After four months of writing my blog, I just learned five minutes ago how to read the comments that people have left on it... The learning just never stops. I have learned a lot about myself, my culture, what other people think of my cultue, the Spanish culture and history- all in the past week!! This has been a crazy busy week and the hecticness will only continue.
This was my last week of classes, finals have officially started! I have sucessfully finished two of my classes, my two favorite classes here (History of the Spanish Language and European Theory) , which is bitter sweet because I really enjoyed those classes and professors very much. But I am just glad to have them out of the way. Going through all of my notes just reminded me of how much I have to learn and remember. Four montsh of notes is no joke. The past four days I have been locked in the library and my room just studying, reviewing, on the verge of tears because there is just so much to learn and not enough time to do everything. That is one of my problems, I want to do SO much but there just never seems to be enough time. Trying to make time for other things was one of the reasons that I was so stressed this week. Two weeks ago I made time to go on vacation. I went to Ibiza and spent all week on the beach with hundreds of other Erasums students. It was sooo much fun, but of course no studying got done and no papers were written. I cam back, but of course studying was not on the top of my priorites. Well it was, but other things seemed more pressing. Instead of studing this week I went to Alicante and met up with the Coe students that are doing the May term in Spain. It was so much fun and I am glad that I went (I stayed with a friend that I made while I was in Ibiza who was super nice). During this trip I was just reminded of what I have learned, all of the friends here that I have made, all of the things that I have done, all of the things that I still want to do, how I have just gotten to a place where I can reflect and look to the future simulataneously. It was interesting to hear the things that the Coe girls liked and disliked about Spain, things that I said shortly after my arrival. I felt more Spanish this past weekend than I have felt at any point in my time here, being able to show someone that I have made progress.
This crazy, busy week is almost over. My roommate is moving to Madrid because she was offered a better job (something that happened while I was in Ibiza), I am leaving tomorrow to go on a European trip to Italy (Milan, Venice, Rome), Madrid and London. I am excited, nervous, anxious and just have a million things going through my head. But I know that I will have a great time. I just know that when I get back there will be a million things to do. Get to know my new roommate, who will be here when I get here, finish two essays, study for three tests, try to do more traveling and finally return to the U.S.
I had almost mentioned that I had learned more things about how people percieve my culture, so I shall get to that point right now (I feel all over the place right now, very scatter-brained and it is definitely showing in this post). My old host parents went to New York while I was in Ibiza. When I got back I went over and had lunch with them. They told me all about it, what they saw, how it was "Just like in the movies." It was interesting to hear what they thought of America based off of what they saw in Manhattan. That it is a wasteful culture, that we eat a lot of fast food, that we are always running, always in a rush to get somewhere. The funniest thing that Dori told me was that she used a waffle iron for the first time at their hotel. She found it facinating and was just amazed because she had never made a waffle before. It was odd to me because we have a waffle iron in the caf and use it all the time, getting upset when they took away the waffle batter during weekday lunches. It was interesting to see how her face lit up when she told me how facinated she was by the shoe selection at Foot Locker. It just never really occured to me that such small things of our culture can have such an impact on someone seeing them for the first time. I know that people experience it, but it was interesting to see it from someone that I know well.
Today, while taking a break from studying, I had coffee with Dori. We talked about how life just changes so quickly. People come in and out of our lives and we just have to learn how to adjust accordingly. Some people stay in your life forever while others have just brief contact with you. But everyone teaches you something, makes you realize something new about them, about yourself, about life in general.
The learning just never stops and I am happy with that.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
A reflection about learning
I feel like more and more, especially being here in Spain, I realize how little I know and how much I have to learn.
I realize how little I know about politics. I sit in one of my classes class and listen to the Spanish students talk about the unemployment rate in Spain compared to other countries, listen to them talk about the key players in all of the European nations and their roles in the global recession. I listen to them talk about why Spain will not be like Greece, who is asking the European Union for a bail out. I listen in my other class about the history of the European economics system, sometimes with someone interjecting in a point that the professor makes about the GATT or the role of the World Bank. In a different class I listen as one of the guys throws out facts about the linguistic history of Spain, reciting verses of El Mio Cid or talking about the influence of the Arabs on the Spanish language as if he were talking about the latest sports score. I sit and I listen, and listen, and listen. And I realize that I have so much to learn.
I feel like the more I listen, the more I realize how little I really do know. About the history of Spain, about the history of the United States, about the history of Colorado, about the history of my own family, American politics, world politics, current world news. I have lived in the same country my entire life, the same state my entire life minus the three years I have been in college, with the same people my entire life, and yet I know so little about all of them. I try to read some sort of news source every day and still know very little about what is going on in the country and in the world.
I got to Spain and was shocked to learn about the high unemployment rate here; people looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I did not realize that it was such a huge problem here. I knew that people from Cataluña had a strong regional pride, but I did not realize how strongly other regions had similar pride as well. I thought that I was going to come here and that it was going to be beach weather all year long (in fact, I even brought more skirts, dresses, shorts and tank tops than warm clothes and have only worn them a couple times because it has been so chilly and rainy since I have been here). I didn’t know that this region is famous for oranges and that they take pride in that. I didn’t know that I would be asked all the time about American politics and that people here would know more about what is going on in my country than I do.
Being here I have really gotten to know what people mean when they say that the most learning takes place outside of the classroom. The more I talk to people, the more I go out and have coffee with friends, the more I have dinner with my two Spanish families, the more I learn about Spain and the world and myself. I am not really sure what it is that I have learned about myself quite yet, but I have learned that I have tons more to learn. I have learned/ realized how important my family and friends are, my family here (that consists of friends and the people that have taken my into their homes) and my family in the United States (my parents, my sisters, my nephew), my high school friends, my friends from Coe, my friends from D.C. I am learning and realizing how different my life would have been if just one person had not come along in my life; the absence of just one single person could totally have changed my life. I am learning how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life and appreciating the life that I have and all of the amazing opportunities that I have been given. There are so many things that I wish I could have changed, especially the way that I have treated people; I cannot change what I have done in the past but can hope that in the future I will not be the same person and make the same mistakes.
In my blog entries I try not to write extremely personal stuff because I feel that this blog is about my experiences here, but I feel like I have come to personal realizations that I should share. I have realized how important my parents are and how important they have been in my future. When I say my parents, I am talking about my mom, stepdad and biological dad. My dad left my mom when I was younger and I do not have a good relationship, really any relationship, with him. But I am realizing how important he is in my life. Not only would I not be here in the world without him, my life would be completely different if he had stayed in my life. I am certain that I would not be where I am today if my parents were still together. I realize how important my mom is in my life. She has taught me so much in life and is one of the most loving and generous people that I know. She has never let me settle for second best and has always given me all of the things that she never had growing up, mainly a mom that tells her daughters every day that she loves them and that they are the best thing that has ever happened to her. I am realizing how important my stepdad is in my life. He has been in my life for 20 years and I cannot imagine not having lived without him. He has never treated me like I was not his daughter. He and my mom gave me an amazing childhood, and are still trying to give me an amazing life, a life that neither or them had. 30 years ago my stepdad went to the U.S. with no money, no job, not able to speak English, hoping for a better life, and here I am in Spain, traveling, learning, living an amazing life thanks to him and my mom.
Like I said before, I do not like to write personal things here, but this entry would not be complete without mentioning one more person, a person that I have learned so much from, that has taught me about myself and that I am so thankful to have in my life. I would not have guessed when I left home to go to Iowa for college that I would meet someone as amazing as this person. This person has showed me how fortunate I am in life, has helped me realize how amazing my parents are, how amazing I am, how remarkable and generous people who are not your actual family members can be. They have taught/ told me that I have tons to learn in life. They have been patient and put up with so much of my crap. I have done nothing to deserve this person's love and friendship and have learned this year being away from this person how valuable they are, how different my life would be without them and how luck I am to have this incredible person in my life. I know that I do not say it enough, but you are incredibly fantastic and I cannot image a better person to have in my life. So thank you, John Sherrod. I appreciate and love you more than words can express.
I realize how little I know about politics. I sit in one of my classes class and listen to the Spanish students talk about the unemployment rate in Spain compared to other countries, listen to them talk about the key players in all of the European nations and their roles in the global recession. I listen to them talk about why Spain will not be like Greece, who is asking the European Union for a bail out. I listen in my other class about the history of the European economics system, sometimes with someone interjecting in a point that the professor makes about the GATT or the role of the World Bank. In a different class I listen as one of the guys throws out facts about the linguistic history of Spain, reciting verses of El Mio Cid or talking about the influence of the Arabs on the Spanish language as if he were talking about the latest sports score. I sit and I listen, and listen, and listen. And I realize that I have so much to learn.
I feel like the more I listen, the more I realize how little I really do know. About the history of Spain, about the history of the United States, about the history of Colorado, about the history of my own family, American politics, world politics, current world news. I have lived in the same country my entire life, the same state my entire life minus the three years I have been in college, with the same people my entire life, and yet I know so little about all of them. I try to read some sort of news source every day and still know very little about what is going on in the country and in the world.
I got to Spain and was shocked to learn about the high unemployment rate here; people looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I did not realize that it was such a huge problem here. I knew that people from Cataluña had a strong regional pride, but I did not realize how strongly other regions had similar pride as well. I thought that I was going to come here and that it was going to be beach weather all year long (in fact, I even brought more skirts, dresses, shorts and tank tops than warm clothes and have only worn them a couple times because it has been so chilly and rainy since I have been here). I didn’t know that this region is famous for oranges and that they take pride in that. I didn’t know that I would be asked all the time about American politics and that people here would know more about what is going on in my country than I do.
Being here I have really gotten to know what people mean when they say that the most learning takes place outside of the classroom. The more I talk to people, the more I go out and have coffee with friends, the more I have dinner with my two Spanish families, the more I learn about Spain and the world and myself. I am not really sure what it is that I have learned about myself quite yet, but I have learned that I have tons more to learn. I have learned/ realized how important my family and friends are, my family here (that consists of friends and the people that have taken my into their homes) and my family in the United States (my parents, my sisters, my nephew), my high school friends, my friends from Coe, my friends from D.C. I am learning and realizing how different my life would have been if just one person had not come along in my life; the absence of just one single person could totally have changed my life. I am learning how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life and appreciating the life that I have and all of the amazing opportunities that I have been given. There are so many things that I wish I could have changed, especially the way that I have treated people; I cannot change what I have done in the past but can hope that in the future I will not be the same person and make the same mistakes.
In my blog entries I try not to write extremely personal stuff because I feel that this blog is about my experiences here, but I feel like I have come to personal realizations that I should share. I have realized how important my parents are and how important they have been in my future. When I say my parents, I am talking about my mom, stepdad and biological dad. My dad left my mom when I was younger and I do not have a good relationship, really any relationship, with him. But I am realizing how important he is in my life. Not only would I not be here in the world without him, my life would be completely different if he had stayed in my life. I am certain that I would not be where I am today if my parents were still together. I realize how important my mom is in my life. She has taught me so much in life and is one of the most loving and generous people that I know. She has never let me settle for second best and has always given me all of the things that she never had growing up, mainly a mom that tells her daughters every day that she loves them and that they are the best thing that has ever happened to her. I am realizing how important my stepdad is in my life. He has been in my life for 20 years and I cannot imagine not having lived without him. He has never treated me like I was not his daughter. He and my mom gave me an amazing childhood, and are still trying to give me an amazing life, a life that neither or them had. 30 years ago my stepdad went to the U.S. with no money, no job, not able to speak English, hoping for a better life, and here I am in Spain, traveling, learning, living an amazing life thanks to him and my mom.
Like I said before, I do not like to write personal things here, but this entry would not be complete without mentioning one more person, a person that I have learned so much from, that has taught me about myself and that I am so thankful to have in my life. I would not have guessed when I left home to go to Iowa for college that I would meet someone as amazing as this person. This person has showed me how fortunate I am in life, has helped me realize how amazing my parents are, how amazing I am, how remarkable and generous people who are not your actual family members can be. They have taught/ told me that I have tons to learn in life. They have been patient and put up with so much of my crap. I have done nothing to deserve this person's love and friendship and have learned this year being away from this person how valuable they are, how different my life would be without them and how luck I am to have this incredible person in my life. I know that I do not say it enough, but you are incredibly fantastic and I cannot image a better person to have in my life. So thank you, John Sherrod. I appreciate and love you more than words can express.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
What does it mean to be human?
Every year the freshman at St. Mary’s Academy have the task of answering one question: what does it mean to be human? Ever St. Mary’s alumna cringes when she hears the question. The project consists of creating a 15 minute presentation and various essays where you defend you opinion on what it means to be human based on the 10 hours of community service that you have to complete, which you must present before a panel of judges and your peers. Why we all cringe- because it is one of the hardest questions to ask. It is impossible for a 14 or 15 year old to know what it means to be human; I actually believe that even a 29 year old would have a hard time answering the question. But this entry is not about my experiences as that 15 year old girl that had no idea what it meant to be human based on finger painting and reading the Three Little Bears with a class of kindergarteners.
But I have found myself pondering this question more and more during my time here. During the past two weeks in my European Theory class we have been discussing the meaning of nationality, citizenship, regional affiliations, racism, discrimination, what it means to be citizen of the world, what makes people different and the civil liberties that everyone should have; this makes me ponder the meaning of what it means to be human even more. What does it mean to be European, Spanish, Valenciano, Castellano, from the street that you live on? How can there be European unity if there isn’t even unity in Spain. One of the questions proposed by the professor was what makes a Valenciano different from a Gallego (someone from Valencia and someone from Galicia). One of the girls in my class said that people from the two regions are completely different, to which the professor asked what makes them so different. What does make them so different? To be completely honest, I did not know until about a year and a half ago that Spaniards had so much regional pride. People here identify themselves first as the province that they are from, especially if they are from Cataluña, the Basque country or Galicia (there are even people from Cataluña that want to separate from Spain and form their own nation, I heard in a news report that 30% of the population feels strongly about the area becoming its own country). They have a stronger regional pride than national pride, whereas I think that in general there is a strong national pride in the U.S., especially following September 11th. People identify themselves as American, and then they identify themselves as the state that they are from.
What is the difference between nationality and citizenship? What is the point of having a citizenship really? What are rights that citizen can have that non-citizens cannot?
I go back to my original question. What does it mean to be human? We are all the same, we are born, we live, and we die. But what makes us different from other animals? What unique quality makes us human? Are we really different from animals or do we just think that we are? Are Americans really that different from Spaniards? I feel like it is a search to an unanswerable question because no one really will ever know what it means to be human. For me, given all of my experiences, especially experiences this year, to be human means to be given a choice, make decisions and learn from mistakes to change your future.
But I have found myself pondering this question more and more during my time here. During the past two weeks in my European Theory class we have been discussing the meaning of nationality, citizenship, regional affiliations, racism, discrimination, what it means to be citizen of the world, what makes people different and the civil liberties that everyone should have; this makes me ponder the meaning of what it means to be human even more. What does it mean to be European, Spanish, Valenciano, Castellano, from the street that you live on? How can there be European unity if there isn’t even unity in Spain. One of the questions proposed by the professor was what makes a Valenciano different from a Gallego (someone from Valencia and someone from Galicia). One of the girls in my class said that people from the two regions are completely different, to which the professor asked what makes them so different. What does make them so different? To be completely honest, I did not know until about a year and a half ago that Spaniards had so much regional pride. People here identify themselves first as the province that they are from, especially if they are from Cataluña, the Basque country or Galicia (there are even people from Cataluña that want to separate from Spain and form their own nation, I heard in a news report that 30% of the population feels strongly about the area becoming its own country). They have a stronger regional pride than national pride, whereas I think that in general there is a strong national pride in the U.S., especially following September 11th. People identify themselves as American, and then they identify themselves as the state that they are from.
What is the difference between nationality and citizenship? What is the point of having a citizenship really? What are rights that citizen can have that non-citizens cannot?
I go back to my original question. What does it mean to be human? We are all the same, we are born, we live, and we die. But what makes us different from other animals? What unique quality makes us human? Are we really different from animals or do we just think that we are? Are Americans really that different from Spaniards? I feel like it is a search to an unanswerable question because no one really will ever know what it means to be human. For me, given all of my experiences, especially experiences this year, to be human means to be given a choice, make decisions and learn from mistakes to change your future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)