Finishing a semester abroad happens fast. One day you land and are nervous about just getting off the airplane, the next you cannot imagine ever leaving as you plane takes off. I vividly went through both emotions. First arriving in Spain, I was very nearly counting down the days until I could leave. I was out of my element and just wanted to be back. However, after the first week the fear and apprehension turned to confidence, I slowly became more and more eager with exploring and learning about the country I was calling home for 10 weeks.
First the food. Spain, and most of anywhere outside the US, has a different control system on food where it is focused on high quality over high quantity. For Càdiz, this was tuna, dark cherries, and Jamòn to be in an environment where the food is treated with a very high level of respect is not so much a culture shock as it is a period of adjustment. Coming from the United States we have no real sanctity of food and that ideology help nothing. In Spain there was a pride that was visible in the farming, the cooking, and the serving of the food that helped me gain a whole new appreciation for the art of cooking and the sanctity of food.
Going to another country is nerve-wracking. However, to not understand the language is an added difficulty. I learned very quickly that patience and silence go a long way. I could not force anyone to magically learn English, rather I would have to humble myself and really try to understand a person. In slowing down and really working on the communication with another one on one you get experiences that are unforgettable. I definitely got the most out of the program in the moments when I was by myself and talking to a local farmer or barber about their life, the weather, or their favorite food. By taking the time to not know everything and challenge yourself to listen and understand the return is almost infinite. I would tell anyone traveling anywhere that to learn the language is to unlock a whole new experience and something everyone should do.
Research abroad is the same as research at home. Save for the language barrier the expectations are identical. Who you research with is what makes it a positive or negative experience. For myself, I would interact with both my mentor and another professor at the university who was good friends with my mentor. They were two of the kindest, most open minded, and smartest individuals ever. Research is not always easy, and with my research we had more failures than successes. However largely in part to those two professors I never wanted to give up. Their encouragement and general curiosity in the subject helped give me energy to keep going forward. I would hope that should I mentor on a research project in the future I can give my student a tenth of the energy and enthusiasm they gave me every day.
Study abroad is a must for all college students anywhere. To push yourself outside that comfort zone or language barrier or realm of understanding is to gain a better world view. It is scary and frightening to take the first steps toward even applying but to take those steps is to start yourself on an amazing and unforgettable journey. I have nothing but high praise for my time abroad and would happily recommend it to anyone.
Joseph Duhamel (BS Math) participated in the Summer 2023 international summer learning opportunity for students offered through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors. The International Summer Undergraduate Research Program represents a collaboration between The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the University of Cadiz in Spain. The purpose of the initiative is to support students to participate in an eight (8) week intensive research experience during the summer in a global environment.
Share this post:
Leave a Reply