You're Not Required to Listen to What I'm About to Say, but You Should!

Okay guys. So, I know I've only been in Salamanca for around 5 weeks now, but I feel like I have some fairly insightful things to let you know to help you take advantage of your soon to be short time in Salamanca as well. Let's get started:

Spend time with your host family
It's seems to me that a lot of people who have come on this trip are concerned with going out and drinking most every night, which is fine (as I go out a lot too), but just make sure that you're not doing this in place of something more productive while here in SPAIN. That's right. You're in Spain. There are clubs back home, but you're host family is basically here to stay. I've grown quite accustomed to "chatting" with my host mom over each of my three meals during the day, and I wouldn't change that type of experience for the world. It's quite literally a once in a lifetime opportunity, so why not take advantage of it?

Try new food
Mainly, this has made my list of recommendations because it's one of my biggest pet peeves: how do you know you don't like something unless you try it? Back in the States, I'm a practicing pescatarian, but I've decided to take a break from my dietary restrictions to try and see what sorts of culinary excitements Spain has to offer. I do not in the least regret my decision. I've fallen in love with foods like cochinillo asado and ensaladilla rusa, and how would I have ever known this if I hadn't tried it? Trust me. It's the right decision. P.S. If you are a practicing vegetarian/pescatarian/vegan/etc., you most definitely need to prep your system for the shock of digesting meat again. I started eating meat about 2 weeks before I left. Depends on the person, but be smart. I know you are.


Pack some warmer clothes
I've been told on several accounts that our summer here has been abnormally chilly, but I'm still quite frustrated that CGIS steered me away from bringing more warm clothes than I did. I brought one jacket and I literally wear it almost every morning. Talk about a fashion repeater. Even if you're trying to get the European look down, you're still gonna stick out like a sore thumb if you wear the same jacket over and over again. Some will suffer to avoid this fate. I prefer comfort. But yeah, just be smart when packing. Don't pack all warm clothes. Don't back only bathing suits. And no matter what you pack, don't pack too much because you're going to be leaving with more than you brought (a problem I hadn't really given much thought until too late).

Embrace, don't knock, cultural differences
Now, this is something I sometimes find hard to do. Here in Spain, there aren't that many "in your face" differences that you're going to notice (okay, maybe some, but not that many). It's going to be the smaller things. And eventually, some of these smaller differences will drive you up a wall more than chalk on a blackboard. For instance, I find myself getting super frustrated walking down some of the busier streets because a) Spaniards walk a lot slower than we do and b) they don't even bother to get out of your way. In fact, there have been days where I try to pass somebody, only to have that same person move right back in my way. I want to scream and knock them over, but then I realize that it's not something they've ever taken notice of because it's a cultural difference we Americans are used to. You're gonna pick up on a lot of these little things, but don't let them ruin your time here. In fact, it's sometimes fun to ask your teacher or host family why some of these differences exist because for them it's so completely normal!

Challenge yourself
Want to try on a pair of shoes but don't have the confidence to ask the store clerk? JUST DO IT! Seriously. Don't ever let the language/cultural barrier get in your way. Climb over it. Overcome it. Not only will you get something done that you want to get done, but you're also going to feel so proud of yourself for doing it in Spanish. And yes, you will fail on occasion, but who cares? Odds are, you're never going to see that store clerk again. And even if you do, they're probably relieved that you struggled through Spanish instead of making them struggle through English. It's all a learning process, and it doesn't have to be scary. It can be totally fun :)

Take advantage of your time in SALAMANCA
I'm gonna go out on a ledge here and say that a lot of people are going to recommend you "travel", which can be totally fun, but it's not for everybody. For instance, I didn't have the money to travel left and right. Hell, I barely had the money to get my ass over to Spain. What's really important is that you take advantage of all the wonderful things Salamana has to offer because odds are you won't be coming back here anytime soon. I'm not trying to knock traveling, but I often feel like people don't realize that there are other people who aren't able to travel. If you are fortunate enough to be able to travel, go for it, but don't feel discouraged or left out if that's not on your list of possibilities.

HAVE FUN!
I'd say this is the most important recommendation I can give you because how to take advantage of your time here in Salamanca depends on each individual person. I feel like I've done what's best for me while over here in Spain, but that isn't necessarily what's best for somebody else. I've made friends that I'm already excited to see in the fall. Friends that are now registered to take classes with me. Friends that live near me in AA. Friends that I sincerely hope to keep in touch with. I also have formed a relationship with a family that lives on a completely different continent than where I come from, and I know I'll cherish this for the rest of my life. So just do YOU. Be you. Love you. Love Salamanca.




Well, there you have it. Like I've said in the title, you're not required to listen to what I have to say, but you should most definitely take it into consideration. I hope you have an incredible time here in Salamanca, and I'm already jealous of the adventure you're about to embark on.