Leading up to my departure from Seattle, I did not know what to expect. Would I be able to navigate my way around properly? Would I stick out like a sore thumb? Would my lack of Spanish cause me trouble? I had never left the United States, and I had only left Washington a few times. To say I was not nervous would be a lie. Although I had this sense of positive anticipation, I knew this journey would be the greatest of my life and it was.
I arrived in Madrid five days before the start of my program. Stepping off the plane I could feel my anxiety rise. My first experience outside the airport was the vast and intricate Madrid metro system (My first time using one). Once I made it to my Airbnb, I could feel my anxiety lift. During those five days, I explored Madrid, visiting the Prado art museum and touring the Royal Palace of Madrid. Inside the Parado, I was lost in the art. Each painting was mesmerizing with each detail. One day before the start of the program and my journey to León, I was able to meet with other study abroad ambassadors for the same program. We were able to catch a Spanish rock band concert and enjoy Madrid’s beautiful and active nightlife. The band ‘Burning’ has slowly become a new favorite of mine. Once again, the Madrid metro was able to get me to my train the next morning quickly. My journey to León was about to conclude. Spain has an abundance of high-speed trains that connect a large number of cities. Madrid to León, only 2 hours! Whereas in America, a train traveling that distance would take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours.
In León, my fears washed away, and I was met with a hug and a smile from my hostess at the train station. My biggest fear up until León was meeting my host family because my grasp of Spanish was not as good as I wanted it to be. Her patience with my language difficulty helped me feel relaxed and made me feel at home. León itself is sizeable, however walking somewhere was no challenge. Once I reached the apartment with my hostess I was greeted by two cats, whom I already miss. Each day the apartment would be filled with Spanish music playing on Spotify and two cats meowing for my attention. Our first week was filled with Spanish class in the morning. Not only did we learn how to speak Spanish better, but we also got to learn about different things in Spanish culture and ones specific to León. Different traditions, food dishes, their origins, and so forth. Our first day was also filled with a historical tour of the city. Learning the rich history of León was a highlight of the first week. In the old part of town, it is not uncommon to see a gold seashell, a yellow arrow, or a gold footprint. This is the Camino de Santiago, the route of a religious pilgrimage. Towards the end of my first week here in León, half of the class took part in a cooking class. Where we learned how to make paella, tortilla de patata, and dessert galletas (Cookies). This cooking class was both a culinary adventure and a language test. Speaking and understanding Spanish both had been difficult for me all throughout high school and now even more. Learning how to cook the main dish of our dinner, while the instructions were in Spanish was difficult. I worried that I was going to mess up the main dish for everyone because of my lack of Spanish. However, in the end, we were all rewarded with some delicious paella. Paella is my favorite dish in all of Spain, its flavor is unmatched. All throughout my time in Spain and León, I felt bad walking into a store and having to use Google Translate to ask a question or parse a few words I know together and being more or less incoherent. However, no matter what I was always met with a smile and was given what I needed.
In our program, we were provided with two field trips. Our first was to the City of Bilbao for one day and night. I unfortunately was not able to explore the city of Bilbao as I wanted to, the weather that day being that of the typical Seattle day. The wind and light rain were just a little remembrance of home. Next, we were off to San Sebastion before heading back to León. Home to a beautiful beach, San Sebastian is a coastal town that I have heard is quite beautiful if the weather is in your favor, once again for us it was not. However, on one of the hills overlooking the city and the ocean lies an old military fort built in the 1100s and decommissioned in the 1800s. Being a history nerd, I was properly motivated to make the 20-minute hike up the paths to the fort and its museum. At the very top stands a statue called the ‘Sagardo Corazón’ or Sacred Heart. From this vantage point, I could look out into the vast city, and it took my breath away. Our second field trip was to Madrid one week later. Here we were provided with tickets to the Parado Art Museum, however, having already gone I decided to visit Plaza de España before heading to the Plaza Mayor for some chorizo. Having already explored Madrid previously I decided to explore areas I had not already. On our last day in Madrid, I once again went to the Plaza Mayor, this time a flea market filled the outskirts. It reminded me of the times my dad and I would scour flea markets in Washington, and so I knew I had to buy something for him.
Back in León our weeks were filled with lectures and tours. We had the privilege of touring the supercomputer facility at the University of León and had a special tour of INCIBE one of the main cyber security companies in Spain. I’d spend the rest of my time working with my classmates and exploring the various bars and cafes. Being able to enjoy one of León’s specialty tapas! My favorite tapa is jamon, however, caracoles (snails) were also good. Throughout my exploration, the language gap proved to still be my hardest challenge. Ordering cookies from a bakery near the UW center turned into an unexpected challenge. Stumbling over my words I felt like a child who didn’t know what he wanted. The baker’s kind smile and soft laugh reminded me that kindness transcends language. Trying to speak someone’s language shows respect for them and their culture. In the end, I was met with a smile and the amazing cookies.
My last excursion took place on the last weekend. Our class was given this weekend as a solo exploration. I decided to venture to the coast once more to a town named Gijón. I was surprised to see another one of my classmates on the train. Together we explored the town and the beach. Luckily, the weather was on our side, and we were able to watch the waves slowly creep up the beach as the tide came in.
My trip to Spain is my first ever out of the country. The days leading up to my departure I was scared and nervous about going to a country with a language I barely knew. As well as staying with a host family that I had never met. The moment I arrived my worries left. Being met with open arms, having my Spanish corrected slightly with each conversation. My worries faded and my anxiety along with it. I learned being nervous is a part of the journey. Taking the step and coming to Spain has helped open that door for me. Spain did not just challenge me with language or the fact this was my time out of my own country. It pushed me to step outside my comfort zone. Navigating a new culture and building connections without using perfect words, this journey has taught me that growth comes from embracing discomfort. I leave Spain not only with a deeper drive to learn more Spanish and an insatiable curiosity to explore more out of my comfort zone.
