gracestudiesabroad

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Final Project

Grace Saban, Monday GLS, Spain

1. I know that I have changed as a result of my experience because… of my personal growth I recognize in myself. In my learning contract, I stated that I wanted to become more confident and outgoing; and, I would do that by exploring Seville, practicing my language skills, and finding an outgoing friend group. To evaluate this, I said I would notice myself feeling more comfortable getting involved on campus and having improved my language skills. While abroad, I took charge and planned trips outside of Seville along with getting the NCC group together to go out and get to know our city. I got out of my comfort zone multiple times by going out to socialize, practicing speaking Spanish at all chances, and making friends outside of NCC. I got involved with an international league soccer group which allowed me to make friends and speak Spanish with both natives and other international students. I went into that alone, and that represents my confidence increase tremendously because it shows that I was doing something for my own benefit, I swallowed my fear and got involved. Regarding the outgoing goal, I feel that I definitely got out of my comfort zone by going out to bars and clubs and drinking and dancing, but also learned that I can say no to people as well. Going out all night wasn’t the highlight of my study abroad experience, but when I did go out I tried to do my best and have fun. I knew when to call it a night and realized that I really despise the idea of going out just to get drunk. Due to that, I learned that I can say no to going out if it is going to be a situation where I will feel uncomfortable. Although others may consider me lame, I learned that even when being outgoing self-care still needs to come first. I believe those are the most important ways I’ve changed, I came home with a stronger understandings of self-care, confidence, and the importance of individuality. It is also important to note that while I have changed and grown a lot personally, it doesn’t mean that all of my anxieties and insecurities are gone, but now I just know what is actually worth stressing over.

6. I wish I could explain to my family and friends that… my desire to go back to Spain doesn’t mean I don’t love them or didn’t miss them. I came home on December 20th, so from the 21st to getting back to school after New Years my family and friends asked me tons of questions. A recurring question was if I missed Spain or wanted to go back, and my instant answer was yes. I do miss Seville. I felt my most content there, the weather was great, and I learned a lot about myself. What I noticed was that many people disregarded my response and said how I should just feel great to be home and that my desire to return will pass. In reality, re-entry culture shock was hitting me hard and I didn’t know how to feel. I felt guilty for missing Spain because everyone was right, I was back home where everything was “normal” and I had to move on. Now, I realize that over the four months I was away their lives may have not necessarily changed, but mine did. I wish I had a way to explain that to everyone who is surprised or maybe even offended when I talk about missing Spain or wanting to go back. Throughout studying abroad I kept saying how I wished that instead of going home, I could bring everyone to Spain and we could all live our lives there. All because I miss where I spent lots and lots of time doesn’t mean I didn’t miss those who I left behind at home.

7. Many say that re-entry culture shock is more challenging than the initial culture shock. What are some things that I might do to make the transition easier? A way that I’ve learned to deal with reverse culture shock is talking about my experience with my friends. Being able to talk about how I feel now, whether it be challenges or reminiscing, has helped me because as I say things I can recognize if any of my thoughts are distorted. However, then there is a fear of repeating stories, feeling like people just don’t care, or coming off as a bragger or want-to-be European. To avoid making myself or others uncomfortable, I can read the conversation and see if any of my stories or remarks are relevant or helpful. Along with that, It is important that I ask other people questions about their own fall or travel experiences so that it isn’t a one-sided conversation. Another re-entry culture shock experience I had was the quick and severe mood change coming from Spain. Abroad, I was the most content I’ve been in a long time. Stress was easier dealt with and classes weren’t as monumental. Then, once home I felt confused, people thought I was depressed again, and I felt homesick from Spain. To get through this, talking with my other travel mates and study abroad returnees about if they feel the same way has tremendously helped. Knowing I’m not alone in this process is really what has kept grounded.

8. What have been the important things about this study abroad experience that I want to share with friends and family? I would like to take my experience and use it to help my family and friends become more culturally aware, and avoid being quick to judgement. While abroad, I met people of various cultures and traveled around to learn more about them. Having had that opportunity I’d like to share how everyone has something beneficial to offer. The peace and friendliness I found in Morocco could be useful here in the United States. The importance Morocco places on religion I’m sure some people of other religious could also find positivity in their strong practices. I’d also like to help others realize that being different doesn’t make it a bad thing. I think being different scares people because it may imply change to some people, and that’s scary. However, learning something different is more beneficial to a person because it gives them the ability to increase both their self and cultural awareness. Especially in the United States I find it especially important to engage with and appreciate differences rather than judge them and vote against change.

9. What do I want to do with the experiences I’ve had? With four months living in a foreign country I was able to learn more about myself and the Spanish language. Since coming home, I have been searching out experiences to talk about my experience or practice my Spanish. At the re-entry conference I learned how I can take my time abroad and incorporate it on my resume or in job interviews where it is relevant. The ways that I have grown personally have made my set of skills longer and more desirable for hiring personal. If I get the chance to explain that to people I think it allow me to find more opportunities within my field of psychology. Regarding the language improvement, I changed my Spanish minor to a Spanish major. Looking over my transcript, I saw that my overall Spanish grades and GPA have been good. To continue keeping this up, I made myself a double major so that I can hold myself more accountable for practicing and continue studying the language. I look forward to the additional Spanish classes I’ll be taking next year, and I know that learning abroad in the environment helped me tremendously.

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Cross-cultural Reflection Essay

Grace Saban, GLS Mondays, November 13, 2018

Having been in Sevilla, España for almost 3 months I have encountered many different situations which have helped me achieve the goals I made for myself in my learning contract. To start off, my academic objective for coming here was to better my ability to speak Spanish and understand the different grammatical rules. To achieve this, I have been prioritizing speaking Spanish first and paying close attention to the different rules of word choice and grammar in my advanced Spanish conversation class. Continuing with the conversation aspect of my academic goals, while living here and traveling throughout Spain I have been able to recognize the different dialects within each region and compare them back to Andalusía. The next part of my contract involves my global awareness, where I wanted to be able to come home with an understanding of Spain’s political history and present events. I feel confident that I have been and am achieving this goal. I am enrolled in a course titled ‘Spanish History and Culture Through Film’ which has been allowing me to learn a lot about Spain from its earliest days up to the twentieth century through both readings and movies. Then, to keep myself informed on what is happening today, I occasionally talk with my host family about what is going on with Spain politically; while also hearing about current news from my Spanish professors. Currently, Spain is dealing with some political drama and it’s interesting to follow and compare Spain’s reactions to how the United States may react in a similar situation. Lastly, on my learning contract my goal for achieving personal growth was to become more confident and outgoing. When completing this section of the contract I may have had too high of expectations for myself. However, I am grateful for how I have grown and am proud of myself for having done so. To accomplish personal growth, I have been doing trying new foods and drinks (through my host family and tapas cooking class), getting involved at my university (playing intramural soccer with Spanish and other international students), and getting to know students outside of NCC (through soccer and classwork). At this moment, I feel like I have achieved my personal growth goal; but, my evaluation technique was to see if any of this follows be back to NCC and that hasn’t happened yet. Either way, my first almost 3 months here have been a positive experience for me where I feel that I have learned a lot academically, globolly, and personally.

Now, choosing an experience that has advanced my cultural learning is difficult because there are so many little things that I see daily which enhance my global awareness. I think that an area where I have seen the most regards how people socialize. With having the United States as my base for comparison, I find people in Spain much for affectionate and laid back. From my experience, the United States tends to disregard physical interaction when saying hello to someone or meeting them for the first time; however, In Spain, everyone gets a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Then, traveling to Morocco I can see that people are also affectionate, but much more modest. Women obviously cover themselves much more than in the United States, but don’t express the same fashion interests as in Spain. Continuing with socializing, drinking comes into play. In the United States I have witnessed people drink at any available moment and to excess. I have seen some Americans bring that habit to Spain, making them easily distinguishable from the Spanish and those of other nationalities. In Spain, drinking is very casual and it’s always acceptable to have a beer or glass of wine with a meal or at a meeting. The main point is that binge drinkers are not as noticeable here, and when drinking it doesn’t seem like Spaniards have ulterior motives, like drinking just to get drunk. Along with that, when in Morocco I learned that drinking in public is allowed, but uncommon. I was informed that drinking in homes happens more often due to the price of alcohol and cultural religious standards. Having witnessed these small but common socialization techniques throughout all the places I’ve traveled I consider it to have advanced my cultural learning because I’m learning about daily life. I think that I’ve been immersing myself into the Spanish culture and have enough background of it to be able to appropriately compare it to back home in Chicago.

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Paris Climate Agreement Forum

Wentz Science Center, May 22, 2018, Rm 101

This forum consisted of the deputy from the French council giving the attendees a rundown on what the Paris Agreement is all about, and then a woman from the Japan embassy talking about the Kyoto Protocol. After the speakers, there was a Q&A section with the speakers and North Central faculty answering questions, and the audience providing the questions.

The Paris Climate Agreement was signed in 2016 and is a deal with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and finances post 2020. There are 197 countries in this participating in this agreement, and all want to decrease the temperature 2 degrees celsius over the span of a year.

What are the difficulties that arise when keeping climate change under control? Why is it so hard to beat them and take action? That was a question that stood out to me during the Q&A session, and a professor from North Central had a great explanation. She explained how some people are against this agreement because of the cost. It will take the United State’s GDP from 1.5% to 5%, which is well over the 3% they wanted to pay. However, investing in better regulations such as the Clean Power Plant is a good decision. She stated that people could start looking at this as a time to invest in the future, to invest in a healthier world. This really stuck out to me because we are already spending tons of money on gases, so why don’t we just spend the money on somethings that will help our future, and the future of those to come after us instead.  

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Learning Contract

Academic Development

Objective: Better my ability to speak Spanish and understand the language’s rules

Methods:

I’ll speak Spanish first. I expect people to start conversations in English with me since I’m from the United States; but, I will take charge and use each conversation as a time to practice speaking in Spanish.

I’ll participate in classes and ask the professors or my peers for help if I need it. If I don’t understand a grammatical rule, I will speak up and ask for more direction.

I’ll listen to the media. If my host family has the TV or radio on, I’ll join and listen. This can give me a chance to create a better understanding of the different accents.

Evaluation: I think test scores and my confidence speaking Spanish will do it. Right now, I struggle with certain Spanish tenses and if I am able to come back with more practice and knowledge I’ll know if I was successful or not.

Global Awareness

Objective: I want understand what is going on in Spain politically, economically, and socially.

Methods:

I’ll spend time each day checking the local news or seeing what the most important newspaper articles are for the day.

I’ll ask those around me to help me better understand what is currently going on, and how what is happening in larger cities in Spain may impact Seville. 

I will try to figure out what people in Spain think about other countries and why. Then I’ll use their opinions to help me better understand my own and those in the United States.

Evaluation: If I am able to return and feel comfortable explaining the heavy topics of Spain without second guessing myself I think it means I put in a lot of work to learn about the country, and will continue following their news.

Personal Growth

Objective: I want to become more confident and outgoing.

Methods:

I will get out of the house and do things. If someone asks me to join them somewhere, I will say yes before coming up with excuses to get me out of the activity.

I will practice my Spanish and try to stop being afraid of asking for help.

I’ll find a friend group that consists of outgoing and adventurous people, and then tag along so that I am forced to get out more and socialize.

Evaluation: If I feel comfortable getting more involved at NCC, and do so, it’ll mean my experiences were good enough to make me want to socialize more. I will know if I feel more confident when I return, and if I have increased my Spanish speaking ability.

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Letter to self...

The time has come. Well, not yet, but in 94 days I’ll be headed to O’Hare to start my next journey: studying abroad at Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla, España. I won’t see North Central until January when I will have already completed half of my junior year of college. It’s a lot to take in, but I know that I have been well prepared for most, if not all, that is to come. GLS has allowed me to take the time to research things like Spain’s history, government, politics, economy, entertainment, and much more. I have also been able to learn about where the country falls on cultural scales that represent attitudes and beliefs. Lastly, just learning what culture is, how to act, and all of the small things that have a huge impact.

I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but the closer it got to filling out the application the more hesitant I became. I think it all felt surreal and I realized that it was now or never. It was thinking about how homesick I may get, how maybe my Spanish isn’t as good as it should be, or how I am just socially awkward. However, I realize that technology does wonders for communication, my Spanish will only get better abroad, and I can use this as a time to get involved and take chances.

I think the most valuable thing I took from this class is how freaking important nonverbal communication is. Nonverbal cues represent just as much, if not more, than verbal cues. Knowing that I need to take the time to stand back and observe for the first week or so will help the transition process (hopefully) smoother. I can see how close people are, how strong eye contact is, and see how touchy-feely people are.

Throughout the past few years, I think I have been unintentionally preparing for this experience. I have become so much more independent and self-reliant than before, and maybe even a little more than I should be. However, I have never been prouder of myself than I am now. I have conquered a lot of challenges and feel pretty prepared for all that is to come. I know abroad I will still have challenges, but I think if I utilize support systems, etc. they will be manageable.

I hope to make the best of my time abroad academically and socially. Although where I am will be distracting, I want to put effort into academics and feel comfortable asking for help if I need it. Then, socially, I hope to surround myself with good people who will be able to help me get out and get involved. I aim to be outgoing and sociable, to travel and party, and to find the good in everyday. Spain I am ready for you, but are you ready for me?

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Blog W11: Barcelona

I’ll be studying abroad in Spain for about four months, so it’s only fair that I explore the country. I have traveled to Spain before with my high school Spanish program, and one city that we went to that I yearn to return to is Barcelona. Barcelona caught my attention because of all the unique architecture throughout the city. Specifically, Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces such as the following: La Sagrada Familia, Parque Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Casa Vicens and much more. Antoni Gaudí’s strength was that he had the ability to combine historic architectural ideas with modern technology.

To get from Seville to Barcelona, I would could either fly or take the train. If I were to fly I could depart from Seville’s airport and arrive at  Barcelona’s airport in under two hours. The cost for this method would be around 60 euros, which is cheaper than taking the train. To take the train, I could deport from Spain’s station, Santa Justa, and arrive at Barcelona’s Sants station. Although this method of transportation is much longer, 5 ½ hours; and more expensive, 70-100 euros, I prefer it. When going from Barcelona to Madrid to Sevilla we took the high speed AVE train, and it was great. We were able to see the mountains and towns surrounding us and feel much more immesered in the country. Although that was the better option then, maybe it isn’t now. Since I will be in school and not just on vacation, I may not have the ability to work in a long train ride to Barcelona, I would rather explore the city than sit on a train that is taking up some of that exploration time.

I do want to go back to visit the architectural wonders, but I should definitely return to Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is Barcelona’s Michigan Ave or Hollywood Blvd; however, it feels a bit more classy. I remember visiting and a group of performers encouraged my friends and I do dance down the street with them, so we did (peer pressure at its finest). It was such a happy and fun experience, and I remember purchasing one of my now favorite sweaters from a shop on that street. Then, near Las Ramblas is a large star engraved into the pavement which symbolizes that you will return to Barcelona one day. We took a group photo standing on it, and I know we will all happily visit again, so I am looking forward to my chance to come.

Overall, I hope to find myself back in Barcelona. I know that I have to take the time to plan out the logistics and make sure I have someone to go with, but I know it’ll be worth it. I will be interested to see how much and if the Catalonia split impacts this trip… I’ll find out eventually!

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Journal W10: Verbalizing the Importance of the Nonverbal

Grace Saban, GLS Mon, 5/29/18

Observing and practicing is useful, but it will work even better if I know what to look for. According Maximizing Study Abroad, there are three important forms of nonverbal communication: eye contact, distance, and touching. I always thought eye contact was a universal concept, the more the better. However, I now realize that may not be the case. There are four specific types of eye contact: casual, direct, indirect, and peripheral. I will need to observe everyone’s amount of eye when interacting with different groups of people (professors, friends, family, etc). Next, we have distance which in itself is kind of self-explanatory. Again, I still have to observe how close people are in different types of situations. Lastly, it’s important to know how touchy people are. I know that when greeting others it can be touchy, but circumstances change between friends and strangers so it’ll be important to observe that aspect as well. Overall, it is possible that nonverbal communication may just be more important than verbal communication. People expect vocal mistakes because Spanish isn’t my first language, and my confidence when it comes to nonverbally interacting can make up for that.

When going abroad, we are expected to make verbal mistakes, and because of that our knowledge of how to communicate nonverbally can to make up for it. To help with our nonverbal communication skills, we can do two things once we arrive abroad: observe and practice. To observe we have to carefully watch how those around us interact. For instance, Maximizing Study Abroad offers good examples such as noticing how close people stand to each other and if they use their hands when they talk. I know that most people in Spain choose to greet each other by a kiss on the cheek, and I know that small nonverbal act portrays a lot about a person. If I follow Spain’s nonverbal communication styles, it may help me come off as a more polite and friendly person, rather than someone who is cold and wants to stay away from the norms. Then, once we feel like we have observed enough, we can start to practice. When practicing, it is best to start around those you feel comfortable with. Personally, I may start by working with my host family by asking them to critique how I am acting and to make sure it is culturally appropriate. Then, hopefully, I can move on to larger groups and fit in with those around me on campus or in the city. I plan to travel throughout my time abroad, and I think that having this lesson in my mind will help me in whichever country I end up in.

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Blog 9: Kingdom of Spain

Grace Saban, Mon GLS 5/21/18

Spain’s government, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a parliamentary monarchy headed by two key people: Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the chief of state, King Felipe VI. Spain has been following their December 1978 constitution which focuses on the people's rights and liberties, social and economic policies, and the government structure (Washington University). Similar to the United States, the Spanish government consists of the same three branches (executive, judicial, and legislative); but, with slightly different roles and election processes. Spain’s executive branch conducts domestic and foreign policies, civil and military administration, and the defense of the nation under the king. For this branch, the election process consists of the prime minister being elected by parliament for no fixed length in time. Next, there is the judicial branch which takes care of any complaints or wrongdoings against government personal. If one is elected by the monarch to be a part of this branch, they do have a mandatory retirement age of seventy. Lastly, the legislative branch consists of the Congress of Deputies & Senate and the Leader of Opposition. The Congress of Deputies & Senate enacts any law or amendment of the constitution; and, the Leader of Opposition has an alternative government that reflects the views of the largest party currently not in the Congress of Deputy. There are 208 Senate members who all have an election cycle of four years (globalEDGE).

Coming back to the modern day government, the Catalonia separation from the rest of Spain has placed quite a political and economical toll on the country. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Spain’s prime minister has kept direct rule of Catalonia due to a ‘provocative’ regional government. Recently, Catalonia elected separatist Joaquim Torra as the leader of the new region. The region’s goal is to have Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to end the direct rule over Catalonia. Currently, Rajoy claims that he will not lift the direct rule until more trustworthy and law-abiding Catalan officials are appointed (since two of the supposedly current ones are in Madrid’s jail). Once this is all dealt with, Prime Minister Rajoy believes that Spain and Catalonia can maintain a normal political and institutional relationship.

Another issue that Spain is currently dealing with has to do with a conservative president in Madrid who has been accused of fraudulently obtaining her master’s degree. The conservative president hasn’t admitted to anything and is refusing to step down, which is placing the decision Prime Minister Rajoy to either force her to leave, or allow losing control of the region. In the end, it seems that the Prime Minister is attempting to stay out of it because he believes she will fall or step down from her position in the end (politico.eu).

Overall, Spain has a relatively corrupted government through small issues to things with political parties. Spanish citizens are even more likely to deal with widespread government corruption than any other European nation (Bernardino). There are improvements to be made and I am interested to see if people in Spain talk about government issues as much as we do here in the United States.

https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/spain/government

https://law.wustl.edu/GSLR/CitationManual/countries/spain.pdf

https://www.wsj.com/articles/spain-maintains-direct-rule-over-catalonia-due-to-provocative-regional-government-1526911958

https://www.politico.eu/article/cristina-cifuentes-spain-corruption-mariano-rajoy-pp-degree-scandal-hits-at-heart-of-government/

Benito, Bernardino, benitobl@um.es, et al. "Determinants of Urban Political Corruption in Local Governments." Crime, Law & Social Change, vol. 63, no. 3/4, May 2015, pp. 191-210. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10611-015-9563-9. 

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Journal 8: Cultural Awareness

Grace Saban, Mon GLS 4/13/18

Cultural awareness is the understanding of the differences between you, and those from other countries and backgrounds. According to William Howell, cultural awareness can be divided into four categories, or phases one may experience when going abroad. The four categories are as follows: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence. The overall goal of these categories is to help a person get through the early stages of travel, so that in the end the experience abroad is more rewarding. However, let’s get down to business; first, we have unconscious incompetence (103).

Unconscious incompetence describes how a person may understand the differences between their culture and the host culture, but they are unsure as to how it will translate into society and how they should interact with others (103). For this category, it is common for travelers to get away with making mistakes, because the natives understand their lack of knowledge. Personally, I can see this being acceptable for making the first week or two as we get used to our new home and school. However, even if it is something acceptable in the start, I don’t think it is a crutch we should use to hold ourselves back from quickly digging into the culture.

Continuing from my last thought, to prevent us from using unconscious incompetence as a crutch, we can try to enter right into conscious incompetence. This stage describes a person who expects to make mistakes, and because of that they become more likely evaluate their surroundings. In a way, you lower the expectations of your abilities and in the end, it makes forming relationships with the natives easier (104). This stage is important to me because I think I may have trouble describing myself this way. I’ve been to Spain before and have been studying Spanish for awhile, so I feel like I have a good grasp on what to expect. However, I think I should work on making observations throughout the first week instead of jumping in and assuming I’m culturally competent.

Thirdly, we get to conscious competence where we have a good grasp on of awareness for cultural differences, and how to navigate them. After having many (mostly positive) interactions with natives, we think we have it figured out and are confident we can shift out behaviors throughout a given situation (104). This stage is where I have been telling myself I will first fit in, but I am now gaining a better understanding that this isn’t probable. Luckily, it is something to work on so that I can make my time abroad as successful and meaningful as possible.

Believe it or not, it only gets better. To me, this final stage is when you call up your family back home and say “hey there, I’m fitting in perfectly! Oh, and because of that I will no longer be coming home. I have this cultural awareness thing down like no other.” Obviously, that isn’t plausible, but unconscious competence can fit into such a situation. With unconscious competence, we no longer have to think about certain difference. We automatically understand how to appropriately act in a given situation, and are comfortable inside and out (104). In Spain, we may have a little accent under our belt, and speak Sevillan-Spanish. E’toy bien, rather than estoy bien; and, graitha over gracias. This is the end goal for our time abroad, and I am looking forward to doing my best at meeting it.

Paige, R. Michael., et al. Maximizing Study Abroad. Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota, 2003.

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Blog W8: Comida Sabrosa

Grace Saban, Mon GLS, 4/13/18

One of the best parts about traveling is trying new foods and drinks that the culture is known for. Unfortunately, for this blog post I’m unable to go home and cook up some Spanish cuisine, so I thought it would be just as good to inform you all about the cuisine Spain is well-known for: tapas.

When it comes to Spanish appetizers, tapas are the first thing listed on most menus. The history of tapas has been narrowed down to two possible instances which made them popular. First, we can thank King Alfonso X because he had to eat small snacks with wine throughout the day to maintain his strength while suffering from a serious illness. Once he recovered, he passed a law restricting wine and beer to be sold in bars without the accompaniment of a small snack. Next, we have a more practical story which was that people chose to have small snacks on plates, or lids (tapas), to cover their wine glass so that bugs wouldn’t get into their glass. Overall, tapas have grown to be a popular appetizer throughout all of spain, but have their origin in Seville and Andalucía. Now, let’s get into the real thing! Our first Spanish tapa is la Tortilla Española, or Spanish Omelette.

Whether you call it the spanish omelette, tortilla española, or tortilla de patata, it is an appetizer served in most bars and considered a main course Spanish homes. This specific tapa has been said to be around since the late 1500s, when the head chef for King Philip III wrote about it in his notebooks. For this tapa, you’ll need the following: potatoes, onion, eggs, olive oil, and salt. First, you’ll peel and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, chop the onions, and mix it all up in a bowl adding salt for flavor. Then, you’ll put the mixture in a large frying pan and pour olive oil on top of it. For this step, the goal is to allow the potatoes and onions to become creamy. After the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon so that the olive oil is still in it. Afterwards, we’ll start whisking the eggs in a large bowl, later pouring in the cooled onions and potatoes and mixing it all together. Then, we’ll move everything into another pan and create the omelette. Once you’ve flipped your omelette and allowed the edges to brown, you can plate it like a pie and serve toast on the side. Overall, we have six ingredients with a 35 minute combined prep and cook time. Just be sure to keep in mind that this dish can be served hot or cold!

http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/tapas-101/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/spanish-omelet-tortilla-espanola-3083734

https://www.enforex.com/culture/tortilla-espanola.html

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-spanish-omelet/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/tortillas-omelets-in-spain-3083069

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Mentor Report

Grace Saban, GLS 277 Mon Group, 4/7/18

I chose to interview a recent North Central graduate who studied abroad in Seville in the fall of 2015. Rachel and I talked mostly about cultural differences and similarities, what to do and where to go, and the academic experience I’ll have while attending Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Getting right into it, Rachel felt that the most extreme cultural differences came from how treated and greeted each other. In Seville, everyone is welcoming and friendly; whereas here, you can easily pass people without acknowledging them. Continuing with the friendly attitude, people in Seville greet each other by kissing them on the cheek from left to right. In my mentor’s experience, this was one of the coolest parts of being abroad. People were friendly and positive without thinking twice. In contrast, our greetings with others can either be only verbal, a handshake, or possibly a hug depending on the relationship with the other individual. When talking with Rachel, we had trouble coming up with cultural similarities between the United States and Spain; whereas the differences (no matter how big or small) are endless. However, we agreed that both cultures are family orientated and that we are in a similar economic stance with Europe. Personally, I think it is more important to understand the cultural differences when going into this experience, and then throughout my time abroad I can find out what I consider to be similarities.

I’ve been studying Spanish for about seven or eight years, and I have traveled around Spain and spent a weekend in Mexico. I have utilized many opportunities to practice both speaking and understanding Spanish. Through all of the experiences Rachel and I have had combined, without a doubt, the accent in Seville is something that takes A LOT of getting used to. Rachel was able to travel around Spain while abroad, and she said how when she arrived in Seville, it was like 70% of all she had learned before was gone. They use a different vernacular than the rest of Spain, and this consists of taking out syllables and pronouncing common words differently. Rachel described how when she visited Madrid, it felt like being back home because it was a language she had a lot experience in. She felt comfortable because she was able to better communicate with those around her without feeling hesitant. The verbal connection she had to make with others wasn’t the most difficult thing, but it sure stood out. The connection she had to make that was most surprising was fitting in with the social life and learning how to present oneself.

I admit that I don’t dress to impress, I prefer to be casual in jeans and a t-shirt rather than walking around in a sundress, sweater, and jewelry. Unfortunately, my preferences don’t meet up with Seville’s expectations. The women in Seville dress nice by layering their outfits, putting on some makeup, and avoiding sweatpants in public. Some students who have studied abroad in Seville in the past would explain how their host mom would even dress up if it was just to go to the grocery store. Likewise, students would look nice for class because it shows respect to the professors and the university. How students there would dress for class would be how I would dress to go out on a Friday night, but of course, their Friday night outfit includes even more elevated styles. Rachel gave me a list of restaurants, clubs, and monuments in Seville that I should plan on visiting while I’m there. She gave me the places to pregame, enjoy the game, and postgame on Friday nights. HOWEVER, their Friday nights don’t really start until Saturday mornings. In Seville, people go out to socialize around 1am and will easily stay out enjoying life until 5 or 6 in the morning. To me, that is another huge cultural difference between Spain and the United States. Here, we may leave for a night out between 9 and 11pm, and be back home in bed by 2 or 3am. I consider that a successful night, so I think for the first few weeks I will struggle with everything in Spain being pushed back. However, I do need to remember that I am going there to learn and educate myself in new aspects.

Due to this, Rachel and I talked a lot about what I should expect at the university. She gave me the rundown on the Spanish placement exam, class attendance and grading policies, and what she recommends I get involved in. She explained that regarding attendance they are slightly more lenient; most professors allow you to have three absences per their class without having points taken off your grade. Of course, points may still be taken off in the long run on an exam because the student wasn’t there to learn the material with the professor in that moment. Continuing with grades, Universidad Pablo de Olavide uses a ten point scale rather than A-F. For example, a 9.2/10 would be an A, and a 7/10 would be either a low B or a C. Regarding the university, she also explained how all of the international students have classes separated from the regular student population, but there are programs such as Intercambio and We Love Spain to meet full-time Sevillans. She said that being seperated didn’t bother her too much either because people usually don’t stay around the campus after a certain time in the afternoon, it’s more likely to see a classmate in the city center than the library. This comforted me a little bit because I feel that since all of my classes will be with international students, the professors understanding that Spanish isn’t everyone’s first language may be a little more prominent and helpful.

Overall, I’m glad I chose to get a coffee with Rachel and talk about everything I have coming up and listening to her stories from when she was abroad. I look forward to keeping in touch with her and knowing that I have someone to go to with possible questions that may arise!

[gracestudiesabroad]

Journal Entry W6

Grace Saban, Mon. GLS 277, April 29, 2018 (Spain’s Dimensions)

Considering nearly fifty million people live in Spain, and I’ll be one of them in four months, it’s important that I understand Spain’s cultural dimensions. Regarding cultural dimensions, Geert Hofstede has narrowed the dimensions to six categories: power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation, and indulgence. I will go over what I consider to be Spain’s most important cultural dimensions: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and long term orientation.

Power distance can be defined as “the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally” (Hofstede). For this dimension, Spain scores somewhat high with a 57, meaning that they are a hierarchical society. A good way to better understand this dimension is to think of the education system. In Spain’s schooling system, teachers are seen as very important and useful people, it is a prestigious occupation. Students are expected to give teachers their utmost respect and attention, and understand that the teachers are doing them a favor by educating them with their knowledge. In contrast, the United States scored a low 40. This implies that the States are looking for more equality and it is ingrained into our brains: “liberty and justice for all.” Here, the schooling system is much more focused on the students well being, and their individual personalities. The teachers here are expected to be available for students and ready to offer exceptional help.

Next, we have uncertainty avoidance; this talks about how much a nation tries to avoid things such as change, ambiguity, or the unknown. On the scale Spain scores an 86, which only exemplifies how much they dislike change, or people going against their rules. The Global Leadership & Organizational Behavior Effectiveness also scores Spain high and above average in this category with a 4.76/7. This dimension can be understood in the workplace, if an employee dislikes their job and is no longer happy there, they will stay. The employee wants to avoid the confrontation, stress, and change that comes with finding a new job. In contrast, the States scared a 46 and are more than willing to drop everything and go. Often, we do hear of America citizens leaving everything and traveling, or frequently changing jobs or schools.

Lastly, we have the dimension which deals with how countries incorporate historic traditions and events, while continuing to prepare for the future; and this dimension is long term orientation. Spain, with a score of 46/100, does not reflect these values very well. Spaniards prefer to live in the moment and not worry about the future. Spain’s score in uncertainty avoidance helps explain why this score is lower; due to the country needing so much structure and rules, they don’t necessarily need to worry about the future because people will continue to follow the same rules. They have a clear structure in place, so there ‘now’ is their future. Even with the economy, Spain’s GDP has stayed consistent for the past few years with around 3.0% growth. There has been slight growth in health and decreasing unemployment, but it is so annually minimal that you can almost tell that not too much is being put in place to help with the future--they trust their current system.

https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/spain/

https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1428&context=honorsprojects

https://www.heritage.org/index/country/spain

http://globeproject.com/results/countries/ESP?menu=list

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp.html

[gracestudiesabroad]

Blog W6: Una semana en Sevilla (desde los periódicos en línea)

Grace Saban, Mon. GLS 277, April 27, 2018

Reading online newspapers such as Andalusia en Ruta and Diario de Sevilla, has me feeling such different emotions than when reading the Chicago Tribune or The New York Times. Through my experience, I found the articles in Spain’s newspapers to be more uplifting, positive, and empowering. In contrast, when I read anything about Chicago or the United States in general it is depressing and negative. Now, there is the possibility that I chose a good time to look for articles in Spain and that maybe next week something unfortunate may be published instead. However, I prefer to just enjoy this past week’s positive vibes.

While reading Andalusia en Ruta, I found an article which covered la Feria de Abril in Seville. This annual fair starts two weeks after la Semana Santa ends, so this year it from Sunday, April 15th to Saturday, April 21st. Historically, this wasn’t always an event for dancing and drinking, but a livestock and agriculture fair for farmers since 1847. However, today, the fair starts by illuminating thousands of lightbulbs to shine the city when midnight strikes. Then, for the following days it is a reunion for everyone to enjoy cultural dances, foods, drinks, and extra socializing on fair grounds and throughout the city as a whole. This fair is also unique due to the way that people present themselves. Sevillian women usually are dressed in a bright-colored flamenco dress accessorized by nice jewelry. The men are dressed in their horseback riding outfits, or a short suit. The dedication and excitement that Sevillians put into this fair is astounding to me because it is about the culture. People don’t use it as an excuse to party, but to embrace themselves and feel proud for where they live. If I feel all of that from just reading about it, I can only imagine the positivity shown and felt throughout that week when in Seville.

https://www.andaluciaenruta.com/parece-ser-que-ya-ha-comenzado-la-feria-de-abril-de-sevilla/1583/

http://www.andalucia.com/festival/seville-feria.htm

The second newspaper I covered was Diario de Sevilla which had more of a Chicago Tribune format, but not feel. I say it didn’t have the same feel because of how different the topics were. In Chicago, the headlines are a body count, or another sexual predator; in Sevilla, it’s about sports, or in this case, how to provide support and diminish the amount of sexual predators. “El Gobierno revisará si los delitos sexuales están bien tipificados en el Código Penal” is the headline on the newspaper’s website. In this article, the government spokesperson is asking if the tactic they use to review sexual crimes is strong enough, and how it can be improved (since it is from 1995). I think the acknowledgement to this situation is important and it is headed in the right direction. Yes, it was brought up because some allegations were thought to have been dealt with incorrectly—BUT, the willingness to improve procedures says a lot. Lately, we have been hearing A LOT about sexual misconduct through #TimesUp, #MeToo, and much more. I think the way that Spain deals with it includes more understanding towards the victims, and realizes that powerful people can be to blame. The governor himself has been with the victims and believing them since 2016. Europe continues to one-up the United States, and I hope that Americans can learn from how to handle sensitive topics in a more desirable way.

http://www.diariodesevilla.es/espana/Gobierno-revisara-tipificados-Codigo-Penal-manada-sentencias_0_1240076645.html

[gracestudiesabroad]

Journal Entry W5

Grace Saban, Mon. GLS 277, 4/23/18, (AC Chapter 2)

This chapter discussed three major things: worldviews, values, and norms. Worldviews are abstract assumptions we have about how the world is; values reflect abstract concepts that are important to certain groups (how the world should be); and lastly, norms are social rules that provide standards for how people should act. Knowing that these manifestations can change or be shared by culture, it helps us work on our intercultural communication and form our identity.

Now, with that understanding it is possible to answer the reflection questions that the end of the chapter offers. How strong do you feel that the connection between culture and our action is? What is the relationship between culture and our personality? Which has a greater impact on us? How much can we change either one? (Hall 58)

I feel that the connection between culture and action is strong due to a person’s identity. Identity is external; it’s an expected performance for which we are rewarded or punished (Berkland). All of our actions are visible, and therefore external. We do these certain actions to fit in with the social norms and follow the cultural rules. For example, in Mexico the men greet women by kissing them on a cheek; that is a social norm that represents their culture. Likewise, greeting people left to right in Morocco is following their cultural norms. All of our actions represent culture because we are trying to fit in and get involved; If we don’t do that, we aren’t rewarded and our identity is judged negatively.

To me, the relationship between culture and our personality follows the reflexive force perspective. The reflexive force perspective is based off of two things: sense making and the situational. Overall, sense making is just taking all of the worldviews, values, and norms, and using it to help us to make sense of everything. Our reaction to all of that can impact our personality due to if it makes sense to us, what emotions it puts on us, and how we want to react. Then, the situational tells us that just because something is a norm for one group, doesn’t mean it will be for all groups. Here, our personality and identity can change depending on where we are and how much we want to fit in. I think culture has a greater impact on us than personality because I feel that today everyone wants to be alike, you don’t see many individualistic people. However, personality also influences culture because when someone describes a culture, they usually describe how the people act. For example, some may say Chicago is fast and rude, but that is because of impressions people made. I think they balance each other pretty well, but today, I think culture has a bigger impact. People want to follow rules, not create their own. If they create their own, they are judged and frowned upon; so, people change to be like everyone else.

[gracestudiesabroad]

Blog W5: Algunas personas que impactaron España

Grace Saban, Mon. GLS 277, 4/23/18

Choosing just one person to represent some of the most important times in Spanish history didn’t seem fair. Due to this, I chose the following two people who I feel had the most influence: Queen Isabella I of Castile and Antoni Gaudí.

Usually, when someone discusses Queen Isabella it is about how she sent Christopher Columbus to sail the ocean blue in 1492; but, let it be known that his discovery was pushed back due to her not approving it. Christopher Columbus was denied three times before Isabella finally gave him the okay and agreed to meet his terms. Luckily, he was given this opportunity because it marked Spain’s entrance into the Golden Age of exploration and colonization. From his explorations came the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), which Queen Isabella of Castile and Aragon and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, accomplished together. This treaty declared that the new lands outside of Europe that Columbus found will be divided equally between the Portuguese and Spanish (newworldencyclopedia.org). Although Isabel and Ferdinand accomplished some great things together, the idea of a joint monacy created a historical debate. During her reign, it was assumed that a woman could not make important political and logical decisions, and Isabel allowing for Ferdinand to have the same importance in her country as she did emphasized that. People assumed that they made these decisions together, and that the Queen was submitting to men. Now, Isabel disagreed with such allegations and said that they joint monarchy should be viewed as “interlocking, independent, and dynamically relational institutions, each one substantially affecting the other” (Hayes 4). Overall, Queen Isabella had a large impact on how the world runs today, and I look forward to learning more about her while in Spain.

Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) from Barcelona was another impactful person in Spanish history, but more for architectural reasons rather than political. Some of Gaudí’s well known landmarks are as follows: Park Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and the La Sagrada Familia. All of this architecture exemplifies creativity in developing architecture and the startup of technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When creating all of his masterpieces, he incorporated both historical Catalan design and modern technical and scientific designs (unesco.org). In 1883 he began his work on La Sagrada Familia, which is a large unfinished Christian church in Barcelona. For awhile, Gaudí worked on this along with other projects, but once 1914 came he made this is solo project. Unfortunately, he died in 1926 before the church was finished. Now, it is expected to be finally completed in 2026 (sagradafamilia.org). In high school, I went to Barcelona and visited this historic church inside and out, I look forward to going back and noticing the possible architectural advancements that have happened.  

http://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1300&context=student_scholarship  --- academic journal

http://newworldencyclopedia.org

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/320

http://www.sagradafamilia.org/en/antoni-gaudi/

Ham, Anthony, et al. Spain. Lonely Planet Publications, 2016.

[gracestudiesabroad]

Joey FineRhyme

Grace Saban, Monday GLS 277, Cultural Event Report 1

On Thursday, April 12th, I attended Joey FineRhyme’s performance which was sponsored by North Central’s Center for Global Education. The Chicago-native ‘raptivist’ (rap activist) focused his performances on three important topics: climate change, the trash rash and global warming. FineRhyme has also founded the organization Climate Cycle, whose mission is to inspire students to be the change and make our world greener. To emphasize his message, his performances are powered by audience members pedaling on a stationary bicycle which produces battery power that allows his microphone to work.

His performance being powered by a stationary bike had everyone in awe; but, his talk about the trash rash, or The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (for word count purposes I will refer to this has the GPGP), gave me the chills. If I recall correctly from the presentation, the GPGP was first noticed around the 1990s, and estimated to be twice the size of France; however, today it’s estimated that its size has doubled. According to The New York Times, the GPG is growing and currently home to 87,000 tons of plastic. Due to this, many animals have been dying due to eating plastic and other miscellaneous garbage. In fact, a whale recently washed up on a beach in Spain with 64 pounds of garbage in its stomach (Diaz 2018).

For awhile, all of this information left me speechless and thinking that change isn’t possible. However, now more than ever do I realize that every act counts. In the past, I’ve always used reusable water bottles and bags, but I thought nothing of it when I would slip up. After sitting through FineRhyme’s performance, my awareness to being green has increased dramatically. Following one of his songs, “BYOBB” I am always bringing my own bottle and bag to class, Target, or wherever I may end up. I have also stopped using straws, and am transitioning into not using anymore plastic utensils. If being less lazy means helping the world become more environmentally friendly, than washing some extra utensils and glasses is worth it. I hope that when going abroad I can take the “BYOBB” aspect with me abroad.

http://www.joeyfinerhyme.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/climate/great-pacific-garbage-patch.html

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/11/health/sperm-whale-plastic-waste-trnd/index.html 

[gracestudiesabroad]

Blog W4: Cántame, bebé

Grace Saban, GLS Monday Group, 4/14/18

I’ve always listened to music in Spanish, heck, I even have a playlist dedicated to it on Spotify. Yet, I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when searching ‘Spain’s top 50’ in Spotify. I tend to listen to the same bands over and over again, so all that I found kind of shocked me. Spain’s number one hit at the moment is “Dura” by Daddy Yankee and here is a verse from the song: “Si fuera un delito eso de que estás hermosa / Te arresto en mi cama y te pongo las esposas.” Now, if you don’t know what that means, don’t look it up. Let’s just say… it’s pretty kinky. However, like most hits, I’m sure it isn’t on the top of the charts for the lyrics, but because it is catchy.

After “Dura” comes “Échame La Culpa” by Luis Fonsi and Demi Lovato. In contrast to some other Spanish hits, this one was noticeable on the charts in both Spanish-speaking countries, and the United States. In fact, I recently went to Demi Lovato's concert and she performed this song in Rosemont. Now, a big reason for the song’s popularity could be because it is in Spanglish and both Fonsi and Lovato are popular in their home country. This song follows the script what most pop songs are about: love. The song is about a couple who has been fighting, and each person involved is trying to take the blame and use the line ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ Overall, this is a catchy song appropriate for any age group. I am not surprised that it has stayed high on the charts for the past few weeks.

“EL BAÑO” by Enrique Iglesias featuring Bad Bunny takes the spot of number three in ‘Spain’s Top 50’ on Spotify. Enrique Iglesias has a reputation of being sexy, crazy, and bad boy. This song supports all evidence to such claims regarding Iglesias’ reputation. The lyrics tell a story of a man who is infatuated with a woman he sees at a bar (but doesn’t know), and he wants to “get to know her” (sleep with her) in the bathroom. “Si somos novios / O somos panas / Tranquila, hay que ver mañana” is the most used lyric in the song which is pretty much saying they’ll find out if they’ll just be friends or something more serious in the morning, after their night together. The first time you listen to this song, you can automatically feel the sexiness in the beats and lyrics. For a fling or one night stand like the song describes, it has the appropriate amount of seductiveness. This seems like a pretty decent song to party and drink to, so I think that may be a big part of why it is a part of the top three songs. It seems like a song where the lyrics are catchy and easy to memorize, but people may ignore some of the meaning behind the lyrics and how degrading it really is.

I expected Spain’s music to be different than the United States, but not in the way it was. I find it difficult to articulate what I expected, but all I know is that I didn’t expect as much sexiness. Spain is said to be full of heat and love, so I guess it is fair for the music to represent that belief. However, I am surprised that the lyrics don’t have much meaning to them. I wouldn’t have expected that songs in the States have more meaningful lyrics than Spain. When I differentiate the two, I think of the United States as being full of rap, and Spain to be full of seductive club music. I’m sure once I am living abroad and experiencing their entertainment daily my generalizations will change, but for now, this post about music is all I have to offer.