Whenever you travel to a new place, it is essential to immerse yourself in the culture as much as possible. I believe the best way to learn the intricacies of another culture is by befriending locals who are willing to show you their way of life. Our program, CEA facilitates these interactions through an extracurricular activity known as “Intercambio” where students who are studying in Seville are paired with Spanish counterparts who are the same age. The goal of Intercambio is to encourage cultural exchanges that are mutually enriching for both participants.
When I first heard about CEA’s Intercambio program, I was initially thrilled to have the opportunity to make Spanish friends while abroad. However, upon arriving at the first Intercambio exchange, I was immediately discouraged by the ratio of Americans to Spanish participants. The CEA students outnumbered the locals nearly 5 to 1 making it difficult to foster a connection with any of the Spanish students. Of course, my questionable knowledge of the Spanish language also hindered my ability to communicate with the few locals I was able to find. Overall, I left Intercambio disappointed with the experience and doubtful I would ever find local friends in Seville.
I am happy to report that nearly a month later I have found my own version of Intercambio. Even though I have only been abroad for a short amount of time, I have already begun to develop friendships with everyone from the bartenders at our local tapas restaurant, Emilios, to the Spanish students in my classes at EUSA. I have found these new friends have taught me so much about Spanish culture that I could never learn from a textbook. My new friends have shown me everything from their favorite Spanish songs and taught me about Spanish politics and beliefs. Although it took me stepping out of my comfort zone to find local friends in Sevilla, I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I can’t wait to see what other friends I make along the way during my time abroad.
Tripping with Maddie 