Submitted by Helena Garcia on the 2016 summer session program in Salamanca, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
The University of Salamanca during its summer courses is home to students from many different countries and cultures. While this diversity is welcomed and at times a bit difficult to maneuver, there are many similarities between my peers and I. For example, I have noticed over the past few days that college students of any nation have a tough time staying awake during 9:00 am classes. My first class at the University of Salamanca is a two hour intensive grammar class and although we have already learned a lot thanks to our lively and wonderful professor, the first hour of our class is a chorus of yawns. Of course, as a remedy, many of us drink coffee during class which is very typical of Spanish culture. I, for one, am not a coffee fanatic, but I have become a bigger coffee drinker because breakfast in my house consists of coffee or hot chocolate and some small tea cookies or muffins. This, among other things, is a large difference between American culture and Spanish culture as in America, breakfast food consists of eggs, pancakes and bacon to name just a few. Despite the minimal food and early classes, mornings in Salamanca are actually quite peaceful compared to the bustling afternoon filled with terrace dining, tourism and tapas. Although I have not become necessarily accustomed to the summer early morning wake up calls yet, the views on my walk to class (see photo below) almost always makes the sleep deprivation completely worth it.