June 21, 2004 - Essentials

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Essentials for Studying Abroad
By Chantell Smith
June 21, 2004

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

Studying abroad—it’s something that everyone should take advantage of if the opportunity presents itself. God blessed me with two wonderful opportunities to establish my home-away-from-home on the Iberian Peninsula, in a little country called Spain. The first time was for a month in the summer of 2002, with a program coordinated by my university. I didn’t get my fill, so I figured out a way to get back, this time for a whole semester (four months). No, I wasn’t there just for fun; I got some Spanish credits toward my major in the process!

Leaving your country and everything you know (at least for a while) is nothing new. God told one of the oldest patriarchs in the book: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee” (Genesis 12:1). During those four months, I suppose I felt just a smidgen of what Abraham felt when he forever left everything he knew and was familiar with.

However, my experience has proved that in an unfamiliar environment, away from country and kindred, you develop a more profound trust and dependence on God, and new light is shed on the way you see things.

But what helped keep me afloat? There are five main things that are absolutely essential for studying abroad:

An Open Mind—First and foremost, I had to be willing to try new things, learn new customs, and meet new people. For example, food was offered to me that I had never seen nor tasted in my life (i.e. baby eels, squid, tuna fish pizza), but I had an open mind about it, tried it, and realized that tuna fish pizza is actually pretty good. Some of the greatest opportunities pass us by because we are unwilling to be moved beyond our comfort zone. Some of my American counterparts drove me nuts with their constant, “It’s not like this in the States” rhetoric. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was indeed not in my country of origin and realize that the American way is not the only way (nor always the best way).

A Church Family—As an Apostolic in a foreign country without friends and family surrounding me for guidance and comfort, maintaining a church family close by was an absolute godsend. I was able to meet people of like and precious faith, and I had a place to get involved; it offered me an anchor in a place where opportunities to compromise my convictions were ever-present. I always looked forward to attending because I was enveloped in a sense of familiarity every time I walked through the door—the same Spirit was there as at my home church in the U.S. The only difference was the language. I probably learned more Spanish interacting with the people there every Sunday than I did in my classes every day!

Adaptability—Being flexible and adaptable is a must. First of all, my body had to adjust to the seven-hour time difference, as well as different eating times. Spaniards have a very light breakfast in the morning (around 8 a.m. or so), and don’t eat again until about 2 p.m., which is the heaviest meal of the day. Also, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. all the stores close, and everyone takes a siesta—a midday nap—until things start opening back up again. Their dinner is a little lighter than the American one, and that meal is served any time from about 8 - 10 p.m. And when I got back home, I had to readjust! But it’s all part of the study abroad deal—adapting, readapting, accepting the differences.

A Positive Attitude—I had to make myself see each day as an opportunity to learn something new. As a fact of life, things didn’t always go as planned, and sometimes got frustrating because Spanish is not my first language. It was also quite obvious that I was a foreigner, and that fact was confirmed as soon as I opened my mouth. A positive attitude saved me from many a depressing spell and tearful call home (even though I still had those every once in a while). Even so, I had to accept the curious stares with a smile, and laugh at myself when I said something wrong in my non-native language. And, every once in a while, I had to stop, breathe in the European air, spread my arms open wide, and remember that I was living a dream come true.

Focus—At times I had to remind myself of the reason I was there. It’s so easy to get sidetracked and procrastinate on things with quickly approaching deadlines when everything surrounding you is new and different and even exotic. Opportunities to travel within Spain, and even to see other parts of Europe, abounded, and it was so easy to let important priorities slide. Not just priorities that were academically connected, but spiritually connected also. Though having a church family helped, my relationship with God after I left the four walls of the church is what mattered in the long run. Often, I had to grab myself by the scruff of the neck, sit myself down, and read that chapter of Cervantes for class the next day as well as read my Bible that had been collecting dust on my desk.

In the end, I can say that I came back having experiences that I will always cherish and having met people that I will never forget. I also learned that life in Spain is not a series of rose-colored emotional highs (as I thought after my month in 2002), but just life. My Spanish improved by leaps and bounds, and I know that God had a purpose for me going to Spain, and will use my ability to speak Spanish for His glory. And in my heart, I know that this time in Spain will not have been my last.

ninetyandnine.com

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Chantell Smith is a fifth year senior at the University of Alabama, double majoring in Secondary Education Language Arts and Secondary Education Spanish. She encourages all courageous souls who want a new experience and/or who want to learn a new language to study abroad. Her website detailing her past travels, as well as a weblog chronicling her recent experiences in Spain, can be found at: http://chantelliverstravels.tripod.com.