Staying in a new country for a long period of time can be a daunting experience for anybody. In my case, I was more excited than nervous when I first arrived. After about a week, however, I started to feel a little homesick, but I found that being as adventurous as I possibly could and seeking out other people was the best way to make myself more comfortable. 

For example, when I first arrived, one of my professors told our class about an “intercambio” option at our university. This is an arrangement where she would put us in touch with a Spanish student from our university so that we could practice our Spanish and these native students could practice their English. I ended up being paired with an adult student who had gone back to school after working for a little while. She took me under her wing and became like a second mom to me while I was there. She was an English major, and when I told her I was from Massachusetts, she was so excited to talk to me about native american and colonial literature. She showed me around the city and gave me information about all of the holidays and festivals that took place in Sevilla while I shared what living near Boston was like. 

One of the biggest differences to which I had a hard time adjusting while I was in Spain was my living environment. I was living in a “residencia,” so my host parents didn’t live in our apartment, but they came over everyday to cook lunch and dinner for us, clean our rooms, and do our laundry. During meal times, they never ate with us; they would cook by themselves, set the food down for all 16 of us, and clean up by themselves. I offered to help them clean several times, but they always turned me down. I had a hard time adjusting to this type of environment because I felt like a constant inconvenience to them. They were always doing so much for us, and I felt like I wasn’t doing anything in return. Even the people in my program that stayed in a dorm had a cleaning service that came to their room every two weeks. Obviously, this is not true in the United States. I wouldn’t even expect my own parents to cook and clean up after me. Having other Americans in my apartment that were feeling the same way made this adjustment a little easier. We all knew that we felt the same way, and although there was little that they would let us help with, knowing that there were other people there who were experiencing and feeling the same things that I was made me feel better. 

These little details can make all the difference in a new country. They may seem like obvious and insignificant pieces of information, but for me, they were elements that helped me to create a home away from home.

When we talk about language, we have a tendency to view it as an art form that belongs in the Humanities & Fine Arts category. Language studies are always considered to be completely unrelated to the sciences, but why? 

When I first arrived at UMass, I had not yet declared my major, and people would always ask me what type of track I was thinking about pursuing. Almost every new person that I met asked, “do you think you want to major in something in the humanities or in STEM?” I didn’t think that there was anything abnormal about this statement at the time, but now I have to wonder why these two fields are mutually exclusive. 

After I declared Spanish as my major, I was searching for a minor or another major to complement it. I was unsure what I wanted to do after I graduated, but I felt like an IT minor would be beneficial no matter what kind of career I ended up choosing. I thought that I would have to take a bunch of computer science classes that had nothing to do with Spanish, but I was wrong. One of the first courses that I took was a linguistics class where we analyzed language patterns with coding software. Learning about new languages in this way completely changed the way that I approached my Spanish classes. It gave me a more finite understanding of the major and it helped me to identify the patterns and attributes that exist in all languages, not just Spanish. We often assume that because languages are based on free communication, they must lack logic, but this is simply not true. Every language started from a basic set of rules, and as time has gone on, we have molded these systems to fit our specific needs, just like the evolution of technology and other scientific innovations. So, why is it that people assume that if you’re good at math, you must be terrible at writing? The best answer that I have come up with is: there is no basis for this theory. It is completely false. 

I also took an English class this semester that focused on Adobe InDesign. We spent the semester learning about different publishing techniques/practices and for our final project, we were assigned with creating a book from scratch. Again, it had never occurred to me to consider that language and technology could complement each other so well. When someone says that they work in publishing, most people would automatically assume that they read all day long. The reality behind this career is that yes, it does involve a great deal of reading, but it also requires technical skills. A book can’t be printed unless someone types, organizes, designs, and edits it first, and more often than not, you have to know how to troubleshoot in case you encounter any problems with the software. 

I think part of the reason why I still enjoy studying languages so much is because they can be both a free form of communication and an applied science. I am so glad that I decided to take classes outside of my major and the humanities and fine arts “hub”  because I have been able to form connections between different disciplines and find a wide range of career options that I am interested in. The best advice that I can give to current humanities majors is this: don’t listen to people that say that language and math/science are two different fields. They are just wrong. 

My perceptions of the Spanish-speaking world have changed a lot these past years as a Spanish major. When I decided to major in Spanish, I thought most of my classes would have been focused on grammar and the language itself, however, I have taken so many classes around culture, literature, and history.

I grew up speaking only Spanish at home – my family is Salvadoran, so at home I would be exposed to my Salvadoran heritage and culture. Therefore, I’m a Spanish heritage speaker. I can speak, understand, read and write in Spanish, but I struggle with grammar because I was never taught that in school the way I learned English. Because of this, many Hispanic/Latinx students may be exposed more to the English language than their Spanish heritage language. They are taught to read, write, and orally communicate in English in school and public areas, whereas in Spanish, they may only acquire it from family at home, other relatives, and maybe friends.

This is what influenced me to major in Spanish as it is part of my own ethnic identity. Little did I know that my perceptions of the Spanish-speaking world would change this much–I have learned more about other Latinx cultures aside from my own. When I studied abroad in Spain this past summer, I was immersed in a culture where they speak the same language, but with a different dialect and culture. I know many words and expressions that Salvadorans use, but now I have been exposed to so many other Spanish dialects that I have loved learning about. Being in college, I have met so many individuals from different Spanish-speaking countries and I have learned so much from them–their dialects, customs, and traditions. This has made me want to continue to engage and learn from the Spanish-speaking world.

More and more Hispanic/Latinx students have been attending public schools in the United States, which means that there is an increasing need for trained Spanish teachers to work with Spanish heritage speaking students. Deciding to double major in Spanish and Community Education & Social Change has really impacted the way I view the language, my community, and myself. Furthermore, I have learned that when heritage speakers have a limited foundation in Spanish literacy, they often encounter difficulties in acquiring fundamental skills in English–which is necessary for pursuing a higher education in America. Proficiency and literacy in Spanish at advanced levels are crucial factors that influence academic success and achievement. Thus, heritage speakers with high proficiencies in their first language are likely to acquire higher levels of conceptual abilities in their second language. Fluency in two languages is a significant advantage, as it enables individuals to expand on their cognitive abilities. This expansion of abilities will allow Hispanic/Latinx students to succeed academically and pursue advanced education.

Spanish heritage speakers tend to struggle with language anxiety in and outside of the Spanish classroom because of their low proficiency levels; this is due to limited opportunities to practice Spanish in the community and in educational settings. Teachers who have awareness of Spanish cultural dialects will be able to properly educate Spanish to heritage speakers. As a future educator, I hope to help other heritage speakers who may have the same experience. Majoring in Spanish has created a sense of community for me, as the Spanish language and my Salvadoran culture are a big part of my ethnic identity.

Two summers ago, I studied abroad in Salamanca with UMass’s Summer in Salamanca Study Abroad program with API. In the months preceding the trip, I spent hours researching what to wear, what to bring, how to pack, how to act, and anything else you might wonder before studying abroad. This research, though important, was more or less unhelpful. Often, I was reading from the perspective of someone who didn’t mind sticking out as an American. My goal for my trip was to blend in as much as possible. By this, I mean that while I was in Spain, I wanted to be a Spaniard, and with this goal in mind, I learned many things. Please keep in mind that every area and city in Spain is not the same. I am not a Spaniard so I cannot speak on all of Spanish culture, however, this is just what I have learned through my own experience. With that being said, I am going to tell you what I wish I would have known before going abroad.

First, we will start with how to pack and what to wear. Though this may seem trivial, as Americans, I will make the generalization that we do not know how to dress (here I am quoting the Spaniards I have known over the years). If you want to fit in in Spain, you must dress the part. Just look nice! Do not go out in pajamas or sweats. If you are going in the warmer months, do not wear jean shorts. Nobody wears those, at least where I was staying. Stick with flowy pants, dresses, and skirts. If you are going in the colder months, bring clothes to layer, and don’t just live in athleticwear. As for packing, I recommend bringing as little as possible and buying clothes there. Obviously bring the basics and things you know you will wear, but shopping in Spain is a wonderful experience and I highly recommend underpacking rather than overpacking. Also, most importantly bring a COMFY pair of shoes. You will be walking far more than you are used to and having a comfy pair of shoes is almost as important as bringing your passport. This is definitely not the time to try out a new pair of cute shoes.

Next, it’s important to know that Spaniards are very curt and straightforward. They are not excessively polite as Americans are, which means they are not being rude, they are being normal. For example, after I had been staying with my host mom for a couple of weeks, we were walking together and suddenly she burst out “Why is your nose ring SO big?!” (For context, my nose ring was a small silver hoop, no bigger than any normal nose ring and you can barely see it in photos.) I looked at her utterly terrified because the way she said it seemed like she was angry. I responded by telling her I didn’t think it was THAT big and I asked if it offended her. She said that it didn’t offend her, she just didn’t like it and she wouldn’t let her daughter do that. (Funnily enough, she had a tiny diamond stud in her nose.) I walked away from the situation quite horrified because I thought she was offended, but really she just wanted to let me know how she felt and that was it.

Also, words like “please,” “thank you,” and “I’m sorry” are reserved for more meaningful situations. Americans are known for saying these things all the time whereas Spaniards don’t do this. For example, if someone bumps into you on a bus or train, they will not stop to say “Oh no, I’m so sorry” or “Pardon me!” because it is generally assumed that if someone bumps into you, they did not mean to do it. When ordering at a restaurant, you do not say “May I please have…” or “Can I have… please,” you would say “I want,” “I’ll have,” or “I’d like.” (in Spanish obviously). Lastly, do not tip. It is not something that is done. When I was in Spain, I would go out with a bunch of girls to dinner and when the bill would come, there would be a huge debate about whether or not we should leave a tip. They would say “But I feel bad, I’ve never not tipped before” and it was this whole argument. Quite frankly, it was rather embarrassing. You shouldn’t try to apply your culture to other cultures. You don’t tip in Spain because people like hairdressers, waiters/waitresses, tattoo artists, etc. all have entire careers where they are actually paid. They get benefits such as healthcare and they get a livable wage. They do not need to make money off of the customers. Also, when you go to dinner, you should choose one person to pay and you can pay that person back if you’d like, but it’s very uncommon to ask a waiter to split the bill. Depending on where you are, they might not even know how to do that. It’s common in Spanish culture for one person to pay because friends often take turns paying. So, if you ask a waiter to split your bill eight ways, they will probably look at you like you are crazy.

At the grocery store, you have to put all of your things in a bag yourself and you have to bring your own bags. You will go to the cash register, they will scan your things, charge you, and then you must move out of the way for the next customer. You must race to grab your things and move out of the way before the next customer has finished their transaction. I’m not going to lie, it is quite stressful the first time you do it. Also, pharmacies are their own separate store. It is not like in the U.S. where you can go to a convenience store and there will be Advil and stuff like that. You have to go to a pharmacy specifically, and everything will be behind the counter. You must tell the attendant what you want and they will bring it for you. I actually thought it was really nice because you don’t have to spend forever trying to figure out what you want, but others on my trip found it pretty annoying. 

If you stay with a host family, it will likely be difficult to adjust to the Spanish eating schedule. They generally do not eat breakfast. Maybe a slice of toast with their coffee, but not often. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, normally around 2 or 3 and it is normally eaten at home. Dinner is not usually until 9 or even 10. For me, this was not necessarily a huge adjustment because growing up, I did not usually eat breakfast and I would not eat lunch until I arrived home from school around 2:30 or 3. Since coming to college I have begun eating breakfast, but at the time that I went, it wasn’t a big change. However, a lot of the students on my trip had a huge problem with it. Students demanded that their host families make them breakfast and they would snack all throughout classes and until lunchtime. A lot of students also didn’t like that dinner was so late. It was a pretty large area of complaint among my companions and many students complained to the program about it. Once again, I think this is an issue of trying to apply your own culture to another person’s culture. You should not study abroad if you are not prepared to change your way of life and your way of thinking.

My last piece of advice is to have so much fun and be yourself. You will likely not be a twenty-something in Spain again and the people you meet will likely never see you again. Learn all that you can, ask all of the questions. You are there to learn and if someone is mad at you for asking too many questions, then find someone else to answer your questions. Live in every single moment, whether it’s an excursion, reading in your bed, or an exam, because all of it lasts for such a short time and will become a small space of time in your memory. Learn who you are when you are pulled from everything you know, and be someone you would be proud to know. Studying abroad will change the way you think and the way you view the world and you should be grateful for every moment.

By Adelyn Hoyt

During the first section of this course,  the class component you are supposed to take before you study abroad,  we had members of the second part of the class that I am posting from now (494RI) come in and talk about their study abroad experiences. One of the students spoke of his experience studying abroad and volunteering at a mango farm in Colombia through a program called WWOOF, or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.  The basic premise of this program was that volunteers from wherever could come work on registered Organic Farms for  a decided upon length ( anywhere from a day to multiple months)  in exchange for “free” food and board. Instantly, as someone who loves nature and gardening, my interest was piqued. I sought out a similar experience for myself to have during that following winter break. 

My goal was to have a trip where I could meet others from different cultures and backgrounds, and to potentially have an experience where I could practice my Spanish language use. I couldn’t afford to travel all the way to Colombia at the time, and also felt that it might not be entirely safe for me to travel there by myself. Instead, I researched opportunities within the country and landed upon a turmeric farm in Central Florida. I was excited because it looked like a very welcoming space, the work sounded fun, and the people who had left reviews before me were from all over the world: Germany,  France, Mexico, Canada, etc. etc. . 

I spent two weeks on the farm in January 2023.  I would definitely say that it was a life-changing experience, and that I got very lucky with the hosts I signed up with and the other volunteers who I ended up working with. The work was easy, safe, and fun–  almost meditative. My total cost for the trip was just under $200, which included a plane ticket and some gas money I offered to the other volunteers there who drove us around in their cars. I essentially was able to pay for everything else, a bed and three delicious meals a day, through my work. We were only working around 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. In our free time, the other volunteers and I would go for runs, cook and bake together, hike in the surrounding woods, visit local water holes and swim, and play guitar and sing around campfires. The work was so enjoyable that some of us would do more of it in our free time–more time out in the fields digging up the roots, washing the roots, and preparing them to be sent out to the vendors. It was like camp, but better. 

Though many volunteers came and went during my time there and I made many friends that I still stay in contact with to this day, there ended up not being anyone else on the farm with me who knew how to speak Spanish. However, I do believe that if an individual signed up for an experience through WWOOF,  they could make it an integrative Spanish learning experience as well if they selected a location within a Spanish-speaking country or with hosts that speak primarily Spanish. I was lucky and had already completed my integrative experience for my major the summer prior in Madrid in 2022, but I could see WWOOFing as a viable route to completing the integrative major requirement in a very unique, cost-effective, and enjoyable way.

I would definitely recommend this idea to anyone looking for a fun, hands-on getaway, and to future Spanish majors as an opportunity for them to complete their integrative experience component of the course! 

By Livia Iwanicki

It wasn’t until I was encouraged to reflect on my cultural enlightenment from being a UMASS student that I realized how fortunate I was to have been raised in Dorchester. In highschool, I was part of a program called METCO, which allowed inner city kids in Boston to travel to suburbs to study. I attended school in Brookline. Because of that, I grew up around a wide variety of ethnicities and received an education that ranged to be representative of different populations.

My school was very liberal and used a lot of its time and resources to shed light on historical and educational discrepancies. My US history course teacher made sure to tell both sides of the story and express that the textbook had a tendency to white wash history and therefore would fill in the gaps, whether that included brutality or affluence. I also took an African American history course in my senior year and throughout my years was in a seminar for Black and Latinx students. We had student body assemblies for minority and lgbtqia+ communities every year, with panels from professionals and student and faculty participation. I also had the opportunity to travel with a group called “The Floating Doctors” through a program at Brookline High. We traveled with medical staff to remote indigenous villages and were able to see the ways that other cultures lived and their liveliness. We weren’t there with a sense of pity or believing ourselves to be saviors but just to inform them about health practices and learn about their ways of life without assessing whether it was “wrong” or “right.”

Something that was along the lines of all of this at the university was in Sut Jhally’s Race, Inequality and Representation course. It’s a course that I highly recommend for cultural and historical insight. He touches on a lot of Black History that wouldn’t usually be known among students who don’t have prior experience with the topic. I even learned some things that I didn’t know about Black History, like how Martin Luther King wasn’t pursued and heavily pursued by the FBI until he opposed the Vietnam war and started speaking on issues of class.

By Kaitlyn Harris

Studying abroad in Costa Rica has profoundly shifted my perspective on the Spanish-speaking world. Prior to this experience, my knowledge was primarily limited to the language and a few cultural stereotypes. However, living in Costa Rica unveiled a vibrant and multifaceted world I had never fully appreciated.

The most notable change has been recognizing the immense diversity within the Spanish-speaking world. I came to understand that each country has its unique cultural identity, shaped by its history, geography, and people. The customs, traditions, and way of life in Costa Rica were distinct from what I had previously encountered in textbooks, shedding light on the rich tapestry of Hispanic cultures.

Moreover, my grasp of the Spanish language transformed from a mere academic skill to a practical and essential means of communication. Immersed in everyday conversations, I became attuned to regional dialects and colloquial expressions, making me more fluent and culturally sensitive.

Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental conservation, its breathtaking landscapes, and the profound influence of nature on its culture made me realize the intimate relationship between environment and culture in the Spanish-speaking world. This insight prompted me to delve deeper into the eco-conscious attitudes and practices of other Hispanic nations.

Lastly, the warmth and hospitality of the Costa Rican people revealed the profound importance of relationships in Hispanic cultures. Their strong sense of community and family values emphasized the significance of human connections, prompting me to reevaluate my own priorities and the value of interpersonal bonds.

In summary, my study abroad experience in Costa Rica has expanded my view of the Spanish-speaking world by highlighting its rich diversity, deepening my connection to the Spanish language, fostering my awareness of the environment-culture interplay, and underscoring the importance of relationships within Hispanic societies. This transformative journey has enriched my perspective on this dynamic and multifaceted global community.

 Here’s a list of my favorite experiences I had while I was there:

Manuel Antonio

• Met a shaman and, had it not been for the lack of time, would have undergone an energy reading. He told me about his time spent in Denver and his sister, who spreads awareness of their tribe in New York.
• Saw monkeys throughout town and sloths resting on the beach
• Went parasailing!

Puerto Viejo

• I sat by the ocean with live Calypso music in the background under the twinkle lights of the restaurant behind me
• Tried some jerk chicken from the street vendors who bathed in the sun playing dominoes and drinking

Montezuma

• Watched a fire show and spoke with local musicians
• Went to a fugata party with those same locals late into the night

Bocas del toro

• Danced the night away in clubs that sat right above the water and soaked in the most beautiful views

Guatemala

• Climbed a live volcano and ate marshmallows roasted from its heat
• Watched chocolate being made from scratch
• Watched a weaver in action
• Visited a Mayan honey farm

La Fortuna

• Rested under a gorgeous waterfall and bathed in hot springs

Jaco

• Talked through the night with Nicaraguan immigrants

By Kaitlyn Harris