My Time In Madrid Spain

 Reflection On My Study Abroad Experience- Getting to Madrid Tips / Spanish Phrases to know

Going into this experience I knew it would be challenging for me as I have never travelled outside the country before and can often get very confused when it comes to directions and new systems.

Traveling to Spain in particular is a struggle if you do not know Spanish. There were many times where people tried to talk to me and I could not understand a word of what they were saying. This made me feel embarrassed and like I did not deserve to be there. I would say study, study, study spanish before you come to Spain. You can get by without, but the experience is a whole lot more enjoyable if you are able to actually communicate with those around you. Over time I realized that I need to be less hard on myself and allow myself to learn slowly without feeling ashamed. This experience motivated me more than ever to actually dedicate time to learning Spanish each day, and since being back in the states I have more time to dedicate to learning Spanish and it makes me feel so good! Learning more of the language continues to remind me of my experiences and brings me back into the culture.

Specific phrases and areas of study to begin to learn before coming.

As soon as you get to your gate for your flight to Spain everyone around you will be speaking in Spanish, at least thats how it was for me. So it is great to go ahead and learn all airport vocabulary and basic phrases to speak to others on the plane if you need to get by, ask a question, or get to your seat. It can be intimidating being surrounded by those all speaking a different language than you, just focus on listening to nearby conversations and trying to pick up on words you understand. Slowly you will grasp more and more words and then begin to understand the general idea of what is being said. When you arrive in Spain you have to go through customs. It if often very hectic and a long line. They will ask in Spanish if you have an EU passport to go in one line, and all others continue walking to another line. Then an official will view your passport and ask you some questions about your stay. It would be great to already have these answers prepared in Spanish so you are not as flustered as I was. Some questions they asked were…

Why are you entering Spain? How long will you be staying? Where will you be staying? 

The Madrid Barajas Airport is quite huge, once you are let through you will go pick up your bags. Since the customs process took so long my bags had been put to the side when I got to the baggage claim so just keep looking around everywhere if your bags are no where to be found because thats how I found mine! I then got an Uber to my address I was staying. I had to travel up to the Uber pickup spot, the signs in the airport often point two different ways so it can be hard to tell which way to go. Take your time and follow the arrows and if they lead you wrong just back track and try the other way. Pay attention to your surroundings, learn phrases you might need to ask for help, other workers will offer to help you if you look confused, and other travelers will help as well. 

Spanish Apps I recommend

I love a good language learning app so here are some great resources I have used to learn Spanish.

1. Memrise: This app is really great, it uses videos with native speakers, ai toolbots to chat with you, and really easy interactive ways to learn words and phrases and it is free!

2. Ella Verbs: This app/website is awesome, it takes you through all the gramatical bases in Spanish and tests you. A really great educational tool, almost like a Spanish class. This is also free for 3 months, then after you can write an email requesting further free access and they will grant it. 

3. Duolingo: This app is great at keeping you practicing every day. It teaches good gramatical concepts and helps you to form sentences. However the ads do get very annoying so to get the full benefits try to convince your parents to sign up for the family plan so you don't have to pay. 

4. Youtube: I love looking up spanish- english translated music videos and singing them and following along trying to understand the lyrics. 

5. Lipdub: This app is great because it can give you an understanding of what your Spanish voice is supposed to sound like. It’s a really cool software that translates your voice and speech into whatever language you want. This helps you understand how you'll sound once you get more fluent and is another good motivator. 

6. Conjugato: This app is also free and has all the spanish verbs and conjugations. It has flashcards to tell you the correct form and tense to use. 

7. Netflix: Any show you watch you can change the audio to spanish and turn on english subtitles. I recommend specific Spanish shows set in madrid such as Elite, and Valeria. 

Try your best to dedicate time to learn spanish to get the most out of your study abroad experience, if I could go back I would start practicing a lot sooner. 

Untraditionally Abroad

 Embarking on a semester abroad is challenging; however, going abroad to three different countries is even more challenging. This intensive, semester-long program - 16 academic credits, three developing contexts in the global south, cross-cultural learning, geographical differences, stark contrasts, and vast disparities in each context. How do we even dive into the complexities of each culture? Have I processed everything that has happened? Will I grasp what experiences we lived?

Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries where tradition has seamlessly blended with modernity. Hanoi has influences from Chinese dynasties, French colonialism, and periods of Vietnamese dynastic rule. As a result, it is a diverse cultural tapestry, blending Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and elements of French culture. The hum of scooters creates a busy atmosphere while street foods of banh mi sandwiches, bowls of bun cha, and crispy spring rolls waft from street vendors, begging patrons to take a break and eat. Old temples stand as a reminder of the country's rich culture. There is no shortage of cafes or sites to visit as one navigates the labyrinthine streets of the Old Quarter, a maze of narrow alleys lined with colorful buildings, each specializing in unique trades and goods. Flower vendors adorn the streets as women in traditional clothing lines take photos of the scenery around them

South Africa brought about a new pace. The jewel of Africa, where the waves of the Atlantic Ocean meet a new wonder of the world, a growing city ready to be unveiled. The town, nestled at the southwestern tip of the African continent, is a breathtaking blend of natural wonders, rich history, and vibrant culture. Traveling through the vibrant V&A Waterfront, one will feel the breeze carried off from the sea with the wonderful smells of food all around. This bustling harbor precinct is not only a shopper's paradise but also a gateway to Robben Island, a poignant reminder of South Africa's history. The vibrant houses and cobblestone streets make for a photographer's dream as anyone can walk through the city's history at the District Six Museum, a poignant tribute to a community forcibly displaced during apartheid. A beautiful and complex place still learning how to heal.

Finally, the vibrancy of Buenos Aires, Argentina brings you to a new home you did not know about. The vibrant colors of La Boca, a neighborhood where art and culture collide. Stroll along Caminito, a street museum adorned with lively murals, street performers, and artisan markets. Don't forget to visit La Bombonera, the iconic stadium of Boca Juniors, a pilgrimage site for football enthusiasts. Make sure to not die when trying to get a glimpse of the Messiah himself, Messi. Please take a break in the many parks for merienda – a time to relax, drink yerba mate, and eat a sweet treat. Listen to the echoes of tango, the warmth of its people, and the timeless allure of a city where tradition and modernity seamlessly intertwine. Hasta luego, Buenos Aires – a place where every step is a dance, and every moment is a celebration of life. 

Embarking on a semester abroad in Vietnam, South Africa, and Argentina was a transformative odyssey that transcended academic boundaries. Immersed in the vibrant tapestry of Hanoi and the bustling heartbeat of Vietnam, I delved into the intricacies of health policy, social determinants, and cultural nuances. Transitioning to South Africa, the journey continued amid the kaleidoscope of Cape Town's landscapes, unraveling disparities and resilience in health systems. With its rhythmic tango, Buenos Aires unveiled the cultural dimensions of health. Outside classes, my peers and I took to late-night karaoke, academic nights, dancing the tango with strangers, motorbikes in Vietnam, and homestay after homestay – no words to describe the journey. I can only offer some blurbs about the places, knowing it does nothing to capture the whole sensation. 

- Kathlin Ai Chang

Quito/Ecuador

 Quito/Ecuador Experience

    Hi guys! I'm Andres Manzano Zambrano and through Universidad de San Francisco de Quito and HPU I got to study abroad in Ecuador. I could not have predicted how amazing my time there would have been through the program. 

Quito

    At the beginning I was bummed to find out that the program was 2 months in Quito and 2 1/2 months in Galapagos. I thought I was gonna spend my entire time in Galapagos, but it turns out that was the best pacing for the program. 

    
How classes work for study abroad students is you only take one class for three weeks 9-12 Monday-Friday, and after those 3 weeks you move on to the next class and in total do 5 classes. For the marine bio track that I took our classes were Marine Techniques 1, Freshwater Ecology, Marine Ecology, Marine Conservation, and Marine Techniques 2. In Quito I took MT1 and Freshwater ecology. Every weekend if we didn't have a field trip with the school me and my friends would travel to different parts of Ecuador and explore the country. USFQ gave us so many tips on how best to travel and info on the best places to explore. The coolest places me and my friends went to was Cotopaxi, A huge dormant Volcano with glaciers and did a huge hike and got to cross out lick a glacier from my bucket list!! Other places we went was like Banos, where there's a bunch of beautiful hikes, white water rafting, and hot springs.

Marine Techniques 1

Marine techniques 1 was an amazing class with the incredible Maggie Brandt, an amazing professor who was so much fun to be with. With her and our great TA Ibon we went to the coastal town called Ayangue, where there is a Marine reserve. We studied the rocky intertidal at several beaches and go to see awesome creatures like lobsters, sea hares, and brittle stars! (I actually got a brittle star tattoo on my foot because of it). We also dove 4 times while we were there to study the subtidal environment as well. On the boat ride to our dive site we saw so many humpback whales jumping and playing around. And while diving I got to see octopus, sea lions, and even my first shark. The hotel we stayed at was so pretty and had a a great pool and we always went to the best restaurants for food. The class was way more about practical application and diving practice which was awesome to experience since most college classes are way more theoretical.

Freshwater Ecology

This class was a bit more on the theoretical side for the first two weeks but then we got to do an incredible field trip to the Amazon rainforest for a week!! We went to the USFQ Tiputini Biodiversity station and got to explore Ecuadors part of the Amazon rainforest. Got to see monkeys, river dolphins, caimans, so many species of birds, snakes, spiders, and bugs and got the blessing to even see a jaguar!! The station even has a canopy tower where you can see the vast stretch of rainforest and hear all the birds singing. It was such a beautiful experience. 

Galapagos

Right after the Amazon we hopped on a plane and headed straight to the Galapagos. We stayed at the island San Cristobal which is overall my favorite island because it's the second most populated island (8,000 people) and has easily accessible beaches to be able to go every day. There me and my friends beached essentially every day and even camped a few times at our favorite beach called Puerto Chino. A heads up, Galapagos has not much to do aside from beach (no movie theatre, no people attractions, not many concerts) so it is handy to have a hobby to be able to pass the time. Me and my friends picked up DnD as a hobby and it was some of the best parts of the trip just playing and laughing together. For our fall break we went island hopping and explored the other Islands. Isabela is by far the prettiest island with long stretch of white sand beaches and super healthy nature to go see as well as penguins and flamingos!

Marine Ecology

For Marine Ecology we once again got Maggie as our professor. We got to dive again but now in the Galapagos and got to see so many sharks. We saw hammerheads, black tips and white tip sharks as well as eagle rays and hundreds of turtles and sea lions. 

Maggie got us an extension of her permits and allowed us to do our own independent research project. It was awesome how much trust she gave to us and allowed us to actually pit our field knowledge into use. My group and I were very passionate about our project and we did research on dominant behavior of damselfish and got some really cool results out of it. 

Marine Conservation

Marine Conservation was a much more theoretical class. Talking about management projects and seeing different stakeholders perspectives about conservation. I enjoyed this class because it made me think of how the rest of society especially business owners view environmental issues and how to make it possible for them to be persuaded. We also got to do some DNA analysis in this class for illegally caught fish to see what fishermen are actually selling on the market which was pretty cool to do.

Marine Techniques 2

Then we head probably my favorite class, Marine Techniques 2. This class was taught by Alex Hearn, one of the most knowledgable shark scientists in the world. He taught us about the tracking methods and catching methods of sharks for research. He was also very honest with us about how the world works and corruption throughout environmental and government institutions and how to combat them to protect the planet. He was very welcoming to conversations and loved debating and hearing out our ideas. To add to that we had SO MUCH field work experience with him. 

We got to watch him handle and tag baby sharks and teach us the tagging techniques in person and why they tag them this way. We also got to dive with him as well and saw so so many sharks. Including Galapagos shark that would swim up to 5 feet close to you and we encountered a school of 40 hammerheads which was such an insane and beautiful thing to experience.  We also ran into a school of over 100 devil rays and saw probably up to a hundred white tip sharks as well. 

End Note

The experience I have had to be able to connect with nature in such intimate ways was the best thing I could've hoped for. I got to accomplish so many things on my bucket list and enjoy the beauties of the Galapagos, Amazon and many more environments in just 4 months. To add to that I had awesome professors who gave us so much practical experience on the field with wild animals and techniques to study them. On the social side I got to make a group of friends that I will know and treasure for the rest of my life and go to explore and adventure with them across a beautiful country. The experience was a treasure and studying abroad was one of the best decisions I've ever made.