A New Life, Beginning...in Spain

Programs for this blog post

Teach In Spain Volunteer Program

Authored By:

Chaney B.

     A New Life, Beginning.....in Spain

     If life begins as learning is met with great zeal, and learning is best achieved throughout the pursuit of life; then zeal is the vibrancy necessary for all pursuits, and my  life has truly begun.

                 

     ME

     My name is Chaney Bryant, I am 38 years young, and I have a story to tell. I have been quite fortunate in my lifetime. I was born in San Diego, CA into a large family. As the youngest child, I quickly learned how to 'keep up with the pack,' a trait that has served me quite well throughout my pursuits. As a teenager, and at an age most atypical, I made lasting impressions on many working professionals of the Music Industry and began to forge a lasting career, of which, I am most incredibly fond. As a young adult, I continued to hone my skills as a professional in the Music Industry; starting as a musician, and moving into business administration and record production. All the while, my work has taken me to many destinations foreign and domestic. My love of, appreciation for, and attraction to travel and learning broadened my understanding of culture; language; history; human interaction and diversity; and thusly, continues to feed my desire for my very own personal enrichment. I am at my very best in new and uncertain situations. My decision to move to Spain, live with a host family, and fully immerse myself in Spanish culture (with little to no Spanish speaking experience)-- working as a Language Embassador-- Is. Just. That: new and uncertain.

     SPAIN

     I was placed in the Region of Castilla y Leon, within the Province of Valladolid, at the secondary school IES Emperador Carlos, in the city of Medina del Campo. Medina, I had learned, is the final resting place of Queen Isabel, and the very location she inked her Last Will and Testament. Medina was the first capital of Spain, then the Capitol was moved to Valladolid, the city center of the Province of the same name, and finally to Madrid. Medina del Campo has about 18,000 residents. I was happy to be placed in a smaller city because I knew it would be far more traditional in culture and heritage than a larger city, which is usually the case, when comparing towns to cities throughout the world. As it turns out, Medina is very "traditional Spain" in terms of culture, heritage and language.

     Spain is, in three words; a Fairy Tale. I truly can ramble-on all day about the nature, landscape, architecture, storied history, culture, language, people, traditions, and  the stereotypes of Spain. I spent as much of my free time traveling throughout the country to endulge in Spain. For travel enthusiasts, Spain does not disappoint, for many reasons. For those that require a very private life; expect disappointment. Spain is unapologetic, and this is an endearing and enduring quality!

     Imagine walking down the street (hypothetically) in a suburb of a city in United States, and someone is approaching from the opposite direction. As you get closer and closer to this person, perhaps you consider moving to the edge of the sidewalk to allow room for them to pass, you exchange hellos, and continue on your way. Now imagine the same scenario in Spain; neither person yields or moves, shoulders bump, and neither person seems bothered by this, nor do they "apologize" for the bumping. Such situations in Spain are normal. It is not rude, it just is the way it goes down. I learned this quickly. I find this to be intriguing because I love people watching, and analysizing behavior. There is no reason to consider it rude, and there is no reason to apologize. People occupy space, and sometimes you bump. No big deal.

     Imagine being at a restaurant (hypothetically), and there are only two patrons. There are ten tables available. One table is being occupied by the two patrons already there. My first instinct is to take a table the furthest away from the patrons. Maybe I don't want to seem like I'm listening to their conversation, or maybe I don't want to sit next to anyone. In Spain, I have noticed, that people will pick the table closest to the occupied table. This is normal. Eating is for socializing, and relaxing. It is not for avoiding people. I am fond of this. I, also, learned this quickly. A meal shared is far better than a meal alone.

     I can only offer opinions, obviously, and I am no expert on behavior, but there are differences stark in comparison to that of which I am most familiar. I appreciate that. I think every single person should experience such things. In regards to Spain, I suggest to anyone not having been to go! The people of Spain have a wonderful sense of humor, and are very kind in general, and they will offer to take you places to show you the inside scoop, and if they invited you, they will pay. It is a sense of pride. Hospitality and sharing are a given. The levels of graciousness I experienced while traveling in Spain are remarkable.

     In my case, I do not speak Spanish well. I am trying very hard. Spanish people tend to only hear what they are used to hearing, so, even a word said correctly, but with a different accent, will most likely not get through. I had difficulty, and I was very careful of this, and it made me try harder to speak Spanish with a Castellano tongue. I enjoyed this, because again, I was out of my comfort zone. Sometimes I was frustrated because I couldn't say things to describe my thoughts, but for the most part I learned more about myself, and how communicating well is critical. I learned a lesson about not getting away with poor speech, and how I can't expect the world to bend to my limitations. It flat out will not!

     The history of Spain is a long and winding road. Travelling across the beautiful country will speak its history without using words. The architecture from the various time periods still stands, and are restored to vitality, so the history can be remembered and to remind everyone that it isn't always cafe, wine and jamon. The people embody this history with temperance and fortitude. Spanish tradition and culture is in their blood, and it is simple to see. From the food, to the wine, to the many specialized shops: Carniceria, peluqueria, cervezaria, zapateria, etc, etc, etc....Spain is proud. I am equally as proud to have experienced the beauty of all things aforementioned.

 

     HOST FAMILY

     Living with a host family is undoubtedly the best part! The best. I have made, as promised by the coordinators of the Department of Education in Valladolid, Spain, a lasting bond with a family. The family makes a mother and father, and two boys. I consider this family to now be my own. From the moment I met them, there were the expected uncertainties of language barrier and unfamiliarity. But soon, and in my case almost immediately, we just 'clicked.' We were cracking jokes on the car ride home, and jamming to music. The host dad has two guitars, so we hit it off right away. The mother took me on as a son and as a friend, and made my transition very easy-going. The two boys were tough  at ten and twelve years old. Even though they were friendly from the beginning, it took effort for the three of us. Now, they consider me as a friend and as an adopted brother. I began requesting that the entire family speak to me solely in Spanish (they speak English, but it is very limited not having exposure to a native speaker), and they wanted from me only English (also, my Spanish is horrible!). We all had many laughs at eachother's expense. We traded off cooking for eachother, and trying different foods. I have had the most incredible food! And I have learned so much about family tradition in Spain from these wonderful people. The family describe themselves as very traditional. The region in which I was placed is known for its long-lasting Spanish tradition and language. They go to church together every Sunday, and the parents take siesta at 4:30PM nearly everyday. The kids play football. Coffee is not just for drinking, but as a break time dedicated to just relax and be social. The parents took me out on several occasions to experience a proper night out on the town, for tapas, drinks and socializing. We treated eachother with dignity and respect and as a human beings-- as equals-- and for that I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration. I could go on and on about how wonderful everything was at every turn. Below is a selfie of one of our many family trips, in this case: Uruena, Valladolid, Castilla y Leon, Spain. <-------my favorite location in Spain.

         

     LANGUAGE EMBASSADOR

     Upon my arrival in Madrid, as per instructions, I found the meeting point and was greeted by the CIEE program coordinators in Spain: Laura and Emir. These two are great fun and very helpful and informative. Any matter of questions or discomfort could easily be alleviated by these two. It was a fluid transition. Most of the group intended for the region in which I was due to reside were present, and equally pleasant. Working with the teachers and students, in my case, at a Secondary School in Medina del Campo, was a delight.

     The teachers at IES Emperador Carlos are highly educated, very personable, and accomodated my limitations as a Spanish speaker. I was given Spanish lessons to help me learn, and I had about 16 hours per week of classroom participation. My classes we in varied subjects, and consisted of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Secondary School students. All of my classes were instructed in English, within the British English Program. I made friends with and consider the teachers colleagues, and they treated me the same. I found the experience incredibly enlightening.

     The students are very confident in Spain. The classroom setting can be very loud when all the children begin to talk, and THEY TALK!! Sometimes it would be difficult to maintain a quiet atmosphere in the classroom. But when the interest level is high, they perform and listen well, ask questions, and most of the children enjoy speaking English. I have to say that most of the children speak English better than I speak Spanish, so I was a bit envious. Most of the students have the opportunity to learn English as early as 3 years old. I think that is great. Regardless of the second or third language, I think having the opportunity to learn other languages as a child is enriching, and increases the potential for their success in the "real world."

     I am fond of the school system in Spain. The teachers and students get a break at mid-day to relax and drink coffee, or to hang out. Most students leave to grab some snacks at a market, or socialize off campus. All in all, I find it to be structured similarly to the school system in United States. 

     OVERALL

     I can't say enough about my experience. Overall, I have to highy recommend taking this opportunity anywhere in the world, but, I highly recommend that Spain is strongly considered. At every level of the experience there is an enriching quality. The food. The nightlife. The people. The language. The history. The culture. The architecture. Nature. Pueblos. Cities. Spain is big enough in area to feel like you're really traveling, but small enough to really get in many locations in a short amount of time. I feel like I had a time machine due to the history and architecture. I feel like I was a special guest due to the warm hospitality I was met with. And I felt like I made a difference for the family, the students, the teachers, and as a representative of another country, and as a representative of myself. I am personally enriched by the experience, and I can only hope many people gain the same: Human Dignity.