Musings on the Mid-Point

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Hi,

I hope that you’re all doing well. Ireland has been great. It’s hard to believe, but I am over halfway through my experience of studying abroad. The first half of this trip has had its ups and downs, but overall, I have had an excellent experience. I have grown accustomed to the different culture and ways of doing things in Ireland. For this blog, I’ll highlight some of the successes of the first half of my trip and discuss my hopes and ways to improve for the future.

The first thing I’d like to highlight is the time difference. No, not the six-hour time difference between here and home, but how time moves in Ireland. It’s unbelievable how fast time flies here. Simultaneously, time feels much slower, too. Time is distorted– when I see I’ve been here for eleven weeks, I think, “That’s it?” It feels like I’ve been here for much longer. I believe that my daily morning routine has contributed to this time warp, creating a “rhythm” for my life. Here’s how my routine goes:

  1. I wake up at 7:30am (even on weekends).
  2. I eat breakfast (the same thing every day). 100 grams of smoked salmon, 200 grams of Greek yogurt, and 75 grams of granola.
  3. I shower.
  4. I read my morning prayer and Bible reading. I’ve been making my way through a 52-week Bible reading plan.
  5. I drink a coffee and write approximately 1,000 words for the novel I’m working on.
  6. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I go to the gym and lift weights. I’m currently running a push-legs-pull split.
  7. I eat lunch. Usually, I’ve pre-cooked some sort of meal prep. I’ve been eating a lot of beef, rice, and vegetables.

This is the point where each day becomes different. I have classes at varying times, Monday through Thursday, and no day is the same for lecture times. Each day I do at least one chore, usually meal prep, cleaning, laundry, or something similar. I’ve gotten involved in a Christian society on campus, which has led to opportunities to meet fellow Christians and make friends. I’ve also helped lead a Bible study, attend meetings, and evangelize to people. Getting involved with the Christian society on campus has easily been the overarching highlight of my experience.

Here are some of the things that I feel successful with so far (notice how much of it is directly related to my morning routine):

  1. Eating. I’ve been eating very well here. I love the freedom to make my own food and accurately measure the portions. This helps a lot with tracking my macros and ensuring I hit my daily goals. I’ve been eating (on average) around 260 grams of protein per day. Unsolicited health tip: eat more protein, and you’ll feel amazing!
  2. Bible reading and prayer. I have been incredibly consistent with reading my Bible daily, praying in the morning and at night, writing out prayers, and saying prayers throughout my day. I also read Time of Grace’s daily Spanish email devotion to grow in my faith and Spanish skills. 
  3. Writing. I felt I lacked a creative outlet for the past two to three years. Coming to Ireland has shown me that I just needed to write. Since arriving, I’ve kept a daily journal and written weekly reflections. Each day, I jot down what happened, any thoughts I have, and a prayer. Then, every Sunday night, I write a reflection on the previous week, using the daily journal to assist my process. I’ve found this a very beneficial exercise and hope to continue doing it when I return home. I also didn’t expect to start writing fiction for fun, but I have. I wrote a 20,000-word novella, and now I’m working on a novel. 
  4. Reading. I have done much more reading than I thought I could. As of today, March 17th, I’ve read twenty-seven books. This means I’ve absolutely smashed my humble eight-book goal from the start of the semester. My new goal is to have read at least thirty-five books by the time I get home in May.
  5. Weightlifting. I’ve been perfectly consistent with going to the gym three days a week, MWF. I’ve been integrating more drop sets and training to absolute failure into my workouts. I’m finally getting progressive overload figured out for myself. I’m delighted with my progress on my bench press and back squat, but I’m a bit disappointed with my Romanian deadlifts (these are my three core lifts). Additionally, all of the walking I do in Galway helps me to get my cardio in, so I don’t need to spend time on it in the gym!
  6. Academics. While I have been slightly disappointed with the Irish academic system, I still have learned some things. I have really enjoyed the readings for my classes, especially “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” “The Canterbury Tales,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “The Man of Feeling.” I am also really enjoying my final project for my art history class– I’m writing a 3,000-word paper and delivering a twenty-five-minute presentation on the polyvalent symbolism of statues of David from the Italian Renaissance.
  7. Social Life. Before I came to Ireland, I made the goal of making at least two friends from countries outside of the US. It’s safe to say that I’ve smashed that goal. I’ve made friends with people from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Germany, Canada, and many more. Additionally, I started dating a girl named Anna from Turin, Italy. She’s very tranquil and compassionate, with a face that never stops smiling. I also think she’s really cool because she can speak five languages: English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish.
  8. Travel. Before I left for Ireland, I set a goal of traveling to at least four European countries. I’ve decided to visit three different countries instead. I have decided to alter this goal slightly for two reasons. 1) I didn’t consider traveling within Ireland. I’ve enjoyed many day trips to the Aran Islands, Limerick, Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny, and the Cliffs of Moher. Surprisingly, Limerick was probably my favorite trip. 2) Traveling outside of Ireland is a lot of work, and those trips are exhausting. I’ll be visiting London over Easter– all of the MLC study abroad students are meeting up to celebrate Easter at the WELS mission church there. After that, I’ll visit Madrid, Spain, the weekend after, and Rome, Italy, the next. I’m excited to be able to break out my Spanish in Spain and have Anna translate for me when we visit Rome together!

If you read my first blog, you would also be familiar with the expectations that I set for myself. I’d like to highlight just a couple of them:

  1. I will become more self-aware and strengthen my ability to self-reflect.
    • As I mentioned, I have been doing loads of self-reflection through my journaling and writing practices. I’ve also spent much time pondering and thinking about who I am, where I’ve come from, and where I’m going. I can confidently say that I’ve grown in my ability to self-reflect.
  2. I will learn more about the history and culture of Ireland, potentially altering my worldview and the way I think.
    • I have learned loads about Irish history and culture. When it comes to history, I didn’t realize how much of a bloody history this island has. Specifically, I’ve learned a lot about Oliver Cromwell’s religiously motivated genocide of Ireland and how that still has lasting effects to this day. When it comes to Irish culture, I was surprised by how many similarities there are to my Midwestern culture. 1) Everyone talks about who they’re related to, and it seems everyone is related somehow. It can feel a lot like the WELS at times! 2) The standard of cleanliness and orderliness is lower than that of my home. While I miss people caring about the small details, I’ve been able to live and let live. 3) The Irish accent is hard to discern if I’m not actively listening. More often than not, I have to have Irish natives repeat themselves because their accents are so thick. The good news is that I’m starting to pick up on the different accents from within Ireland– I can tell the difference between someone from Dublin, Belfast, and Galway.
  3. I will be ready to witness my Christian faith to those I develop relationships within Ireland.
    • It’s unbelievable how many opportunities I’ve had to witness and evangelize in Ireland. I’ve witnessed to a wide variety of people from various backgrounds. I’ve listened to people trash my faith, and I’ve listened to people praise Jesus. I’ve explained theological concepts to others who didn’t understand them, led Bible studies, and written devotions. I genuinely love to share God’s grace with others; there’s nothing else I’d rather do in life.

Despite all the great experiences that I’ve had, I think it’s also important to reflect on how I can do even better for the last part of my study abroad experience:

  1. Writing.
    • While my morning routine has been great for me to write consistently every day, I rarely write outside the allotted time I give myself each morning. In the coming weeks, I’m striving to take more time to write at all times of the day because I want to complete my novel manuscript by the time I arrive back in the US. However, based on my predictions, writing only 1,000 words daily isn’t enough. If anything, I will need to write close to 2,000 words per day to reach my final goal. I’ve been experiencing a strange phenomenon where I struggle to start writing, even though I know I enjoy it– it feels like there’s some sort of “resistance” within me towards writing. I’m hoping to conquer it.
  2. Gratitude.
    • In my daily journal, I write at least three things I’m thankful for each day, but I don’t think it’s enough. I don’t know precisely why it’s happening, but I am growing frustrated with little things in my life. I know it’s unfair to expect it from others, but people around me aren’t living up to my “standard of excellence.” I get bothered by all of the litter that I see around Galway. I get bothered by the sidewalks because someone cut corners and didn’t take time to level out the ground underneath the sidewalk, causing large, impassable pools of water to form when it rains. I still get bothered by my roommates not cleaning up after themselves. Many little things bother me, and I must confess that they cause me to lose sight of all the good in my life. Does anyone have any advice on improving my gratitude for the blessings in my life?
  3. Living in the moment.
    • As I get closer to the end of my study abroad experience, I find myself looking forward to the future too much and not appreciating the moment. At the trip’s start, I spent more time than I should’ve thinking about the past and what I missed about home. Now, as I get closer to traveling in Europe and going home, I’m not living in the moment of my day-to-day life in Ireland. I’m trying to be more mindful of living in the moment and enjoying each day.

I apologize for this being a bit longer of a blog. I’m beginning to understand why I’ve developed a reputation for being “very thorough.” Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed this blog. Don’t be afraid to send me a text or say hi! Please continue to pray for me.

Sláinte (“Cheers” in Irish),

David

Photos Explained:

  1. View from a walk around Blarney Castle.
  2. A 5,000 year old burial site.
  3. View from the Cliffs of Moher. This cliff was used to film “The Cliffs of Insanity” from the film, “The Princess Bride.”
  4. Anna and I on top of the Round Tower in Kilkenny.

“Fiftieth Night” in the UK

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“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” 

The quote above is a well-known phrase that is used in many films and TV shows today. The phrase is typically associated with someone giving an inspirational speech to a group of people. This quote comes from the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, who wrote it in his play Twelfth Night. Shakespeare is one of the most quoted English writers of all time. He wrote 38 plays and invented around 1,700 words that are still used today in the English language. As an English education major at MLC, I am fascinated by all things literature related 🙂

I have now been in London for almost two whole months. During these two months, I have had opportunities to learn and grow in a number of ways… whether it be with the friends I am around, the traveling experiences I take, or the academics I am studying. 

While in London, I am studying at the University of Roehampton. I am lucky to be taking only three modules (British term for courses) while here. I only have class three days a week (Tuesday-Thursday). This leaves my timetable (British term for schedule) more open than it usually is at MLC. Here is a brief rundown of the modules I am taking…

Perspectives on Children’s Literature (Tuesdays from 2-5)

This class focuses on adolescent literature. We read and discuss novels such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Giver, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Hunger Games. The class size is only about thirteen people; however, most of the time, four or five people skip every week. Attendance isn’t required here; only completing assessments is required. About half of the class is filled with British students while the other half is comprised of study abroad students. 

Shakespeare in London (Wednesdays from 11-2)

Based on the name, this class focuses on Shakespeare. Throughout the semester, we read some of Shakespeare’s tragedies, such as Hamlet and Macbeth… and then we also get the opportunity to watch the plays in person. We discuss the differences between performance styles and how the plays are read versus how they are performed. This class is filled with only study abroad students, and about eleven of us are in the class. 

Language Acquisition (Thursdays from 1-4)

This class focuses on learning how babies and children develop their native language. It is fascinating to discover the psychology and linguistics behind language learning. This is my smallest class, with only six of us in the class. I am the only study abroad student in this class. My other classmates are all linguistic majors, so I sometimes have to work harder to catch-up and understand the content. 

I have gotten used to having three-hour classes now. All my professors give us a thirty-minute break in the middle of the class. This is a nice time to stretch, eat a snack, or get a coffee! One challenging aspect of classes here compared to MLC is the assessment differences. At MLC, I would have homework assignments every day. Here, I only have two assessments per class for the entire semester. That means my assessments are worth around 40-60% of my entire grade. Having a paper worth that much of my final grade sometimes seems daunting. Participation and class discussions are encouraged, but don’t count as anything towards my grade. Also, I can see a lack of motivation in other students around me. Most other students skip classes, don’t do the readings, and barely participate in discussions. It is difficult for me to see this since I am someone who loves to learn and loves school. 

Having class only three days a week leaves me with a four-day weekend every week! This has been awesome! I use my four-day weekend to travel and explore the surrounding area. London is a huge city… I haven’t even had the opportunity yet to see all its amazing areas. 

Some days, I decide to go into the city by myself and explore. I usually end up walking in parks and going to some free museums. I have learned how reflective it can be to spend time alone, which helps increase my intrapersonal skills. I also travel often with friends I have made here. We will plan trips into London, day trips to nearby cities in England, or trips to other countries. Just this past week, I had a week off of school and decided to go on a trip to visit both Scotland and Denmark!

I spend more of my time here exploring the UK than I do on my actual academics. However, I have found that traveling and exploring unfamiliar places is a learning experience in and of itself. I am constantly outside my comfort zone and putting myself in new situations. I have to learn to navigate where I am going in the city, socialize with people from different cultures, and gain an understanding of the country that I am living in. Every time I step outside my door I face a new learning experience. 

Some people believe that learning consists only of reading textbooks and listening to lectures. I believe that learning is something that can happen anywhere; it is all about the motivation and the mindset that the learner has. I am trying to keep a positive and open mindset while studying abroad. I want to gain the most I can during my time here. I am excited so far about everything I have learned and have been through. I cannot wait to see what these next couple of months will have to offer!

Highlights since my last post:

  • Day trips to Stonehenge and Bath
  • Traveled to Scotland and Edinburgh
  • Saw the Shakespeare plays King Lear and Macbeth
  • Watching the flowers and trees begin to bud outside

Views from the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Nyhavn Canal in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Pulteney Bridge in Bath, England

My friend Sophia and I in Denmark

Till we meet again,

Alison Foxen

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