Jennifer (Jenny) Fandel, current Sophomore Civil Engineering major, took advantage of UP’s amazing study abroad programs and traveled to Segovia, Spain with the University, but traveled independently for two weeks for fun after the program had ended. She spent five weeks doing an intensive Spanish language program with one professor from UP and another directly from Spain. Through the small program size of 24 students, Jenny was able to improve her Spanish language skills and learn all about the culture by fully immersing herself in it. Since the Segovia program is for advanced Spanish, all students get to stay with their own host family! Let’s hear what Jenny has to say about this life altering experience:
How long had you studied Spanish before traveling to Spain and how comfortable were you knowing you’d have to use it to communicate for the next two months?
“I had studied Spanish for seven years before university, and I had always known I wanted to visit Spain. I was very excited to be living in a Spanish speaking country for two months, even though I knew that my language skills and comfort level would be challenged!”
What are the first thoughts that were rushing through your head during your first days in Segovia?
“This is a bit of a random thought, but the sky seemed huge and I was struck with its expansiveness when I stepped off the train in Segovia after a full day of travel starting off from here in Portland. I waited outside the station for my host dad to pick me up and took in the scenery around me, the perfectly spaced puffy clouds, blue sky and a light breeze blowing the tall grass and poppies. That image really stuck with me for some reason. Oh, and that there were lots of new people talking to me in really fast, accented Spanish. And that I had forgotten the words for silverware.”
How quickly did you adjust to the lifestyle and culture surrounding you?
“Pretty quickly, especially the nightlife! What else are college students in a foreign country going to do on their Friday and Saturday nights?? I really enjoyed walking to class every morning, meals with my family, the daily late afternoon “paseo” about the streets to mingle with friends, and explorations around the city and country. Segovia is a very safe and welcoming city and this smaller locale was perfect for a homestay and study abroad program.”
Was there anything completely shocking that you never would have expected to happen?
“Well, this isn’t really an event, but it’s definitely culture shock. There was jamón absolutely everywhere. And by jamón, I mean a dry-cured pig leg with the hoof cut removed. Every family in Segovia had one that was kept on a special stand and cut into whenever they wanted some slices for a meal. Practically all restaurants had some hanging around, and there were shops that had these legs covering literally all wall and ceiling space.”
What was your host family like and what will you miss most about living with them?
“My host family was very welcoming and I especially enjoyed the company of my host dad Oscar, who I spent the most time with. We joked around a lot and understood each other and just had a very good dynamic, so I will miss our conversations the most. My host mom, Ana, was working and going to university in Salamanca during my visit, so she was very busy in comparison. They had two kids, Gael and Sarah, who were quite amusing and fun to have around and gave me the opportunity to have more basic conversations in Spanish.”
What is your favorite memory that you will hold on to forever?
“This is a really hard question. I have thousands of memories, and photos, from my time in Spain. Night walks along the beach, swimming in the Mediterranean, staying out until dawn, drinking Sangria in the heat, stuffing my face with Paella, cliff jumping, touring majestic cathedrals and mosques, overnight bus rides, zipping through the countryside on a high speed train, climbing sculptures and light posts, viewing some amazing art museums, wearing flowers in my hair, witnessing massive religious festivities, walking across an entire city in a single day, getting lost in the maze of streets, touching the metal plates of the Guggenheim, naps on the beach, climbing rope structures, walking through a street littered with thousands of rose petals, and watching a great many gorgeous sunsets in cities all around Spain. Sorry everyone, it’s hard to choose just one.”
When comparing the lifestyle and culture in Spain to that in the United States what would you say is the most radical difference?
“Spanish culture is much more open and focused less on the home. We never visited the homes of other students and their host families. All social gathering is very chill and done in public spaces, from parks to bars to restaurant terraces and benches along the streets. Oh, that and the family dynamic! Extended families live much closer together and spend more time with one another than here in the US. My host dad’s mother lived in the adjacent apartment building, and she could see her other son’s apartment from her terrace.”
Was it hard coming back home after Spain had been your home for the past two months?
“Yes, very, and not just because I had some hard goodbyes. I actually get homesick for Spain and especially Segovia now. There’s so much there to appreciate, from people to places, and I didn’t realize how much they meant to me until they were over 5000 miles away! It’s a difficult adjustment.”
What was the largest adjustment when coming back home and how did you handle it?
“Not speaking Spanish constantly! At the two month point, you’re just getting accustomed to the language and your vocabulary is expanding and then bam, back to English.”
If you were ever to return to Segovia or Spain what would be the first thing you had to do?
“When I visit Segovia again (because I definitely will), the first thing I would do is say hi to my host family, then go to VenVen, GuaGua and El Sitio for drinks! Oh, and hike to see the castle and along the base of the aqueduct.”
Last one, you have a friend of a friend who has been accepted into the Segovia program and is having second thoughts about going. What would you say to them?
“Go! You might never have another opportunity like this one and it will leave such a big impression on your life. I think that applies to any study abroad program, as well. Apply and, if you get accepted, go have a great experience.”
There you have it Folks, Jenny’s tales and experiences while abroad. I know she has much more to say so if you see her around ask her about her summer of fun in Spain ☺