When I turned 17 last year, I told my mom that I didn’t want to have a grand debut party on my 18th birthday. I told her that I wanted to travel instead to “broaden my horizons.” Mommy read a few months earlier that the Institute for Foreign Studies sends groups of young students to another country for an immersion program to study the language and culture of the country.
Mom asked me if I wanted to join a five-week Spain Immersion Program this summer as an advance birthday gift. I finally got what I wanted, traveling on my own with a group of new friends!
Our trip brought us to Salamanca for three weeks and Barcelona for two weeks. Salamanca is known as the “Golden City” and is the area where the purest Spanish is spoken. It has been named a “Heritage City” signifying that it represents the best of European Culture. Barcelona, on the other hand, is located on the Mediterranean coast and is rich in cultural heritage and beautiful architecture. In between these two places, we would go by bus or by train to the other cities like Madrid, Segovia, Avila, Figueres and Montserrat.
I expected that my foster mom would be mean, strict and wouldn’t take care of me. The reality was the exact opposite. I stayed with a foster mom who was so caring (she asked me so many times “Que tal?” meaning “How are you?”) and a very good cook (she cooks the best paella and taught me the secret of doing it), and there was an unexpected bonus: having foster brothers who were twins!
We had Spanish lessons every weekday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. After these hours, we learned that the Spanish people settle in for a very long siesta, during which time everything stops… no cinema, no shops operating… everybody takes a rest! Dinner was quite late, too, about 10 p.m.
Madrid is Spain’s capital, and has the best museums in the world, the craziest nightlife in Europe and various distinct neighborhoods, each with its own special character and something unique to offer. Mind you, we didn’t go nightclubbing… the only adult activity we tried, maybe, was drinking wine!
Segovia is Spain and Castile at its best: twisting alleyways, beautiful churches, pedestrian streets where no cars are allowed… We also went to the Roman Aqueduct, the largest and best preserved of its kind anywhere, which also served as a mintmark on all the coins of the city. We also went to the Alcazar Castle where Queen Isabel promised Columbus the financial backing he needed to eventually “discover” America.
Another beautiful place I visited was a walled town called Avila. The massive walls are 2,500 meters long and encircle the whole town with heavy stone towers. It is where St. Teresa had frequent visions and ecstatic experiences. Nearby the church stands the house where St. Teresa lived.
In Salamanca, I had the best surprise of my life. There I found a pastry shop named I. Selma — my name! I found out that the Selma name is Brazilian of origin. I bought candies with the Iselma trademark and kept it to prove to my family that we have roots in Europe!
The other surprise I had was that I had a housemate who is really a certified matador… 22 years old and oh-so-handsome! He has hazel eyes and his name is Luis. I really couldn’t concentrate whenever he was around.
Three weeks in Salamanca flew by so fast, the next thing I knew I was saying goodbye to my Spanish family. It was so heartbreaking. I never imagined I would feel so attached to them. I felt that I was really a part of the family. I felt that a part of me was left behind there, and I promised myself I would go back there someday.
Traveling to Barcelona was a long train ride, full of suspense. The train was stopped at one point by authorities because they had found a dead body near the tracks.
We continued our Spanish lessons, and adjusting to a new foster family was hard. My foster parents were very busy and so the family intimacy that I felt in Salamanca was lacking. This was compensated, though, with the new friends I met. I had Swedish, Vietnamese and Brazilian housemates who were also students and stayed in the same house with me.
We were able to watch a real soccer match and my seat was one of the best! I really wanted to understand why all these people were so crazy about soccer.
We went to Figueres, the hometown of Salvador Dali. The museum is home to one of the largest collections of his work. The building itself is a work of art!
We also visited the famous “La Sagrada Familia” (in Catalan, “The Holy Family”), which is a large Roman Catholic basilica under construction. Antoni Gaudí worked on the project for over 40 years, devoting the last 15 years of his life entirely to this endeavor. On why it took a long time for him to finish it, Gaudí is said to have joked, “My client is not in a hurry.” After Gaudí’s death in 1926, work continued until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1935.
Every part of the design of La Sagrada Família is rich with Christian symbolism, as Gaudí intended the church to be the “last great sanctuary of Christendom.” Its most striking aspect is the spindle-shaped towers — a total of 18 towers representing, in ascending order of height, the 12 Apostles, the four Evangelists, the Virgin Mary and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ.
One of the best places I visited was Montserrat. It is a spectacular and beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat about an hour by train from Barcelona.
Now I know the value of family, money and education. I have found out that experiencing a different culture in another country means taking risks, and trying new things to find my own identity.
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The next Institute for Foreign Study Sem-Break Program to Spain takes place this October. Call 812-1187/812-6229 or 0906-309 6723 or visit www.ifsphil.net for more information. Limited slots are available.