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Spring 2012
Learn the Language...
Travel the Land...
Live the Life...
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Alumni Stories
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News & Announcements
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Pursuing Your Passions Abroad
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Cuba Update |
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by Clarissa Cupero
Siena College
Seville, Spain 2011
 When
my plane landed on May 19th from Seville, Spain, I could not believe
what had happened in the four months I lived there. It was a cultural
shockwave that impacted me emotionally and musically.
"...pursue your passions while studying abroad."
Everyone
returning from abroad has an experience that made their stay unique.
But the purpose of me telling you this story is not only for your
entertainment, rather, it’s to show you how you can pursue your passions
while studying abroad.
I
live for music; I sing and write songs in English and Spanish and I’m
pursuing a music career to become one of the first English to Spanish
crossovers. Great, good for me, so what does that mean? Basically, what
it meant for me was the opportunity of a lifetime...
To read the full story and see a video of Clarissa's music, visit here
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Things
are looking good for a return to Cuba in 2012. As always, thanks for
your continued support and encouragement throughout this process. Stay
tuned to our website and
Facebook page for updates or write with any questions: info[at]spanishstudies.org
Summer and Fall Deadlines
Late applications may be considered
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Practicum in Ed.:
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March 1
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May Term 2012: |
April 15 |
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Summer 2012: |
April 15
(Term 1) |
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May 1 (Term 2) |
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Fall 2012/ Academic Year: |
May 15 |
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Summer 2012:
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May 1 |
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Fall 2012/ Academic Year: |
May 1 | |
| Comida de la Familia |
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Our New Name |
By Rachel Evces
Shorter Universitiy
Alicante, Spain 2011
One of my greatest passions is food. I love preparing
it, looking at it, experimenting with it, and most of all eating it!
There is hardly a time when I am unwilling to try a new cuisine, thus I
was beyond enthusiastic to dive into "la comida de Espana." Low and behold, my excitement was never dulled from my first to final meal in Spain.
To my advantage, my host mother was a phenomenal cook and was overjoyed to have a helping and optimistic hand in the kitchen.
There is not a single book or tutorial that could have given me the
hands-on experience that I received working alongside “Mama Paqui.” I
learned new words and techniques with each moment spent cooking (and
eating!) with her that I meticulously wrote down as to not forget
anything once I returned back to the US. My favorite meal consisted of
homemade paella, pimientos verdes, croquettas, and of course…sangria!
During
my two-month stay in Spain, no matter where we traveled around the
country, there was never a restaurant that topped ANY of Mama Paqui’s
creations. I am personally convinced that it was the constant dash of
love, sprinkle of enthusiasm to please, and scoop of originality that
created my “snobby food critic” attitude when anywhere other than her
home. Do not be mistaken, the food in Spain is above anything I have
ever eaten, and I had many breathtaking meals in Barcelona, Elche,
Majorca, and etc. but…"la comida de Mama Paqui fue magnifica!"
In remembrance of her, a fellow peer and I re-created a few of our
favorites, and with each bite, we were enveloped by the presence of
Spain, salsa music, the crisp smell of the Mediterranean Sea, and of
course, Mama Paqui’s unforgettable culinary hand.
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You may have noticed that over the past two
years "CC-CS" has increasingly been referring to our programs as
"Spanish Studies Abroad." Moving forward, we will be using this name
primarily when referring to our study abroad programs. This name more clearly describes what we do. "Spanish Studies
Abroad" will continue to fall under the larger umbrella of "The Center for
Cross-Cultural Study" which will continue to encompass our study abroad,
customized programs, cultural travel programs, and English language
Center in Seville. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at info[at]spanishstudies.org
New Staff in Córdoba
Photo Contest Winners
Spanish
Studies Abroad asked Fall 2011 alumni to send us the best photos from
their experience abroad, and let our fans vote for their favorites on
our
Facebook page. Check out the winners and all of the entries here!
Calling New Alumni! Just
get back from your study abroad? Want to share your stories with people
who will listen? Stay connected to your experience abroad by
participating in the Alumni Ambassador Program. (Did we mention you could earn cash?) |
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Transitions
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by Sierra Stopper
Linfield College
Seville, Spain 2009-2010
 The first week and the last week
Those
are the weeks that you will remember the most. I can quote almost scene
for scene my first day in Spain, and I can spend several hours
recounting my last few days with my dear friends and wonderful host
family. Some of the other experiences come quickly to mind when I talk
about my time abroad, but they do not invoke as much emotion as the
first week and the last week.
The first emotions
You
are sitting on the airplane, waiting for it to take off and wondering
if this situation is real. As you set out on your full day of travel,
you cannot predict just how weary you will be when you arrive. When you
finally reach your destination, you will be overwhelmed by the sounds,
the strange new language, the mass of people talking and yelling and
moving, moving, moving. Once you finally find your taxi, you will be
quite relieved and then quite surprised to hear an American song come
through on the radio. That night at the hotel, you will feel so drained
that any attempts to make new friends feel shallow, and all you can
really think about is going to sleep. You will wake up the next morning
slightly more refreshed, but then you will be whisked off to another
activity and then sent off in a taxi completely on your own to find your
host family. That is when the butterflies take flight and your nerves
take over your stomach. But then hopefully you will meet your family and
at least know enough Spanish to basically communicate with them. You
will crash in your bed for a quick but deep nap and then with all the
courage you have, set out on an adventure to find the program site all
on your own. The city is completely new, the streets not yet trodden by
your feet, the smells and sounds and sights are known by you for the
first time. You wonder and marvel while at the same time you clench your
map in your fist and then try to muster up some confidence and at least
attempt to appear like you know the way. That first week will be hard
and those first emotions overwhelming and exhausting, but you will
somehow find yourself falling in love with Sevilla and all of its
people, culture, language, and beauty. Everything is new.
The last emotions
You
can’t believe it. You tried to deny it when six weeks came, trying to
convince yourself that that was still a lot of time. You had begun to
feel the necessity of clinging to each precious moment you have. But
five weeks flies by, and before you know it, you are struggling to
finish strong with your finals and get them out of the way so that you
can spend each moment with those you love and have come to accept as
family. You fear the inevitable change yet you anticipate the welcome
you will receive at home. You deny that your time has come yet you
grudgingly have to accept it. As each day slips by you desperately try
to connect with each person you came to know in your long but very short
time in Sevilla: professors, host family, the girl you tutored, your
mentor, and your friends. Cards are exchanged, hugs are given and then
given again, tears drop despite your best attempts to hold them back,
and each day is a precious, special memory that is burned into your
mind. And at the end of your week, as you finally finish packing at 3 in
the morning (with an impending 7 a.m. flight), you feel completely,
totally, utterly exhausted. Tears come as soon as you get to the
airport, and the only thing you can do is sit and talk and pray with
some of your dearest friends. As you finally give another round of hugs
and pass through that security gate, that horrible barrier that
separates you so finally from those you love, you feel a deep sadness to
leave but also an even deeper joy at having known them. Everything
feels like home.
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New Programs and Courses
Here are some program updates and highlights from Spain and Argentina:
- Intermediate & Advanced Spanish Studies in Seville:
Our Seville, Spain program is now available to students at the
Intermediate level of Spanish. Students who have completed at least one
semester of intermediate college Spanish or the equivalent are encouraged to apply. A
wide variety of courses in areas such as Literature, Business,
Education, Communications, and Liberal Arts make this an ideal program
for many students.
- "Living the Culture" Courses:
One-credit "Living the Culture" courses are now available in both Spain
locations as a complement to Summer or Semester study. Students may
elect Living the Culture courses in areas such as Spanish cooking,
dance, paddle surfing, service learning and others as a way to more
fully
immerse themselves into local Spanish culture. Summer students can now
earn up to six credits per term by adding these courses to their summer
study.
- Practicum in Education:
Don't
forget about our special Internship for Education majors. Students work
as Teacher's Assistants for children in the Seville playschool run by
the Center. Separate application required.
- Customized Programs:
We are continually expanding our customized programming for faculty-led
groups, and encourage institutions of any type to take advantage of our
specialized attention and superior quality to help you plan your
short-term program in Spain or Argentina.
To view the Fall 2011 Newsletter, click here |
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Spain