Submitted by Emily Mongold on the 2018 summer session program in Salamanca, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
When asked what I have learned in the past month, I could say so many different things. I learned the difference between “desde” and “desde hace,” the capitals of the seventeen autonomous communities in Spain and the legend of the Cave of Salamanca. I learned so much about Spanish grammar, culture and Salamancan literature through the classes I took here, but that does not even cover part of it. I learned the unique perspective that Spaniards have on life, how their schedule differs, how they do not rush people out of a restaurant and they do not worry about being a little bit late, as time spent with friends and family is of the highest value. I could say that I learned about myself, my ability to apply the Spanish I have learned over the years and to be independent and navigate a foreign country. But above all else, I have learned the importance of learning a different language, the importance of experiencing a culture that is different from your own. When they tell you in language classes that it opens you up to a new way of seeing and experiencing the world, it is hard to understand what that really means. Living in Spain for a month, I began to feel at home here. I knew my way around, how to react to other people and even how the culture varies within the country. It is hard to put into words the experiences that I have had. It is hard to explain what I have learned when I have learned that you cannot learn everything from studying. There is an enormous difference between learning about Toledo in class and writing down the places of interest and actually going there and seeing firsthand the influences from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and how the unique history of Toledo leads to its unique architecture and culture. Most of all, what I have learned from this past month is that there is so much more to learn and so much more to experience in the world.