Submitted by Rebecca Jaeger on the 2013 fall semester program in Granada, Spain..
When anyone asks me how I spent my first night in Granada, I will gladly recount for them the now, comical story of how I was locked out of my host family’s apartment for almost two hours. Yes, my roommate and I had keys, but we could not figure out how to open the door, because the keys were much different than we were used to. Finally, with the help of a neighbor, who opened the door on the first try, we were able to get in. Prior to arriving in Spain, I knew that there would be many changes that come with living with a host family, but it didn’t even occur to me that keys would be one of them. Over the past week, I have been introduced to many cultural differences while living with my host family: dinner is eaten at 10pm (I’ve never eaten that late in my life), shoes should be worn in the house (I normally go barefoot) and it is customary to keep your hands on the table while eating (I never realized how much I keep my hands in my lap). Needless to say, these past five days have been an adjustment! It is quite a transition to go from from living at home with my family to living in someone else’s house in a foreign country. Although there are awkward moments and a language barrier to overcome, I am slowly getting used to the Spanish way of life. Living with a host family is bound to be a priceless, educational experience that will hopefully aid me in becoming fluent in Spanish (which is my goal for the program). And now that I know how to unlock the door, I look forward to the next few months to see what I can learn from being part of a Spanish family!