Adapting to Spanish Culture
By Brenden L.
Published July 29, 2021
Hola from Oviedo, Spain! I am currently about three weeks into my study abroad experience and I have to say that it has been one of the most enriching times of my life. Starting the trip, it was actually my first time ever flying in a plane. It was really exciting and I can honestly…
Day in my life in Oviedo, Spain
By Shanley S.
Published July 28, 2021
The sound of my iPhone alarm wakes me up around a reasonable 8:30 a.m. Spaniard's and I share a common hatred of early mornings. I eat a small breakfast at my house consisting of Kellogg cereal with milk. I grab my mask and I am off on my 10-minute walk through the city of Oviedo.…
Experiencing Spain
By Margot R.
Published July 27, 2021
Hello! My name is Margot and I am currently in Oviedo, Spain. I am here for the month of July studying Spanish and living with a host family. I have loved Spain; however, there have been many cultural and custom changes that I have just started to adjust to. Food-wise, it is great. I love…
Experiencing a new culture
By Ellie L.
Published July 26, 2021
My study abroad program in Spain has been astonishing! It didn't hit me that I was going to be staying in a different country across the world for a month until I got off the bus I took to Oviedo from where my flight landed in Madrid. My host mom picked me up from the…
Unexpected oddities
By Margaret L.
Published July 24, 2020
There's a lot that I expected to be different about Spain. I expected more fish and olives from a Mediterranean diet, walking culture, a conservative/Catholic atmosphere, cheek kisses as greetings and smaller portions and smaller homes. But there were some things I did not expect, things that were really small parts of life, barely noticeable…
Speaking Spanish with Spaniards
By Margaret L.
Published April 20, 2020
Unexpected truth about Spain: Sometimes, when you speak Spanish to a Spaniard, they speak English back to you. For them, it's "easier" because we're heavily accented and stumble at times. Of course, they do the same things in English, but that's irrelevant to them. Sometimes, the English they speak back to you is an exclamation…
¿Pedestrian zones?
By Margaret L.
Published April 12, 2020
I once thought it was strange to walk out of an MU building and nearly collide with a truck on a sidewalk. Like, what are you doing here MU Maintenance? How did you even get here? This is a sidewalk! Cars do not belong here! Now that I’m in Spain, though, I wouldn’t think twice…
Creative connection
By Kelli D.
Published March 13, 2020
Have you ever fallen half in love with a stranger? The moment when you meet eyes with someone on the bus or you say hello in the museum, never to meet again? These fleeting encounters are a unique kind of connection enhanced by the lack of communication after the experience. Last week, I was on…
El Castillo Santa Barbara
By Kelli D.
Published March 11, 2020
In the southeastern part of Spain, the Valencia region, there is a city called Alicante. Here, there are students from all over the world, Mediterranean beaches all across Costa Blanca and, most famously, El Castillo Santa Barbara. With a simple Google search it can be found as an icon of Alicante. In the center of…
Las palmeras
By Kelli D.
Published March 11, 2020
by Kelli D. When I go for walks I cannot help but notice the simple beauty in the trees. Their bark texture is so rugged, varied and easy to climb. I love the way that the leaves flutter in the wind like fur. Every aspect of them feels so foreign to me and my Midwestern…