Finally, I'm in Córdoba, which will be my home for the next four months. I haven't taken any photos here yet, because we only arrived last night, but I simultaneously feel excited and scared and tired and energized and just about every other possible emotion.
The city itself is stunning, and there are naranjos (orange trees) on every single street. Like in every other Spanish city, there are a lot of really old buildings and very friendly people. Despite the loveliness of it all, though, I feel very nervous about being able to express myself and finding warm clothing--when I was packing for this trip, roughly two hours before my plane took off, I decided it would be smart to only bring two pairs of pants and six shirts. Needless to say, it's been a very cold and smelly trip so far, and I'm very eager to do laundry and buy a jacket. With regards to the self-expression, I mainly worry about offending someone. My host family, who are warm and open people, are very patient in explaining things to me, but to be socially anxious and linguistically challenged is scary territory indeed. That said, my host mother, Carmen, has been phenomenal. She took me around the city this morning to see the university and bought me my first-ever oyster (comida para millonarios como Donald Trump). My other host mom, Rosa, works as a chef, so I haven't been able to spend as much time with her, but I look forward to the days when we can all loaf around and watch T.V. together.
All in all, I'm excited to settle into a routine, begin my classes, make friends with local students, and improve my Spanish. It's a tall order, but I'm ready for the challenge.
I know when I first got to Morocco, I felt a large range of emotions: anxious, excited, exhausted, cold, tired, etc. There is definitely an adjustment period for culture shock and being able to speak Arabic (or in your case, Spanish) without feeling so overwhelmed. It will come. I promise. You are going to feel so proud and confident after a while because you'll be able to navigate a city on your own, speak Spanish without much second thought (or at least have it be much easier and comfortable than when you first arrived) and bond with your host family. I am so happy to hear that your host mom is being patient and wonderful to you in this time. The first couple of weeks may be a little hard, but you can do it. I cannot wait to see how much you'll grow and hear all about your adventures. Visit the old mosques in Cordoba for me. I've always wanted to go, being the MES major that I am! :)
ReplyDeleteDear, sweet Micah, you always know exactly what to say. I am so glad that you had such an empowering experience and I feel excited to feel the same. It's going to be difficult, certainly, but worth the effort. Please, please, please stay warm in the unbelievable blizzard that is New England, and enjoy all the snow days! Thank you for the words of encouragement; I'll be sure to send you some photos from the Mezquita and such. I love you dearly, friend!
DeleteOf course, Claire! I cannot wait to see your wonderful photos. :-) I just wanted to pass on some of my study abroad wisdom to you and to others who are learning another language to engage with the culture and society in which they live. You are sincerely welcome, my friend. And I love you, too!
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