Week 1 by Natalie Serna

My first week here in Cáceres has been challenging but very rewarding. I came here knowing some Spanish and now I am starting to understand and speak the language much better. The first day or two it was very hard for me to understand my host mother and the things that she was trying to tell me, but now we are able to communicate so much more. The town is absolutely beautiful with so much life in it. The rain made it hard to explore but I tried to make the most out of it. Being thrown into a whole new world and a whole new culture was not easy, but I am happy that I came on this trip. My host mother is such a sweet woman and she is always more than willing to help me with my Spanish.  I have learned so much in this first week that I am so excited to see how much I will know by week 4. The normal customs and the change of some Spanish words that I am use hearing our taking some time to get use to.  There is so much Cáceres has to offer, and there is so much history in the town. There are also many new customs, but I am slowly getting there and adapting. This trip is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. The experience it self, to go to a foreign country and be thrown into a family really has been life changing. Learning the language at home, practicing it while in the town, and also speaking it amongst friends. This is a learning experience you cannot get in a classroom. I would advise anyone to take this opportunity if they really want to learn the language.