We started off our trip to Zaragoza early in the morning and the train ride was only 2 hours long — it’s about 320.3 km from Madrid to Zaragoza. As soon as we got there, our first stop from the train station was the Palacio de la Aljafería. This medieval palace is one of the most splendid examples of Islamic architecture in Spain, built in the 11th century Al-Andalus ruled by the Moors.

Fun fact: The famous Mesquita in Córdoba, the Alhambra in Granada, and this palace in Zaragoza are the three most well-preserved and well-identified examples of Islamic architecture in Spain constructed by the Moors.

The palace was truly a work of art and after exploring each of the halls thoroughly (as well as the outdoors garden), we proceeded to the Francisco Goya museum. Francisco Goya was from the province of Zaragoza and spent a large part of his life there. Having learnt about his paintings and art in my Spanish classes in high school, I was very excited to visit this museum.

Me in the palace, a painting in the Goya museum, my burrata salad, manolitos, the cathedral, the Zaragoza train station, and me again exploring the palace

For lunch, we stopped at a local tavern/bar where I was served the most delicious burrata salad. Of course, we had to get a little sweet treat after so we went to Manolo’s bakery where we got manolitos (mini-croissants that are widely popular in Spain).

As we wandered through the city after lunch, we proceeded to the cathedral. Much like the other cathedrals we saw on this trip, this one was large and beautifully maintained. There was a prayer service happening whilst we were inside so we sat down in the back for some time and quietly left. By this time, we had to head back to the train station (it was around 7:30pm) and our train would reach Madrid at 9pm.

Zaragoza has been by far one of my most favorite places I have visited in Spain — and it seems to be a lesser known gem (as observed by the local tourist numbers!). I really want to go back someday to get to know the city further and take in all it has to offer.

Our yummy brunch in Sevilla — complete with a veggie avocado toast, a croissant with chocolate, banana bread, and a breakfast bagel!

Our trip to Sevilla started very early in the morning as we had to catch a train from the Madrid Atocha station. The ride to Sevilla took a little under two hours, with many stops along the way including one in Córdoba. Since we left so early, we decided to catch brunch in Sevilla and found a charming restaurant in the center of the city. After walking around for a bit, we made our way to the Alcazar of Sevilla (Moorish palace) and explored the cathedral.

For lunch, my wonderful host family drove down from Badajoz to join us. Catalina, the older of my two host sisters, could not join us unfortunately due to her summer camp schedule. I was met with a warm hug from Carmen and smiles all around from Roberto and Laura.

Our lunch was a wonderful spread of tapas at a Spanish tavern in Sevilla. I got some very yummy honey-roasted eggplant and some patatas bravas (cooked potatoes with a spicy Brava sauce). After lunch we decided to walk to the Plaza de España in Sevilla — a beautiful semi-circular open space near Sevilla’s big park (the Maria Luisa park). There were tiles in the plaza to represent each of Spain’s provinces, and we quickly found the Badajoz tile!

Before walking to the plaza of course, we stopped by an ice cream place that we “happened” to encounter on our walk. After debating my host dad Roberto on why frozen yogurt is better than ice cream, I was ultimately persuaded to go in and get ice cream with everyone instead of chasing down a frozen yogurt shop.

The weather in Sevilla was especially hot this day — I believe it reached a high of 46 degrees Celsius! We were parched by the time we finished our walk and returned to the center (it was around 4pm at this point). I bid a sweet farewell to my family and we knew we had to start walking back to the train station. I wasn’t too sad, as I knew I would be seeing them again soon (nothing planned, but just a hope).

Our return journey by train was all-the-more interesting, as our train stopped several times long the way because of mechanical issues. What was supposed to be an 8pm arrival in Madrid became a 10pm arrival! This did turn out for the better, as the sun sets very late in Spain anyway and 10pm is one of the more preferable times to be outside walking because of the lower heat intensity.

My host family and I in an ice cream shop (with Walter), the Plaza de España, the Badajoz province plaque in the Plaza, a selfie of me and Carmen, us at the Plaza, and a selfie of us at the Tavern restaurant!

I had such a wonderful day trip to Sevilla and I can’t wait to explore more of Andalucía.

Hasta el próximo <3

What really drew me more to visit Ourense was how close it was to Madrid. Just 2 hours in the AVE train (Spain’s high-speed train) would get you to Ourense, a city in Galicia.

Ourense was founded on the banks of the Minho River, one of the greenest rivers I’ve seen thus far in Spain. In Galicia, they also speak Gallego — what appears to the listener as a language with hints of both Spanish and Portugese (which makes sense given Galicia is right above Portugal).

We reached Ourense in the morning and after settling our things in our hostel (which was close to the old part of the city), we got to exploring the city. The train station and the old town were on opposite sides of the river, but it only look around 30 minutes to find our way to the hostel. Ourense lies in the Camino de Santiago (a famous pilgrimage for Catholics that leads to the beautiful cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia). Naturally this meant we encountered many camino walkers at the hostel. The old town of Ourense was quite small but the cathedral was one of the most beautiful I encountered.

Galicia is known for its pimientos de padrón, and I was beyond excited to have these (one of my favorite Spanish tapas!). These are a type of pepper that are served slightly charred in olive oil with large grains of flaky salt. We went to a beautiful Spanish taberna (tavern) for lunch and I immediately ordered my pimientos de padrón. Galicia is known for its seafood, given it strategic proximity to the Atlantic. I, however, being a vegetarian did not find it hard at all to both ask for and find vegetarian dishes. Both the tavern we went to for lunch as well as our dinner tavern had a variety of vegetarian options including goat cheese croquetas and butter-coated asparagus with parmesan.

In order (top to bottom, left to right): Goat cheese croquetas, me smiling in the AVE train, pimientos de padrón, asparagus with shaved parmesan, and the inside of one of the oldest taverns in Ourense

Ourense was originally a Roman settlement, as evidenced by a beautiful Roman bridge that lies over the Minho river. The Romans particularly loved Ourense because of its thermal springs as well.

My favorite part of the trip, though, was the gorgeous hike we went on the following morning. The trail was not one we actively sought out but rather one we stumbled upon as we made our way to the river. The banks of the river were filled with lush trees and every shade of green we could imagine. We eventually found a spot by the river to sit by and enjoyed the beauty of the Minho. Galicia was also much cooler in temperature than Madrid or Sevilla, making it an all-the-more enjoyable experience.

The greenness of the river Minho and the beautiful Roman bridge

I hope the Camino de Santiago lies next :)

I was really excited when I moved to Madrid to explore the bustling food scene, but I also knew I wanted to cook for myself. Also being vegetarian, cooking comes in handy — although Madrid does not have a lack of vegetarian/vegan options in the slightest! Not only am I saving money but I also get to live more like a “local”, exploring local supermarket options and practicing budget-friendly recipes that are not very time consuming.

I usually go to the local Carrefour (a France-based supermarket) or Mercadona (a Spanish supermarket chain) for my groceries. Usual staples in my pantry are oats, yogurt, berries, fresh fruit, pasta, eggs, tofu, and vegetables. With these, I can whip up many different meals over the course of the week.

These are an array of what I usually make for lunches and dinners. I love simple salads or pasta with tofu, eggs, or legumes for dinner along with one of my favorite soft cheeses of Spain - queso de burgos.

For breakfasts, I love a sweet bowl of yogurt, fruit (fresh berries, cherries, or whatever is in season), with some oatmeal or sugar-free granola and almond milk. Other days I love having a fresh bread roll with some avocado and eggs.

I’m always excited to come home from work and prepare a nice lunch for myself. Although prepared with minimal ingredients, I’ve learned that simple goes a long way. That being said, I have been going out into the city and soaking in the vibrant restaurant scene. More on that coming soon.

Till then.

Hasta el próximo

I’m so excited to be back here this time for an internship, but more so to be here in a big city (let alone a European capital!). This city is so well connected, especially for those of us who love exploring by foot. Just this past week alone I’ve been exploring all the nooks of El Parque Retiro — a large park in the middle of the city (kind of like Madrid’s own little version of Central Park).

When I’m not working on the weekends, I have so many excursions planned to different provinces of Spain — and with more confidence this time!

I’ll keep this post short, but over the weeks to come, I’ll be chronicling my time in this beautiful capital city whilst exploring life in this country once more and reminiscing past tales of immersion in my forever home town Badajoz.

Hasta el próximo :)

[Till next post]

My morning walk to work!

I don’t even know where to start because I have no idea what to write as a final post or how to encapsulate this experience. Taking inspiration from a message one of my teachers wrote me, I want to start with the essence of my semester abroad: the people.

Remember that the best parts of traveling are the people. The best parts of learning a language are the people. The best of the best are the people.

— Chema

This has been my mantra to soak in the last few moments ever since my teacher wrote me this message.

Apart from my family and my classmates, I made many friends through my extracurriculars — something that helped me tremendously in learning the language and coping with the culture shock. I didn’t improve my Spanish just by blindly memorizing conjugation charts or repeating phrases until they stuck in my head. I owe the vast majority of my improved Spanish level to the people around me; most importantly, I owe it to their patience. These were not people who saw my broken Spanish and switched to English, just to save themselves some time before they got annoyed. I had classmates who wanted to practice their English, but they would set their wishes apart to help me practice my Spanish after hearing me mispronounce something in class or not understand something.

These very people who wanted me to feel at home with them would go out of their way things like tofu and other vegetarian substitutes so they could make me dinner or invite me over. To some extent, I understand their disappoint in the fact that much of their diet was inaccessible to me; it’s one of the best things their country has to offer, and they are proud of their culture. Despite this, they have worked tirelessly to show me the beauty of Spain. One of my classmates asked her mother to prepare me a special Semana Santa delicacy so I could try something typical of the festivities. Another classmate of mine made me earrings with two screws she had her dad bring her from the military base nearby so I could carry a part of the country with me. One of my teachers invited me to the nearby biotech lab and gifted me a beautiful book signed by all the people who work there wishing me a brilliant start to my career.

The irony in this message lies in the fact that at times, it were also the people who would completely confuse me or say something a little offensive. These people, however, don’t go by a playbook, and all the good they’ve done for me will stay with me forever. They’ve opened my mind tremendously, and I cannot be more appreciative of everything they’ve done for me. I am leaving now with so many friends and family who have invited me to visit many times in the future — something I completely plan to take them up on.

Ending this post brings me to another teacher’s message in my journal.

As the days go by, observe your nostalgic sentiment towards your time in Spain. This will be the ultimate proof of this most beautiful passage of time that you have been able to experience.

This trip marks the start of my journey in Spain. I will be coming back many times over to see all these wonderful people and meet many more who will further impact me. People are good. If I’ve learnt anything from this trip, it’s that we share more in common with others than we make it out to be.

Thank you to every single person who has kept up with me through my blog and left me so many supportive comments. It makes adjusting to life so much easier when you know that people back home are excited to follow your journey as well. I’m excited to be coming back to this world that I know with all these people I love and appreciate who also now have some insight into what my semester in Spain was like. I genuinely appreciate each and every one of you, and for what it’s worth, I hope I’ve made you proud too ;)

Keeping this shorter than usual (for my “long” standards), I just want to say that I am so grateful for having had this opportunity, and I do believe I’ve experienced it to the fullest. Maybe one day when I come back to Spain, I’ll start writing here again. Only time will tell.

Hasta la próxima, España :)

To all my wonderful friends and family in Spain: I can’t wait to see you all again next year and every year as time passes. The relationships we’ve built will be ones I will carry with me forever. Muchas gracias por todo. Os quiero <3

Photo credit(s): Spencer Davis & Benjamin Voros (respectively)

My dad and I left Badajoz last Monday (exactly a week ago), and we headed straight for Lisbon where my uncle joined us the next morning. After enjoying an entire day in the beautiful and oldest district of Lisbon (Alfama), we headed to Coimbra. Coimbra was an important stop for me because it is home to the oldest university in Portugal that is still in operation. I ended up meeting a very kind Erasmus student at a cafe in Coimbra who happened to be studying at the university as well; Erasmus is a program within the European Union that offers study abroad opportunities for college students.

After our stop in Coimbra, we headed to Porto. This city was a gastronomical hotspot, and I was so excited to explore our trajectory of different cuisines. Porto is home to Livraria Lello, which is referred to as the most beautiful bookstore in the world where even JK Rowling supposedly got inspiration for Harry Potter. We also happened to be in Porto on são João (San Juan festival day), a nationwide festival. Celebrating this event on the banks of the Duoro River, we joined the festivities and many citizens in watching the fireworks at midnight.

From Porto, we headed back to Spain, and our next stop was Salamanca. I was really excited to visit Salamanca because the University of Salamanca is the oldest one in the Iberian Peninsula and it is one of the oldest universities in the world! Even Miguel de Cervantes (author of the Spanish classic Don Quijote) was a student of this now 800-year-old university. We enjoyed the beautiful plaza of Salamanca and made our way to Segovia, a small province in the autonomous community of Castilla y León that is located very close to Madrid. Segovia was an ancient Roman settlement, and a large intact Roman aqueduct runs through the middle of the city. Our last night in Segovia, we enjoyed a nice orchestra performance eating Lebanese food under the aqueduct — it made for quite the experience. Segovia is also home to the castle that inspired Walt Disney for the Snow White castle. They are quite literally the same castle!

We also visited the city of Valladolid in another province of Castilla y León. I was able to ride the ultra fast AVE train back from Valladolid to Segovia, although I missed my initial first connection (thanks to a plan hatched by my uncle!). My first experience in a European train was certainly memorable.

My last day (which happens to be today) was spent in the beautiful city of Madrid near the Santiago Bernabéu, the home stadium of Real Madrid CF. Being a fan myself after my semester in Spain, I was most excited to get some official merchandise from the store on Gran Vía. The end of today concludes my road trip in Spain as well as my entire semester in the Iberian Peninsula. I’ll be on my flight back home tomorrow, and although I’m sad to leave Spain, I’m excited to come back. It feels good to come back home.

The two large photos show the Universities of Coimbra and Salamanca (left and right respectively). The other pictures show a variety of beautiful buildings from Coimbra, Porto, Lisbon; the view of the Atlantic Ocean was in Porto.

The fireworks are from the night of festivities in Porto. The beautiful staircase is from the “most beautiful bookshop in the world”: Livraria Lello. The bamboo gardens are from Coimbra while the castle on the bottom right is the Snow White castle in Segovia known as the Alcázar.

This trip has been a gastronomic foodfest. We have tried so many regional and international cuisines in these major cities. I’ve picked up lots of inspiration for my culinary experiments at home :)

My last week in Badajoz, I was able to collaborate with my school and film an interview about my experience as an exchange student. This was such a fun project suggested by my English teacher and Alberto also helped us film quite a bit.

I remember finishing the interview, and both Alberto and Juan were impressed by how I managed to record that in one take. They both commented on the fact that I hadn’t made any mistakes and were pleasantly surprised by it.

In this interview, I answered some general questions about my time in Spain, my time with my school, and general things experienced by exchange students. I added subtitles in English to this version so my family and friends back home could follow along. This being my last project with my school, I am so thankful that they have been so receptive to my ideas these past few months. I would not have been able to do as much without the collaboration of my friends and teachers.

I hope to come back to visit this school many times, and I want to sincerely thank them for having me as an exchange student. I’ve been really lucky to work with such passionate and knowledgable people. I wish them all the very best, just as they have to me. Hasta la próxima :)

This idea wasn’t ever the product of a running obsession or fad; rather, it stemmed from the fact that I always enjoyed learning Spanish. In the beginning of 8th grade, I found a show in Spanish called Gran Hotel that I started watching religiously; I would also chat with my Spanish teacher about my growing interest in the show. This show was set in Spain — which played a huge part of my decision in coming to Spain — and it was filmed in Santander near a beautiful palace (Palacio de la Magdalena). As I started to take a liking to the actors and the specific production, I started watching more Spanish productions (I’ve watched La Casa de Papel/Money Heist, Vis-A-Vis, Élite, Las Chicas del Cable, El Desorden Que Dejas, Alguien Tiene Que Morir, and more). At the end of the year, I was presented the Spanish department award at graduation — giving a newfound sense of love in the language stemming from the motivation I had received.

In my very first meeting with my high school counselor, I told her I wanted to study abroad in Spain. I was very scared to bring up the idea because I didn’t want to have it shut down, so I simply suggested a month or a few weeks abroad. Imagine my delight when she herself told me she would rather have me spend the entire semester in Spain (which also makes much more sense compared to my initial suggestion). I didn’t bring it again for the rest of the year owing to her confidence that we could make it happen. Then, the pandemic hit. That very counselor also left at the end of the year, leaving me with a blank slate upon which to convince my next counselor of the same idea. Around October in sophomore year, I sent my counselor an email in the midst of the pandemic madness, and she told me would have to check with the Director of Academic Affairs and my principal. They both shot down the idea, owing to the fact that the transfer of credits would be hard and their ultimate goal was to have me graduate with the rest of my class.

I stopped pursuing the idea for a few days before I decided to try again. I prepared a document with all the possible obstacles, how I was going to make up the credit, all the classes I planned to take junior year, and how I would go about doing this program in itself. I used this document in a meeting with my dean and my parents, and she finally agreed to my outrageous idea. This brings my timeline to December 2020 (in sophomore year). Now that I got the idea approved, I just had to figure out the funding aspect of it and actually apply. Starting in January, I dedicated myself to working the whole year in order to save up enough money for the program. I started tutoring many hours a week, even creating my own budget spreadsheet to control my expenses and save enough money.

In March, I applied to the program. This month was filled with interviews, requests for letters of recommendation, transcript approvals, medical approval, and more. March and April were the most hectic of the application process. My 16th birthday was in April and I remember one of my friends giving me the sweetest birthday gift ever: she got my favorite actor from my very first favorite Spanish show Gran Hotel to wish me Happy Birthday on video in Spanish! At the time, it really felt like a foreshadowing of my connection to Spain that was yet to come. I finally got my program approval notice in May, and that was that for the rest of the summer.

It wasn’t until October when my program started informing me of their active search for a host family for me. I had continued to work vigorously to save money up until this point. They told me they were having trouble finding someone who could accommodate my vegetarian diet (since the Spanish diet is heavy on meat and fish). Finally, at the end of November, I got my host family placement. I was over the moon when my mom told me that they had finally sent an email. That very weekend, I sent an email to my host family telling them how excited I was to meet them and stay with them. The visa process could also only begin after I had received my placement, my school documents (letter of acceptance, class schedule, etc.), and host family documents.

With all of these documents, I confidently sent an email to my local consulate (since they were only giving appointments if you sent them an email, owing to the COVID regulations). As the weeks passed, I grew more and more disappointed from the dead silence. As December neared its end, I sent en email to the program explaining my situation and they told me they could shorten the length of my program to make it 2-3 months (for less than 90 days as a student in Spain, you don’t need a visa). I almost lost all hope of coming to Spain when I finally received the email at the end of December giving me an appointment.

I remember the lady at the consulate who checked all my documents. She was from Santander (one of my dream destinations in Spain), and she was rather fascinated by the fact that I chose Badajoz as my study abroad destination giving its seclusive nature; her previous student who had requested a visa was going to Seville, a much bigger city! She proved very helpful, but she did tell me that the visa approval process took around 3-4 weeks, which fell right in line with when I was supposed to leave.

January was a strange month in the sense that my confidence in my semester abroad was constantly fluctuating owing to my lack of certainty on the date of my visa arrival. When I say my visa arrived quite close to my departure date, I literally mean that it arrived days before I left! I also had the chance to speak with my host family in January, asking them questions about Badajoz and getting to know them a bit better.

So why did I choose Spain? I fell in love with the history of the country, the accent, the traditions, and the cities through the limited view I received on screen. That view was magnified a thousand times over when I arrived in Badajoz. I am leaving Badajoz with a heavy but full heart. I hope the connections I have made here will last a lifetime because I am very certain I will be returning to Spain many times. This is not the end of my journey, but the start. And it was the best start I could have ever dreamed of. Posting this on my last day in Badajoz, I am overwhelmed by all the goodbyes, but I am excited to travel within the Iberian Peninsula for a few days.

Badajoz, I’ll be coming back soon :)

The beauty of Extremadura lies in its unofficial stance as the agricultural province of Spain (although several provinces do have agricultural cultivations as well). The countryside in Spain is known as el campo, and Extremadura is filled with campos. The first time I went to a campo was a few months ago when I met Roberto’s parents for the first time. We visited the campo of one of his relatives in Zafra where I collected chicken eggs, harvested my own lettuce, and fed some pigs!

The famous jamón ibérico is generously produced in my province, with ample acres of fields dedicated as spots for solely pigs to graze. The leg of the pig, known as the pata negra, has also translated itself in the Spanish language as a syonym for the “best” or something of “high quality”, given how much pride Spaniards take in the quality of the ham produced.

I really enjoy the agricultural aspect of my province. Much of the sights in Spain offer some historical vantage or proof. I certainly enjoy castle-skipping from one town to the next, but there is something raw in being able to see the practical methods of farming and agriculture used by the people. There is a large campo next to the our house in Badajoz, and many of the water irrigation systems have Roman influences when it comes to their structure. I remember walking through our campo several weeks ago and seeing a sign for a sack of potatoes being sold for €5.

The Sierra del Castellar runs through Zafra — a beautiful, rocky mountain range. My second weekend in Zafra, I hiked these mountains with Roberto’s mother and the girls. We made it all the way to the top after what ended up being a four hour hike. There are almost always animals roaming freely through the countryside, and they are quite friendly as well. We’ve came across horses, donkeys, pigs, cattle, and sheep!

Atop the Alcazaba of Badajoz, one can see acres of fields with strict rows of crops planted stretching all throughout the city. Even on our drives to other cities, we encounter many campos and countryside environments as we drive through Extremadura. This is really what adds a homely feel to this part of Spain, defined by its farm life. I will really miss having farms close to me to wander through on a random Sunday or making my own salad with fresh lettuce I harvested from the field. The beauty of Extremadura lies in this rawness — something so different from the churches, castles, and fortresses, although we have these too :)

This note comes from one of the English teachers at the school and my Spanish tutor who has travelled all over the world from the United States to Bangladesh:

Remember that the best of traveling are the people, the best of learning a language are the people, the best of the best are the people. You are a great person. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to meet you. Thank you being that way.

— Chema

This one comes from one of my nicest classmates, Hugo. It was one of the lighter and funnier messages that really warmed my heart.

Hi Vismaya, you are very nice and I am fond of having you as a friend. I suppose you wll think that I am the funniest of the class, because I am, but I am also quite nice. I hope you have had a good time in Spain. Enjoy your country when you go back because there are very cool and interesting things. If you ever come back to Spain, visit us without a doubt and we will be awaiting you eagerly. Hope you like it.

— Hugo

The note above is from my literature teacher Pedro. Without a doubt one of my favorite teachers here, I have really enjoyed his class and getting to know him as a person.

As a student, you are a model for your behavior in class, your knowing of how to be present in class, and for your tireless interest to learn. As a person, you are a wonder and very educated. You know how to listen to those around you, and you are always paying attention to what they say. It is an honor for me as your teacher to have met you and shared my classes with you. If you continue this way, you will have a bright and marvelous future. A big hug, not from a teacher, but from a person who appreciates you very much.

— Pedro

The note above is from Miguel, one of my classmates. Another one of the lighter notes, I thought it fit as a pair to Hugo’s note.

Hey Vismaya, I want to thank you for this time you have spent with us, joining us “rebels” in the back of the classroom as part of “El Fondo Sur”. You were well-received by the captain. You are a very nice person with a large willingness to learn. You will always be well-received in Spain, much more so in Badajoz. Continue with this spirit and enthusiasm and you will achieve everything you want. Don’t quit your blog!

— Miguel

The note above is from my music teacher Áron. Although the note itself is in English, I have provided a blurb below as well. Since Áron is from Hungary, he also wrote me a phrase in Hungarian.

Hola Vismaya! It always takes a great courage to go to a foreign country alone, especially being so young. I admire how independent, open-minded, and more importantly, how nice a person you are (also a great singer/guitarist!)! It was a huge pleasure to get to know you and to spend some time playing music together on Tuesdays. I hope to share a stage with you in the future! I also want to thank you for helping me out that day giving that lecture/speech in Brtiannia academy. You should know that whenever you come to Spain (or Hungary), you have a home here with good friends who will miss you a lot! Keep rockin’!

Hatalmas ölelés! (Look that up hehe!)

— Áron

Thank you to all these wonderful people (I mean every single person who wrote a message and not just the ones featured here). There were too many messages for me to be able to post all of them here. I am really glad to have gotten to know all of these people, and I want to thank them for taking the time to write me messages. I am most excited to return to Spain in the future to see all of you again :)

My relationship with my host parents began long before I landed in Spain. I spoke with them a few times over the phone, even receiving a virtual house tour from Roberto and having a Q&A session with Laura to resolve all our doubts. I remember the bus pulling into the station around 8pm on Wednesday, February 2, and they rushed into the station just as I stepped out with all my bags. Catalina was the first to spot me and she rushed to give me a hug with a mini-bouquet in her hand followed by Carmen seconds later. Roberto and Laura gave me the traditional Spanish two-kisses-on-the-cheek greeting and Roberto helped me with my bags as we made our way to the car. As soon as we got into the car, the first thing Roberto told me was that he intended to improve his English just as he intended to help me with my Spanish. We got home and Laura decided to make me a traditional tortilla de patatas that very night to kickstart my immersion in Spanish culture.

Over the months, these two people have taught me so many facets of Spanish culture. One of my favorite Spanish sayings that they have taught me is: Más vale ponerte una vez la cara roja que cien veces amarilla. Literally translated, this one would not make sense in English, but it refers to the idea of confronting the situation once and talking things out rather than acting awkward for a long time and creating an even more difficult situation in the future. This one is very practiced in this family (which I absolutely love), and they have been able to teach me Spanish customs and practices to apply to daily life to avoid acting like a total guiri (foreigner in Spain).

I say now that I’ve lived abroad, but there’s a lot more attached to the phrase “lived abroad”. For one, I wasn’t thrown into the deep-end of rural Spain by myself with no one for support. My past few and final weeks in Spain, my host family has continuously asked me if there is something else I want to experience or do in Spain. They have been so invested in my well-being and happiness since I got here. So when I say I’ve lived abroad, I’m really referring to the experience of having and growing with a family who’s helped me ease into the rough transition. Right from my first day, Roberto made sure that I was introduced to one of my classmates, and both Roberto and Laura have been extremely kind in letting me go out with my friends and have fun (even putting aside their own travel plans to let me have a birthday party).

Everyone featured in these pictures is part of the family, both close and extended family. Both of Roberto’s parents are featured in the pictures as well as his brother-in-law and his nephew.

Before I came to Spain, my host parents had written me a letter telling me that they wanted to take me to different places here like Mérida, Cáceres, Portugal, Seville, and Zafra. It makes me so happy and grateful to say that they have fulfilled their promise and taken me to every single one of those places. I also had the pleasure of meeting Roberto’s parents. His mother took me and the girls on a hike through the mountains of Zafra my first month here, and his father introduced me to fútbol. His family invited me to the Communion of one of his nieces, and they have been such fun people. From inviting me to make Indian food to going shopping with me, his cousins have been such inviting and kind people.

As for my little sisters, taking on this role in their lives has been such an unexpected joy. I’ve been picking them up from school everyday and we’ve been to so many places together. Given how young they are, I am so proud of them of coming with me on many long day-trips and walking the many miles with me as I explore the cities. They are such sweet and kind little girls. Since they are so little, I know they will change tremendously between my future visits, but I am so excited to watch them grow. I had the pleasure of watching their ballet performances last night, and they both absolutely knocked it out of the park. I will really miss hearing their questions about life in the United States and having our spa nights. I am sad to be missing Catalina’s Communion this summer, but I know I will come back to visit her with many gifts and such in the future to make up :)

I’ve already started making plans of coming back to visit this family. Roberto and Laura jokingly tell me that they think I’ll forget all about them and never return. We’ve also talked about how one day, they will come visit me in California.

To the best host family in the world, I want to say thank you for everything. I am so happy we were able to spend the last few months together. Thank you for introducing me to your beautiful culture; this is certainly an introduction I won’t be walking away from. I know I’ll come back to Spain many times in the future. ❤️

My friends talked to me quite a bit during our breakfast, and I remember one of our conversations distinctly. Irene, Hugo, and Dani were bantering with me and at one point they asked me if I was in love (¿estas enamorada?). I responded sarcastically and said yes to which they inquired curiously as to the source of my enamored state. When I told them I was in love with Badajoz, both Hugo and Irene responded with que mono and que bonito (“aww how beautiful/cute”)!

The picture on the top left is a picture with my friends Natalia and Irene. On the bottom left is my sweet friend Elena. We certainly enjoyed the best churros with the richest chocolate.

We returned to school walking and our literature teacher Pedro came into our room. He explained a bit of his grading system — and this time, I understood everything he said (my first day of school, I understood nothing) — and the class applauded to thank him for a wonderful year and for being a wonderful teacher. We had a bit of free time after this, so all the kids of El Fondo Sur (the region of our class in the back with the funniest souls) decided to take a picture with me — since I was the newest member of the club.

Here is our iconic ‘El Fondo Sur’ picture — these are the best and kindest people I have met here. The earrings pictured on the top left were a gift from my sweet friend Noelia — her father works at an army base and she made me those earrings from screws her dad used at the base so I can always have a physical part of Extremadura with me. Adela carries the ‘Huesitos"‘ chocolate bars in her hands in the bottom left.

Our next class was human anatomy, and our incredibly sweet teacher Carmen spoke to the class and asked us what our summer plans were. At one point, she inquired as to who would not be returning next year. When I raised my hand, she asked me if I was ready to leave; she expressed that a sense of longing to see the family was expected since I had no family here in Spain. As soon as she said that, one of the boys in my class said (Hugo S.) said, “Pero, somos su familia” (“But, we are her family”) :)

The school day was short today and ended at 12:30pm itself. For this reason, we had a short break after human anatomy and then it was free time until we left. Many students left before the break, giving me hugs along the way. Some of them agreed that the next time we met, it would be in San Francisco (this is an interesting one because the central plaza of the city is also called San Francisco, so this could really be either SFO or Badajoz). During the break, my sweet friend Adela took me to a local candy shop to buy me a typical Spanish chocolate: Huesitos. She wanted to give me a small goodbye gift, and I said goodbye to her and her boyfriend.

My incredible friend Lucía G made me this painting of Extremadura, my beloved province. From organizing my birthday party to always helping me in class, she is one of the kindest and most hardworking souls I know. I am so lucky to have gotten to know her so well, and I want to thank her for this precious souvenir I get to bring back home. Te quiero Lucía.

I made my way back to school with Alberto and some of the boys in my class. As we sat in class with nothing to do, most of the girls played hangman while I talked to Alberto and some of the students. We talked about my very first day of school and they remembered every detail while the day was a blur for me. Alberto even told me how he was the only one in the class who knew of my arrival as a foreign exchange student while the others were told the morning of. The bell finally rang, and I left the school with a heavy heart after having given all my beautiful friends hugs.

I got home and had a little down time before returning to school to pick up my little sisters. As I got home, I sent a message on our class group chat thanking all my friends for the incredible semester and telling them that I would visit soon. I was so touched by their responses, and it definitely made me more sad. If it wasn’t for my music practice later in the day, I definitely would have wallowed in my room playing back all the moments this semester.

I feel like it was just yesterday I wrote about my first day in Primero de Bachillerato. It has been the most beautiful experience being integrated into another world. I got so lucky with my classmates and my teachers — they are all such good people, and I wish them nothing but the best. I will visit my class next year, and I know I will stay in touch with these people for years to come. My first day of school left me with dread, especially after my philosophy and literature classes, as I got a look ahead into the complexity of the Spanish language. Today, having conversed the whole day in Spanish with everyone, I am so grateful to have been with people so willing to help me; and ironically, my literature and philosophy teachers are amongst my most favorite people in Badajoz and favorite people ever.

^Here are some of my classmates responses to my informal message on the group chat. Below are the translations into English.

Vismaya’s message: Guys, I want to thank you for an unforgettable semester and for always helping me in class with everything. I hope to visit you all next year :)

Daniel (and Miguel): Vismaya, you are the best without a doubt. It’s been an honor to have you be a part of ‘El Fondo Sur’ these past months.

Irene: I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed your time here :)

Laura: Vismaya, I love you

Elena: Aww, thank you for having come here and for having spent these past few months with us.

Claudia: I hope you have felt a sense of belonging with us — till next time :)

Hugo S: Thank you Vismaya. Have a good travel.

I am racing against time here, as I really want to publish this post before the day ends, so as to keep the publication date the same as the date of the events described. I’ve been repeatedly thanking these people, but I cannot even begin to describe how grateful I am. I came to Spain with a magical idea of a semester and my reality has been far beyond magical — not because every day was perfect, but because I knew I could lean on these people everyday. I’ve been preparing myself for quite some time to walk away from these friendships I’ve built, but I’ve realized that I don’t have to walk away. These people are my family now. And I am so proud of them too — this was their first time with an exchange student and they made sure she felt safe and comfortable. I wish them all the very best in everything they do, and I am sure we will meet soon.

Acho — no me lo puedo creer que mi tiempo en el colegio en Badajoz haya terminado. Sois las personas más generosas y cariñosas que he conocido. Nunca me hubiera imaginado que mi semestre en España hubiera sido así. Siempre os llevaré en mi corazón y gracias por darme una familia en Badajoz. Espero que no olvidéis de nuestro tiempo juntos. Os quiero mucho.

Something that still impresses me to this day is the warmth and comfort felt in the Spanish classroom. People are so comfortable with each other, and they never fail to step up and support their classmates. These past two weeks, I’ve been collecting “yearbook” messages from all my classmates in my own journal; they’ve written me such sweet messages that I know I’ll look back on fondly for years to come.

I sit in the back of the class and spend most of my time talking to Lucia G, Elena, Dani, Miguel, Diego, and Patri. Given I sit in the back of the class, I sit with “El Fondo Sur” (this would be like the Back South or Southside in English). This is the name Miguel, Dani, and Patri have given to their little boisterous club in the back of the classroom — these three are the usual jokesters of the class, but they are all such loving and sweet people. What’s more, they accepted me into their little club of El Fondo Sur. In all honesty, it took me a while to win over the Captain (Miguel — as he describes himself) and the Captainess (Patricia — as she describes herself), but I think all the English help I’ve given them over the months finally convinced them to add me.

All the girls of my class are so sweet. Noelia, Belen, Alejandra, Laura, Andrea, Lucia M, Lucia dM, Natalia, Paula, Claudia, Irene E, Irene R, and Adela have given me such such loving friendships over time. What’s more, they’ve all been so patient in explaining to me so many cultural references and ongoings.

Here are some of my favorite memories with all of these people:

• The week before Carnaval in Badajoz, my classmates were loaded with tests. As soon as they finished the last test on Friday, all the girls crowded around my desk and started asking me questions while telling me about Carnaval. That was the first time I got to talk to all of them.

• As I mentioned before, the members of El Fondo Sur are quite the jokesters and pranksters. For the longest time, Dani convinced me that he used to shower everyday in the local river that runs through our city (the Guadiana River) alongside Miguel at 5am!

• We had a day trip as a class to the local archeological museum and historic Arabic fortress in the city (the Alcazaba of Badajoz). Adela saw me walking alone and lovingly accompanied me for the rest of the day throughout, even buying me churros con chocolate at a local store and explaining everything to me in simple Spanish. What’s more, I remember telling her, Alberto, and Pablo that Dani showered everyday in the river, and they all had a good laugh before telling me that he was just messing with me.

• I remember Miguel asking me one day why I didn’t invite the people I liked most in the class to my house in the United States. Dani and Miguel then asked me to list the people whom I liked most in the class.

• My math teacher placed my friend Javi in the back of the classroom with me to help with any English-Spanish problems. Over the course of the few months we were together in the back, we shared many laughs and he taught me many words and phrases in Spanish.

• People in the Spanish classroom are so supportive of each other. I remember the few times teachers said something nice about me to the class, everyone would applaud and cheer my name. This happened once when the literature teacher praised my interest in learning the language and another time when a teacher announced that I had scored a 9.5/10 on one of my tests.

• Some of my teachers would let me use my phone in class to translate words from Spanish into English (without having to interrupt others constantly). Taking advantage of this, Miguel would ask me to check the scores of Rafa Nadal or his favorite soccer team once in a while since they couldn’t use their phones in class.

• One of the kids in my class Hugo constantly tries to speak to me in English. The first time I talked to him in English, I interviewed him some simple questions and he’s stuck to English ever since. Once, in front of the class, I bumped into the projector and hurt my shoulder; the pain disappeared as soon as I heard his “BiSmaYaH, jOo aRe oKaI?” :)

• My classmate Patri brought me torrijas, a typical Spanish French-toast dish made during Semana Santa. She told me her mother made those specifically for me to try, and she even let me send her mom a voice message thanking her for the torrijas. I was so touched that she willingly brought a Spanish delicacy for the exchange student to try.

Of course, there’s so many more stories where these came from. But I really want to say thank you. Thank you to all my classmates for such a wonderful semester. Before coming to Spain, I used to often imagine what my classroom and social life would look like here. My ideas did not match the reality of the situation at all; the reality far exceeded any idea I had in my head.

The first day I came to class, my English teacher Juan (and our counselor) told everyone in the class to take care of me. And they couldn’t have done a better job. These are the same people who threw me a Prom birthday party because I was missing my Prom back home. I am so thankful for having met all of these people. The better part of my semester has been spent in the classroom, and I definitely would not have improved my level of Spanish as much without the help of all my friends.

Thank you 1 Bachillerato C (my class division is C out of A, B, and C) for giving me the semester of my dreams. Thank you for being so willing to teach me about Spain and everything it has to offer. Thank you for always defending me and helping me in class. Most importantly, thank you for giving me a place I looked forward to going to. I have a beautiful family now to visit for years to come.

Os quiero

— Vismaya

With my family, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to places in Extremadura (my province) like Merida, Trujillo, Caceres, Zafra, and La Albuera to name a few. Outside Extremadura, we’ve visited Estremoz and Elvas in Portugal and we’ve also been to Madrid, Aranguez, and El Molar in the community of Madrid. I’m really glad to have been placed in Extremadura. One of the most curious things about this province is that it is the only province not to be connected to the rest of Spain by the AVE (the high-velocity train of Spain that is famous for connecting Madrid and Barcelona within approximately two hours). Almost all of the travel blogs online that detail the wonders of Spain skip this province, owing to its general image of agriculture and kilometers on end of farms. I find, however, that this province has so much to offer apart from its image as the agricultural hotspot of Spain.

One of my first posts was about my day trip visit to Mérida my first weekend in Spain with my family. Mérida was the capital of the Roman Empire in the Iberian peninsula and boasts a rich architectural heritage. One of my favorite places in Extremadura, Mérida was truly one of my most favorite trips.

The pictures above feature Cáceres.

Cáceres is a city with more Medieval architecture. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cáceres boasts an old Medieval city within its modern city limits as well as a nature reserve sit known as Los Barruecos. Los Barruecos features granite formations and ponds with crystal clear waters. Both Los Barruecos and the Medieval city of Cáceres were Game of Thrones shooting locations. We day-tripped to Caceres with another family and even had our own little picnic in Los Barruecos.

The pictures above feature Aranguez.

This place is technically not in Extremadura, but I had to write about it. Aranguez is a small town within the Autonomous Community of Madrid and is about a 45-minute drive from the city of Madrid. During Semana Santa, I was able to travel with my family to Madrid (which is where my host mom is from), and we were able to visit a beautiful palace in Aranguez. This palace was true vacation home of the royal family, and boasts a beautiful garden as well.

The pictures above feature Estremoz.

Estremoz is a small district of Portugal about an hour drive away from Badajoz. It hosts a beautiful flea market every Saturday morning, and Roberto, Carmen, and I decided to take a day trip to visit this flea market. While in the city, we wandered around quite a bit and found our way to the castle of the city. The flea market had a wide selection of antiques, old children’s books, cheeses, and much more.

The pictures above feature Trujillo.

One of the coolest things about Extremadura is that many of the famous Spanish explorers during the ‘Discovery of America’ period hailed from this province. Hernan Cortes was from a small town in the province of Badajoz (the province of Badajoz is one of two provinces in the autonomous community of Extremadura). Francisco Pizarro was from Trujillo, another town in Extremadura. We were able to visit Trujillo where the town square boasts a large Pizarro statue, and the house of Pizarro itself is a museum.

Apart from these notable places, I’ve been able to visit La Albuera — a small town in the province of Badajoz famous for a battle in the 1800s — and more such as Zafra, my host dad’s hometown. It’s been such a blessing to travel locally in my province because there are so many incredibly beautiful places with loads to offer. What’s more, these places are filled with locals who are so proud to showcase the history to any foreigner, since they receive relatively few tourists compared to the bigger hubs like Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville. I am so grateful to my host family for lovingly showing me all these places within my short time span here :)

For one, my last week of school is next week, and I’m really torn. This is not a normal end-of-year school week for me, but rather the culmination of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ll be saying goodbye to all the people who have taken me into their fold from the first day all the way back in the first week of February. I’ll be staying in Badajoz for a few weeks after, although Friday (June 3) will be my last day of classes. I’ve also greatly enjoyed building personal relationships with all of my teachers. They’ve been so patient with me, and I greatly enjoy the student-teacher dynamic here — students are able to be themselves around teachers and conversations are not simply limited to academic material. Just the other day, my classmates were talking to the teacher about the futbol match between FC Barca and Real Betis; this certainly seems to be a popular topic amongst students and teachers here.

As for activities out of school, I’ve been having so much fun with my friends from music, art, the gym, and others I’ve had the privilege of meeting. Every Tuesday I have my ensemble practice (where I play the guitar) and most weeks, I stay back with a few of my friends and we play songs that we like. This past week, we played some Beatles songs just for fun (including my favorites “Ticket to Ride” and “All My Loving”). In art, I’ve been working on a painting of a Flamenco dancer inspired by an image by teacher showed me. I hope to bring this painting back as a loving memory of my time in Spain.

I’ve also been able to explore the city quite a bit on my own. Most days after school, I spend time with my host family in the center of the city (where my sisters have their extracurricular classes) until my own classes begin. My host parents love showing me around and there’s always something new to be seen. We usually grab a merienda (the evening snack) at our favorite cafe Granier (a store from Madrid). I’ve really enjoyed visiting some of the artisanal stores in the center of the city; the “principal street” of the city runs through the center and showcases a rich selection of both chain stores and the hole-in-the-wall finds.

I’ve also been able to travel quite a bit with my family and attend different events (I do plan to write a longer post dedicated to this topic). Just this past weekend, we went to the beautiful district of Estremoz in Portugal to visit a beautiful flea market. In Estremoz, we enjoyed a coffee in the castle and walked around the city. We also visited a village called La Albuera recently where they hosted a city-wide reenactment of the famous Battle of La Albuera between the French, Spanish, and English. I was also invited to the Communion of a family member of Roberto, and to say I enjoyed the function is an understatement. I met some wonderful people from Roberto’s side of the family who were so interested in speaking to me and teaching me about their customs.

Lastly, I’ve made more connections than ever this past month. Now, I am able to understand almost everything, and I can finally be confident in taking people up on the opportunities they present to me. I met my Italian friend Marina at a lovely Italian bistro in Badajoz, and I’ll be going to my friend Tony’s research center in Badajoz once school ends. This past month has been the most wholesome one yet in this whole experience and I have so many lovely memories in and out of the classroom. While I’m sad to part ways with my classmates next week, I am extremely sure that the week to follow will be one that stays with me forever.

This is the painting I have been working on for the past few weeks. I started this from scratch on a blank canvas and it is inspired by an image by teacher selected. This painting is such a beautiful representation of Spain to me, and the fact that it is my own creation makes it all the more endearing. I hope to bring this home with me as my own souvenir of Spain.

I guess much of this has to do with the most popular and globally-known customs of Spain. These are what add to the stereotyping culture as well; something I’ve reaffirmed to myself interestingly through this journey is that much of the stereotypes that are spread do come from locally observed traditions and practices (although most are exaggerated heavily).

Some of my favorite Spanish customs include the siesta, la merienda (afternoon snack), and the bar/café culture. Oh, and yes: I do heavily follow fútbol now. Now, the name “soccer” sounds weird to me. This past weekend, I went to my first fútbol game with Roberto; we usually watch matches together as a family every weekend on TV and whenever we can. My classmates have taught me that I need to choose my side (Madrid v. Barca) and stick to it (and I have chosen my side actually!). I usually joke that I am really just a superfan of Club Deportivo Badajoz (the fútbol team of Badajoz), and this certainly is true to some extent. This past weekend, CD Badajoz played against Celta de Vigo (a fútbol team from Galicia) in the live match that I watched.

The siesta really ties well with the Spanish custom of eating late and hanging out at bars well past midnight with your friends. After eating lunch at home around 2:30pm or 3pm, people usually take a siesta (nap) for anywhere between 30 minutes to 3 hours. This tradition actually makes a lot of sense in the summer months; with such intense heat and solar radiation, it is quite literally impossible to go out anytime between 2:30pm to 6:30pm. La merienda is the snack people eat after waking from the siesta. This snack can be anything from a piece of fruit to a slice of bizcocho (Spanish sponge cake).

I also really like Spanish snacks and junk food now. Lacasitos is the Spanish version of M&ms (and it’s honestly better!). A common snack food in Extremadura is sunflower seeds; these seeds come in their shells and natives here are extremely fast in cracking the shell open with their teeth and eating only the seed. Buscalios are like Fritos back home (although better!). Huesitos are the Spanish Kit-Kats. Cola-Cao is like the Spanish version of Nesquik; often served to little kids, it’s used as a chocolate flavoring in desserts, milk, and other sweet treats. There are many candies that have “equivalents” in American culture although the taste is a little different.

Clothes in Europe are much more fashionable and I really have caught on to that trend now. My favorite stores here are Stradivarius (owned by the owner of Zara) and Sfera (owned by El Corte Inglés - the Spanish equivalent of Nordstrom/Macy’s). The other day, I went out into town with Roberto and Laura, and Roberto even commented that I started dressing much more European. What used to be a pair of sweats is now a prim blouse with a blazer and some fashionable jeans.

It really has been the best to embrace these Spanish customs. I don’t find them weird or strange anymore. In fact, this reminds me of when I first came here. I used to spend hours reading articles on culture shock hoping to arrive at the “adjustment and liking” phase as fast as I could. Although the beginning was tough, I do feel like I’ve finally reached that point. Things don’t surprise me as much and I have gotten quite accustomed to life here. This makes for quite an interesting thought because most studies show that reverse culture shock is also very much a phenomenon to be experienced when one returns to his or her home country after a time abroad. I’m sure there’ll be a story to tell as I navigate that journey as well :)

Featured (top to bottom, left to right): the fútbol match, Cola-Cao bottles, my fútbol game tickets, Extremeñas [sunflower seeds brand from Extremadura], Lacasitos, and Buscalitos

The picture above shows my notes chart for a biology test that I turned in to the teacher for a bonus point. We were tested on this topic a few weeks ago, and now we are learning about DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and all that jazz. DNA in Spanish becomes ADN; this has consistently confused me because I am so used to writing DNA. The chart I made above outlines the classification of living things including binomial nomenclature and the different domains (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya). My biology teacher (Juan Antonio) specifically asks me to stay back with him after class and talk to him about the topic in Spanish; that is when I practice speaking with him, using all the Spanish biological terminology.

In philosophy, I have my own term-long project because I came with absolutely no background/prior class experience with philosophy. My teacher (Diego) sent me this book written by a Spanish philosopher (Savater), and it gives a detailed history of philosophy till now. I use this book not only to learn about the history of philosophy but also to learn new words and practice reading in Spanish. At the end of the term, I have to submit a final project (almost like a book report) that includes summaries of all the chapters, some artwork, an analysis of the main themes, and my opinion on the book (all in Spanish, of course).

In chemistry, the teacher (Carlos) gives me the option of either doing the test with the class or doing my own research project on the topic (all in Spanish) which I later present to him. The example above was my outline for the research project of the last unit which had to do with chemical reactions; currently, we are working with thermodynamics. The picture below shows my thermodynamics research project.

My chemistry teacher Carlos liked my projects so much that he even laminated my very first one to save as an example for future students. Projects are usually scarce in the Spanish education system and they usually involve large constructions and elaborate preparations. He said my project was the perfect example of making do with the little I have and using simplicity as an element of learning.

In Spanish language and literature, my teacher (Pedro) found me another book to read as a term-long project. This book, called La Tesis de Nancy, documents the journey of an American girl studying abroad in Seville, Spain (it’s all in Spanish). Pedro thought this book would be perfect for me because he described me as having the same passion for Spain and Spanish as the protagonist Nancy; in fact, Nancy is so inspired by Spain that she writes her doctoral thesis about the rich culture of Seville. This book is no walk in the park; I often need Pedro to explain to me many sentence structures and meanings.

In terms of English, there’s not much to say. I usually help my classmates in this case, and we are learning about passive/active sentence structures. In my math class, my class is currently studying derivatives. Given I am a bit ahead in the calculus track, my math teacher here (Macarena) sends me videos of a famous Spanish YouTube professor (Profesor10) and I do exercises that she sends me; she then sits down with me at the end of every class to review the exercises.

This week alone in school has been so eventful. I have final projects in almost all of my classes to show the teachers my progress with Spanish. Then again, I only have a few more weeks in class with all my friends and teachers; this one’s gone by too quickly :(

Pictured from left to right (first row): torrijas con helado, churros con chocolate, gofres con helado, torrijas tradicionales

Pictured from left to right (second row): palmeras, magdalenas, tarta de bizcocho, flauta chocolate

Pictured from left to right (third row): lengua de chocolate, tarta de galletas, Latvian Rice Pudding With Berries, Crema con fresas

Pictured from left to right (fourth row): merengue, flan de chocolate, crema catalana, tarta de crema y almendras

• Churros con chocolate - Not a dessert in Spain, this sweet treat is practically one of Spain’s national breakfast dishes. Churros on their own are actually flavorless and the thick hot chocolate adds to the sweetness of the dish. The thick chocolate is usually made from Cola Cao, Spain’s equivalent of Nesquik (a chocolate powder used in drinks and for flavoring).

• Crema Catalana - The sister dish of crème brûlée, this dish with its origins in Catalonia is made from whole milk (while creme brûlée is made from cream).

• Torrijas - Another dish remarkably similar to French Toast, torrijas are widely consumed during Semana Santa. They are made from day-old bread soaked in a milk-eggs-sugar mixture and later coated in cinnamon.

• Magdalenas - These are little Spanish cupcakes commonly made for little kids to take as snacks to school or as a quick desserts. They resemble the texture of Spanish sponge cake.

• Tarta de Galletas - One of the most famous Spanish cakes, this tarta made from galletas (cookies) — specifically galletas called galletas marias. They are layers of cookies and cream sometimes alternate with layers of the Spanish sponge cake (bizcocho).

• Latvian Rice Pudding With Berries - Obviously, the name gives away the fact that this dessert is not Spanish, but one of Laura’s relatives (who is from Latvia) made me this dish while I was in Madrid visiting family. It consists of a sweetened whipped cream rice served atop a rich wild berries sauce.

• Merengue - This one is not from Spain and is generally well known in the United States (meringue). Made from whipped eggs, sugar, and usually an acid like lemon, this fluffy delight is very popular here as well.

• Lenguas de Chocolate - A rich puff pastry filled with chocolate and coated with chocolate sprinkles, this dessert derives its name (lengua, which means tongue in Spanish) from its shape.

• Tarta de Bizcocho - Given bizcocho itself it a sponge cake, this cake is formed by layers of this sponge cake. It can have fillings of chocolate, frosting, or whipped cream.

• Flauta chocolate - This is a puff pastry filled with chocolate; the factor that differentiates this dish is its shape as a flute.

• Tarta de Crema y Almendras - This one is a cake made with a thick almond crust and layers of this almond crust alternated with layers of cream. It is topped with crushed almonds and served with whipped cream.

When I say dessert culture in Spain, I mean that it is tradition here to have a dessert everyday after lunch and after dinner. Obviously, the sweet treats above are not eaten every day. My host sisters here call for a dessert everyday after our two main meals together; they always shout postre ("dessert") when they are done eating and Laura hands them fruit, yogurt, chocolate, or one of the above (if it is a special day). People end their meals with something sweet, almost as if they are giving in to the anticipated sugar craving they will have later in the day.

I was absolutely blown away by the dessert culture in Europe, and I have learnt so many recipes along the way. I hope to bring back many of these with me, building on these recipes and adding my own touches.

One of the best feelings is to fully understand the meaning of a word in one language that does not have a raw translation into another language. It was on a call with a friend back home when I knew the exact word to describe his behavior in Spanish, but I failed to elucidate to him the significance of this word in English. Because it’s inexplicable. I still find myself unable to explain pesado to non-Spanish speakers.

People told me when I first arrived that I came with a level of Spanish much higher than most other foreigners. This was quite the encouragement, although so many days I would come home just wanting to fly back to California. While this may have been true, my level was still too low to survive in Extremadura; with the thick accents that mimic the linguistic patterns of Andalucía to the extremely fast rate of speech, one can hardly understand any of the Extremeño Spanish at first. My level of Spanish comprehension shot up rapidly my first four weeks here in Spain. One of the most instrumental tools in helping me do so was my journal. Every day in class, I would jot down with assiduity every single phrase or word I did not know. My classmates would even come up to me, observe what I was doing, and give me more phrases. My daily language exchange sessions with Roberto also proved to be very useful; he would force me to speak in Spanish using different tenses.

The first big change I noticed was my reduced time in conjugating verbs; in fact, I did not need to think anymore to conjugate verbs in Spanish. In a language where each subject has its own special verb conjugation, this proved to be one of the biggest difficulties in the beginning.

The second and most notable change was my confidence. I no longer relied on Laura or Roberto to come with me when I had to speak to people. I found myself willing to interact with more people because I could finally understand them. As I spoke to more people, I received the encouragement needed to continue doing so when people told me that I spoke well. I no longer began my conversations with ¿hablas inglés? (Do you speak English?).

Now I play games. Harmless games, of course. My favorite is the “Where Am I From?” game. This is not to say that I equate my level of Spanish with that of the native speakers. This more comes from my fascination of the plethora of accents in Spain; moreover, my hours of analysis into these accents have lent themselves directly into my speech. One Thursday after art class, I decided to take a taxi back home. It was around 9pm and although I would normally walk back home, I needed to come back home quickly to work on a chemistry project. The taxi driver was a cheerful middle-aged man from Badajoz. He picked me up, and we had about four minutes of small talk before I asked him: ¿De dónde crees que soy? (Where do you think I’m from?). He told me that my accent was more articulate and guessed Madrid. When I told him I was from the United States, I swear he turned around at every proceeding stop light to turn around and look at my face. His reaction was one of those that gave me more confidence: ¡no me digas, hablas español estupendamente! (“No way! You speak Spanish stupendously!”).

As my ability to express myself in Spanish has grown, those around me have seen my personality transition from a more taciturn version of myself to one of ardour.

Much like many others, I believed that simply existing in a foreign country would teach me the country’s language. If I had stuck to that “maxim”, I certainly would not have the level of Spanish I have now. The hours I have spent reading texts, re-reading texts, watching shows, asking questions, and journalling in Spanish have certainly contributed to the knowledge I have gained. My awareness of my ephemeral time here has given me the strongest desire to make every second count. I’ve also learnt that some amount of sagacity is required to truly further one’s own language skills within a certain window of time.

I obviously still do not speak like a native. There are instances where I must think in English and translate into Spanish before I speak or write. One of the most difficult Spanish concepts — the subjunctive tense — is now my muse. I must make a mental note of every instance of the subjunctive I hear in speech or observe in text. Finding this muse completely changed the course of my journey in Spain. It sparked within me an ingenuity and the want to unearth every facet of this language. As I continue to uncover words, phrases, tenses, and more in this language, I know I need to remind myself how lucky I am to be surrounded by people so willing to help. I’ve learnt that language is a part of my identity, and that now, Spanish successfully embeds itself in me forever. I’ve learnt through this journey that when you speak with people in a language they can understand, they speak to you from the mind; when you speak to them in their native tongue, they speak to you from the heart. And the things they say from their hearts offer the best lessons, experiences, and memories which stay with you forever.