A group of Anderson University students spent part of their summer in southern Spain, a cultural crossroads of the European and Arabic worlds with a rich history that has enhanced Western culture and has given the world some of its most revered artists and authors.
Through the Semester in Spain program, based in the heart of Seville’s Old City, they studied Spanish history, contemporary Spanish society and its healthcare system.
Students in the Semester in Spain program were Alaina Cothran, Elecktra Gallegos, Jojo King, Hanna Michalisin, Emi Murrill, Weston Pack, Parker Rose and Abbey Williams.
Being there for a month meant experiencing much more than a typical tourist could take in on a week or two of vacation, living with Spanish host families and attending classes taught in Spanish. They got to know the Spanish people, and also their American classmates from across the U.S.
After an initial period of adjustment, the students were hitting their stride—literally.
“I would get about 20,000 steps each day going to class and back and then usually we would eat lunch and get some homework done, maybe take a siesta, a little nap, and then go back out and walk around and it’s beautiful,” said Pack, a Biochemistry and Spanish major.
Outside of Seville, places students visited included the mountaintop town of Ronda, and the island of Mallorca with its beautiful Mediterranean beaches. Some students were also able to take side trips to Spain’s capital city of Madrid as well as Barcelona. Some traveled to Paris, France, and even crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco.
The AU students could enjoy a variety of field trips in class, and outside of class there was more to explore. A special experience for Pack was seeing ancient Roman aqueducts in Segovia.
“My mom was born in Mexico and my dad is of Mexican descent,” said Gallegos, a Nursing major with a double minor in Spanish and Healthcare Management. “I always wanted to better my Spanish, so I saw an opportunity to study in Spain. Because they had a health professions vocabulary terminology course, I thought this would be perfect, not just for myself but for my major.”
Rose’s brother had done Semester in Spain before, so he was somewhat aware of what to expect. Being in the heart of Seville was a sweet spot for Rose and his classmates to experience the Spanish people and culture.
“We visited the Plaza de España. It’s a ‘must see’ in the city and it’s where they filmed some of the Star Wars prequels,” said Rose, who is majoring in Spanish and English.
“I very much enjoyed the slower pace of life in Spain,” said Murrill, a Biochemistry major and Spanish and Medical Science minor. “I liked the food and just being able to walk around.”
Of course, the AU students returned home with gifts and souvenirs for loved ones, but they received a special gift—friendships forged with professors and classmates that will extend for years.
“The faculty encourage keeping in touch,” Gallegos said. “I keep in touch with several of the girls and definitely my roommate—she just got married. Even with some of the faculty like the ladies who host the spiritual events or the cooking classes, I text them recipes and they send me some as well.”
King, a Kinesiology major, said, “You could start a conversation with any of the faculty or any of the students. I feel like I was blessed with a great group of students while I was there.”
Semester in Spain participants could also experience worship in a different culture.
Especially meaningful to King was meeting with a few classmates for prayer before class. He also appreciated the worship services within the program that took place on Wednesdays.
“I am a born again Christian and I was really hoping to go to church on Sundays and they made it possible for us to go,” Gallegos said. “They recommended different places and then if we wanted to go along with the lady who’s in charge of all of the Christian organizational things, she was happy to go with us.”
After returning from his trip, as Pack started shadowing a physician, he realized how the experience changed him. One day, encountering some men speaking Spanish at his medical school, he felt confident striking up a conversation.
“We spent about 10-15 minutes speaking in Spanish,” Pack said. “I really think the trip increased my proficiency.”
Upon returning to the U.S., students gave this advice to those considering a study abroad experience.
“Be realistic and think about like your concerns… but know that you’re probably in the same boat as a lot of other people who are anxious about going to a new place… It’s definitely worth the experience,” Rose said.
“It’s easy to get lost in the overwhelming amount of things you want to do,” Murrill said. “Narrow them down to all the things that you really want to do. Don’t plan everything; sometimes the best things happen spontaneously.”
“Set aside a certain amount of money dedicated to the trip, because we have the opportunity to travel outside of our designated city,” Gallegos said. On adjusting to Spain’s different routines, she adds, “Take as many naps as you can on the plane. I can’t nap on planes but I forced myself to take at least one. The first day, try to stay up for as long as possible.”
“You mature a lot and you grow confidence in yourself,” King said. “If you can survive a month in another country living with a random person, you can do a lot of other things and you’ll just learn so much about the world around us. It broadens your perspective.”
“I’m pretty frugal,” Pack said, “but I would say that this is very much worth saving up for and worth the cost, because not only did I learn a new culture, connected with new people, increased my proficiency in Spanish, but I feel since coming back home I have more awareness of the world around me.”
Semester in Spain is a program of Trinity Christian College based in Seville. The Anderson University Center for Global Engagement offers details about a variety of study abroad opportunities.