“Studying abroad in Spain has been the experience of a lifetime! I could not begin to describe the entirety of Salamanca. From the the sights, food, and people I’ve encountered in my journey, its all been amazing! Moreover, each time I sit down to write this blog post, the one overwhelming part of my experience that continues to come to mind is my life with my host family— mi familia Española. As a nontraditional student of more than 40 years of age, I had some reservations about living with a host family; however, this concern was unfounded and undeniably wrong. In fact, the host family was the best part of the experience. (FYI how crazy is it that the last phrase I thought in Spanish and had to convert to English)

The host family went above and beyond to ensure I was comfortable and felt at home. For instance, the first night Naty said to me ‘repeat “este es mi casa” – this is my house. When I got home late from cultural activities, even if everyone had already eaten and gone to bed, there was an amazing plate of food waiting for me. When I needed a bag lunch for a day trip, Naty packed four different kinds of sandwiches (actually 8 different half sandwiches) and enough food for lunch and dinner. Several days into my stay, my stomach was having trouble adjusting to the change in food and time. I arrived home to find chamomile tea and Tums. Do not believe for a minute though that my trip only centered on food.

The primary reason I chose to study abroad was to improve my Spanish language skills. I heard and spoke more Spanish in the first two hours with my host family than I had in months. No less than two or three times a day, in addition to other briefer interactions, my host family and I would have prolonged conversations in Spanish. At times, I had no idea what was being said (naturally this lessened over time), but Naty always picked up on my body language and continued to restate the information until she happened upon verbs and terms that I understood. Moreover, rather than mere simple conversations — such as ‘this is an apple’— we discussed the entirety of life comparing ideas and ways of life without judgement. I am certain that without the host family, my language skills would not have developed to the extent that they did.

Finally, sometimes the smallest details can make such a huge difference. For example, I had brought some pictures of my family to share with my host family and to provide a topic for discussion the first day or two. A few days later, one appeared framed on the small desk in my room. The thoughtfulness and caring of my host family was beyond compare. I was considered part of the family. Perhaps the highlight of this inclusion occurred my second Friday in country. They had a huge family dinner of paella among other deliciousness. Although the food was amazing and looked as if it belonged in a magazine, it is the conversation, the laughter, the banter, and the sense of togetherness that will remain cemented as a permanent part of my memory.”-Keith Martin, SPC Student, Spain 2018

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