STUDENT STORIES
Study Abroad Spotlight: Valencia, Spain
By Anastasia Anastasopoulos
When people ask you to describe your experience abroad the most common response is 鈥渋t changes your life.鈥 Although it is very clich茅d, it is true. Last semester I had the opportunity to study abroad in Valencia, Spain. Although I have traveled frequently to Europe, I did not know what to expect. I thought to myself, 鈥淲ho would I meet? What would I do? What if my host family is too controlling?鈥 It is normal to have millions of unanswered questions. However, the easiest way to uncover those answers is to simply live in the moment and let your experience abroad unfold.
I鈥檓 not going to lie. The second I arrived in Valencia, Spain鈥檚 third largest city, I fell in love. Not only did Valencia offer the vibrant city life I always dreamed of living in, but it is also a laid back coastal city. It was basically like I received a two-for-one deal. City life and warm beaches and climate鈥hat more could one ask for? Luckily, I did not have to ask for anything because everything I could ask for was already right in front of me!
Although I could tell you a million things about my experience abroad, I really want to focus on some of the program components that really stuck out to me while I was there which include: my study abroad program, my host family, academics, and meeting locals.
Program:
There are millions of programs to choose from when trying to pick the right study abroad destination. After doing my research and consulting with Moravian鈥檚 Office of International Studies, I decided to go with ISA (International Studies Abroad). Not only did ISA offer great services such as 24/7 emergency support, airport pickup, and planned excursions, but it also had on-site staff in which we could come to for literally anything. Having on-site staff really made the experience even more authentic. The staff members provided us with information on what to expect in Valencia, took us out for tapas, offered us advice/homework help, and helped us become authentic 鈥淓spa帽oles鈥 (Spaniards) with all of the preparation on what to expect in our host city.
Host family
When studying abroad, most students feel reluctant to living with a host family in fear that they will lose their independence. However, living with a host family does not mean giving up your freedom. In fact, it means learning about and immersing yourself in the culture in the most authentic way. The experience I had with my host family was incredible. Every day we would have a homemade family lunch and dinner together, which really brought us closer together. This simple act of gathering around the table helped our relationship grow. We learned about each other鈥檚 interests, fears, and goals. We became a family. To this day, I still refer to my host mom as my second mother because she treated my roommate and me as if we were her actual children. We also experienced some perks, such as attending local city events together, getting driven to school, and getting to cook American dishes for our family. Most importantly, the best practice I received using Spanish was with my host family. Since the family did not speak any English, I was forced to use the language. Every time I did not know a word, I would try to explain it using words I knew and my host mom would either tell me the word or correct my grammar. Because of them, my Spanish proficiency and fluency improved tremendously.
Even though living with a host family is a great experience, there were students in my program who lived in residencias (college-style dorms) and apartments. By offering different options, each student received what they felt he/she needed to make his/her experience abroad fit their specific needs.
Academics
During my time abroad, I studied at the University of Valencia. Since I am a Spanish major, all of my classes were taught in Spanish. I had a variety of courses ranging from phonetics and phonology to Spanish and Mediterranean culture. When you are a student studying abroad, the professors take into account that you are there to experience the culture. As a result, there is always a balance between class time and schoolwork. Classes were about two hours long twice a week, depending on the professor.
When I first started my courses, the classes seemed overwhelming and I would leave class with a headache trying to process what my professors had said in Spanish. I felt lost. However, as time went on, I began to understand my professors more clearly, I left class without a headache, and I realized that by the time the semester ended, I could understand, as well as, speak with fluency. It was as if someone turned on a switch in my head and I just knew the language. Although the work during the semester was not overwhelming, when the time for finals came, I really had to sit down and study. In Europe, a student鈥檚 grades are determined by the midterm and final or just the final, which can be very nerve wracking. However, it is very doable. In fact, I passed my classes with flying colors, while at the same time maintaining a social life and being able to experience all the city had to offer.
Meeting Locals
When going abroad, it is very easy for study abroad students to only hang out with other Americans. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of going out of your way to meet locals! With the ISA program, every Tuesday night we had the opportunity to attend intercambios (exchanges). During intercambios, we would gather at a local bar in the university area and speak with local university students. It was such a great way to practice and learn Spanish, since the Spaniards only spoke English and the study abroad students only spoke Spanish. Through intercambios, I was able to practice, as well as teach English in a very relaxed atmosphere. In fact, I made some Spanish friends who ended up making paella (a famous rice dish) for us and took us to Alicante, a town outside of Valencia.
Although I have highlighted just a few of the events I experienced during my semester abroad, the list of what made my experience so unforgettable is endless. Valencia is unique in the sense that it is an ancient city with a modern twist, has festivals unique to the city such as Las Fallas, and is filled with some of the nicest people I have ever met. My experience impacted my life so much that after I graduate, I plan on moving to Valencia to teach English.
Overall, my study abroad experience made me realize who I want to become. I thought I had a plan for myself. However, I learned that sometimes what we plan for does not always happen. Sometimes our plans change because we change and that鈥檚 okay. I encourage you to visit the Office of International Studies as soon as possible to start planning your semester abroad!!!
Remember鈥 鈥The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.鈥 -St. Augustine.