Submitted by Jennifer Rivera on the 2013 summer session study abroad program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures…
So this was a very eventful week in Granada for me! I awoke during the middle of Monday night with stomach pain and my condition worsened until finally I went to the hospital. I did not want to go, I thought I merely had a virus and it would eventually go away. Lo and behold, I actually had appendicitis and needed to undergo surgery. I have never had surgery before in my life and so, it is just my luck that my first one would be out of the country, away from my family, and with everyone around me speaking a language I am not fluent in! I was so upset at first but, the staff was very nice to me and I was able to understand most of what went on. Although, I now understand how Spanish speakers in the United States must feel when they have to go to the hospital and everyone only speaks English. It is very frightening and unnerving to be uncertain of what is happening around you.
The surgeons were very nice to me and attempted to speak some English when they sensed I couldn’t understand something. It is very funny to notice how people interact with you when they realize you don’t speak their language. I oftentimes felt like I was five years old again because they would use very simple terminology like, “peepee” and “caca”. I stayed in the hospital for about 3 days. Even though I was only in the hospital for 3 days it felt more like 2 weeks! I am sad that I missed some of the class excursions and that I had to waste some of my limited time here laying in a hospital bed!!! One of the good things about this experience though was that I had a lot of support from my friends in the class, my professors, and my host mom as well. I was visited often and so, at least I felt cared for and that I was not alone.
However, the next day after I was released from the hospital I went on a class excursion to Guadix, Castillo de la Calahorra, and Cabo de Gata. It was a very long day, but I was so glad I went. The trip went very smoothly and I had very little pain even though the walk up to Castillo was quite steep! We actually began our day at Guadix which is a town where many cave houses are located. We went to a cave museum and I found myself becoming interested in owning a cave myself one of these days. They stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter so, there’s no need for air conditioning or central heating. They are also apparently pretty cheap to buy. Who knows, maybe one day after I’ve saved up some money, I may return to Spain and purchase one for myself! Besides my dream of becoming a cave dweller, I thought that Guadix was a gorgeous little town. I love the way the houses look like they are built on top of one and another or carved right into the earth itself. Then we went to Castillo which was an amazing experience as well. We actually were able to venture inside the castle which many people do not get to do. What was most intriguing about the castle was that the outside looked very formidable, strong, and basically like a fortress. Yet on the inside it was a palace with very intricate designs and architecture. The contrast was that of night and day! Interestingly, the ceilings were different heights depending on where you were in the palace. Apparently, the higher ceilings meant that the room was intended for people of high status and the places with low-lying ceilings were intended for servants to reside. It boggles my mind that every tiny detail in these Spanish buildings have meaning, even the heights of the rooms! It also made me sad for the people who had to serve the royalty because I feel as if the low ceilings and having to constantly stoop must have been constant reminders of their lower status and their place in life.
Finally, we ended our day at the beach and it was the best way to end our final excursion. I could not really swim in the water because I still have my bandages on and I am not allowed to get them wet but, I still had fun soaking up the sun and dipping my feet in. I cannot believe that this was our final excursion as a class and that I only have 1 week left in Spain! Where did all the time go? I feel like it was just yesterday that I stepped off the plane in Málaga and pretty soon, I will have to start packing my things and getting ready to go back.