaming, in Spanish. The native speakers throughout the country were very nice, welcoming to us and willing to patiently converse and improve our language abilities. Additionally, the professors at the Colegio de España were all so excited to have us there and were incredibly effective teachers.
This trip was also special for its cultural immersion. For the first two weeks, we traveled all over the country, visiting Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada and the charming small towns in Andalusia. Once we arrived in the beautiful city of Salamanca for classes, we went on many weekend excursions to Segovia, Santiago and even Portugal. Each city provided its own experience and cultural significance, allowing us to see and understand the country from various perspectives.
From churros, to tapas and sangria, I basically ate my way through Spain. I enjoyed world-famous museums and exhibits, such as Picasso’s Guernica and El Prado, The Royal Palace, churches and castles from the Middle Ages, including la Alhambra, national parks and more. How many people can say they’ve walked a portion of el Camino de Santiago or have seen Roman aqueducts from the first century?
Traveling throughout Spain gave me a renewed understanding and appreciation for what I’ve learned in my upper level Spanish classes, as I saw what Granada actually looked like for Federico Garcia Lorca and his characters, as well as countless statues of Cervantes’ Don Quijote.
Finally, studying abroad allowed me to make close friendships with the St. Bonaventure students I travelled with, who I wouldn’t have known without the trip. As a variety of majors ranging from biology, journalism, education and international studies, each of us had our own perspectives and reasons for wanting to learn Spanish, and it’s been so great getting to know them and having new friends on campus.
Further, at the Colegio de España, I met people from all over the world and made several friends whom I am still in contact with. Through these international friendships, I’ve also learned about their cultures, and with some students at the Colegio, our conversations were more interesting, as Spanish was often the mutual language we could most easily communicate in. Similarly, students in the Salamanca program live with host families who provide further language and cultural immersion through conversation and home cooked meals.
Whether you’re looking to fulfill your language requirement, want to add a Spanish major/minor or understand the many benefits of knowing a second language, consider this unique educational opportunity and life experience offered through our university.
For further information, please feel free to contact me at bradfosd15@bonaventure.edu or Dr. Cellini at acellini@sbu.edu.
By Sydney Bradford, Contributing Writer
bradfosd15@bonaventure.edu
