When I studied abroad in Madrid, I took two different Spanish classes: conversation & composition and grammar. I was super nervous for these classes, but after coming back, I can give you a little bit of insight into what my experience was like. Each class was two hours daily, which sounds like such a long time, but for my friends and I the time honestly flew by. I think this largely had to do with the fact that we weren’t always sitting in the classroom. We went on scavenger hunts, got coffee at local cafes, went to local markets, and many more fun excursions. Also the topics we discussed in class were genuinely really interesting. We talked about Spanish films, and the themes in Pedro Almodovar’s filmography. We talked about Spanish slang, and even Spanish cuss words. The conversations were always exciting, and using our Spanish skills so frequently in the classroom helped us all grow our language ability. Our professors, Jorge and Dolores, were absolutely amazing. They did a great job at facilitating a classroom environment where we all felt safe to mess up, but also felt encouraged to try Spanish before English every single time. They also led cultural conversations about the difference between the United States and Spain. We talked about cultural differences, but also political differences. There were hard conversations, like why firearms are so common in the United States, but also lighter ones like why Americans like to drive trucks. I went into class the first day so nervous of what was to come, but left class with not only more knowledge, but lots more confidence in the classroom!
