La Universidad

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Universidad, as you might guess, translates to university. Sounds fancy, right? A few times, I’ve made the mistake of calling it “college.” I didn’t realize that “el colegio,” which looks like college, doesn’t have the same significance that it does in the States. In general, “colegio” refers to any schooling. “Universidad” means a third-level education that comes after high school and is geared towards a specific degree. 

I go to Universidad de Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid. I’m taking four classes in Spanish. The first one is “lengua espanola,” which literally means Spanish language. (No, they don’t capitalize it.) This is my only class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We tend to focus on grammatical topics that aren’t necessarily verb tenses, concepts like “ser vs estar” and “por vs para.” In another class, specific grammar problems, so far, we’ve been focusing on verb tenses. After a quick review of the imperative (commands), we’ve spent a lot of time forming the past tense. It doesn’t seem like it would be difficult, but when there are four different tenses to speak about the past, sometimes it can be a bit confusing. This is my first class on Mondays and Wednesdays. Right after, I have “panorama de la literatura espanola.” Most of these words are cognates: panorama of Spanish literature. I expected this class to be the most difficult for me. I expected to have to read entire novels and interpret complex poems. So far, this is one of my favorite classes. Our teacher does a fantastic job of explaining the historical context of a few literature works. Then we read a part, and she explains the rest of it. My last class is “Arte en el Museo Prado”. We focus on three specific artists and learn about the eras in which they painted. We get to talk about and critique art and even go to the Prado Museum three times. 

Each week, we have three hours of each class, which is equal to 12 credits in the US. This is the least amount of college classes/credits I’ve taken. I have so much free time that I sometimes don’t know what to do. I have time to journal and watch Netflix! My latest class goes until 1:30, while some students don’t finish their school days until 7:30 at night. I have the entire afternoon and evening to do homework and explore the city. Not only am I taking fewer classes, but the homework load is a lot lighter. Some classes, like lengua espanola and grammar problems, assign homework every class period. Luckily, this homework takes maybe half an hour, depending on the topic and number of activities. 

After classes, finding things to do that feel productive but require spending money can be challenging. Occasionally, we go to a cafe to have a different atmosphere while we journal or do homework. On other days, if the weather is nice, we walk around to nearby “barrios” or neighborhoods. Sometimes we walk to the shopping street and browse stores (and buy clothes). The best part about the schedule is that we only have classes four days a week, and on Thursdays, we end at 10:30. Because of this, we can make travel plans, even to visit other countries. Recently, we went to Portugal for the weekend and could take the cheaper bus option because of the time we had on Thursday. I’m planning a few more weekend trips in the future, too. 

So far, I’m loving so much about Madrid, and I’m excited to be here another three months!

        

Universidad Antonio de Nebrija

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Four weeks of classes have already gone by! Coming into this experience, I was not sure what to expect. I wondered how strict my professors would be, how much homework they would assign,  if I would feel intimidated by the Spanish skills of my classmates, and in general, how much stress going to school in a new country would cause me. Looking back on these past few weeks, I have noticed several distinctions and similarities. 

One of the most significant differences between school here and MLC is attendance. I have yet to skip any classes here, but my classmates are frequent skippers. Attendance holds a different weight here than in my classes at home. For example, Thursdays (my last day of school each week) have extremely low attendance. Many of my classmates skip courses on this day because they want to travel to other countries, which is totally understandable! We are allowed six skips per class, and only having each class three times a week, we could technically skip two full weeks of school without penalty. After six skips, our grade can be impacted significantly.

The rigorous schedule and hours of homework each night at MLC make school here feel relaxed and not like the most significant part of my life here. At MLC, my entire schedule revolved around how many hours of homework I had each night. I have never spent more than thirty minutes on a single assignment here. It has given me opportunities to explore Madrid (and many other places) and experience the culture. Mondays and Wednesdays are busy with classes from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays just have one class right away at 8:30 am, giving me the rest of the day to explore Madrid and relax. I love this aspect of school because of the extra free time it adds to my schedule. 

Because the classes I am taking here directly apply to my program at MLC, I was concerned about the grading system because I need every credit I am taking here. I quickly learned that the grading system here would probably not be my biggest concern because it is only graded on three levels: participation, attendance, and exams. Many of my final exams are going to be group projects, which will be enjoyable. Professors make it very easy to participate in class, and as long as I show up to class most of the time, I should not be concerned about my grade at all. MLC’s grading system holds students to a very high standard in order to get an A, while here, participating in class and simply completing the homework gets students good grades (based on my experience thus far). 

The professors here are excellent! They are not strict or scary like I worried they might be, but they are so encouraging and actually hilarious. They are animated, excited, and and very passionate about teaching. Since all of my classes are in Spanish, I feel like I am learning so much from them. I am taking four different classes: a grammar class, a modern Spanish society class, an art class, and a literature class. All of them have been very enjoyable. Feeling as though I can understand the professors very well and participating in class has been encouraging for me as I continue to learn Spanish. I also have appreciated that the class sizes are very similar to MLC’s, if not smaller. I have, on average, twenty people in my classes, allowing for good discussions and participation. Overall, I pray that classes continue to go well and that I continue to learn Spanish more and more! I am excited to improve my speaking skills with native Spanish speakers not only inside the classroom but also outside of class.

I don’t have very many pictures related to school, so here are some that somewhat fit the theme 🙂

  1. Journaling at a cafe after class one day!
  2. Our video calls with fellow study abroad MLC students are something that I look forward to!
  3. Classes early in the morning give us lots of time to try cafes to “work on homework.”

 

THE WHOLE REASON WHY I AM IN SPAIN…Academics…Well, mostly ;) 

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Hola 🙂

Today I am tasked to write about academics!

Since high school, I have had a strong desire to study abroad, not only for the academics but for the incredible life experiences that come with it. As I continued on to MLC to pursue a degree in Spanish education, it seemed only fitting to choose a Spanish-speaking country to study in for a semester. I absolutely LOVE the people and the vibes of Central America, but I wanted to study in Europe so I could travel more here during this part of my life AND receive the Spanish credits I needed. So…here I am, 4 weeks completed of school in Madrid, Spain. 

It is crazy to think that 4 weeks of living in a new country and studying the language I love have already gone by. On one hand, it feels the time has gone by so quickly, and we are running out of it; but on the other hand, it feels like we still have all the time in the world. 

Honestly, I love school here. I feel that school here is very different from school in the States, especially MLC. I consider this a blessing because even though I love MLC and am so thankful for the school and wonderful professors there, I was in need of a change of pace. 

Here in Spain, I have classes Mondays through Thursdays, beginning at 8:30 a.m. every morning. On Mondays and Wednesdays, class ends at 1:30 p.m., so I have a stretch of 5 hours straight of classes. On Tuesdays, I am already walking home and done with my school day by 9:30 a.m. and on Thursdays, we finish our class at 10:30 a.m.. (“Que guay..ehh?”). (This is something that Spaniards say to say – How cool!) The Mondays and Wednesdays do get a bit long, especially during our 2-hour blocks of classes. Our professors do give us a 10-minute break during the 2-hour block classes where we can stand up and stretch, or eat a snack, or use the restroom. I appreciate this very much! I do like having class earlier in the day so we have the rest of the day to do as we please, but many of the other students who are studying abroad have classes later in the day. Some even have class until 6 in the evening! This is a similarity of my classes at MLC, I would always finish class at MLC before 3 p.m. and here in Spain, it is the same! I do love my Tuesdays and Thursdays where I only have one class! 

I am taking four Spanish classes here and I love them all! The first class is called Lengua Española. I have this class with Profesora Ana, who is my favorite professor. This is a class that focuses the most on linguistics and grammar of Spanish, while still incorporating lots of cultural lessons. I have the same professor for my second class, Panorama de la Literatura Española. She teaches this class SO WELL. In the last couple of weeks, we have spent time learning about the literature of the “Edad Media,” or the Middle Ages. We are moving on to the Renaissance next week. This class is so interesting because we are studying literature, but with the study of literature comes the study of history, so we have learned a lot about Spain’s history. My third class is called Arte en el Museo del Prado. In this class, we also are learning a lot about Spain’s history, since we are studying and conversing about three main Spanish painters; Francisco Goya, El Greco, and Velázquez. My last class is called Sociedad Contemporania de España, which focuses on modern society in Spain. 

I love all of my classes and am so happy to only be taking classes in Spanish. At MLC, I felt that sometimes I could not pour the “academic energy” into Spanish I wanted to because I had homework for all of my other classes. I LOVE having classes in Spanish. I do feel that I am understanding everything my professors are saying, besides a few vocabulary words here or there. I am learning so much about the history of Spain and the culture here, which makes me have such a greater appreciation for where I am studying and living these four months. 

Our class sizes are decently similar to those at MLC. Our biggest class has 15-20 students and our smallest has about 10. I enjoy this because it is more personable. 

A big thing here that is different at MLC is attendance. We technically have 6 “free” skips for each class with no penalties, but after 6 our entire grade for a class drops to 66%. I have not missed any classes, but many of those in my classes have already missed a couple. 

One thing I find very interesting is that, depending on the teacher, students should not eat food or have drinks, other than water, in class. This is seen as rude. Also, it is very rude to yawn with your mouth open, similar to the States..I think. I hope. Even if a class is interesting, we cannot help but yawn sometimes. There have been many times where I begin yawning and I immediately move my hand to my mouth because I do not want it to seem like I am bored. 

I do not find the class content extremely hard, nor the homework though it does challenge me in the ways I was hoping. We have homework every week for every class, but it does not take more than an hour to complete for each class. The homework load is light in comparison to MLC, which I appreciate. 

Overall, I am really enjoying school here and learning so much! 

Thank you for your continued prayers! God has been so good to me! 

 

Con Amor, 

Alaina Wiedoff  

 

 

 

 

Learning in Galway

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Hello, I hope that you are doing well! I am doing well in Galway. I have lived in Ireland for almost two months and have adjusted to my new life abroad. I have had the privilege of traveling around Ireland, visiting several cities and magnificent sites. I have made new friends, gotten involved in a church and Christian society on campus, and also have been reading and writing voraciously. However, studying abroad isn’t simply travel, social activities, and leisure– there is an academic aspect to it. In this blog, I’ll discuss my educational experience by describing each class I’m taking and comparing my experience here with that of MLC.

Iconography: the Classical Tradition in Western Art

I start with my Iconography lectures each Monday and Wednesday morning (at 10 am). My lecturer is a soft-spoken Irish man whose voice is as soft as sheep’s wool. He is a firm believer in art appreciation and being able to see art clearly, so his lectures are conducted in classrooms with zero light or windows to see the projected images on the screen. As you can imagine, the combination of these factors make my Iconography lectures a battle to stay awake. Nevertheless, most of the classwork is based on independent research for an overall project. I am about halfway done with my project, an exploration of statues of David from the Italian Renaissance and how they reflect the mores of Florentine society during that period. The project culminates with a 3,000-word paper and a 20-25-minute presentation that I will give. Within my paper and presentation, I analyze the artwork and historical era and then make assertions based on my observations. I sound unbelievably pretentious when talking about art, making me feel more intelligent than I am!

Genre Studies: Satire and Sentiment in 18th-Century Literature

In my opinion, Genre Studies is an exciting course. We read poems, plays, and prose from the long 18th century. I attend two weekly lectures, one on Monday at 5 pm and the other on Thursday at noon. My lecturer is a vigorous 30-something Canadian woman. She has very entertaining lectures and breaks down complex concepts and ideas in an elegantly simple manner. My favorite poem that we have read is Johnathan Swift’s “Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift” (1731). The poem is about Johnathan Swift reflecting on his life and how he imagines certain people will react to his death. It has a very similar nature to that of the book of Ecclesiastes. I highly recommend it.

Studies in Medieval Literature

Studies in Medieval Literature is a two-part course that breaks down two legendary medieval works: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Canterbury Tales. I attend lectures twice weekly from 3 to 4 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Because it is a two-part course, I have had two separate lecturers. My first lecturer was a whimsical British man with great humor. He taught Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an Arthurian legend written around 1375. The story is rife with Biblical allegory and deals with the uncanny issues of pride and chivalry. I highly recommend it. My second lecturer is an intense Irish woman and she has only given two lectures on The Canterbury Tales, but I am enjoying them. They were also written in the late 14th century, and reading Middle English has been challenging. I would compare it to trying to understand someone speaking to you underwater– you can understand most of it, but some parts are lost due to interference.

Exploring Shakespeare

Exploring Shakespeare is a somewhat interesting course. It is my only seminar course, and we meet every Tuesday from 4 to 6 pm. The class time can feel a bit long because my professor, a talkative Irish woman, half-lectures/half-discusses the Shakespeare plays we read and occasionally asks questions of the class. A lot of the time, it doesn’t feel like a seminar course. We have read Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry V. I have enjoyed the plays, especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This class is probably the most different from the experience I would have had learning Shakespeare at MLC because my professor (over)emphasizes the “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” aspect of Shakespeare.

So, how does the academic experience differ from MLC…?

Quite significantly. Let me explain:

  1. Attendance. Class attendance is optional in Ireland. I could skip every lecture and still pass a course if I wanted to. It would be tricky, but it could be done. At MLC, if you miss a single class, it feels like you missed a significant amount of knowledge (in my opinion). The attitude towards attendance is much more lax compared to MLC, which treats skipping class like a mortal sin. (I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing.) I have yet to miss a single lecture this semester because MLC has engrained a mindset of perfect attendance.
  2. Rigor. The academic experience is super relaxed compared to MLC. To succeed at MLC, you need to be disciplined with your academics– you can’t just blow off your daily assignments. Oh wait… I don’t have daily homework here. I have some reading to do each week, but reading isn’t truly homework for me. I only have to work hard for about two weeks in the entire semester. I honestly miss the academic grind of MLC because the structure forces you to be engaged with the courses. Also, my final grades are based on two to three grades. I have papers and presentations for all of my classes worth between 40 and 70% of my overall grade. 
  3. Engagement. I am not engaged with my courses here like I am at MLC. Yes, I attend all of my lectures and complete my projects on time, but my studies are not an important aspect of my life. It is nice to be able to relax on my nights and weekends, but I also am not getting as much out of my courses. I also only have class from Monday to Thursday, giving me a three-day weekend every week. I yearn for class with Professor Grubbs and Professor Degner again (even though I grumble about their homework sometimes…). 
  4. Size. Class size is much different; two of my lectures (Iconography and Shakespeare) have about 20 people, similar to MLC. However, my Genre Studies and Medieval Literature lectures have around 150 people each. Surprisingly, it’s not been a difficult adjustment– I sit near the front in every class, making it feel smaller than it is.
  5. Diversity. Galway is the most diverse place I have ever experienced in my life. Every day on campus, I hear at least three languages spoken (not including English). Galway is a popular destination for students from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America. Through the Christian Society I am involved in, I have met and made friends with people from Italy, Portugal, France, Mexico, Canada, Nigeria, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Spain, India, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and many more. Surprisingly, I’ve made more friends from international places than from Ireland. It has also been a welcome surprise that I’ve been able to use my Spanish much more than I thought I would. Sometimes, I’ll casually start conversing in Spanish with strangers before or after class. Other times, I’ll eavesdrop on conversations by Spanish speakers who think I can’t understand them. It’s great fun to shock people because I don’t look like someone who can speak Spanish! I am also regularly complimented by native speakers for my “acento tan hermoso“– something that boosts my confidence!
  6. Individuality. The academic experience is much more individual than at MLC. At MLC, for better or worse, it is tough to “fly under the radar.” Almost everyone lives, eats, and studies in the same places. Even if it isn’t perfect, MLC is uniquely blessed with its collective mindset. I occasionally see people I know around campus here, but I miss going anywhere on MLC’s campus and always knowing someone. Also, the attitude of Galway’s student populace is much more egalitarian than MLC’s hierarchical structure. At MLC, it would be unfathomable for me to go on my phone during class and call my professors by their first names, but these things happen regularly in Galway. I miss MLC students’ respect for their professors and fellow students.

Overall, I have learned a lot about what I like and don’t like about academics from this experience. I have grown a greater appreciation for MLC. I enjoy the freedom I am given for other activities from this experience, especially reading and writing. So far, I have read 17 books in 2024 and have started writing a second novella. I’ve also spent more time studying my Bible, praying, and getting involved in the Christian society on campus. I’ve been asked to lead a Bible study on the book of Jonah, and I’m looking forward to using my gifts to teach others.

Please continue to pray for me. Thanks for reading!

Photos Explained:

  1. This is me using a quill. As you can probably see from the look on my face, I loved it.
  2. This is the view from the English department, looking over campus. It still can’t beat the view from 3rd floor Old Main, but it’s pretty good.
  3. This is a photo of what walking at night on campus looks like.

¿Dónde vive?

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Hola!!

It has been a little less than 2 weeks since we arrived in Spain! I can say that I am doing very well and am very happy here. I miss all of my loved ones back home but am so grateful for technology so I can stay in touch with them. I will say I have already been stressing about money, something I often do. I am trying to remember that I am not throwing my money around AND I trust that God will guide me in this financial journey. 

Now, I get to update you all about my living arrangements here in Spain! 

I live in a residencia, also known as a dorm. I live with Emily and Sarah, and 6 other girls, all of whom are fluent Spanish speakers! This is kind of funny to me, but our whole residencia has a “vogue” theme, so there are posters everywhere of Vogue magazine covers and models. We each have our own room, with our own private bathroom, desk, closet, and a pretty large TV for the size of our rooms. I am not sure how they even fit it on the wall. We do share a kitchen and living room space. I have a window that I open up on sunny days, which I love. I have made my room somewhat homey, as much as I can with the large Vogue photos (LOL). I have put up some of my favorite bible passages, favorite paintings, and photos I printed before leaving home. I have added many photos of the people I hold dear to my heart above my desk. 

 I love having my own space but also being able to get to know other girls! (Bonus that they all are fluent in Spanish!) We have started getting to know some of the girls through passing or when we are cooking or sitting at the dinner table together. (Usually close to 9 p.m. dinners for us over here…that took a bit to get used to!) A couple of our roommates are from Spain, one girl is from Patagonia, Argentina, one is from Italy, and one is from Chile. We have quite the mix and are all learning from each other. It is both fun and intimidating to hear all of the different accents and dialects of Spanish from different countries. (Not going to lie, the Chilean accent is SO difficult for me to understand.) We have all talked about spending some time together sometime soon outside of our current home, which I would really love. If I am being honest, when I talk to them, I get really nervous about my Spanish since they are all so fluent and can talk so quickly with one another. I know that eventually, this feeling will pass! 🙂 All the girls are so understanding and encouraging of us speaking Spanish with them and like to practice English too once in a while. 

Our residencia is about a 10-minute walk from school. This is one of the best things ever. (Okay, maybe not the best, but still we are SUPER thankful!) We love our walks to and from school because, for us, it is a form of exercise. We have been walking a lot which has been really impactful for both my mental and physical health. One of our ISA guides said we are in the perfect location, which made us again, so grateful. 

There are a couple of differences from my dorm back at MLC. We each have our own room here, which I do really appreciate at times, but I do miss my girl Hannah too. (My roommate the last 3 years of college.) It has been nice having my own bathroom and getting ready space as well. We have a kitchen 10 steps away from our rooms and THIS has been a game changer. I have never really cooked or been helpful in the kitchen, but I knew that this area of life was something I really wanted to grow in while in Spain. We have been buying our own groceries and making almost all of our meals. We have stove top burners and a microwave, but no oven. (BIG BUMMER.) So, I have been learning and cooking with Sarah’s encouragement and guidance. (She is so patient…) I cannot wait to keep practicing and trying new recipes in the kitchen! That is something I never thought I would say! 

Thank you again for keeping up with me!!:) God has been so good to us! 

Con Amor,
Alaina

Here is my room with my window:) (spot the Vogue pictures haha)

 

American Pride and British Prejudice

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“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” – Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice remains one of my favorite novels of all time! Austen’s novel continues to be a worldwide favorite for generations with its memorable characters and controversial themes. The two main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy quarrel with each other throughout the majority of the novel. The primary theme throughout the novel is focused on the prejudices the main characters have toward one another, and how their pridefulness gets in the way of seeing what’s really in front of them. Hence comes the perfect title, Pride and Prejudice.

Living in London for the past month has allowed me to further understand the concept of American pride. Going away from home shows me what I miss and appreciate about living in America. However, living here also highlights differences between American culture versus the different cultures I am being exposed to. Being a study abroad student means I automatically stand out in some form: whether it be in my flat, on campus, or on the streets. As soon as I speak, I immediately stand out with my accent! It is evident in the way I talk, dress, and behave that I am an American. The tiny little details that make me American (like using a 12hr time clock or using Fahrenheit over Celsius) are something I have never really noticed or thought about differently before. Also being around other American study abroad students has shown me two other things: Americans are loud, and everyone is here for different reasons.

On the first point… Americans are loud! This isn’t necessarily a negative thing. In my experience, the Americans tend to be more friendly, and outgoing compared to the British students. However, it does mean we tend to stand out more in public. In general, British students tend to be more reserved in their personalities and their tone of voice. My professors speaking in class tend to talk with a more quiet, reserved tone compared to my professors at MLC. This has taken time to get used to.

The second point… noticing everyone studying abroad is here for different reasons. Some people are here for academic and career purposes, while others are here to travel and explore Europe, and some people are just here to party and have a good time. It is interesting to ask people’s different reasons for studying abroad and specifically choosing London. That being said, I have tried to surround myself with a group of people who have similar purposes for being here and have similar interests when it comes to traveling. It is hard to balance remaining true to who I am as a person, while also branching out and getting to know a variety of people.

While studying abroad, I get to live on campus in a flat. In my flat, I have six flatmates. Four of my flatmates are British (Holly, Evie, Maya, and Harley), while two of them are other American study abroad students (Grace and Sarah). It has been nice getting to know other students who actually live in the UK. Two of my flatmates (Holly and Evie) are also studying to be teachers! It’s nice to have that in common. We all ask each other questions about each other’s countries and discuss differences in areas like schooling, climate, and food. One day I spent fifteen minutes explaining to one of my flatmates, Maya, the beauty of ranch dressing! Apparently, ranch is something that doesn’t exist here in the UK!

My flat has now become a place I am comfortable in and can call my “home.” In my flat, we each have our own bedrooms and bathrooms. This has been extremely nice to have my own private area where I can relax and reflect on my day. It isn’t the largest room, but it does the job… especially since I wasn’t able to bring loads of items from home to begin with. The kitchen and living area are a space all my flatmates share. I like being able to socialize while making meals and having this common area together. We have parts of the fridge and cabinets divided up evenly, so everyone has their own space to store their food and utensils. I enjoy getting to go grocery shopping and figure out meals on my own. The grocery store I go to is called ASDA. It is a 30-minute walk or a 15-minute bus ride away.

Three things I’ve noticed that are different here compared to the U.S. grocery stores:
1. Bags are something I have to provide or else I get charged extra
2. Items such as produce, or bread go stale quicker because they have fewer preservatives in them
3. Eggs are not found in dairy since they are not refrigerated here

I have also grown close to the flat above mine. This flat has several ISA study abroad students who I befriended and travel with. Part of the reason we have grown close is the fact that we are all American. We are all in the same boat and are trying to travel and figure out everything along the way. Despite all being American, we also notice many differences between us. Many of us are from all over the U.S. and come from different backgrounds and schooling. For example, two of the girls (Shaan and Grace) live in California and go to a film school there. Both of them plan on having careers in the Hollywood industry. It is fascinating meeting people I normally wouldn’t come across outside of this study abroad setting.

One factor I didn’t think of before coming here was sickness! I got sick with the flu around two weeks ago. I did bring American medications with me, so that was helpful. However, being sick and exhausted constantly made me think of home. I wanted nothing more than to sleep in my warm bed at home and eat chicken noodle soup! On top of not feeling well, I also decided to travel and go into the city numerous times the entire week I was sick! While it was fun to travel and see places, it was also doubly exhausting! Fortunately, I am feeling much better now, and am glad the worst is behind me.

I love the University of Roehampton and the beautiful walks I get to take to class. I also have been taking lots of time to go and walk through many of the gorgeous parks found all throughout London. I cannot wait until Spring comes, and the parks become filled with flowers and sunshine!  Looking at all the beauty around me makes me stand back and reflect on God’s majesty. He created everything in this world. It is mesmerizing getting to appreciate His creation and His love more and more every day! Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Highlights since my last post:

  • Daytrips to Cambridge, Windsor, and Stratford-upon-Avon
  • Celebrating Lunar New Year in Chinatown
  • Exploring many of London’s free museums
  • Worshipping with the WELS mission church in London

King’s College in Cambridge

Saw Wicked at the West End Theater

Daytrip to Windsor Castle

Lunar New Year in Chinatown

Till we meet again,
Alison Foxen

Life in My Residencia

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My time in Madrid has been amazing so far, and much of that is due to the housing that I live in. It is called a “residencia” that really feels like an apartment. I have my own bedroom and bathroom, which is very convenient, and I share a kitchen and living room with eight other people (two of them being Emily and Alaina:). 

The other girls are amazing! They come from all over the world, mainly Spanish-speaking countries. There are girls from Argentina, Chile, and Italy, as well as girls from Spain. I haven’t personally met every single girl here, but I am guessing that over four months here will give me plenty of time to get to know them! I usually see them and talk with them when making meals or hanging out in the living room. The one downside to so many roommates in such a small space is that the noise carries. I have had difficulty falling asleep because of the talking and laughing I hear right outside my door, which begins around 10 pm and continues into the early hours of the morning. I think this is just an adjustment I will need to get used to. However, I still enjoy talking to them and getting to know them. They can speak some English, so if there is any confusion while speaking Spanish, we can clear it up quickly with a few English words. However, the majority of the time, speaking with our roommates is all done in Spanish, which is a great challenge for me. Some accents are a little more difficult to understand than others, forcing me to try to understand and listen. All of them are so kind and have invited us several times to do various activities with them. I look forward to becoming closer with them.

Another bonus about our housing is the location. I am located in Princessa, the same neighborhood that my university is in. It just takes me a short fifteen minutes to walk to and from classes every day. The walk down the streets of Madrid is beautiful and easy. I truly have enjoyed it. My residencia is also located very close to a Metro station, where I can hop on and off the metro to various locations all over Madrid and get there fairly quickly. The convenience of my dorm has been a blessing so far, and I can’t wait to take advantage of this blessing for the duration of my time here.

The biggest challenge (though exciting) is living very independently. The dorms are very much like apartments, so every meal is on me. For the past two and a half years, I have been living in the luxury of the MLC cafeteria, so it has been quite an adjustment. At first, trying to think of what meals to make, what groceries to buy, and what time to eat them was chaotic. I like to think that my cooking and meal-planning skills have already significantly improved. 

I’ll end this entry with a short and sweet description of my personal dorm room (rm 4:). It is definitely the smallest room in the dorm, but it feels very cozy to me and easy to keep clean. I have my own desk placed in front of the window where I do my homework looking outside into the street. I have a giant TV on the wall (that I can’t figure out how to use) and Vogue posters on the other wall that were already there. Everything in this dorm is very feminine, so pink and green are everywhere throughout my room and the rest of the building. I was able to put up some of my own pictures of my friends, boyfriend, and family to make it feel a little more like home. Overall, I love my housing experience!

Mi Castillo

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When I say “my castle,” I mean my house. But we’re nestled in the Princesa neighborhood, so I’m going to call myself a princess. Some of the luxuries here almost make it feel real. Thankfully, I’m not high up in a tower that requires me to climb up a huge spiral staircase. 

Our student residence is under the management of a company called “MiCasaInn.” Who cares, right? Well, the name is actually pretty cool. “Mi casa” means “my house”. Our residence is meant to feel like a house, a place you can feel at home. 

We each have our own room at Plaza Espana (the name of our residence). Even better, we each have our own bathroom. This means not having to carry toiletries to the bathroom every morning, night, and time you want to shower. And now that we have towels and bought toilet paper, we’re really living the dream! It’s also nice to decorate our bedrooms with things from home, like pictures, and have our own space. We can sleep when we want or call whomever we want and don’t have a roommate to want to work around. There’s even a TV in every room… if only it worked.

Luckily, the TV in the shared living room works. So far, I’ve only seen it be used for music, but that’s more than I’ve gotten to work in my room! The living room has a couch and a few chairs that we occasionally use when planning or doing homework. There’s also a small table with a few chairs for eating. Sometimes, our schedules line up, so we eat with the other girls in the apartment. Other times it’s us 3, and sometimes it’s just one of us. Eating with others can be difficult because of the kitchen’s size. It’s a weird triangle-shaped area with a stovetop, a refrigerator, cupboards, a washing machine, a dishwasher, and a sink. That’s not everything a kitchen should have. Take a guess, what’s missing? Yeah, there’s no oven. Bit of a challenge, honestly. I researched some recipes before arriving in Spain, and many required an oven. So, I did more research on stovetop recipes. Shoutout to Pinterest for saving me from starvation. 

Plaza Espana has 9 rooms for these shared areas, and all rooms are filled with girls! We’ve met all of them at least once and found out they’re from various places: Argentina, Italy, Chile, and Barcelona. And then us from small midwestern towns. There are three or four girls we see often that we talk with when we can. They’re super helpful and friendly. I locked my key in my room one day, and the two gals out there were helping me call the housing program to open my door. Another night, I was walking out to say hey to Alaina and Sarah, and one of the girls had her friends over. They got free tickets to go out and had an extra, so they invited me to go with them. I couldn’t say no to free, so they let me tag along with them. I spoke Spanish with them all night and helped one of the friends practice her English, too. 

We are (in theory) only a 5-minute walk from the Nebrija campus. But there are two campuses, one of them with only one building. And that one building has all of our classes. So, it’s actually a 15-minute walk. But it’s not bad at all. The weather has been perfect for walking, though I’m sure locals would say through their scarves it’s too cold. It’s also more free (sort of) conditioning (sort of) built into my day. 

Overall, I’m very happy with our residence. The fridge is a bit small, but we got an extra little one to store some food. We’re close to a metro stop and a reasonable distance from the school. The girls we live with are very non-problematic and welcoming to us gringas.

First Impressions of Madrid, Spain

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Hola a todos! 

 

It has been exactly a week since arriving in Spain. God is good! 

 

Emily, Sarah, and I arrived on Saturday morning, the 3rd of February. When we arrived in Spain, we were SO exhausted, but we were antsy and excited to get out of the airport doors and into our new home country. Saturday was filled with unpacking and an orientation for the program that we are studying through. We are studying through ISA, International Studies Abroad. We have 5 ISA leaders who are the absolute best. This first week, I have felt so supported and cared for by our leaders. They offer lots of cultural activities and are the guides to many of the activities, so we have had the chance to spend a bit of time with them already! They have all made it clear that they are there for us if we ever need them for anything. 

 

We met some of our roommates this week and have had the chance to talk with them a bit, too! They all speak fluent Spanish, so this will be a really great opportunity to practice our Spanish with native speakers. I will have a chance to expand on living arrangements later this week so I will do so very soon! This past Monday, we also had a tour of our school, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, as well as another orientation. Classes were held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so it was great to get back into the swing of a schedule, even though it will look different this semester. 

 

I believe it will be a semester full of lots of personal growth in both academics and life experience, as well as academic growth! 

 

Mis Primeras Impresiones de Madrid, Espana: 

  1. “Wow, Madrid is such a big and beautiful city.” I visited Madrid about four years ago on a school trip with my high school, so it has been so fun to be back and be LIVING here. (WHAT!!! It still sounds crazy to say that I am living here!!!) Madrid is a beautiful city, and it has only been one week. We have walked so much and seen so many sights; there is just an abundance more to see. When I came here after my sophomore year I remember thinking Madrid was big, but I did not have the best concept of cities since I come from such a small town. Being older and after spending a good amount of time in Buenos Aires, Argentina last summer, I have a better concept of what a big city is. I am not a big city girl, but I do believe that this trip will make me see the beauty in big city life. 
  2. “I absolutely love the architecture!!!!” Since Europe is much older than America, in many of the areas of the city the architecture is older and designed with such detail and color. I just love the winding streets full of color and cobblestone. There are so many small shops and restaurants that are unique and cute. I will forever love the cobblestone streets and colorful buildings because to me,  it feels like a breath of fresh air. I could walk around those kinds of streets forever! 
  3. “Everyone looks SO good.” The fashion here in Spain is amazing. No matter where people are going, they look like they are going to a serious business meeting or out to a fancy restaurant. I love this. It has been fun to dress more “European” when I am going to class or going out, even if it is just to the supermarket. I think everyone looks so classy and put together. I really do love this style! 
  4. “Can everyone really tell I am American?” I feel as if every time we walk anywhere we are getting looks and uncomfortably long stares. I am always wondering, “Can people seriously tell we are American just by the way we look or dress?” We all think we are doing a pretty good job at dressing nicely and speaking Spanish in public places when we can. I do feel out of place when this happens and it makes me uncomfortable but I understand that these feelings will pass! 
  5. “We live in the perfect area!” We were blessed with the location of our residencia (dorm). We are about a 10-minute walk from our school whereas some others in our program have to take the metro for 40 minutes or more! We live in the neighborhood called “Princesa” and are only about a 15-minute walk from Palacio Real. Our residencia is so cute and is a perfect distance to our school and other well-known sites. 
  6. “Am I going to have a hard time making true friends?” I say this because I do think it is noticeable that we three girls have a bit of a different agenda than many of the girls in our program. I am not afraid to be myself, but I worry that because I am, I am not going to make as many friends as others may. I do know though, that God has a plan for this part of my life. Being in an environment where all of my friends are not Christian or religious gives me an opportunity to be a light for Christ and to learn more about their lives and how I can reach them with the love of God, even if it is through my actions. I am excited to keep meeting people as this program continues. 
  7. “Is my Spanish that bad?” I do feel a bit rusty with my Spanish and it is taking me some time to get back into it. I have felt a bit embarrassed when talking to my fluent roommates but I need to give myself time and grace. We are here for that reason though, to continue growing in our Spanish abilities! I know this will come with time and I am excited to see how I grow! 

 

We have had some time to explore and meet people through our program and school! Thank you for keeping up with our adventures and thank you for your continued prayers! 

Con Amor, 

Alaina Wiedoff

First Week in Madrid: First Impressions

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Wow, what a start to this incredible experience! I have been living in Madrid for about a week now and have loved every second. I wasn’t sure exactly what I expected the first week to look like, but this has to surpass all expectations. We have been able to see and experience so much culture in so little time. It makes me excited that I still have four months left to continue learning all that I can about the beautiful city of Madrid. 

A couple of first impressions:

    1. Fitting In: Everyone somehow knows that I am from the United States (whether that be my blonde hair, blue eyes, or my lack of fashion), so they immediately switch from Spanish to English when addressing me. While this is a nice gesture, I came here to practice Spanish! I want to speak, hear, and just be immersed in the language, but being unable to blend in has presented me with a unique challenge. Everyone dresses to be fashionable here, so I wonder if my American style makes me stand out, even though I feel as if I’m “dressing nicely” every day just to fit in. 
    2. Time: Having spent the previous summer in Argentina, where people stay up late and sleep in late, I knew that Madrid would operate on a similar schedule. This has proven to be true. We eat dinner around 8, which many people would still consider early. One of our roommates was very surprised one evening when we were eating dinner so early because it’s expected to eat around 9 or 10 here. I am slowly starting to get used to this time difference, and it has only been a week 🙂 
    3. Relax: Generally, people living here seem to take their time, not rush, and just enjoy each other’s company. I have noticed this in a couple of ways. First, people walk very slowly compared to the United States. I find myself getting impatient with all the slow walkers and need to remind myself that I’m not in a rush and that it’s okay to slow down the pace sometimes. The culture here is also to take their time when ordering food and talking with friends. When I go to a restaurant, I like to order right away, eat my food, and then get out of there as soon as I am done. It is so different here. They take their time chatting with their friends, and the waiters don’t even bring the check or ask to order until much later than I’m used to. So far, this has been refreshing and a great reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things. They also do the “siesta hora” when the whole city closes for a little bit just so that people can take a quick nap in the middle of the day. I love it.
    4. School: School so far has been going well despite only having three days of it this first week. Typically, the school week is Monday-Thursday morning classes. I love having Fridays off every single week. My first impression of the teachers and the classes has been incredible, and I am so excited to get into a routine with my new class schedule.