GW Madrid – GW Blogs from Abroad

2 More Weeks

AdminDecember 7, 2016December 14, 2018

With my time abroad coming to a close, I am able to reflect back on my semester in Madrid. I think I was extremely idealistic at the beginning of the semester, particularly in terms of my Spanish-speaking level. I have learned so much, and definitely have improved more in this semester than in the past 10 years of studying Spanish. With that being said, however, I do not think it is possible to be fluent in a language after only 4 months of complete immersion. Whenever I am speaking to a waiter or a store worker or even someone on the street, I start by warning them that Spanish is not my first language. I am a conversational level, and my host family tells me I am too hard on myself but I think I am just so anxious to be fluent!

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Culture Through Food

AdminNovember 15, 2016December 14, 2018

By mtejan

I place a lot of my cultural roots in food. It is how I feel connected to my family and my heritage but also how I can learn about a new culture. I am half Sierra Leonean and half Irish and mealtime is extremely important in both cultures. Sitting down and having meals is one of the best times to learn about someone else’s triumphs and struggles. My host family sits down for dinner as a family every night at 10pm. I note the time because of how late Spaniards eat dinner. That timing of meals has definitely been something to get used to but it also helps you understand the set up of Spanish culture. Lunch is late, around 2 or 3pm and followed by a siesta. Lunch is the largest meal of the day, usually a meat and vegetable dish. After siesta, people go back to work and after work might get tapas or something small to eat then return home by 10pm for dinner which is a much lighter meal. I love the Spanish eating culture and hopefully I can continue it when I get back to the US. ...continue reading "Culture Through Food"

My GW Madrid Community

AdminOctober 12, 2016December 14, 2018

By mtejan

Catholicism is a huge part of the culture in Spain! This photo shows a major church is Madrid but also shows how much refugee crisis is all of Europe. The sign that states “Refugees Welcome” has gone viral and shows the church’s stance on the issue.

GW Madrid this semester is comprised of 7 girls. We take all of our classes together and go on GW excursions as a group! Here we are at El Escorial, a historical palace, monastery, and burial ground for Spanish royalty. ...continue reading "My GW Madrid Community"

Little Old Me

AdminSeptember 3, 2016December 14, 2018

By mtejan

I am Texan but I was born in Kentucky. I am Texan but I am not a republican. But still, I am a Texan. I am not apart of many of the stereotypes associated with Texas. I was born in Kentucky but I was raised in Dallas, TX. Texans are people with immense pride in their state, their culture, and their history. Although I am not a born Texan, I absolutely consider myself one of them. It is interesting how being from Texas impacts so many aspects of my life, however, I suppose one’s hometown always has a heavy weight on their life. My experiences growing up have shaped who I am today and I was raised to always have pride in where I come from. Many people have preconceived notions about what Texans are like and I love to be the person who proves them wrong. Not all Texans carry guns, ride horses, or live in small towns. I love Tex-Mex, the state fair, and the Texas flag.
I am an American. I was born and raised in the United States. I sing the national anthem and say the pledge of allegiance. However, my mother is an Irish immigrant and my father is a Sierra Leonean immigrant and I am a citizen of the two nations. People are always so surprised when I tell them about my background but I wear my culture with pride. I do not think my mixed culture makes me any less American. The United States is a nation built on immigrants of course. I do think though that input of the two cultures has given me a unique perspective on American life. I am so incredibly grateful to live in the US but also to have been able to travel to both Ireland and Sierra Leone and see where I come from. I can understand more about myself and my history which has helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I think being mixed with three diverse cultures has also fueled my academic endeavors in International Affairs and given me a curiosity about different cultures. ...continue reading "Little Old Me"

Final Thoughts

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

I’m sitting here completely dumbfounded. 102 days down, just 6 more to go. I can’t believe that this will be my last blog post in Spain. I don’t even know where to begin. How can I summarize such a huge experience in just a few words? Whatever I say here will definitely not do justice to the last three and a half months I have spent in Madrid. This has been an incredible journey of self-reflection, spiritual growth, and intellectual development. I don’t think I’ll be able to fully reap the benefits of my study abroad experience until I am home and I can see the contrasts, because right now, I still feel like a Spaniard. The fact that that’s all about to change is both exciting and terrifying. I miss home SO much and I can’t wait to see my family and friends (and my dogs!), but I also have built an incredible life here that I will certainly miss as well. I love my host mom and her family so much and I can’t even fathom saying goodbye to them. Though we will definitely keep in touch, I don’t know if I will ever see them again, it all depends on where life takes me. So the welcome home to America will be bittersweet – I’ll be back where I belong but sorely missing what I now know I am leaving behind.

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FOMO: Yes, It Still Exists Abroad

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

Fear of missing out: The first world problem that almost all college students will admit to dealing with at some point in their four years at school. More affectionately known as “FOMO,” this disease is a culprit of the social media craze we now live in, causing twenty-somethings to stay up late at night looking at all the “fun” everyone else is having on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. It’s almost impossible to see a picture of all your friends smiling at a club or a bar somewhere and looking like they’re having a grand old time without feeling left out and sad for missing the fun. News flash: They’re probably not having as much fun as it looks. And while you’re wasting your time scrutinizing everyone else’s lives, you’re missing out on living your own. But clearly, and I am as guilty of this as anyone else, this is much easier said than done.

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#vivelafrance

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

I was just browsing through my calendar tonight, looking at the next week and figuring out what I need to get done, when I realized that I only have three weeks left in Spain. My time in Madrid is really coming to an end, and so, so quickly. It’s mind blowing to think about how much I have learned and accomplished here. I got home from Paris, my final trip of my study abroad experience, just a few hours ago, which was the icing on the cake of a wonderful three months of travel. I will be staying in Madrid now until the end of the program because I want to give myself enough time to spend with my host mom, study for my exams, and get everything done that I wanted to do here.

...continue reading "#vivelafrance"

A Moroccan Adventure

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

It’s been quite an emotionally difficult week for all of us here in Madrid. As we struggle to make sense of all that happened in Paris a week ago, we have had countless decisions to make regarding our study abroad experience. Europe does not feel like a safe place right now. We all watch our phones vigilantly for breaking news notifications almost as if we expect another terrible thing to happen. I am supposed to go to Paris this Thursday, and I still haven’t decided if I should go or not. It would be a significant financial loss if I don’t, but then again, is money worth risking your safety? No one has answers right now and it’s been frustrating beyond belief. As much as you can talk to others and ask their opinions, in the end, the decision has to be your own for how you decide to move forward in this dark era of uncertainty in Europe right now.

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On Tragedy and Loss

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

I struggle to write this blog post today. In the past 48 hours, hundreds of innocent people have lost their lives at the hands of terrorists around the world. It is impossible to share my true feelings on these horrific occurrences because I can hardly understand them myself. I have been seeing countless Facebook and Twitter posts telling me how I should feel. The majority of them sympathize with the victims of the killings and their families and express condolences. Others politicize the events, claiming that the refugees coming into Europe are the cause (which I cannot understand how this could possibly true, given the fact that the refugees are running FROM the same people who caused these attacks). Still others shame those who are putting an emphasis on the attacks in Paris, saying we don’t care about the Arab world since hardly anyone is talking about the killings in Beirut and Baghdad. That we only care when white people are killed. I am extremely offended by these posts, telling me and my peers how I am supposed to feel and who I am supposed to sympathize with. Let the grief be felt, wherever it may be felt.

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An Ode to the Host Families

AdminAugust 31, 2016December 14, 2018

By zoegoldstein23

Though I have mentioned my host mom in several anecdotes since I started blogging, I really want to dedicate this post to the host families of GW Madrid (and especially my own host mom).

Staying with a host family is one of, if not THE most important cultural aspects of studying abroad. I chose the GW Madrid program largely because of the homestay experience because I wanted to fully immerse myself in the lifestyle of my new country. I have met people in Madrid studying abroad here from other universities in the United States and Europe who stay in apartments in the city by themselves or with roommates instead of staying with host families. I may be biased, but I don’t think those people are getting the real, authentic Madrid experience (and they’re certainly not as well taken care of as we are!).

...continue reading "An Ode to the Host Families"