Week 1

As time moves along throughout this trip, my knowledge about the world continues to expand. I had a pretty good foundation of Spanish before flying out here, but everyday I learn a new Spanish word or phrase. In the United States, I learned about Spain's geography. I learned that the capital is Madrid and the "vosotros" form is utilized but I never learned about the culture. Being in Spain has given me the opportunity to be immersed in a new culture with different norms and style of living. Knowing the language is one thing, but fully being able to experience the culture is so much more fulfilling. Some activities that I have experienced so far would include Womad, visiting the local movie theater, trying new foods, taking a trip to Portugal, and visiting an aquarium. This first week in Spain has opened my eyes to the differences in how we live in America versus how Spaniards live out here. First and foremost, people do not have personal bubbles in Spain like they do in the states. People stand closer to one another when having conversations. People tend to be closer emotionally as well. Families and friends spend a lot more time together, talking to each other, and spending time together. I have seen this within my home. The family sits around the table or in front of the TV and talks for hours at a time. I am going to take some of these traditions and norms back to the United States and practice them there. Overall, I absolutely love Spain. It's beautiful out here. I have experienced so much in so little time and cannot wait to see what else this trip has in store for me.