I am no stranger to being in a new country, on my own. I’ve lived in a small town in Canada my entire life, however in order to pursue lacrosse I had to move to the United States. Obviously, there definitely aren’t as many differences between Canada and the U.S.A as there are between Canada and Spain. I still assumed that when coming here I would find the adjustment to be easy, as I had already made a similar adjustment for nine months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we first arrived on Sunday, I had my first of many experiences feeling like I was sticking out like a sore thumb. A completely broken, and severed thumb for that matter. My lack of Spanish language comprehension and speaking proved to be more of a problem than I thought. While, most people here speak English, they respond to you in a manner of disrespect and rightfully so. In Canada and the USA when tourists visit we expect them to know our language, so why shouldn’t we be expected to speak theirs? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By 5pm we were ready to hit the town. To most of western society this may sound like a reasonable time to go get dinner and cocktails with your friends. And as naive as any other average tourist we assumed it to be the same here. Dressed in our nice dinner clothes we started our walk. I was heavily distracted by all the stares we were getting. I tried to ignore this, but the paranoia grew worse when I was barely able to order my drinks. Let alone the confused look we got we asked to order food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We ended up calling the night early, and going to sleep by 7:30. This morning is when I discovered why all of our interactions were less than ideal. Turns out, average dinner time here is around 9pm. Little did I know most establishments close from the hours of 1-4 and kitchens aren’t typically reopened until about 7pm. So we were off by a few hours. When our night was ending most people was just beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, this morning made me realize the importance of language. When I moved to the States I had no problem adjusting because I wasn’t stripped of my own culture. Apart from a few mannerisms, everyday life was pretty similar and most importantly I could speak the same language. Ashamed of my inability to speak Spanish I wasn’t really able to enjoy my night. I felt almost unworthy of appreciating my surroundings. I have learned that it isn’t until you are put in a situation where you are stripped of your own culture that you can truly appreciate another. When people suggest embracing the culture when you travel, it’s not just a cliche saying. It really is important. After one beginners Spanish class I felt like I was able to relate to the locals more. While I really only learned basic expressions, like how to say my name and where I lived, it was a start. A start that gave me the ability to really connect with the history on our walking tour. I couldn’t help, but think about how the Basque people must’ve felt when their language was banned. Humans need to communicate. In psychology, we learn that you converse for either one of two reasons every time; regulate ourselves, and\/or building\/maintaining relationships. Traveling is all about building relationships with new people, places, and cultures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between the walking tour and my first Spanish class I already am so appreciative of all the history here and I still have two more weeks jam packed with endless opportunities to learn. The most interesting part of the tour today, was the bullet holes and fire stains that remained on the buildings. It’s honestly a testament to life that our past remains apart of us in the present day. Washing away our past isn’t always possible, and even when it is possible to, for example the bullet holes could easily be patched up, it isn’t always beneficial. Our past can remind us of how far we have come and the adversity we have faced. It can, also help us see where we are going. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am no stranger to being in a new country, on my own. I’ve lived in a small town in Canada my entire life, however in order to pursue lacrosse I had to move to the United States. Obviously, there … Continue reading <\/figure>\n\n\n\n