LFA Students Explore Spain

LFA+Students+Explore+Spain

Jasmine Filawo, Managing Photo Editor for Digital

Many adolescents have a strong interest in exposing themselves to a variety of languages and lifestyles of countries that are outside of their daily surroundings.  Those adolescents that are willing to adapt to the traditions and culture of a different country, allows them to experience an interaction with people that carry unique mindsets.   Two of LFA students were given this opportunity this past summer as both traveled to Spain to master their Spanish. Junior, Lauren Salliotte, and Senior, Carrington Newsome, recently spent their summer in Spain and both were able to share how their time was spent there.

 

Salliotte started learning Spanish seven years ago and continues speaking the language daily with her friends. What influenced in wanting to travel to Spain was that she has always dreamt traveling and living there after college.

“I wanted to see if the vibe fit with the individual I have become, and I am pleased to say that it did,” expressed Salliotte.

During her time in Spain, she was part of a studying program at the Univeristy of Salamanca with students that are fluent in Castellano. Not only did she study in Salamanca, she spent time with her friend Paula, in the capital, Madrid.  In Madrid, she traveled to Valladoid and Segovia during the weekends and once she finished her time in the program, she went to Marbella.

With her time spent in Salamanca, she spoke Castellano well and now knows the colloquial words she was not aware of before. In addition to the colloquial words she knows, she learned how teens have conversations, and some of the slang. She was also taught about the economy, politics, and business in Castellano. Besides learning the language, she ate Spain’s classic dish, paella.

As she reflects back on her time there,  she is estatic with the amount of friends she made in the university and off  campus in the city. Her interaction with the natives, exposed her to the lifestyle there. In the town of the university, she was able to see the beautiful cathedrals and loved seeing the sun hit the buildings, with orange color reflecting.

“I feel like the lifestyle is a lot more creative and laid back. The people are very friendly, forgiving, and they definitely know how to have fiestas,” stated Salliotte.

Salliote overall misses her time in Salmenaca since that’s where she made most of her friends. She also hopes to move there after college, travel to Barcelona for Christmas, and Madrid during the summer.

 

 

As for Newsome, she has started with basic Spanish when she was three, but started taking classes in 7th grade. Growing up, she has been surrounded by a Spanish speaking community, urging her in wanting to learn Spanish. Although she does not have Spanish conversations everyday, on a regular day she will say phrases such as ¨ay Dios mío!¨

 

When watching the 2006 Disney film, The Cheetah Girls, she knew she wanted to go to Spain and during her time there she visited cities such as Jaca, Madrid, Barcelona, Tossa de Mar, and lived in Zaragoza. This benefited her in improving the Spanish language and exposed her to new words such as lo que quieres, graciosa, el hielo, café con leche, cariño, demasiado, and more.  Her trip is currently helping understand her AP Spanish class and interact with her in the language.

 

Her time there also allowed to enjoy some of the food. She ran into every bakery in the corner, ate full course meals, and coffee with everything she ate. Some meals included patatas bravas (potatoes), pan (bread), seafood paella, and chocolate croissants.

 

Just like Salliotte she also made a lot of friends that attend private schools like LFA. In terms of the life there she found people very social, public transportation was alwasy available, tranvías (streetcars), and buses. She noticed that Spaniards love staying up past 10:00pm and little PDA would be found on the streets with couples.

 

 

Till today she misses spending time with her friends, even when she got lost with her friend going to a Flamenco show in Madrid. After returning home, she also misses the meals cooked by her host mom, mainly the breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nesome definitely wants to make another visit to Spain and is even hoping to one day move to Barcelona.