Spain: Elin Wall
Program: WIP Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spring
Major: Political Science; Spanish
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
Through experiencing another culture, I have learned how much I have grown in and value my resiliency. I have faced many unfamiliar situations, whether from trying to navigate a foreign language, adjust to cultural norms, or figure out how to get around in a new city, and my resiliency has come through in each one of these, forcing me to grow and trust my ability to figure things out. Additionally, one of my biggest takeaways about the world from my study abroad experience has been about how much human ideas influence one-another. One of the most influential classes I took while abroad was a class on art history. Coming from a very minimal background in art, I learned very much about how art movements have influenced and transformed one another. I think human societies are similar. We are always looking for ways to improve, make better, make easier. Sometimes the best way to do that is not starting from scratch, but instead taking something that has already been created and making it better, adapting it to better suit the specific needs of the situation.
How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?
The academics at my University in Spain were very different from the classes I have taken at UW-Madison. Back home, grades in the classes I have taken often come from a mix of exams, attendance/participation, in-class activities, etc., with a heavy emphasis on participation and in-class conversation. However, the Spanish university system highly prioritizes exams, with your final grade often coming only from the midterm and final, or even just the final, with maybe a small percentage coming from a final paper or presentation. Additionally, the exams in Spain are highly theoretical, meaning you are not answering multiple choice questions but instead developing full paragraphs to answer a single question with an intent to demonstrate your knowledge on this subject, requiring that you not only answer the question that is asked but also to connect your answer to other relevant themes and topics in the course. This necessitates a very holistic understanding of the course content, which in some ways is beneficial as it forces students to understand the big picture of the course, but also has its drawbacks as it emphasizes memorization of content instead of active reflection (such a with debates and discussions held in class).
Fluency in a second language, especially Spanish, will undoubtedly be valuable to me as it will allow me to better communicate with the people I work with and advocate for their needs.
How will your experience benefit you in the future? How might it affect your future career or studies?
Most of all, my language skills will benefit me in the future in numerous ways. As a Spanish major, I will be able to take my advanced language skills to perform well in the rest of my classes. Additionally, my knowledge of Spanish culture and customs may come in handy in culture-based Spanish classes through being able to make comparisons to other Spanish-speaking cultures. Further, I plan to attend law school and go into immigration law. Fluency in a second language, especially Spanish, will undoubtedly be valuable to me as it will allow me to better communicate with the people I work with and advocate for their needs.
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
In Spanish culture, there exists a practice called “sobremesa”, which refers to the time spent after a meal where everyone is finished eating but continue to stay around the table just to chat with friends and family. In the United States, this occurs at Thanksgiving, but I do not think it is a regular occurrence other times. This has been a practice I have absolutely loved while living in Spain because it allows time to connect with the people in my life without feeling rushed or like we need to be doing something to be in each others’ company. Especially at restaurants in the United States, due to tip culture, it can feel as if as soon as we finish eating we need to leave the restaurant to give our table to the next group. In Spain, it is almost an expectation that going to a restaurant is a multi-hour event. I want to take this with me when leaving Spain, as a reminder that spending uninterrupted time with loved ones is important and that there is not always a rush to get to the next place or to do the next thing.