After a good three months studying abroad in Trujillo, Spain, I never want to leave. The experiences we had and moments we made have been unforgettable. It was the fastest semester of my life. It feels like just yesterday I met my host family and tried my first Spanish meal. It was an experience I will forever be grateful for. I learned many new things about the world and, also,…
Hola! My name is Eve Alexander and I am a double major in Sociology and Spanish entering my senior year this coming fall. I am currently in Trujillo, Spain as part of the CofC Faculty-led program on Spanish language, literature, and culture. I decided to participate in this program because it is extremely pertinent to my major and will help improve my fluency immensely in Spanish. I also chose this…
Good afternoon from Madrid! I am sitting in a local café near my dorm in a neighborhood outside of the city center, close to the metro station I use every day. After a few weeks have passed here in Madrid, I feel fully adjusted. One interesting situation I have stumbled into is befriending the café owner. About a week ago, I was looking for a place to get a cup…
As I enter my third month living in Spain, I can’t help but feel so at home and adapted to the Spanish culture. I am eating the best food I have ever had, frequently traveling to different cities, learning the language, and making new connections with locals. My host family is very social so with that comes many reunions with family and friends. This is super beneficial because I am…
This past week we traveled with the CofC Trujillo study abroad group through Andalucia. Andalucia is a big province in southern Spain and is where many emblematic Spanish things such as Flamenco and bull fights come from. On Wednesday, we stopped in Cordoba to visit the mosque. The mosque of Cordoba is very special because it was built with iconic arches resembling palm trees and its minaret was copied both…
I wanted to make my next blog post a day in my life in Spain, concentrating on what is new and different from the US! First; Monday, Wednesday, Friday I wake up around 8:10, already very different from my 6 am wake up call in the US. I go upstairs to talk with my host mom and make my breakfast. Normally an egg or a yogurt with fruit and a…
I have really enjoyed my time in Trujillo and it’s starting to feel like home. At first there was a lot to adjust to, but after about two weeks I got into my routine and speaking Spanish everyday got a lot easier. It has also been so nice to be here with other College of Charleston students because we all know exactly what each other is going through and can…
This once in a lifetime opportunity has opened my eyes to so many new things. One of the biggest things I have learned about myself is taking the time to slow down. In Spain, especially in Trujillo people are not quick to rush life. It is meant to be enjoyed and spread out rather than how fast can I finish. This is attributed greatly to how I have been able…
Living in Spain has been challenging but incredibly rewarding. I’ve already learned so much just getting to the halfway point of the program. Learning any language can be a demanding task because of the complex intricacies between speaking, writing, and listening. I’ve learned many new words that are local to the area as well as the local accent. I’ve found the differences between regional accents to be fascinating because of…
The first event I experienced in Trujillo was called Carnival. It was a three day celebration with lots of food, drink, music, and the running of the bulls. Growing up learning about this event made the experience even more exciting because I knew it was a huge cultural tradition. Although I did not run with the bulls myself, I was filled with adrenaline solely off of the energy Trujillo gave…
