Submitted by Jade Schlegel on the 2022 spring semester program in Madrid, Spain…
As I sit on a bus to El Escorial, reflecting on my week has become one of my favorite parts of my week. It has helped me realize how my time here is so short and will fly by whether or not I want it to. Throughout this week, I realized I needed to immerse myself in the culture while living here in Spain. While one may do this through food and fashion, this week I did that through dance! Dancing is a big part of Spanish culture and a very fun part of it, too. I visited a salsa club and learned how to dance some salsa and bachata. Dancing is a great way to get moving and also have such an amazing time with friends while also meeting new people. While I’m definitely not the best dancer out there, seeing a new part of Spanish culture was the highlight of my week. It will definitely be something I do again while here in Spain! I also saw a flamenco show with a friend. The style of dance is not something I’ve seen before and it differs from American dance styles. Flamenco is loud and very dependent on noise. Watching the show was the perfect chance to take an hour to relax and learn more about Spain. It was also cool to see the dancers so engaged with each other; they all cheered as a dancer completed a difficult move. When going abroad, we often think about immersing ourselves in a culture by doing certain activities. For me, this started by eating the food and getting myself on the Spanish times for meals. It is also common to start dressing European to fit into their culture. In my opinion, understanding the arts of a culture can be a more valuable way to learn about the culture and an easy way to jump in and immerse yourself while living abroad.
