The Benefits of Studying with Other Nationalities

By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Something that I have realized even more in the past couple of weeks is that the great thing of studying abroad in a school such as this is that not only are you provided to learn about the culture and the people of Spain – but also your classmates who hail from other parts of the world.
At first, I wanted to close myself off to anything that wasn't Spanish because that is what I came here to do. However, I realize that that is being very close-minded and that is not what this is all about. This time is for experiencing what I come across and learning on a multi dimensional level – not just what I hope to facilitate.
Friends of mine, that I have made, hale from Turkey and China. All though they are not Spanish, they can teach me much about people who come from these countries and subsequently people different than me.
This might be the greatest gift I take from my time here – maybe even greater than the language.
This past weekend I was greeted with the hospitality of my Turkish friends for dinner. It was terrific and delicious too, but what made it even better is the conversation that accompanied the dinner. It is refreshing at times and other times painful to discuss global issues with people from other parts of the world. However, I would not trade this opportunity for anything for this is how one learns. I came here not only to learn the language but also to further develop myself as a person. Whether this is in the form of a language or a different way to approach things is entirely connected.
Tomorrow we have a festival in Spain and have no class and a lot of the business around the city will be closed. Something I have learned about Spain is that they seem to live a counter life to that of the United States where it seems like nothing ever stops. Although this provides convenience to some, I wonder if it is better. Yes, I cannot deny that I will be miffed when I realize tomorrow that there was something I forgot to buy at the grocery store and the grocery store is closed. However, is it such a bad thing that the people here take time off to be with families and friends? I don't think so.