The other thing this title symbolizes is progress. Since January has since come and gone, I now can see that I am officially out of the beginning stages of the study abroad experience. Friday marked the third week mark since I arrived in Madrid Barajas for the experience of a lifetime, and now that we have moved from January to February, I can say that I am officially developing a routine for my life here as a quasi-Spaniard and can no longer blame my lack of routine on it being so early in the game. But, the good news is I don't feel like it's something I lack. So that's good!
When we last left off, I believe I ended with a brief recapping of all of the craziness that occurred when a small group of us traveled from little Segovia to the very beautiful previous capital city of Spain, Toledo. Well, I can assure you all that things have been continuing to unfold since that glorious trip! And now, I get to share more with you! Are you excited? I hope so!
I know that here in Spain, the beginning of the week starts on monday, but I'm used to starting the week with Sunday, so that's what I'm going to continue to do. :) So, Sunday. What a day! As I mentioned in my previous post, while here in Segovia I have the blessed opportunity to attend a church that stands alone as one of the only Protestant congregations in the city. And, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against any other denomination. This church just happens to be my pace and my style that I have become accustomed to. And, the Lord continues to show very subtle reminders that the decision I made was a good one. What do I mean by that you ask? Well, this past weekend was my second time attending the sunday morning service. And like the first time my friend Alec and I went, all we received was welcoming smiles and handshakes and cheek kisses and hugs and words of encouragement. We had the opportunity to continue meeting more of the college students in the congregation and, honestly, it was mainly because the pastor's wife (Estrella) insisted upon us breaking the ice. And I'm thankful she did it, because they are a fabulous group of young people.
After the service ended and the numerous introductions ended, Alec and I were asked if we wanted to join the pastor's family for lunch at their house. Now, here's another fun fact about Spanish culture: family (and yes, that also means spiritual family) is a very big deal. And for us, two American students greatly desiring Godly community and just more connections to local Spaniards, this was a crazy awesome blessing. So, naturally, we said yes. We went to the house, had a traditional Spanish lunch (langostinos, salad, bread [of course], traditional lamb, and desserts and coffee to end), and shared life together. In total, we were there for almost four hours! We got to share bits and pieces of our life stories with them, learn more about cultural nuances, and of course, speak lots of Spanish. It was really a most excellent sunday afternoon. And we are both legitimately excited about continuing to get to know them!
Alright, so the week has officially gotten here! First things first, classes. They're still classes, and they really haven't picked up all that much. A lot of what we learn in our classes is stuff that really is enhanced by learning outside of the classroom, so in a lot of ways the classes are very much the least of our worries. I feel like a lot more of time has been going to my things outside of the four hours of class every day. What I mean by that is I'm spending a lot more time learning things with my host family, experiencing the various areas of Spain through our excursions with AHA, my internship with the local English school Qudos, and my volunteer hours with the three kids I work with in English conversations. Culture here is very much out of the textbook, which I think all of the students here in the program enjoy. :)
Speaking of those things, I bet you're all wondering how those things have been going. Well, I will start with Qudos. This internship is teaching me a lot about how to interact with the locals in a very academic setting. Being an education major in foreign languages, this is a great opportunity for me to learn how to better adapt my fluency to accommodate the students that I'm working with. Let me explain. See, being a native American, I tend to speak English very quickly. And I also tend to speak in terms that are difficult to understand. It is a very normal thing. And for many students in these conversation classes, me speaking English rapidly and in a complex fashion is just as difficult (if not more) as when they speak Spanish very rapidly and complexly in front of me. So, what that means for me is three things:
- I need to speak slower and in a pace that is understandable for them (fluency comes after comprehension)
- I need to adapt my language so that it is all in terms that they can understand (at any level [basic, intermediate, and advanced])
- I need to always make sure that I am a facilitator of the conversation and not a consistently active participant (the point is to have them converse with each other, not just to listen to the native speakers answer the questions)
This internship is definitely very valuable because not only am I learning how to better adapt to the needs of the students, but I am also learning how to gain a stronger sense of self-control as a teacher. And, being a very talkative person, it is proving to be quite the challenge. But, it is a challenge that is very necessary in my phase of study as a pre-service teacher. This type of experience can help me to be less of a lecturer and more of a facilitator in the classroom. And, that's essential to a healthy language-learning classroom! This week I got the opportunity to work with four different levels of learners: the teen level (ages 10-14, working on music and musical instruments), the basic level adults, intermediate level adults (this week we discussed traveling in Spain), and the advanced level adults (we had a discussion on the politics of prohibiting alcohol and smoking, and also the idea of pre-nuptial agreements and weddings). It was a great set of classes to be a part of! And the students are all so intrigued by American culture and especially the American English accent, seeing as the other teacher is from Great Britain. ;)
The same lessons from before can be applied to my three kids I volunteer with. With Blanca and Jaime for example, striking up conversation between a 23-year-old and two 14-year-olds can be hard in normal English, so being diligent with my words and making sure they can understand is important. If not, then there will be a lot of blank stares and "no entiendo" (I don't understand). But, they are still doing as much as they can to get more experience. Sometimes, they get distracted with very teenage things (specifically, relationships), but at least they are willing to try and talk about in English. ;)
The last major part of the school week occurred this past Wednesday. As I mentioned before in the previous post, our group of students had the very cool opportunity to interact and exchange with the local military students at their academy here in Segovia. Well, I was approached by my program director with another potential internship opportunity to do during the week. This internship would consist of helping teach English to the cadets of the academy during the day and also assisting them with their English conversation abilities. Now...you would think that this would just be another opportunity to help people with English. Well...you're partly right. But there is a very major twist in this plot. The reason this experience would be an internship is because I would be helping the English professors at the academy to develop curriculum that will go towards the students' exams they have to pass to graduate from the Academy. And, this academy is essentially the "West Point" of Spain. So, teaching English to the best and the brightest of the Spanish army is quite the opportunity. And, tomorrow morning, another friend from the program and I are meeting to discuss plans for this potential internship! More details to come on that soon. :)
Almost to the end I promise! This weekend was another excursion weekend with the program, so we got to travel again! WOOT. This time, we were accompanied by our art history professor this semester, Elena. We took a trip to the country's capital city, Madrid. The points of destination were the Escorial and the Valle de los Caídos (the Valley of the Fallen). Both were actually not right in the heart of Madrid itself, but rather in the outskirts and a little higher up in the mountains of the Sistema Central mountains. I took pictures of the exteriors of the edifices, but pictures were prohibited within both. So, that was all I could get. But don't worry, with my handy explanations, that should be all you need. :) Now, a little bit of backstory.
First, El Escorial. This building was founded by the 16th century king of Spain, Felipe II. He was one of the most influential kings (and also one of Spain's wealthiest). Aside from the Reyes Católicos Ferdinand and Isabel, he was the close second when it came to power in the kingdom of Spain. This building was the new home to the king when he decided that he wanted to move his dwelling place to a more suitable and exotic location. Because he was the king, not only did his dwelling place change, but so did the capital of the country. So, his change of location took the capital city from Toledo to Madrid, and, quite literally, the rest is history. The other major fun fact about this monument is it is also the largest building in Spain today. And it has been since the 1500s when it was constructed. It now stands as a museum, demonstrating its various aspects of beauty within. It contains a library, a monastery, a mausoleum, and many many many works of art. It was quite a sight to see, and quite fun to navigate! Now, some pictures!
This is a panoramic view of the entrance to the museum part of the Escorial. Fun fact: this is only one side of this enormous building. We actually spent almost four hours walking through it and only hit 1/4 of it.
Greetings from San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain!
This is a view of one of the main hedge gardens found around the outside walls of the building. People can amble through the gardens as much as they want during the day. You can access them from the road. I wanted to explore, but didn't have enough time during my lunch break to do it.
And, second on our list that day was the Valley of the Fallen. This spot was about 15 minutes from our first destination, but it was quite more intense of a visit. I will explain shortly. Okay, now for the backstory. The monument was created not too long ago. In fact, it's actually only about 70 years old. The monument is built right into a mountain, with a large cross sitting atop it on the exterior. It was, as its name implies, created as a memorium of those who had fallen in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The war was one of the most costly events in Spain's history, losing over 300,000 people in the process, and destruction too costly to describe. It's actually a very sore spot with many people that still live in Spain today. My host parents are a good example. So, before experiencing it, I was reminded of Arlington cemetery in Washington, DC. That's the cemetery of all of the fallen soldiers that holds fame in the States.
Sounds nice, right? Well, there's a major twist. See, the monument was actually propagated by the very man who pushed for the start of the war, dictator Francisco Franco. So, this edifice was made in remembrance of Franco and his victory in the war, but to also show his condolences for the very people that perished at the work of his hands. So, in a way, it was created as a way to make up for what had happened. And, at the center of the chapel, Franco's tomb is buried, right next to the golden crucifix of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, upon setting foot into the building, it was easy to feel very uncomfortable. Now, don't get me wrong, from an artistic perspective, the architecture of this building is exquisite. The use of marble and stone for the statues within are a fantastic testament to creative minds. But, knowing the background of it's existence is something that many of us visiting could not shake. It kind of reminded me of the last scene of the first Harry Potter movie, when Harry is going to the end of the line beneath the trapdoor to face Voldemort for the first time. Really...it was an eerily similar context, complete with long deep archway to the center of the tomb.
Now, to explain my sentiments. The reason I (as well as many others) felt so uncomfortable with the whole thing is that it was created essentially in vain. Franco built this building with what I'm assuming were his best intentions in mind. But, his tomb is a very strong reminder of the very destruction that he and his followers decided to impale on the country of Spain. What was meant for good came off in a very negative manner. And, many Spaniards find his tomb in the center of the chapel to be a very disgraceful testament to those who perished in the war. Another fun fact about this building is that it was built by the men and women of the party that lost the war. See, the construction process was meant to be a punishment to those who were against Franco's party. And, many people died in the process of developing the building. It's just...a very difficult pill to swallow. I'm very thankful for the experience I had to go to this place, but I'm definitely not a fan of the feeling I got from being inside of it. But...it's culture, and it's history that's very important to know about. Especially when you are living in a country that dealt with this very thing. It was quite interesting. And it was definitely something I couldn't have gotten something out of in a textbook. That's pretty much all this semester is about: living the culture through the language we're studying. :)
Alright, and now: MORE PICTURES! (Because I know everyone likes putting visuals with words)
Almost finished with this week's post kids! To end this post, I would love to throw out some more prayer requests. If you're into that, it would be more than greatly appreciated. If not, good vibes and thoughts are always wonderful too. :)
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, a lot of what this post was about was to demonstrate the idea of progress. And as this semester continues to unfold and more cultural experiences are arising, I'm still continuing to learn more and more about myself, my ability, and my perspective on life in general. And I have the Lord to thank for this entire experience. Without Him and his guidance in all the things that have ensued these last four years since I came to Ball State, I don't know if I would even be in Spain studying Spanish. So much has changed, and every day is here I'm reminded of that. And what's even more striking is that I'm slowly becoming more and more open-minded to all of the things that are very much different from the comfortable American lifestyle I was used to for 22 years of my life. And, coming from a person who for years has been (and still is) afraid of change, that's really saying a lot, because culture shock is probably one of the greatest changes a person can experience. But, every day I'm reminded in some way that I'm here for a reason, and I'm more than positive that overcoming the fear of change and the unknown is one of those reasons. At first I took on the challenges with a lot of fear and anxiety of what might go wrong. Now, I'm more willing to take on those challenges and experiences with joy and thanksgiving. Because ultimately, I know I'm growing more than I ever have as a person. And I thank God for every single thing that has come my way. :) I leave you with this verse, a reminder to me of just the type of mindset that I am striving to have continuously while I'm here in Spain, in all things spiritual and not.
Alright, and now: MORE PICTURES! (Because I know everyone likes putting visuals with words)
To put the size of this place in perspective, take a look at my friend Jessie in the bottom right-hand corner. This building is huge!!! Oh yeah, and it's built right into the mountain. Fun fact.
This is the front shot of the monument. Fun fact: the cross (though it may not seem like it in this photo) pictured is actually the largest cross in the world. And, another fun fact: the center of the chapel within is marked by a golden crucifix, which happens to be situated directly beneath the larger version of the cross pictured above, 300 meters in from the entrance.
This is the view in which the monument faces. You may be able to see Madrid down in the distance...? Yep. That's it.
Almost finished with this week's post kids! To end this post, I would love to throw out some more prayer requests. If you're into that, it would be more than greatly appreciated. If not, good vibes and thoughts are always wonderful too. :)
- Pray that the students studying here can continue to find their routine as we continue through the semester
- Pray that despite all of the hectic schedules and commitments that time to be relaxed may be achieved
- Pray that as the stresses of the semester kick in that we may remain open-minded to all of the new experiences that are still to come in the remaining two-and-a-half months
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, a lot of what this post was about was to demonstrate the idea of progress. And as this semester continues to unfold and more cultural experiences are arising, I'm still continuing to learn more and more about myself, my ability, and my perspective on life in general. And I have the Lord to thank for this entire experience. Without Him and his guidance in all the things that have ensued these last four years since I came to Ball State, I don't know if I would even be in Spain studying Spanish. So much has changed, and every day is here I'm reminded of that. And what's even more striking is that I'm slowly becoming more and more open-minded to all of the things that are very much different from the comfortable American lifestyle I was used to for 22 years of my life. And, coming from a person who for years has been (and still is) afraid of change, that's really saying a lot, because culture shock is probably one of the greatest changes a person can experience. But, every day I'm reminded in some way that I'm here for a reason, and I'm more than positive that overcoming the fear of change and the unknown is one of those reasons. At first I took on the challenges with a lot of fear and anxiety of what might go wrong. Now, I'm more willing to take on those challenges and experiences with joy and thanksgiving. Because ultimately, I know I'm growing more than I ever have as a person. And I thank God for every single thing that has come my way. :) I leave you with this verse, a reminder to me of just the type of mindset that I am striving to have continuously while I'm here in Spain, in all things spiritual and not.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good pleasing, and perfect will."
-Romans 12:2
No comments:
Post a Comment