Study Abroad Programs Blog

My Weekend

By Kent Truckor - Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain This past weekend was a really good weekend. Friday night I went out with Anna and Nicola to the Barrio de Carmen. It is a district towards the center of town with many bars, restaurants and so forth. We went to a bar called Johnny Maraccas. It was a bonito bar decorated in the style of a Jungle. It had an aquarium in the wall and in the bar, I was pretty happy with this. They played salsa music and so forth. It was Anna's last night in town before she returned to Canada and school. I met a couple at Johnny Maraccas from London, England. They were pretty young and excited to find other people who spoke English. Some other cities are different such as Barcelona and Madrid with English speaking people. However, in Valencia you don't find many people who speak English, actually not many at all. I can't imagine that it would be difficult for them to get around because they did not speak any Spanish therefore I doubt they will forget this trip. We spoke of the differences between America and England. I enjoyed their company and hope they enjoy their stay in Valencia. The next night: Nicola, myself and three other friends headed for a small pueblo named El Puig north of Valencia about twenty minutes for their annual summer festival of the running of the bulls. The town is small and pretty but kind of dirty in some parts. I like the older buildings and the small streets. When we arrived there by tren, the city was very quiet. I think most people were either resting or eating when we arrived at 10:00PM. I loved it; many families set up dinner tables out in the street outside of their homes and ate dinner outside before the running of the bulls began. This was my first experience of the running of the bulls having not made Pamplona in July. The first bull was released at Midnight with about 200 people fleeing for their lives, haha. I watched it from the top of a large barrier with a senor of the town named Miguel. He was a very friendly guy and we talked about family, friends, work, the running of the bulls and so on. I would say he was in his 70s and I asked him if he was going to run with the bulls and he told me "No, it was for the young." haha - I appreciated his conversation and learned a little more about the culture of Spain. They would place two holsters on the bull's horns with flammable balls. They would light the balls on fire and then release the bull to run through the streets. Once the flames burnt out, they would get the next bull ready and repeat the process. They ran three bulls and it lasted until 4:00 AM. None of the bulls got hurt, maybe just a little tired. It was pretty wild to see in the dark streets to flames running down the street because the bulls were black. I liked it a lot and was able to take a moment to soak it in and realize just how different this is from my home. It was a good night and a great weekend.

Study Abroad Program Selection

By Bradley Rehak - Guest blogger studying in Quito, Eucador Having studied abroad four different times now, in three different languages (even if one was English), I considered myself quite exercised in the selection of such programs. In order that others can more easily find success than I did—and avoid some of my failures—I now offer my perspective on the process of choosing a program. The basic assumption behind my advice is that one genuinely wants to learn another language. For those interested only in travel and drink, this advice won't be entirely helpful. First of all, let me dispel the importance of choosing the right country. Most people make their decisions solely on where they want to be, usually in close proximity to beaches or mountains. I cannot stress enough: it doesn't really matter. Once you've decided what language to learn, there are much more important considerations. I spent two of my experiences, in Mexico and Ecuador, in countries that I had never really thought about visiting. Trust me, as long as you make a sincere effort to learn your language and meet locals, you will enjoy whatever country you end up in. That said, what does matter is your school: the quality of the teachers, the levels of instruction offered, and the diversity of students. Teacher quality is obvious: teachers with degrees and advanced degrees in the language of instruction are far superior to those that lack it, especially when it comes to difficult explanations. You also must ensure that your level of ability is taught at a prospective school, especially for advanced students, as most schools emphasize beginner levels. You don't want to get stuck in a group that is studying only aspects of the language that you already know. Finally, diversity of students is the single most important consideration for a school: by this I mean the school should also teach languages (usually English) to locals. This, and language interchange programs after school (intercambios in Spanish) are the most crucial keys to meeting locals, making friends, and PRACTICING, outside of school, your language of instruction. Having been to schools with and without local students, I can say now that I wouldn't even consider a program in the future that lacked local instruction. Finally, choosing a host family is also crucial to language learning. Don't even think about living in a residence, because—especially as an English speaker—you will learn very little. Living with a host family is absolutely essential in order to practice and think about your language on a daily and hourly basis, and learn words that you would never come across otherwise. And if you are really serious about your language, choose a family with kids—whether they're your own age or younger. Even though they can be annoying at times, they are usually the most interested people in talking to you, or showing you off to their friends, and therefore are an excellent means of meeting locals and practicing the all-important slang of your home country. Best of luck!