Connections Around the World
Hola!!
For our blogs this week, we had the unique opportunity to get to have a conversation with someone from another culture. Honestly, I was a bit nervous at first but I knew it would push me outside my comfort zone AND be a worthwhile experience getting to know someone new. This is a bit of a longer blog because I did not want to leave anything out, so thank you for the time you spend reading this! 🙂
There is a girl who is in two of my four classes, whom I’ve made small talk with but haven’t put in the effort to get to know. Her name is Hatsune and she is from Japan! What a sweet and kind girl! I am so thankful I got to know Hatsune better AND got to learn more about her culture.
Hatsune and I met up at a coffee shop and talked for an hour and a half, both about the questions I had wanted to ask her about Japan and getting to know one another better. Something really cool about the conversation we had was that we did it all in Spanish! Her first language is Japanese, and mine is English, but we were able to meet in the middle, and we communicated best in Spanish.
I came prepared with some questions to ask her, some that I came up with on my own and some from a good friend who is studying in Ireland. 🙂
Hatsune Arima is 21 years old, born in 2002 in Tanegashima, Japan. She lived in her home city, Tanegashima, for 18 years of her life but when she attends her home university, she lives in Osaka. Hatsune attends a school in Osaka that has a specific focus on cultures and languages. She is spending a year in Madrid to continue her studies in Spanish. I am always curious to know why people choose to study what they do, so I asked her why she chose Spanish. She told me that when she was younger, in primary and secondary school, it was mandatory to learn English, “la primera lengua del mundo.” (The first language of the world) She spent lots of years learning English so when she began her studies at her university, she had a choice of what language she could learn. Hatsune found so much interest in the history, language, stories, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. She stated, “Me interesa mucho el español.” It is very evident to me that she loves the culture and the language because of her abilities to speak Spanish as a third language, her interest in cultural activities, and her dedication to stay in Madrid for a whole year!
I was curious to know a bit more about what makes Hatsune, Hatsune! 🙂 In order to do so, I asked questions about her family, her childhood, her interests, and her values!
Hatsune described that she has one sister, Hibiki, who is just about a year younger than her (20 years old). Her parents live in a different city now called Kagoshima, which she visits on occasion. Her parents both are 41 years old and “muy amable.”(Very kind)
When I inquired about the values her family holds, she described how they frequently engage in various activities together, which reflects a common cultural practice in Japan. For example, she said that when it came time for meals her family would eat together, including her grandparents. She also said that when it came time for “excursions” outside of the house, they would always go together, whether this meant a walk in a park, eating in a restaurant, shopping, and more. It is so special when certain cultures value family time to this extent because they can be such influential and important relationships in a person’s life. Hatsune also talked about respect. Respect is a significant value she holds, for her family, others, and especially elders. One important memory that she talked about from her childhood was spending time in her favorite place with her family. She described it as this, “Era una pequeña isla, lejos del centro de Japón con mucha naturaleza, tanto bosques como playas. Nos encantó llevar a nuestros perros a pasear por la playa juntos.” (It was a small island, far from the center of Japan with lots of nature, both forests and beaches. We loved taking our dogs for walks on the beach together.) I could see how meaningful these memories were to her because of how she spoke with such a loving and reminiscent tone.
Some of Hatsune’s interests include: watching videos/shows on Youtube and Netflix, going to cafes to sip on a coffee, reading, and going to museums to look at paintings. She also described how she loves spending time with her friends and making new ones. She loves the Japanese music artist, Shimizu Shota, and loves the song sung by him called, “My Love.”
To my understanding, she does not work during the school year but described how she sometimes works with her Mom at a supermarket when she returns home during university breaks. I asked her about what her dream job would be and she responded, “El trabajo de mis sueños sería trabajar para un agente de viajes y planificar viajes o trabajar en un café con mis mejores amigos.” (My dream job would be to either work for a travel agent and plan trips or work in a cafe with my best friends.) It was so sweet to hear how much her friends mean to her as well as how much she adores traveling and learning about the world. I relate 100%!
When I asked her a bit more about her education experience growing up, she said she does love her academics currently because it is so focused on learning the Spanish language and more about the culture, which includes meeting lots of new people. I asked her, “¿Cuál fue tu año favorito de la escuela y qué lo hizo tan especial?” (What was your favorite year of school and what made it so special?)
Hatsune responded by saying, “Mi año favorito de la escuela fue el segundo año de la escuela secundaria. Yo era miembro del equipo de béisbol. Mi papel era apoyar a los jugadores y ayudarlos en lo que necesitaran. Tenía que ir todos los días para estar con este equipo y fue muy duro, pero muy divertido. Este mismo año, también fui a Singapur por 2 semanas y era la primera vez que era extranjera. En cada “zona” de Japón, eligen a la gente para ir y a mí me eligieron. También tuve el papel de ser el presidente estudiantil de mi escuela. Aprendí mucho y estuve muy ocupado.”
Translation: (My favorite year of school was the second year of high school. I was a member of the baseball team. My role was to support the players and assist them whatever they needed. I had to go every day to be with this team and it was very hard, but very fun. This same year, I also went to Singapore for 2 weeks and it was my first time being a foreigner. In each “zone” of Japan, they pick people to go and I was chosen. I also had the role of being the student president at my school. I learned a lot and was very busy!)
I asked Hatsune if she had a religion or what her religion was. I wanted to ask this question, but in the most respectful way possible, so I told her that if she did not want to talk about it, we did not have to! She explained that she currently does not practice any religion, but her family follows Buddhism, which they also adhered to during her upbringing. I pray that as Hatsune and I spend more time together, I can share Jesus with her.
MORE SPECIFIC TO CULTURE:
Many of my questions were focused on getting to know Hatsune, which certainly plays a part in the meaning of her culture. I did ask some more questions specific to her culture to which she happily responded. 🙂
Here are some of the questions we talked about and her responses:
(I will translate for those who do not speak Spanish) 🙂
What is considered the most respectful and disrespectful in your society?
“It is disrespectful to talk to elders in a way that is rude and well, disrespectful. Here, there are different ways to talk to those who are older than you. In general, Japanese are very respectful to those who are older than them, but the elderly have the utmost respect.”
“It is also very disrespectful to be loud on public transportation. It is usually silent. If anyone every visits, they should have their sound off and do not make calls. It is to respect those around us.”
After our meeting, I looked up a bit more about this and I read that when speaking to an elderly person they add an extra element of respect by adding their “san” (similar to Mr. or Mrs.) after their name. They also use a certain way of communicating politely called “keigo”. I believe “keigo” is what Hatsune was describing in Spanish.
What is your favorite food from your culture? Snack? Drink?
“My favorite food is sushi, but sushi normal. It is more common in Japan. There are various types of fish with rice. I understand that it is different from what “sushi” in America looks like. My favorite snacks are sweets, especially chocolate cookies or cheesecakes. My favorite drink is matcha. When I was growing up, my family would always have another kind of tea called, “Oolong tea” so I would drink that often as well.”
Hatsune showed me a picture of the kind of sushi she loves and I took a picture so I insert it into my blog!
What is your opinion of the United States? Are there stereotypes that you believe to be true?
“The United States is a very big country and is a very free country, with lots of freedoms. There is a variety of people there of different nationalities and is more generous than other countries. In the minds of some older people from Japan, I think the United States does not have a good impression because of our history. The younger generation has a better impression.”
“The stereotypes that Japan has about America are, Americans love to talk and are very fun, but are a bit loud at times. It really depends on the person you talk to.”
“I think that our stereotypes include being very quiet, we do not talk a lot nor express our emotions well, and we have high respect for elders.”
What is the role of women in your society?
“Women do work more than they did in the past but there is still a bit of inequality between men and women. Many women are at home to take care of the children and the home but it is better than before.”
What is a celebration very important in your culture? Can you describe it to me?
“Japanese New Year! Many people will go to a temple or shrine every year on the first day of the January. People whose religion is Buddism go to a temple but people who have the Shinto religion go to a shrine. There, they pray for and wish for good luck for the year they are entering. We also go to the cemetery to begin the New Year with our ancestors. Another celebration that is connected with the New Year takes place on August 13th through 15th. This celebration commemorates and remembers deceased ancestors. It is believed that their spirits return at this time to visit relatives. People take the candles or lanterns to the graves of their families and bring them back to their home to call their ancestors home.”
The final question I asked Hatsune was this:
¿Cómo está estudiando en Madrid dando forma a tu visión del mundo?
(How is studying in Madrid shaping your view of the world?)
She responded, “Mi visión del mundo se ha abierto mucho desde que llegué a España. Me interesan más las culturas de los extranjeros y también las relaciones internacionales. Vivo con una chica española y otra americana, así que ha sido una buena experiencia aprender sobre las diferencias entre las tres culturas.”
(My vision of the world has opened up greatly since I arrived in Spain. I am more interested in the cultures of foreigners and also international relations. I live with a Spanish girl as well as an American girl, so it has been a good experience learning about the differences between all three cultures.)
Hatsune graciously agreed to meet with me and tackle questions that prompted deeper reflection than she initially anticipated. Several moments during our conversation left me pleasantly surprised, exclaiming, “Wow, that’s fascinating!” or “I had no idea”. This experience highlighted the potential for personal growth through expanding my understanding of the world and different cultures, demonstrating how informal discussions can foster significant development. What a testament to the incredible diversity and beauty of the world and those in it, created by our Savior.
“Best Culture” – Conversation and Connections
The task of this blog entry is different from the previous ones. Instead of talking about my cultural experience, the main point of this assignment is to dive deeper into another culture. (And yes, the title is a direct quote from this interview.) I chose my friend Kamil, who lives in Madrid. He was born in Maryland and lived in the US for a few years while he was young and then again for high school. He also lived in Morocco for a time. Because of his experience with many cultures, I asked him to be my interviewee for this cultural conversation.
Family and education: Kamil’s parents are doctors, and he’s following suit by attending medical school here in Madrid. He reflected that his family passed down several values to him as he grew up. The first is working hard. Those who sit back and relax, waiting for good things to come to them, will scarcely get far in life. They taught him to have self-worth and dignity. Concerning others, he was taught to be empathetic and to do good to those around him. Overall, these are common and positive values for children of all cultures. Education-wise, he was able to attend private schools, even in international settings. He then did some Spanish schooling to get his baccalaureate, allowing Spanish students to attend university. Overall, he considered his experience good, as it provided him with opportunities to explore things and learn new languages. It also allowed him to focus on the solid areas and improve on the weak ones. He selected schools that help to create a work setting that is appropriate for each person. But like his parents taught him, he still has to work to succeed. There are a few logistical differences between schooling in Spain and America, but I think that overall, the goal is for schools to provide options for students to select courses that will allow them to learn about the topics that interest them and will benefit them in their futures.
Religion and gender roles: Statistically, the majority of Spain is Catholic, but the percentage of those who practice the religion (going to mass, etc.) is much lower. Kamil was primarily raised in Christianity, as that is his mom’s religion, but he also had some Jewish influence from his dad. Religion isn’t a massive aspect of people’s lives in Spain, which I think is similar to most of those in America. Gender roles also aren’t a huge deal, as they’re pretty equal. Just looking at their government, as Kamil pointed out, many high positions are filled by women. In his university, the majority of medical students are female. American culture is getting to the point of having gender equality, but the media shows that we still have a little way to go.
Stereotypes: This was one of my favorite sections to interview Kamil about, but he said it’s up to me to decide whether or not they’re true. He says that people think that the Spanish “are loud, lazy, like to party, short, Royalists, love futbol, and dress well.” And honestly, I agree with many of these. They’re pretty loud when they’re comfortable and are willing to voice their opinions, but there are many Americans who are the same (think of Karens). The laziness stereotype comes from their siesta (nap) culture, but I think that’s just to get them through their late nights, as they tend to be party people. This is mainly for the younger generation, those in their late teens, 20s, and 30s, but I think many people in this age range tend to go out at night. Americans do this, too, but (legally) it starts at an older age and typically ends earlier in the night, in my opinion. As I’ve mentioned, the Spanish dress well, especially in comparison to Americans. They do love their futbol (soccer) teams, kind of like Americans have their specific football or baseball team they support. Generally, Spaniards are shorter, but it’s hard to compare them to Americans because of the diversity of nationalities. I also asked Kamil about stereotypes that Spaniards have about Americans. Immediately he said that we don’t know geography or the metric system. Unfortunately, I couldn’t argue with either of these. Overall, we are very content with knowing the geography of the United States (only) and the imperial system.
Food and holidays: Spain has several typical cultural foods. The ones Kamil names are “paella, bacaloa (cod fish), patatas bravas (potatos with spicy sauce), jamon serano (ham cooked a certain way), tortilla de patata (potato cake dish), pan con tomate (bread with tomato), mejillones (mussels), and vino rojo (red wine), especially in sangria and tinto de verano.” Food especially plays a significant role in holiday celebrations. The two most important holidays are Christmas (along with the 3 reyes/kings) and the Semana Santa (Holy Week and Easter), the same in the US. At Christmastime, Spaniards typically have family time, go to church, share food, and do charitable work, similar to Americans. Easter is celebrated similarly, but many large processions and parades can be a learning experience for those who observe them during the week. These processions are like nothing I’ve seen in the States, but they may be on more minor scales.
The final question I asked was this: “What is the most important thing I should know about your culture?” Kamil’s response is what the title of this post is: “best culture.” And after living in it for these past two months, I can attest that it really is an amazing culture to be a part of.
Link to a video of me flipping a tortilla de patatas
Making paella
A glass of sangria with lunch
Religious paintings
The interviewee Kamil
Eli Williamson: A Cultural Profile
Hi everyone,
This blog will be a bit different than my other ones. I have been tasked with interviewing someone from a different culture to learn more about them. As soon as I realized I needed to write this, one man came to mind instantly: Eli Williamson. Eli is a friend that I made here in Ireland. He was one of the very first people I met at the Dochas Christian Society meetings and invited me to come to his church on Sundays, where I ended up going every Sunday for the rest of the semester! Eli is one of those rare individuals that makes his presence known in a room without being overbearing. He’s quick to a joke or a conversation, and if he’s talking, it’s a guarantee that his laugh will follow. Eli’s boisterous laugh resembles the call of an American crow, but it’s a laugh that you want to hear because it’s always genuine. Eli is Scottish, but more specifically from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. The Shetland Islands are unique because they are the northernmost islands of the United Kingdom– so north that they are in line with Norway!
Before I get into the interview, I’ll explain how I’m structuring this blog. I did not write down exact answers from Eli, so I am merely paraphrasing his answers, but I had him verify that the words I attribute to him are the truth. I wrote all of the questions hoping to learn more about Eli and his culture. The blog’s structure will go like this: question, Eli’s answer, my reflections on his answers. Eli told me he loves to talk about his culture, and I hope my interview shows his passion for his homeland.
- Describe your family: Number of siblings, parents, wife, etc.
- Eli’s answer: Eli has two parents, both of whom are in the paint business. He has six siblings, one of whom is actually a cousin that his family adopted. He also has a lovely wife named Elin.
- My response/reflection: I find it very interesting that Eli’s parents own their own business because my parents are business owners as well. I have also had the privilege of meeting Eli’s wife, Elin. Elin is a wonderful Welsh woman with a thick Welsh accent. She works in a Christian ministry that specializes in reaching students across the college campuses of Ireland. They make a great couple.
- What values did your family hold and impart to you?
- Eli grew up in a Christian household, meaning he grew up with Christian values. When I prompted him to be more specific, he answered, “You are known by your fruits.” Eli’s parents instilled the importance of how he ought to conduct himself with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). Considering Eli’s parents were also business people, he grew up in a house that emphasized the value of hard work, persistence, and making your own way.
- When I look at Eli, it’s easy to see a man of great faith. Yes, he is not perfect, but he exemplifies Christian love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control every time I see him. I also grew up in a household that valued hard work and persistence. Eli talked to me about how he never had an allowance, and if he wanted money for something, he had to work for it by sweeping floors or mixing paint for his parent’s business, even as young as eight years old. I also grew up without an allowance. My parents were disciples of Dave Ramsey, so I earned a “commission.” As soon as Eli mentioned that he swept floors for his Dad’s business, I felt a surge of camaraderie well up from within me– I, too, swept floors for my Dad’s company all the time. In fact, my Dad, on more than one occasion, said to me, “You wanna run the company someday? Pick up a broom.” This statement’s point was less about becoming the company owner but about the importance of servant leadership– something that I see in Eli.
- What is your job? Dream job?
- Eli is a salesman for a luxury shoe brand in a store in the Galway Mall. Unfortunately, I did not get the specifics of what shoes he sells, but I know they are pricey! Eli enjoys his job as a shoe salesman, but his dream job would be to buy and sell things on eBay full-time. Essentially, Eli would want to be a flipper, buying things cheap and selling them for a profit.
- Eli is a natural salesman. It’s just in his demeanor– the way he speaks, the questions he asks, and the details he catches on to. It is easy to see how his sales skills also transfer to his ability to talk to people about Jesus.
- What is your religion?
- Eli told me that he is a Bible-believing Christian who believes that God created us and sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem us from our sins.
- I knew Eli was a Christian, but I hoped he would identify with a particular denomination for his beliefs. Instead, based on our conversations from the past and what I know about him, I believe that his beliefs are most in line with those of a Baptist.
- What is the role of men/women in your society?
- Eli replied that men and women hold “traditional” roles. Most men work in fishing, agriculture, or the oil industry. Men still hold the role of providers, whereas women are in more of a supporting role. Some women work around the home, and some have careers. He also mentioned that knitting is incredibly popular among most women and can often be a secondary source of income for families.
- I think the roles of men and women in Eli’s culture are very similar to mine. In my opinion, men are still definitely seen as the providers, but women are caught in a limbo phase– some have careers, some are stay-at-home Moms, and some do a little bit of both!
- What is the most popular form of entertainment in your society?
- Football (Soccer). Everybody cares about football. Eli also mentioned that the Shetland Islands have Europe’s largest oil terminal (Sullom Voe), and because of that, the communities on the islands get large sums of money for the oil rights. Why is this relevant to sports and entertainment? A lot of the oil money got invested into state-of-the-art recreation centers on the islands, and in fact, the Shetland Islands have the largest amount of rec centers per capita in the world!
- From my understanding, the United States sports culture and that of the Shetland Islands are very similar. People in both cultures are borderline obsessed with sports. Eli’s descriptions of how the communities on the Shetland Islands were affected by the oil money reminded me a lot of the North Dakota oil boom towns of the 2000s and 2010s.
- What is considered the most respectful/disrespectful in your society?
- Eli explained that the Shetland Islands have a “small-town vibe” and that kindness, communication, and reputation are all vital. To be kind and talkative is respectful; doing the opposite is disrespectful. A person’s reputation is significant in the Shetland Islands.
- I agree that this is similar to my culture but also different. Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but people seem to be much more accepting of those who don’t care to be talkative or communicate in public. Maybe it’s the smartphones…
- What do you think are the most commonly held misconceptions of your culture?
- People are stingy with their money (true, but because of a concern about being responsible with their money). The food is all very heavy and deep-fat-fried (mostly true– Eli describes it as “fisherman food”). Everyone frolics around in kilts playing the bagpipes all the time (untrue, but it does happen occasionally). Everybody sounds like Mel Gibson in Braveheart (untrue; nobody sounds like him).
- I thought that these were a nice mix of serious and comedic.
- What are your stereotypes of United States citizens?
- Eli informed me that from his experience, all Americans are friendly and outgoing but also terribly LOUD. Americans always seem to be searching for their identity, whether it’s searching for their “true selves” or their genealogical heritage. Americans also tend to be wealthy, but the mindset around wealth is also different. According to Eli, if someone is financially successful in his culture, they are sort of discriminated for it– jealousy and envy play a role in creating an “us and them”/”rich vs. poor” mentality. In the US, however, if someone is financially successful, their persona and wealth are glorified.
- Wow. Some things definitely clicked for me as I talked to Eli about this. Yes, I knew Americans are loud. I think that the aura of our freedom follows us wherever we go. I was amazed by the observation that Americans are always searching for their identity. Isn’t that so true? I know I’ve experienced the search for my identity (that’s why I ended up in Ireland), and it seems like everyone my age is searching for who they are. I think that this can be attributed to a variety of factors, but the main one is that my generation is the first to grow up and be able to experience life without actually experiencing it. Let me explain: my generation has always had the internet. We’ve always been able to ask our questions and have them answered within seconds. Through this extreme consumption of information, my generation has crippled itself– we worry too much about the possible outcomes of our decisions because we can find all of the answers online. In this way, we’ve come to passively experience our lives. Why risk doing something if we can get the second-hand experience of watching someone else do it? There’s no risk of failure in watching a screen. Indeed, this pervasive fear of failure and lack of purpose results from all the passivity. I don’t know; maybe I’m just hollering nonsense? Let me know what you think. I also agree with Eli that the glorification of wealth and prosperity is prevalent in US culture and has caused people to search for purpose in meaningless things. There’s an opportunity to show people the answer to their search for purpose: Jesus.
- Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster?
- Eli’s answer: “Yes. It would be ignorant to not have hope that Nessie exists.”
- It made me laugh at how serious he was, and he wasn’t joking… maybe.
I asked Eli many more questions about food, festivals, and other customs, but if I were to write it all out, it would be way too much. So, I settled with my top ten favorite questions. I enjoyed talking to Eli and asking him some very pointed questions about him and his culture. I will really miss getting to see Eli each week. He truly is one-of-a-kind, and I believe God blessed me with the opportunity to meet him and his wife, Elin, while I was here. Never underestimate the power of simple kindness– I can genuinely say that I am better off having met them.
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog, and I look forward to updating you more in the coming weeks.
Please continue to pray for me!
David
Brave New World vs. Brave New Me
“O brave new world that has such people in it.”
Aldous Huxley centered his entire dystopian novel, Brave New World, around this quote. This quote is taken from Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest. Brave New World is set in futuristic London, where emotions and relationships take on a completely new meaning. An outsider steps into this futuristic London and changes everything. He embraces this brave new world and faces the consequences placed before him.
Over the past two months, I’ve had to brave my new world in London. My time here feels like it has been going on for ages. All the friends I have made get along with me like we’ve known each other for years. I also am getting very familiar with London and its geography. Big city life is starting to grow on me. One way I can tell is because I started getting annoyed at how slow tourists walk in the city! Oops!
On the other end of the spectrum, my time here feels like it has gone in the blink of an eye. I only have two more months left here! I started looking at my calendar, and I can see the weekends winding down. Coming here, I was filled with all these travel ideas and places I wanted to visit. Quickly enough, I learned that seeing everything during my time here wasn’t physically possible. However, I tell myself that I will come back to Europe another time to see all the amazing countries I have missed.
I have made the most of my time here so far. Looking back at the goals I made at the beginning of the semester, I have already completed all of them!
- Immerse myself in UK culture and do nontypical tourist things.
- I have taken the time to get to know my UK flatmates well. I have also celebrated two holidays (Lunar New Year and St. Patrick’s Day) here in London. I also try to explore unique cafes and pubs that only locals would go to.
- Travel within London on my own.
- I have taken several opportunities to explore certain areas of London, museums, and parks on my own.
- Travel to three countries outside of England.
- I have traveled to Scotland, Denmark, and France so far!
- Gain confidence in witnessing.
- I have shared my faith with my study abroad friends and my UK flatmates. I let my Christian light shine and they have taken notice even in the subtle things (such as how I don’t swear and my positive outlook on life).
Heading into the next two months of my time here, I am going to adjust and modify my current goals. First, I am going to continue to find unique and nontourist things to do in London. These experiences make my perspective and time in London memorable. Second, I am going to try and take a day trip on my own. So far, the only time I have traveled on my own has been in London. I want to try and branch out. Third, I am going to try and travel to three more countries besides the ones I have already been to before my time is up. Fourth, I am going to continue to let my light shine and witness my faith. I also have had many opportunities to worship with the WELS mission church here in London which has also been a blessing.
A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday here in London. It was amazing getting to spend the day in London (plus the weather was actually sunny that day!) It was incredible getting to hang out with all the new friends and connections I have made over here. I also got a little homesick missing my family and friends back home. Luckily, I have had many opportunities to connect with people from back in the States since I have been here. I have met up a couple times with Ben and Abby Hillmer (MLC ‘23), who are volunteering time working with the WELS mission church. I also got to meet up with Lily Zimpelmann (MLC ‘25) numerous times and share our different adventures. Next week, I will also get to reunite with the other MLC study abroad students who are all coming to London over Easter weekend! It has been a blessing getting to see familiar faces while I study abroad.
I can see myself growing significantly as a person over here. I’ve found a new appreciation for enjoying the little things in life. Since I have more free time here, I have learned to enjoy little moments life has to offer. This could be watching the ducks interact by the pond, seeing the flowers grow over the past weeks, and finding the positive in unplanned events.
We only are given one life here on earth. I believe we must make the most of the time God has given us. This world may be filled with hardships, destruction, and sin. It is also filled with beauty, love, and joy.
Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Highlights since my last post:
- Trip to Paris, France
- Film tour at the Old Royal Navy College in London
- Celebrated my 21st birthday in London
- Many trips to different coffee shops!
Evenings in Paris
Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich (Les Misérables and many other famous films were filmed here)
Getting coffee and pastries has become one of my favorite pastimes!
I love exploring all the beautiful artwork in all the London museums
Till we meet again,
Alison Foxen
Halfway Done?!!
Mid-point Blog???!!!
It absolutely blows my mind that I am already half-way through my time abroad in Spain. God has been so good and has continued to bless me every day. For this blog, we get to reflect on a few topics, but first I want to give you all a little update on how I am doing and what I have been up to!
I am approaching my Spring Break, the same week as Holy Week (Semana Santa), which means I am just wrapping up my partial exams! I cannot believe I am already almost done with my partial exams because what felt like yesterday, I was nervous about classes and studying for these exams. In the last couple of weeks, I have had 2 wonderful visitors here in Madrid and took a small getaway trip to one of the Canary Islands to get some sun. 🙂 A dear friend from MLC, Sam Grass, came to visit me on her Spring Break which was a blast because I got to play tour guide. It was so wonderful catching up, laughing, and seeing all the sights with someone who reminds me of MLC and the people I love dearly there. The same day that Sam left Spain, my boyfriend, Dylan, arrived. Once again, this was such a special week for me because I got to spend time with one of the people I love the most and show him this city that I dearly love. I am so incredibly grateful to both Sam and Dylan for hopping on a plane and going outside of their comfort zone to come visit a very happy Madrileña. 🙂 (That’s ME!!)
Emily, Sarah, and I hopped on a plane the same day Dylan left Spain to have a little getaway weekend on one of the Canary Islands, Tenerife. We went to the South of Tenerife for some swimming and sun. It was so beautiful there and we had a blast swimming and jumping into some natural pools.
We got back and it was already time to start studying for and taking partial exams! The time is just flying!
Now, back to reflecting on being in Madrid for almost half of my time already! (WOAH)
- How do you feel about your experience so far? Why?
I am feeling a lot of emotions about my experience so far. I am feeling incredibly blessed to be here. God has blessed me with this opportunity and I could not be more happy. I have wanted an experience like this since I was young, and to be living it right now is surreal and a gift from God. I feel so content and excited to be learning new things every day, about the language I love, the culture I am growing to love, and myself.
I truly love school and learning here. I think it is because ALL of the content I am learning is in Spanish. I feel like I have never been more happy to go to school every day and I believe it is because all of the content I am learning is in Spanish. My teachers are all amazing and the content is SO interesting.
I do feel like my Spanish is slowly but surely improving, which makes me happy and gives me a lot of hope. As some of you know, I am hard on myself when it comes to my abilities in Spanish, so I have tried to really give myself credit here but keep working hard. I find myself understanding concepts better and it clicking more than it has in the past, which is really rewarding. It may just be the repetition of learning things back at MLC and here and hearing it every day in conversation. There are also times I walk away from class a bit confused, but I know oftentimes it is because in the Spanish language, sometimes there is no logical explanation for things. As a perfectionist, this is something I have worked hard on to just accept. 🙂
I am so thankful for both Emily and Sarah, who have been great Madrid buddies. We all came together but are still making efforts to grow and learn on our own and I appreciate this so much. We have multiple classes together and live in the same residencia, so we see each other often.
Overall, I feel very content, happy, and blessed. Living in Europe, specifically Spain, during this season of my life is just perfect timing. Thanks God:)
- Which goal have you made the most progress on?
The goal I have made the most progress on is journaling every day, both in my gratitude journal and my travel journal. I went into this experience with really high hopes that I would be consistent with journaling since it has been something I have struggled with for SO long, on trips and in everyday life. There were a couple of days when Sam and Dylan were here where I did not journal but I have made all of them up! I love my gratitude journal because I can see all of the prayers God has answered for me as well as the wonderful experiences He has provided for me while I’ve been here. I ALSO want to throw in the fact that I have gotten WAY better at “going with the flow.” YAY! This is something I am super proud of because I can be such a rigid planner. I still have things I can do to improve even more, but I am very happy with my progress.
- What are the three areas that you can improve on for the second half of your time abroad?
An area that I need to improve on for the second half of my time abroad is reading my Psalms. I have done such a poor job of reading a Psalm everyday, and I feel guilty because time with God should be the MOST important part of my day. I would appreciate your prayers and encouragement as I look to improve this goal!
I would love to improve on hobbies I have wanted to get more into while I am here, including reading and painting. I have read a bit of my one book, but still have not completed 1 book! I would love to work towards my goal of completing the 2 books I brought along, as well as buying one here to read! I am only 27 books away from David Fenske…SO CLOSE 😉
My final goal, which I would like to make more of an effort towards, is exercising three times a week! I decided not to join a gym since we walk mostly everywhere here, but now that I have been here for almost two months, I would love to try some classes if they aren’t too expensive. I would love to try some pilates classes, cycling classes, and go on more runs when it gets warmer!
Thank you for your prayers and continued encouragement as I work towards these goals:)
- What has surprised you about the culture of your host country? What have you improved on? How have your opinions evolved?
Something that has surprised me about the culture of my host country, Spain, is that even though at times, it can be very slow-paced (which I love and am working at embracing), there are a good amount of people who live very fast-paced lives as well and this can be noticed simply in the body language. I just did not think it would be as noticeable as it is! I have not had too many more surprises while I have been here. I have really worked towards improving my patience and understanding of cultural habits or things I may not understand. I have done this by posing questions to myself after I have had a negative thought and seeing how I can look at a situation differently, in a more positive light. The most important questions I ask myself are, “How would Jesus approach this situation?” or “How would Jesus see these people?”. Of course, this is something I continue to work on every day. I’d like to think of myself as an open-minded person, and I do think this is true to some extent, but I think being open-minded to Europe’s standards is different from America’s standards. There is nothing wrong with this, just a difference between cultures. This has taught me a lot, and I have worked on reflecting on all of my opinions and feelings in a way that compares between American ways of thinking and Europe/Spain ways of thinking.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this blog, and keeping me in your prayers! God has blessed me beyond belief!
Con Amor,
Alaina Wiedoff
