Studying abroad @aifsabroad Salamanca was one of my best experiences to date. When applying to travel overseas for the summer, I was unsure if I wanted to go or just liked the idea of going. The reality of me leaving the US for a whole month and being an eight-plus hour flight away from all of my family and, frankly, anyone I knew, didn’t entirely hit me until I landed in Madrid. I had never been this far away from home for so long by myself. Even though I knew another student from Fairfield that was a part of the same program, I had never met her and felt incredibly alone. However, all of that changed the minute I met my señora, the woman who was kindly hosting me for the month. Although there was a huge language barrier between me and my señora, Tere, she made me feel right at home. She explained that she had hosted students through AIFS for many years and loved doing it. The food that my señora made was exquisite and so different from any meals I have had here in the United States. Not only did I enhance my Spanish speaking skills, but I also enhanced my knowledge of Spanish culture.
While studying in Spain, I met people from so many different countries such as Dubai, France, Belgium, and other parts of the USA. We all shared a desire to learn more about the Spanish culture and language which is what brought us all together. Many of the people I met in my courses quickly became my close friends. After class would end, we would go out to lunch and explore popular locations in Salamanca at night. Although it was such a short time, I am dying to go back. I learned so much about myself, my language learning skills, and the Spanish culture.
