Bradford Holladay: Nicaragua and Cuba

Week 1: El Lagartillo, Nicaragua

When I landed in Managua, Nicaragua, I had no idea what to expect. I was flying alone out of Nashville into a country and group of people completely unknown to me, so I was excited to begin the experience. First, I met up with a group of 15 other students from around the country at a hotel in Managua and began preparing for the trip.

We started off the experience with a 5 hour bus ride to the rural Nicaraguan jungle town of El Lagartillo. When I arrived in El Lagartillo, I was shocked to see how poor the community was in comparison to the United States. The buildings were barely held together by wood, tarps, metal sheets, and old nails.

My homestay in El Largartillo

The idea that I would be living here with a host family for the next week made me a little nervous, but when I was placed with my new family, I knew it would be a great experience. My host family consisted of a very religious father and mother, an energetic 13 year old named Oliver, and his little 4 year old sister Francella.

The week was spent helping my family around the house, farming, and attending Spanish classes during the day. I left having a newfound appreciation for family and happiness, as materialistic things do not lead to true joy.

Week 2: Havana, Cuba

The first thing I noticed when I landed in Havana, Cuba, were the large amount of cameras in the airport watching all tourists entering the country. Some cameras were always recording the immigrations area, while others were thermal cameras, scanning to see if any incoming immigrants had fevers. Because of this first impression of the country on top of the things that I had heard about Cuba, I was not sure what to expect for the upcoming week. As soon as I left the airport, I was amazed. Everywhere I looked I could see vintage cars from the 1950s, and as we drove deeper into Havana, the architecture was a sight to behold. Even the buildings had a 1950s look to them.

I was placed in a host family of two host mothers who cooked for me and took care of me when I wasn’t in class during the day. One of my host mothers was a dentist, but they both used their home as a bed and breakfast in order to earn some extra money. Even though they lived in a communist country that has been restricted by the United States, they were some of the happiest and most caring people that I have ever met.

Because we had to go to Cuba on an education visa, the government forced us to have proof of at least seven hours of educative activity each day. These activities included meeting up with young Cuban artists, going to museums, and sitting in a classroom learning about Cuban history or Cuban-American relations.

At the end of the week, I was very sad to have to leave such an interesting country, but I also learned to never take the freedom we have in the United States for granted.

Week 3-4: Managua, Nicaragua

The return to Managua was very interesting after experiencing Cuba because Managua is much more Americanized. One of the first things I noticed was that the buildings are a lot shorter. This is because due to the amount of earthquakes in Managua many people are scared to build structures above 5 stories tall. When I rode to the community of my new host family, I noticed that most structures were just one story tall and all buildings were very close together and colorful. I arrived in the community in Managua and was greeted by my host mother and my two host brothers, Angel and Oliver, and their two little twin sisters.

Living with them was a very unique experience due to the differences in Managua and Tennessee. The city was less safe, so it was more difficult to go out at night. Even crossing the streets at night were more dangerous because of the speed that drivers went and also the increase of possible drunk drivers as more people drink in the community than in Nashville.

In my homestay, the food was almost exclusively rice and beans. After a month of rice and beans, I lost about ten pounds during the course of the trip. My house also did not have running water, so it was difficult to shower and use the bathroom. During the days in Managua, we went to various locations around the city to meet up with artistic groups that encouraged social change. We met various bands, poets, singers, painters, and filmmakers who all have interesting and inspiring approaches on making a difference in society peacefully.

The two weeks flew by, and before I knew it, I was on a flight back to Nashville concluding the trip. Through El Lagartillo, I learned to appreciate what I have and that family and love are the most important things a person can obtain. Through Cuba, I learned that freedom is not free, and just being able to speak your mind is something that I take for granted everyday, and through my homestay in Managua, I learned that one person can make a difference by leading by example and peacefully protesting. I will never forget these lessons or the experiences I was given by the Wilson family and MBA this summer. Thank you for this unforgettable experience!

Isaac Wills: France

     For the first week and a half of my adventure in France, I stayed in Bordeaux at a high school called La Saque. Upon arriving, I was greeted by my host brother Arthur Maridot and director of school relations Mme. Leclarq. La Saque has a more rustic feel in comparison to MBA, but the student body has similar energy or spirit as MBA students have at sporting events. I stayed in a dorm with Arthur and his roommate Xavier for the final week and a half of school. During my school stay, I sat-in on an entire day's worth of classes, played handball for the first time, watched American films in French, and participated in the schools les olympiades. The latter detail was particularly enjoyable for me as I was able to be apart of the craze and enthusiasm of the end of the school year celebrations. The second-to-last day was the annual school walk which was fourteen kilometers. All the students and I walked through vineyards and small villages, and we finished in a small town at a cathedral for mass.

The frenzy of les olympiades 

     The food at La Saque, particularly breakfast,  was very different from the food I normally have at MBA. While I normally eat corn flakes or another generic cereal here in the United States, I generally ate bread with a spread in France. As for lunch and dinner, the French are generally more modest than Americans in the quantity of food. However, I will discuss food experience in more depth once I get on the topic of Paris.

     Peppered throughout my stay at La Saque were visits or small trips to places in the surrounding Bordeaux area. Joined by my fellow MBA students Charlie Ma and Andrew Duffey as well as our correspondents and some girls from St. Cecilia high school, I went to one of the largest sand dunes in France, an extensive oyster farm, the heart of Bordeaux itself, and a river where I went canoeing. All for of those small trips were great in there own light, but my favorite one was the sand dune extravaganza. After reaching the top of the dunes, I was able to take in the great views of the surrounding area, and the of course the others and I had fun rolling down the dunes' sandy slopes.

                                                The group pictured atop the the great sand dunes

     During my weekends away from La Saque and after school had ended, I lived at Arthur's house in a small town three hours North of Bordeaux called Soulac-sur-Mer. Living on the Atlantic Coast of France, Arthur is an avid surfer. He took me to the beach several times so that I could run while he rode the waves in the early morning. He also enjoys skate-boarding, so I accompanied him to the town's skate park where I met his friends outside of school. Arthur's dad Dmitri runs a camping/cabin rental site on the beach, so Arthur and I spent a couple of nights camping-out. Dmitri went fishing several times, and he prepared a fantastic feast for the entire family including Arthur's grandparents.
     

Arthur, his dad, and his grandparents sitting down for a feast

Arthur and I in front of his house

Coincidentally, the town of Soulac-sur-Mer was having a festival the day I arrived. Taking me au centre-ville, Arthur directed me to an auction, various boutiques, and a stage where live music was being played. Furthermore, I visited a wine distillery nearby Arthur's house, and I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the facility. Arthur's mum worked at a restaurant in Soulac-sur-Mer, so she was constantly in-and-out of the house. Despite all the amazing things I did at Soulac, I think my main takeaway from the home-stay portion of the trip were the conversations I had with the members of Arthur's family. Arthur joked with me several times about how his English was poor, but his language situation made the temptation to speak English nearly impossible.  

Arthur and I atop a small tour in a vineyard

     Mixed into my home-stay with Arthur was a short four day reprieve with Aumary Auge, the student from La Saque who came to MBA last year. Aumary lived in Perigod, a sizable town three hours Northeast of Bordeaux. The Auge's were gracious hosts, and I really enjoyed their pool! Their house, which was around 500 years old was fascinating. My ability to tour Perigod was hindered when I twisted my ankle rather badly on a run from Aumary's house. Although I spent a significant amount of the following two days on the couch, I was able to watch the Euro Cup, which was in France, on the television. The Auge's were incredibly hospitable, and I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with them and their dinner guests.

Charlie, Andrew, and I pictured with the Auge's

     The final leg of my stay in France was in Paris. I could go into the "nitty gritty" of every attraction I went to, but I'll instead elaborate upon the highlight of my Parisian experience: the food and street life atmosphere. As I stated earlier, the food was a staple part of my experience in France. Mr. Trotter, my French teacher, Charlie, Andrew, and I would go to restaurants when we found ourselves hungry in between stops on our itinerary. We would find a restaurant on the street, look at the menu, and decide if we want to eat there or keep looking. We had the power to direct our gastronomic experience. I was not and still am not a coffee drinker, but I liked stopping in small cafes and getting an expresso every now and then. I also mentioned earlier that the Euro Cup was going on in France while I was there. As a result, there was a flourish of fans from various countries across Euro present to cheer on their respective teams. I loved being apart of the French fan base, as I watched the French matches in a restaurant alongside other French people. In general, I felt cosmopolitan vibes while in Paris, and the "game day" atmosphere was fantastic. In terms of attractions, I visited the Arc-de-Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, les Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame, les Catacombes, the Pantheon, and a host of other places. Of these stops, I savored the views from the Arc-de-Triumphe and the Eiffel Tower the most. Seeing the historical rooftops of Paris from above held its own magic.

Charlie, Andrew, and I atop the Arc-de-Triumphe

     As much as I miss taking pictures on top of things, the thing I miss most from France is constantly having someone with whom I could speak French. Sure, I have French class everyday at school, but waking-up and going-bed to bed in French was a wonderfully unique experience. I already miss my correspondent Arthur, but I am excited knowing that I will host him my senior year when he comes to MBA. Lastly, I just want to thank the Wilson family for making this experience happen. It was truly a great opportunity linguistically and culturally.

Andrew Duffey-France

After arriving in Bordeaux, my fellow classmates and I took a bus to the Sauque, the boarding school where we would be spending the first week. There, I met my host brother, Corentin, and his father, who drove me to their house, as Corentin did not board at the Sauque. Upon arriving at the house, I met my host mother and we all went inside and discussed each other's cultures and traditions. After a good discussion, we ate an early dinner. After dinner, we discussed further, but after a while, I went to bed for some much needed rest. The next morning, I would be going to the Sauque for the second time. Only this time, I would actually attend classes and interact with the students. After attending two classes, my host brother and I went to the assembling area where he had to take an exam. While Corentin took his exam, my classmates and I went and played handball with the upperclassmen. After Corentin finished his exam, my classmates and I went to the Circons with our host brothers and the French students from St. Cecilia for canoeing. We, then, returned to the Sauque, from where Corentin and I were picked up and taken back to the house. The next day, we attended several classes in the morning, ate lunch in the cafeteria at the Sauque, and then headed for downtown Bordeaux, where we went on a very interesting tour. Throughout those first few days, we participated in several activities like the tour, as we visited an oyster farm and a beach, among other sites, such as my favorite, the Dune de Pyla, the largest dune in Europe. At the top we had the opportunity to consume all of its beauty. Looking from side to side, the dune seemed endless. Looking down towards the bottom of the dune, the ocean sat on one side and on the other was a forest. Getting to run up and down the dune's steep side was exhausting, but at the same time wonderful. After a marvelous time on the dune, it was time to go back home. The weekend was spent with just my host family. On Saturday, we rested at the house throughout the morning, My host family, then, took me to the French McDonald's for lunch. After eating a delicious lunch, we went to the mall. We returned to the house in the evening for  what was a fantastic barbecue where I met some family friends. Throughout the night, not only did we eat, but we played some ping pong, board game, and also Uno. The next day, my family took me to Le Porge, a beach about one hour from Bordeaux. We spent most of the day there, and returned to the house for an evening of ping pong and four wheeling.

Charlie, Isaac, and I are with our host brother at the Dune de Pyla

The next day, my classmates and I participated in a field day at the Sauque. I played basketball for the Pink Team. This whole day was dedicated to these games. The next day was our 14 kilometer walk to Verdelais, where we attended a French mass. This walk was basically the only event of the day. The day after that, Charlie, Isaac, and I departed for Perigueux, where we met our second host family, the Hughes. In Perigueux, we didn't do a lot. Charlie, Isaac, and I hung out with Amaury, who came to MBA on exchange last year. We watched some soccer, as the UEFA just so happened to be hosted by France this summer. We did visit downtown Perigueux and walked around all the little shops. After a few days with the Hughes, we headed back to Bordeaux to stay with our original host family for a few more nights.

Amaury and I have a discussion during dinner

After staying a last few nights with our host families, Charlie, Isaac, and I left for Paris with Mr. Trotter. As one would imagine, there was lots to do in Paris. Luckily, we all got to stay in a hotel in downtown Paris, so every day, we would walk somewhere different. Would I personally loved in Paris were all the restaurants; we went out to a restaurant for nearly every meal. Another great part about Paris was the site-seeing. We did have to take a subway to most of the sites, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Trimphe. However, we walked to many sights as well, such as Notre Dame and a handful of Churches and Cathedrals. paris was great because of all the cultural experiences. Not only did we visit, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, but we also got to see works of art in the Louvre, walk through the Catacombes, and ride the Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde.

Charlie, Isaac, and I pose in front of the Eiffel Tower

After spending three weeks in France, I can undoubtedly say that my studying has been worth it. I had so much fun. I enjoyed participating in all the activities, and I adored the many friends that I made. I am also proud to say that I spent almost a month in a foreign country speaking the native language. I am extremely appreciative to have had the opportunity to study abroad in the language that I have come to love these past few years. I hope that in the future, students will have as much fun abroad as I had. It was certainly an experience that I will keep close to my heart.

Charlie, isaac, and I enjoy our walk in the Catacombes

  

Charlie Ma in France

Once I, along with Andrew Duffey and Isaac Wills, arrived in Bordeaux, France, we were taken to the boarding school, La Sauque, at which we would meet our host brother and stay the week. After a long day of travel, my host brother, Sam, took me to his room where we spend the next few nights. Upon getting situated, Sam brought me to the cafeteria to eat a much needed dinner. Right away I noticed many differences compared to the dining hall of MBA. Unlike the buffet style meals at MBA, meals at La Sauque consisted of yogurt, fruit, a pastry of some sort, and the main course. There would be no second servings. Also, portions and sizes were minuscule compared to those of the America, and every meal had a serving of bread that would be accompanied by jam or cheese. After dinner, Sam brought me back to his room and let me get a much needed night sleep to shake off the jet-lag. The next day, I accompanied Sam to his morning classes. Immediately, I noticed the lack of technology. At MBA, to get by any class, the use of laptop or computer is pertinent. However, at La Sauque, technology was not as important. Afterwards, since we had arrived during exam week, Sam went to go take an exam. During this time, I was introduced to the sport of handball by some of the upperclassman. Handball, basically, is a combination of basketball and soccer where you dribble a ball down the court and try to throw it in a goal. After Sam finished his exam and lunch, Andrew, Isaac, and I, along with our host brothers, went on our daily excursion to see the nearby attractions. Throughout the week we went canoeing, experienced a historical tour of Bordeaux, visited the seaside town of Arachon, picnicked at the Dune of Pyla(the largest sand dune in Europe), and visited an oyster farm.

Andrew, Isaac and I with our host brothers at the Dune of Pyla

After an action packed week, I returned with Sam to his house which was about an hour drive away where we spent the weekend playing video games, playing with Sam's two brothers, and hanging out with Sam's friends. Once the weekend ended, we had to return to La Sauque for one more night to participate in Les Olympiades which was what they called their field day. During the coarse of the day, I played basketball and ran sprints, and at the end of the day, my team finished fourth. After dinner, we all went straight to sleep to prepare for the long day ahead.

Andrew and I taking a break at Les Olympiades

To make the next part of my journey make sense, I should say that La Sauque is a very religious school. So, the next item on schedule was a nine mile pilgrimage through the French countryside. The walk was one of the most tiring yet enjoyable experiences that I have had. France's countryside was miles and miles of vineyards since wine played such a large role in the French economy. The walk took up the majority of the day, and when we returned to La Sauque where we had dinner. That night was their honors night where students were given awards for their academic excellence, and afterwards they put on a play, fully in English. Afterwards, I said goodbye to everyone I met at La Sauque and returned to Sam's house.

While at staying with Sam, he took me to many nearby towns to see the attractions. The highlight would have to be visiting the town of St. Emilion which is known for its wine. We took a tour of the city and a church which the town was centered around. The town was filled with wine shops where I was able to learn about how wine was made and how to determine the quality of wine.

The town of St. Emilion

The next few days were spent in Perigod with Amaury Hughes, the French student who spent the semester at MBA. At Amaury's house, he took us to visit downtown Perigod and the church that Amaury's mom worked at. We spent a lot of time playing Xbox and playing sports outside. Our trip in France coincided with the Eurocup which is the soccer tournament that European countries participate in every four years. So, naturally, we spent a lot of time watching soccer.

Staying at the house of Amaury

After our stay with Amaury, I returned with Sam for a few more days where he took me to stay in downtown Bordeaux with one of his friends. While we were there, he took me to do some shopping down what seemed line an endless road of shops. Afterwards, we went to go watch a movie with his friend.

Downtown Bordeaux

After spending two weeks with Sam, the duration of my trip was almost over, but I still had four more days in Paris with Mr. Trotter and my classmates. The first day in Paris we visited the Pantheon which not only had many beautiful pieces of art, but also contained the remains of some very famous artists such as Victor Hugo. Next, we headed to Les Champs Elysees, the road that connects the department of defense to the Arc de Triumphe to the Louvre. The road itself is filled with many luxurious shops where at one, we had some delicious macaroons. The last item for the day was to visit the Arc de Triumphe itself where we saw the best view in all of Paris.

The three of us at the Champs Elysees

The following day was as action packed as the first. We visited the cathedral of Notre Dame where the intricacy from the hundreds of years of work blew me away. The details on the walls and the huge stain glass windows were unbelievable. Then, we went to the Centre Pompidou which is a museum of modern art. I enjoyed this part of the day very much because I find modern art very interesting with its many possible ways of interpretation. After lunch, we headed to the Catacombs which is resting sight of millions of deceased. As we walked through, the walls were stacked chest high with bones. It gave a very eerie vibe with the countless bones, and the colder temperature gave me chills. We had dinner and called it a day.

Centre Pompidou

The next day was one I had looked forward to for a long time. We were going to visit the Eiffel Tower. Once we climbed to the top, we saw another great view of Paris from bird's eye view since there were no other building at this height. Unlike the large cities of America, there were no skyscrapers in Paris. Afterwards, we were given free time to shop the stores of Paris. After buying a few things, we headed to the Seine river where we had tour of the city via boat. It was truly amazing seeing the city this way. The third day in Paris had come to an end, and there was just one more day left. On the last day, we went to the Louvre where we saw many priceless pieces of art including the Mona Lisa. During our time in the Louvre, we didn't realize the size and got lost many, many times. We spent the rest of the day just relaxing and watching soccer. We left the next morning. 

I would like to thank the Wilson Family for giving me the opportunity for a once in a life time trip to study French. I would also like to thank M. Trotter for accompanying us on the trip as well.  

Mac Roberts, Beijing and Shanghai, 2016

My host family and I at the Temple of Heaven

First Impressions

After a travel dilemma, which included a surprise connection in London Heathrow and our bags not completing the journey, we arrived in Beijing. The first thing I noticed when I arrived was that the sky was clear and blue, not covered in a thick cloud of smog like I would have thought. From Beijing Capital Airport, we traveled to a coffee shop to meet my host. His name is Howard Jin, and he attends Beijing No. 4 High School. He is a kind and welcoming person and it was a lot of fun getting to improve my Chinese language skills with him. Later that night, I met Howard's parents at dinner. My host family was extremely welcoming and they helped make my trip enjoyable. 

Beijing

During my time staying with them, my host family took me around Beijing to see all the major sights. On the first full day we saw the Temple of Heaven, which is a beautiful example of classic Chinese architecture. The next day, Howard brought me to the Temple of Earth, the Confucius Temple, and the Olympic village. That was especially interesting because I have wanted to see the Bird's Nest Stadium since the 2008 Olympics took place. 

The Bird's Nest

Another interesting experience was my day at school. I was able to follow the class schedule of Richard, whom I hosted earlier this year. High school in China is quite different from America's high schools. First of all, students do not move between classes, rather the teachers go from class to class. Also, while American high schools strive to create an atmosphere of discussion, Chinese schools are more lecture oriented. It was nice to see Richard again, since we hadn't met since I hosted him in February. The next day, Howard took me to tour the Forbidden City. The Gu Gong, as it is named in Chinese, was a massive walled compound with many different palaces and thrones where the emperor sat in the days past. Amazingly, I ran into my classmates Ty Allen and Troy Jiang at the Forbidden City. What are the chances you would see classmates in a crowd in Beijing?

In front of Tiananmen gate

Ty and I at the Forbidden City

One of the most amazing experiences of my life was my trip to the Great Wall of China. We got up very early to catch a bus to the wall. When we got there, I noticed that the weather was perfect: clear skies and temperature in the 70s. Seeing the Great Wall was a fulfillment of a life long dream of mine.

Howard and I at the Great Wall

The wall and surrounding scenery

On my last night in Beijing, Howard and I met Mrs. Zhang and her daughter at Quanjude roast duck restaurant. I was excited to finally try Beijing roast duck, which has a crispy, shiny skin. 

Shanghai

After a five hour bullet train ride, Mrs. Zhang, her daughter, and Mrs. Maddux and her family all arrived in Shanghai. Our purpose for being in Shanghai was to attend the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) conference. The conference theme was "A Sustainable Future", thus there were many lectures regarding climate change and cleaning up the environment. The conference also served to give students information on college admissions. Mrs. Maddux gave several very informing presentations on this issue and I learned a ton of new things about college admission. 

Troy, Mrs. Maddux, me, and Mrs. Zhang at the WLSA conference

During my time in Shanghai, the conference bused the students to Shanghai city center so we could see the skyline. We stopped at the Bund so we could see that well known view of the tall Shanghai buildings. After seeing the city, we all went to the Yu Garden to shop and eat lunch. Lunch was amazing, a plate of Shanghai steamed soup dumplings (Baozi). 

Me in front of the Shanghai skyline

Back to Beijing

When we returned to Beijing, I was not able to stay with the host family again because the parents were out of town. Thus, we stayed in the Jintai hotel for the remaining three nights in Beijing. Zhang Laoshi (Mrs. Zhang) took me around Beijing to see a few more sights before we returned to the U.S. After waiting in an incredibly long line, we saw Mao's tomb, which contained Chairman Mao's preserved body. We also saw the National Museum of China, which was one of, if not the best museums I have been to. It was a massive building that contained a multitude of fantastic exhibits. My favorite exhibit was the one that displayed examples of ancient Chinese writing carved into the backs of turtle shells. 

Waiting in the line to see Chairman Mao's body

Ancient Chinese characters carved into a turtle shell

On the last night of our trip, we decided to go on one last fun outing before we had to leave. We walked to the Lotus market from the hotel. This market was incredibly beautiful at night as there was a wide array of different colored lights. There were many people partaking in their hobbies here. There was a partner dancing group, a painter, and many others just looking to go for a nice walk and get a sweet snack. 

Final thoughts

In conclusion, I consider my summer travel to China as the most interesting and enlightening trip of my life so far, and it is certainly one that I will never forget. In addition to being incredibly fun, I also had the opportunity to improve my Chinese language skills, as I was surrounded by native speakers. In addition to all of these great opportunities, I was asked to join the student council of WLSA, meaning that I along with several other students get to plan the location of and the topics covered by the next conference, in the summer of 2018. I would never have had these wonderful opportunities if it were not for the Wilson family's incredible generosity to the MBA family, and for that I thank them.

Jamison Russ: Spain

Arrival and First Days

      My journey truly began upon arrival in the Boston airport where I was greeted by one hundred milling students, all clad in their orange Middlebury shirts, and Kristina, who prompted the first of many reality checks as I stumbled over my name when she asked "Como te llamas". After meeting a few of my now friends for the first time on the flight to Madrid, we took a bus to Granada to our home for the month, a boarding school named Ave Maria Casa Madre. We were greeted by a lunch of salad, potatoes, and eggs before being introduced to our counselors and the program. These first few hours, which were a struggle  after forty hours awake, gave me confidence for the rest of the month as we got to know each other in English before beginning the Language Pledge of the academy, which stated that Spanish would be the only language I would be able to speak, listen to, read, or write for the rest of the month plunging into our immersion experience in earnest.  

I'm unfortunately blocked in the back of this picture, but this is my group, lifting up our counselor, Jose  with whom I did daily activities and bonded

Daily Routine

       My mornings started either at seven or eight. If I didn't sleep through my watch, I got up to run and exercise; if I did sleep, Jose would burst in full of energy dancing to his speaker playing Spanish pop music. Breakfast was the most American thing of the day, and consisted of normal cereal, yogurt, and fruit. Next, still drowsy, I went to morning assembly where the counselors gave us the afternoon activity option sign-ups. Next was something that took some getting used to. After the itinerary, we just danced. As an awful dancer, the first few days of this horrified me, but later turned into an awesome way to let myself go and try something new. 

      Classes were from ten to one every day with a snack at twelve. I was placed in the top group alongside, my MBA buddy Daniel Cowan, with a wonderful teacher named Carmen. Being in the highest level allowed my class to focus less on grammar and more on history and current culture issues like the Arabic influence on Spanish,  immigration, the dreams and expectations of young people in the US versus Spain, and of course food, 

Me with (left) my teacher, Carmen and (right) one of my favorite counselors, Jessica 

    After daily classes, each week I had the opportunity to take a cultural exploration class to expand the immersion. During these classes I learned about Spanish comics, took advantage of a photography class, in which we were allowed to roam outside of the normal excursion boundaries and see new parts of the city,  and finally learned about a type of clay making named Mudejar. 

After the morning classes, we ate lunch, the largest meal of the day, at two thirty and took an hour and a half "siesta" which translated to free time with friends on the large sport court or cards and ping pong.

     The afternoon was the most diverse time. It often consisted of activities with the counselors, anything from bracelets, masks, cross fit, dancing, cooking, or karaoke were available. The other option for the afternoon were excursions into the city. I was allowed to sign out in small groups and leave to shop, enjoy tapas, and get a little fix of peanut butter from the supermarket a fifteen minute walk from the school. 

      Dinner was at eight thirty followed by night activities which included volleyball, movies, cards, and free time to hang out with the awesome people. My favorite option were the hikes through the city and surrounding city at night.

A group of my friends and I at the Ermita de San Miguel Alto, one of the prettiest overlooks we hiked to

Exceptions to the Daily Routine

    The weekends and forth of July gave us a break from classes and a chance to see some of the coolest parts of the surrounding city. We visited two beaches, Malaga and Burriana, and the surrounding towns of Malaga and Friliana. Another great activity was a city wide scavenger hunt designed to make me ask questions and talk with the locals to navigate the clues and streets. It expanded my comfort zone and by the end, approaching someone I did not know to ask a question in another language did not phase me like it did at first. The third weekend, I got to visit the Alhambra, the masterpiece of Granada, but unfortunately I got sick and was not able to visit the bread making factory. Falling ill, however, did allow me to visit a Spanish doctor who spoke little English and provided a fun memory of visiting my first non pediatrician doctor in another language. 

THANK YOU!!

     I will always carry the experience of this trip with me and cannot express how many times I need to say thank you thank you thank you. Obviously, My knowledge and ability in Spanish grew from the immersion, but I also gained huge amounts of self-confidence from continually being pushed out of my comfort-zone and allowing myself to relax and enjoy myself away from the expectations of everyone at home. Not only did I grow in myself, but I now have friends all across the country whom I can call anytime and talk or visit. Thank you so much to the Wilson family for giving me this unbelievable opportunity to travel, learn, and have fun. Also a huge thank you to Coach Kamm for advising me to go and mediating all the communication and booking the flights. This trip was the best experience I have ever had. 

 

Jack Crawford: Experiment in International Living in Ecuador

First days exploring Quito and Baños

After arriving in Miami and meeting my group, my newfound friends and I embarked on an unforgettable journey that I know will last in my memory for a lifetime. We arrived in Quito at about midnight and our hostal (a type of small hotel or bed and breakfast) after 1am. The next day we started our adventure on little sleep, but with eager and open minds. During the first few days we had orientation in Quito, allowing for us to take small Spanish classes (mine had 4 people) to acquaint us with the customs and language a little deeper than we already knew. These days also allowed us to explore the city and see indigenous markets, restaurants, and the overall difference in the culture. After a getting settled in our new surroundings, we visited a small tourism, forest town called Baños for a few days. We had the nicest accommodations we would have the entire trip in a nice hotel with a TV in each room and wifi (the difference in technology necessities was astounding). In just a short amount of time we did so many activities. We explored waterfalls, rode horses, swam in natural hot springs, and played soccer in the park with little kids in our free time. This city gave a little more rustic look into the country, but little did we know in a few weeks, we would be immersed in an entirely different type of rustic.

Home stay in Riobamba

After this exciting first week, our group traveled to Riobamba, another city up in the Andes, to have a home stay with a native family. My family was all that I could ask for. With a 20 year old brother and a caring mother, I was able to have freedom to explore, yet also a comfortable home I knew I could enjoy. The one shock that came with this lifestyle was the difference in meals. For desayuno (breakfast) they ate eggs, bread, hot chocolate or care, and homemade juice every morning. Almuerzo (lunch) was their big meal of the day and typically eaten around 2pm. This lunch usually consisted of some form of chicken and rice along with a soup and salad, yet again served with a fresh juice. The was most surprising to me was cena (dinner) because while I was expecting a feast like in the US, I was greeted with some bread and cheese and hot chocolate. Although different, the food lifestyle there proved to make me eat healthier and feel better and more energized overall. Another difference was laundry. I washed my own clothes with a cold water spout and a bar of hand soap on the roof for about a hour in order to get all of my clothes. Although the laundry wasn't what I am used to, it got me more accustomed to the culture and helped see the regularities of everyday life in such a country. Each morning during the home stay we had community service at a local school where we painted walls of the school that had deteriorated. Although this activity required labor, it was fun to be reunited with our group after a few days of separation at the beginning of the home stay. We were able to take breaks and play soccer and listen to music also which was a great time. On Thursday, 2 days before leaving the home stay, our group went to Mt. Chimborazo, the closest point to the sun in the world, to hike up the mountain and bike our way back down to the city. The lack of oxygen proved to be a challenge in the hike, but we expected the bike down to be a relief from the hiking. However, we ended up biking 33km down the mountain and all the way back to the city. Although exhausting, the ride was so scenic and it caught me by surprise at how much my appreciation for the wonders of nature grew after that day. Saturday morning we said goodbye to our families and returned to Quito for one day.

Galapagos Islands and Amazon

The last two weeks of the trip proved to be my favorite part of the entire month away from home. The first of the last two weeks saw us staying on a boat in the Galapagos islands for 5 days, traveling from island to island and exploring. The stories I had heard about how great the islands were proved to be a huge understatement in every way. These small islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean were among the coolest experience of my life. We began by exploring a beach the first day and got to relax that afternoon. Over the next few days, we had an intense and exciting schedule that consisted of multiple snorkeling expeditions, exploring the Darwin research center, and seeing the natural wildlife on the different islands and how evolution affected these animals. We had many late nights lying on top of the boat and talking under the stars until early the next morning (I got 6 hours of sleep over 2 nights). After this life changing experience, we spent multiple days in the Amazon jungle in rustic cabins in which I had use some "redneck engineering" and plug holes in the screen with toilet paper in order to be protected from bugs. We spent the days exploring the jungle on hikes, seeing incredible wildlife, and enjoying each other's company without the distraction of wifi and life at home. We got to eat fresh food, play soccer on an Amazon beach, and tube down the river as well. The last two weeks allowed us to connect in a special way that we couldn't have before.

Thank you, Wilsons

I would once again like to express my gratitude to the Wilson family and their allowing me to go on this unforgettable journey. This trip not only allowed me to meet new, lifelong friends, but also I got to experience an unbelievable culture and experience life from a different perspective. This adventure changed me as a person and altered my view on life and the world in general. I will never forget the memories I made during that month and will forever be grateful for getting to experience the richness of Ecuador. Thank you so much for the incredible opportunity.