Collin Ragsdale: Spain

Collin Ragsdale: Spain 

Introduction:

  My Wilson Language Grant began on June 27th as I drove to the airport to fly to New York and eventually Madrid, Spain. Although I was very nervous, I had very high expectations for all that I would learn and experience during my time in Spain. Never before had I travelled out of the country, much less to a foreign country that primarily speaks a different language. Anxiety mixed with excitement as the plane left the the run way. Five weeks later, I could not have imagined how the relationships and experiences I would make during my time in Spain would change my life for the better. 

Week One: (June 27 - July 3)

Cathedral in Tamara 

  After meeting the rest of my group in the JFK airport and surviving the eight hour flight to the Madrid airport, I officially stepped foot on Spanish land by passing through customs. My journey through Spain suddenly felt much more real. The first day in Spain did not disappoint. Our group loaded up on a bus to travel to a small town in Northern Spain called Támara de Campos. Támara is a a very small town of only about 70 people. Even though their town is very small, the people of Tamara are fiercely proud of their town's history. During the Muslim occupation of Spain, Tamara was the location of a major battle that helped determine the fate of what would soon become Spain. Tamara was our home base for the first week. Everyday we would travel by bus to surrounding towns, cities and national parks to begin immersing ourselves in the Spanish culture. Each day of the first week focused on a different aspect of Spanish culture. For example the first day in Tamara included a trip to a nearby national park. Hiking trough the open air, I began to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the Spanish countryside. The surroundings were breathtaking and very different from anything I had ever seen in America. 

Hiking through national park

Traditional Spanish Paella 

Other days focused on both Spanish cooking, music and history. In a city named Valladolid, our group was fortunate enough to receive cooking lessons from a chef at a highly respected restaurant. We assisted the chef in cooking a traditional Spanish dish of paella. Paella is a rice based dish that includes other ingredients such as vegetables, chicken, shrimp or other sea food. In Southern Spain, paella traditionally consists of rice and various shellfish like shrimp and oysters. All of our hard work was rewarded when we were able to eat the final product In addition, the chef treated us to an eight course meal. This was one of the greatest meals that I have ever had in  my life. 

  In order to learn about Spanish music, our group travelled to a small town named Mucientes to meet a famous musician named Paco Diez. Señor Diez has travelled the world to perform in various countries. He has even played in the Kennedy Center here in America. Señor Diez has amassed a large collection of traditional instruments used throughout the history of music in the Iberian Peninsula. Some of the instruments dated as far back as the time when the Romans conquered Spain. Señor Diez was kind enough to let us attempt to play some of the instruments. Even though it was fun playing the ancient instruments, I think it would be better if the music playing is left to Señor Diez. 

Our group the final night in Támara

  The final day in Támara included a trip to Burgos. This city is much larger and is home to one of the largest Cathedrals in Spain. Burgos is also famous as a major stop along El Camino de Santiago. This 500 mile hike is a very popular pilgrimage for people around the world. It is not uncommon to see pilgrims hiking with large backpacks carrying all of the essentials for a journey that usually takes more than a month to complete. 

  As the final night in Támara came to a close, a sense of nervous excitement set in amongst the group as we realized that the next three weeks of our lives would be spent with a family that spoke no English. 

Weeks 2-4: (July 3 - July 23)

My host family and I in a restaurant in Sevilla

   The homestay portion of my trip was by far the most difficult part of my experience in Spain. For the next three weeks, I would be living with a family in small Southern town named Estepa. My host family was very sweet and ensured that I had everything I needed during my time in their house. My host brother, Manuel, was only ten years. Despite our age difference, we still managed to grow close together during my three week stay. During my time in Estepa, I received the opportunity have an internship for a talk radio station called "Cadena Ser". Cadena Ser is the most popular talk radio station in Southern Spain. Therefore, it was very nerve racking when I was told I would go live on air for a interview about my Spanish experience! It was incredible having people from the town come up to me and congratulate me on my life interview. I couldn't believe so many people had heard it! Other days in the radio station, I would assist the woman I was working for in her interviews throughout the town. One day we travelled to another town named Osuna to interview the leaders of a protest fighting for their lack of medical rights. My time at the radio station was very fun and immersed me in interesting Spanish conversations at all times. When I wasn't working, I spent my time living the lives of my host family. When they were cooking I helped cook; when they were playing soccer I played soccer; when the were napping I would take a nap. Leaving Estepa and all the personal relationships I had created with my new family and friends was easily the hardest part of the trip. I am forever grateful to everyone in Estepa who made my homestay experience the best it could possibly be.

Week 5: (July 23 - August 3)

Bull seen during the hike 

The final week of my trip was the most hectic and busy part of my time in Spain. During the final week we stayed in four different cities in 10 days. After leaving Estepa, our group made a day stop at a farm in La Sierra Nevada mountain range. This particular farm is famous for its five star ham. We learned how the pigs our bred, fed and eventually slaughtered and cured to make some of the ham for which Spain is famous. That night we arrived in Aracena, another small city in Southern Spain. Aracena would be our home base for our 26 mile hiking excursion through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The next morning our expedition began. The hike was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Throughout the hike, I experienced first hand the beauty of the Spanish country side. We saw everything from wandering bulls to Roman ruins. And the views were breathtaking. After the first day of hiking, our group stopped in a small town of about 50 people to spend the night. Although the town was very small, I gained a very real sense of the style of life for thousands os native Spaniards. Rising early the next day, we ate a light breakfast to complete our hike. As a Boy Scout, I have a great appreciation for the outdoors. This hike exceeded every expectation I had for Spain's natural beauty. The next day we drove to on city named Vejer de la Frontera, a city that sits thousands of feet in the air on top of a mountain. This city was a very important strategical city during the Moorish invasion of Spain. Vejer de la Frontera is very close to the Mediterranean Ocean, so each day we would take a short drive to smaller beaches where there were not as many tourists. The beach days were very fun as our group swam and even built sand castles together. Unfortunately, we had to leave the stunning beaches of Southern Spain to travel to our final destination of the trip, Sevilla. Until this point, my program had focused on life in smaller towns so as to give the students a more personal experience. Therefore, living in Sevilla was very different. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people running around the streets at all times. The streets of Sevilla never seemed to be quiet. We spent our last few days of the trip eating tapas, buying souvenirs and visiting historic churches. Living in Seviila was an incredible opportunity that gave me the chance to experience life in a larger Spanish city. 

Conclusion

My trip to Spain was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am so grateful to the Wilson family for affording me this incredible opportunity. Thanks to the Wilson's generosity, I was able to travel out of the country for the first time in my life and improve my Spanish to levels I never could have imagined.