Summer Language Abroad 2023

Rio de Janeiro has been an amazing experience overall. From visiting Cristo Redentor to seeing the cultural patrimony and how it is supported by the Brazilian government, to just meeting incredible kind and open people. It has been a memorable and interesting experience where I have learned how U.S. cultural and Brazilian customs intersect and differ. In doing so I have grown to appreciate where I have grown as a person and as a world citizen and where I still need to continue to grow.

Seeing how much U.S. cultural productions are the rage in Brazil has been interesting. For example, while I still need to see Barbie, there were Barbie-themed foods, pizzas, cookies, and more. Barbie was, for lack of a better word, fetch, in Brazil. People were going to the movie wearing pink, getting their nails done specially for the film. It was in many ways, a mirror to the experience people had with the movie in the United States. Much like the United States this, of course, meant that Oppenheimer received the second billing among fans.

Brazil and the United States share a long history of partnerships and cultural interchange, primarily with the United States cultural products entering Brazil and it is fascinating to watch that in practice.

From U.S. Music to seeing U.S. sports on television, to noticing the presence of Lakers jerseys and NBA fans in Brazil, it is fascinating to think about the links between Brazil and the United States and in many ways the one-sidedness of U.S. cultural presence n Brazil, while Brazil lacks such a cultural presence in the United States

It’s now been about 2 weeks since I returned to the US, and I can confidently say that my jet lag is finally gone. This trip was my first time ever leaving the US, which initially was very overwhelming, but also made it more fun in a sense. I did have expectations going in, but not too many, as I’d never done something like this before. I can confidently say that my few expectations were met, and definitely the only thing to surprise me was the degree to which American culture impacts the rest of the world. Of course, I knew that culture is America’s greatest export, but it still ended up surprising me that it seems almost inescapable, although this does make sense when I think about it further. I learned that there are certainly innumerable cultures throughout the world, although the cultural differences seem to not be equally distributed so to speak. This is to say that when I, an American, speak to someone culturally different, some of their mannerisms or beliefs may surprise me, but the reverse is unlikely to be true. I think this really brought into the picture how much power matters whenever cultures differ. Aside from this, there were some aspects of Japanese culture and society that I liked and others that I didn’t. On a societal level, one of my biggest takeaways was how nice a good train system can be, and how much easier it makes life. On a cultural one, I think I’ve gotten better at not accidentally disturbing others without thinking, as I noticed a much higher standard of respect for not bothering people in Japan. Overall, this experience has certainly changed the way that I think about my country’s policies (and the ramifications of those policies) along with the way that I carry myself when talking to people who differ culturally so that I won’t accidentally make someone uncomfortable. I am very grateful for this trip, and I hope to use the skills I learned going forward to be a better communicator.

Its been a week and a half since I left Madrid. The most shocking thing, or perhaps what doesn’t feel shocking at all, is how easy it has been to adjust to life back home. The moment I pulled into my driveway it felt like I hadn’t left home at all. Its interesting how easily humans can adapt to new situations. To be honest though, I had hoped for a bit more culture shock. I secretly hoped that I would’ve gotten so used to life in Madrid that it would feel strange living in the US again, but being home with my family felt so familiar that I couldn’t pretend to feel like an outsider who would never be the same after her summer in Spain. There have certainly been a few things that have taken a second to get used to again, though. Sitting at a restaurant and hearing Americans speaking English at the table next to me was genuinely weird, because that’s the sort of thing that I would have been so excited to experience in Spain. I’ve also had to make a conscious effort not to order my food in Spanish, more times than I’d like to admit. I even went to the Pupuseria by my house just so I could have a conversation in Spanish. I didn’t expect to miss the daily interactions in Spanish so much, but it has felt weird not speaking Spanish anymore. I’ve tried to keep up with my Spanish by watching Spanish tv shows and reading Spanish books, but I definitely miss the feeling of being completely immersed in the language.

I’ve also spent a lot of time reflecting on what’s different now after 2 months in Spain. Looking back at my first blog post, my biggest reflection is that I’m honestly not sure how much I’ve changed. I feel like the same person, but I think over time I’ll come to realize how much this summer in Madrid affected me. One thing I have realized, though, is that I thought moving to Madrid would be a lot harder than it actually was. Maybe the reality is that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was. Granted the great friends and loving host family were crucial, but I also think I gained a lot of confidence, independence, and eagerness to explore which made Madrid so amazing. Every experience was a way to practice Spanish and another way I could immerse myself in Spanish culture.

Another thing I’ve realized since getting back to the States is that I wish I could have immersed myself in Spanish culture and language more. At Nebrija where I took Spanish classes everyone was American, so I spent most of my time speaking English and interacting with other American college students. I wish it had been easier for me to meet Madrid locals so I could learn more about life in Madrid and practice colloquial Spanish. In July my host family traveled a lot so I spent less time speaking Spanish with them. If I could do this over again I would do more on my own and pushed myself to meet locals so I could speak more Spanish. Luckily, I will have the opportunity to do this again. I’m studying abroad in Santiago, Chile this spring, and I feel so much more prepared to get more out of my experience in Chile. I now know that I want to make a stronger effort to spend time with my host family, make friends with local Chilean students, and speak more Spanish than English.

My time in Madrid was absolutely incredible. Leaving Madrid was one of the hardest, most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I miss the city and my friends so much, and its a weird feeling not knowing the next time, if ever, I’ll see these people or be back in this city again. However, I’m left with incredible memories and lessons that I’ll carry with me forever. People always make fun of that cliché saying “study abroad changed my life.” I used to make fun of it too before I realized that it’s probably true.