Balancing Life in Week Three

Balancing course work, travel, and experiencing new cultures while being on a study abroad program can be difficult because you want to constantly be outside exploring the city and not inside doing homework. But hence the study in study abroad, academics is an important aspect of being abroad because there are credits and homework involved.

Last weekend I traveled to Amsterdam and that whole trip affected everything. The trip was planned just days before and my decision to go on it was on a whim. Although it was a definite worthwhile trip, none of us really worked on homework throughout the couple of days due to constantly being out and doing things. When we came back Sunday and our return flight was delayed, I did not get home until midnight. I got five hours of sleep that night as well as Monday night. I felt really tired throughout the two days and just wanted to sleep. I did not perform my best and felt snappy and unlike myself. It was not until I had plenty of rest I felt ready to actually be doing things. That whole situation taught me that time management while being abroad really does matter.

Now I try to plan my days more accordingly and focus on things that are in need of getting done. If people are going to the beach but I have not started on my homework due next class, I will sacrifice time at the beach in order to complete the homework. It is not ideal, but setting aside a couple of hours a day devoted to homework has helped me a lot. It has made me appreciate the excursions and learning more about different cultures much more.

I enjoy being abroad much more now with planning out my days. Studying abroad is such an amazing opportunity to be introduced to a new culture, but if you let academics come in last priority, you will see consequences. It is possible to achieve a balance between course work, travel, and experiencing a new culture.

Pieces of advice to someone traveling abroad on balancing everything:

• Get enough sleep. It may seem easy to sacrifice sleep to be out doing other things, but lack of sleep does take a toll on your body. Just as it is important to get enough sleep throughout the school year, it is just as important while being abroad.
• Make a to-do list. Every day when I wake up in the morning, I think about what I have to complete and do by the end of the day. Doing this list helps me sort out what my schedule will be like for that day.
• Say no. Although there are plenty of opportunities to go out, saying no is sometimes the better option. Keeping in mind that you have homework is important and there will be plenty of more social events to occur.
• Avoid distractions. It is extremely easy to go on social networking while attempting to do homework, but distractions only take up more of your time you could be socializing. Finding ways to keep distractions out that work for you will help you focus on what you need to do.

Highlights from Amsterdam:

We took a mandatory I Amsterdam sign photo.

The view on our way to the Anne Frank museum.

Kritvi was in favor of saving the EU by riding a mechanical bull.

Visiting the Heineken experience was amazing.

Communicating in Week Two

Before coming to Spain, I learned some basic words and phrases in Spanish before I left through a language app called Duolingo. I did not know much Spanish at all beforehand because I took French in high school, but I noticed that some of the words were somewhat similar when using the app. Even though the two languages had some similarity, Spanish is a whole different language and it is hard learning a language regardless.

When I first arrived in Spain, it was an awakening to know that English would not be the primary language spoken. Luckily my roommate, Rebecca, knows some Spanish and was able to talk to the employees in the airport when we had a question. After meeting my host mother and her daughter, it was clear that I could not verbally communicate all that much because they did not speak any English. Having that barrier was quite frustrating because I wanted to talk to them and introduce myself but unfortunately could not.

Dinner time has been the hardest part when it comes to verbally communicating because I want to talk about my day or talk about my life but cannot because it is hard trying to form sentences with the little that I do know. Humans underestimate the importance of nonverbal communication is because nonverbal communication can go far when interacting. Gestures have helped immensely with my host mom by both of us playing it out of what we are trying to say. Rebecca even serves as a translator at times between my host mom and I which has also been working at dinnertime.

Now I am trying to pick up more phrases and words in Spanish. All of the employees in the restaurants and stores seem to know English, but I still want to try to immerse myself in the language to be able to communicate better with my host family and daughter as well as other people around Barcelona. I sometimes find myself wanting to speak French if I do not know how to say something in Spanish. I try to catch myself before speaking it, but it actually has helped in some cases.

I have gotten the hang of saying ‘hola’ and ‘gracias’ to everyone around Spain now. This past weekend I traveled to Amsterdam with four of the girls in the program and we all had times where we would say ‘hola’ and ‘gracias’ to people just because we had gotten so used to the hang of it. Even though we laughed it off, it is quite amazing of how much you can become so used to saying some words in a language in just two weeks. After this program I hope to learn even more Spanish just because my dad’s side is Spanish, hence my last name Pino.

Tips on communicating with someone outside of your own culture:

• Try. It can be frightening to try to talk to someone when you are fully aware that what you are going to say is going to be incorrect, but the person will try to understand you and pick up on what you are trying to communicate. The person can recognize that you are at least trying and respect that.
• Use your resources. Google translate is always a good resource to look up words or phrases in the moment. Other language websites online can help too by providing a list of common phrases that you can use. Even asking a friend who knows some of the language helps as well.
• Pay attention to nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication has definitely helped me when expressing myself to my host family, and it is through gestures, body movements, tone of voice etc. that the communication has been successful. It goes a long way.

Culture Shock in Week One

One thing is for sure: I have been experiencing the different stages of culture shock while being in Spain for the one week that I have been here.

STAGE ONE: EXHILARATION

Before arriving to Barcelona, I was really nervous and excited about my upcoming adventure. Nervous because this trip would be my first time of the country, yet excited for the exact same reason. I am a part of the Multinational Integrated Xchange (MIX) organization at Purdue where I help international students adjust to Purdue, but the tables would be turned and I would be the international student this time. Knowing that fact was nerve-wracking but a challenge I was willing to take on. If all of the other students could it, I surely could do it. I had been interested in studying abroad for about two years and every student who had traveled abroad through Purdue said it was an experience of a lifetime. I knew I had to put my name down for this program.

STAGE TWO: DISENCHANTMENT

When the day finally come to depart from O’Hare, I was not nervous at all. When I finally landed in Barcelona after an eight-hour flight from New York, it felt like I was in a dream. I could not wrap my mind around how I was in a different country in that moment. Everything was totally different—the bathrooms, people, signs, food, etc. For some reason I was not scared by that fact, just more shocked than anything. Me and four other students rented out an Airbnb that night because we arrived a day earlier and I am so fortunate to have had them at that time because we were experiencing it all together. I felt so helpless that night because of not knowing the language spoken or where anything was. The next day we were welcomed into our new place and our host families. I do not speak any Spanish, so the most frustrating part has been communicating verbally to my host mom. It has taught me how important nonverbal communication is when interacting. The metro was also a shock to me because I have not really had much experience in using the system. Figuring out how to use the system was an experience on its own.

STAGE THREE: ADJUSTMENT

As the week went by, I became more familiar with the new culture and how the rest of the month will play out with the food, the class schedule, different excursions, the metro, my host family, and everything else. I now embrace the differences in this country, even if it is just considering Monday the first day of the week on a calendar. It is what makes Spain different from America. It is those differences that I can lock in my mind or tell my mom back when I get home. Knowing I have other Purdue students to lean on during this journey has been one of the best parts. Getting to meet everyone and seeing them every day has been indescribable. I cannot wait to see what else Spain has in store for all of us.

As for the fourth stage, the effective stage, I have not reached that point. It takes time to fully adjust to a culture and a month is just a glimpse. But even if this trip is just a glimpse, I am truly grateful for the opportunity because it has already taught me so much about the Spanish culture and myself.

Some highlights from the first week:

The group who arrived on June 5!

The gelato here is amazing. We all cannot stop buying some.

A group of us went to the beach during the weekend when we met Willy.

A trip to Tibadabo.

Lessons I would give to someone studying abroad:

• Pack lightly. I have already bought souvenirs that will take up more space in my luggage so make sure to not go overboard.
• Go out of your comfort zone. Sounds cliche, but there are so many opportunities that you can take while abroad that you have never had the opportunity to do so before. I went kayaking and snorkeling for the first time and the experience was amazing.
• Don't panic. I was really nervous about going abroad beforehand, but it all works out in the end. You will eventually adapt to your new environment and are on your own with incredible people in a new country.