My week in Spain was a huge cultural adjustment for me. From big things like how busy Marid was to little things like waiting until my dorm’s dinner began at 8:30pm, which felt illegal, as someone who usually eats at 6 and is in bed by 9:45. One day, as I began to feel more accustomed to my new surroundings, my friend Natalie and I worked up the courage to sit at a table full of Spanish students for dinner. At first, it felt awkward and uncomfortable, but it was this day that marked an important day for me in Spain. It was the day we made our first friends in Spain.
For the next two weeks leading up to their departure, we ate every dinner with this group of friends. We learned about their hometowns in various parts of Spain, about tiny cities in which they had the same neighbors, and classmates from birth, until they too, decided to try out a big city. We talked about the best food spots, our favorite sports teams, dating culture, and what we studied in university, but we also spoke of heavier topics like politics in Spain and the United States, our dreams and goals for life, our biggest fears, our highs and lows of university. Somehow, in a place so unfamiliar, our lives were actually very similar. Coming home after a long day of classes or field trips in another language sometimes could be taxing, but I always felt rejuvenated after sharing a funny story from the day or asking how someone was doing. For the first time, speaking didn’t feel like an assignment in class, it felt like a normal part of my day that I really looked forward to. So, the lesson I learned: It really it never “just dinner”.
