While I was studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain, I experienced the horrifying ordeal of being sent home for the COVID-19 pandemic on top of ordinary challenges like homesickness. Not all your memories will be positive, and that’s okay! The friends I made helped me through everything.
Spain is often deemed one of the most accepting countries regarding issues like race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and mental health, among other factors. Although Spain isn’t perfect, I was amazed by how willing people were to have conversations on topics the US fears confronting.
I can easily say that the reason why I loved my time abroad was because of the kind people I met. My host mom, the Emory students and advisors in my group, and students in my classes created a supportive community around me, making every day exciting and memorable.
A study abroad experience isn’t one person, one place, or even one experience. It’s a culmination of everything that results in something you’ll never forget. My time in Salamanca, Spain left me with memories I’ll have for the rest of my life, and everyone involved in the program helped achieve that.
Community is a vital part of Spanish culture, and what better way to establish community than through food? From the pastries to the tapas to the home-cooked meals, food was involved in just about every social interaction I had in Salamanca, always making it taste so much better.
During my time abroad, food was always more than just food. It was a chance to be with friends, have conversations with locals, learn culture, and, in the end, say goodbye to the most important people to me in the program.
When I went on my study abroad program to Salamanca last spring, a few landmarks like the Puente Romano helped guide me through the city, experience some of Spain’s extensive history and culture, and unite with all the wonderful friends I made abroad.
With my interests in STEM and language-learning, I wanted to find a program that merged the two and also explored interdisciplinary coursework in other subjects. I was lucky to find such a program, and it didn’t hurt that my walks to school included Salamanca’s breathtaking attractions, like the Plaza Mayor.
How can you learn as much as possible and explore as much as possible in six short weeks?
by Sunny Zhang | Emory Salamanca Program, Spring 2015 Originally written on March 1, 2016 Never expect lunch before 2pm or dinner before 9pm Spaniards have very different meal times than the rest of the world. They usually have breakfast early in the morning. At noon, they take a break from work or study, go…
