6 Ways to Get the Most Authentic Spanish Study Abroad Experience

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By: Libby Hickson Azocar

So you’ve decided to move to Spain for a semester (or longer)? Felicidades y bienvenido Tío! It’s possible you’ve already started up google translator trying to understand what I just said: “Congrats and welcome...Uncle?” That’s fair, but actually, in Spanish Slang, tío (masculine) or tía (feminine) is the equivalent of “guy, dude, or bro.” So tíos, that leads me to my first tip….

#1 Practice the language and slang.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but a little effort goes a long way and in most of my experiences, Spaniards appreciated a foreigner trying to communicate in their language. Of course, at first, it can be very intimidating to start speaking Spanish to locals, especially when some dialects speak fast and with lots of slang. However, in most cases, once people realize you are a beginner they speak slower to help you out.

One thing that really worked for me was a “Tandem” program that existed at my university, the University of Sevilla. This was a program different than “Intercambio,” which was a very informal pairing of a native Spanish and native English speaker that encouraged meeting up and chatting in both languages. This was a successful program for others, but it required a commitment on both ends.

The “Tandem” program was a more involved Intercambio; my native Spanish partner and I were REQUIRED to complete 30 hours of communicating and doing cultural activities together, throughout the semester. Afterward we would journal about what we did together, record vocab, culture phrases we had learned, and meet with our advisor for check-ins twice a semester. We both earned 2 credits, and better yet, my partner Elena and I became really good friends through it.

Cafe meetups and conversations were also widely popular among American and Spanish students. No matter your style of learning, practicing the language and getting to know the culture takes real commitment, but the rewards are worth the time, energy and sometimes, struggle.

***Me, Elena and her friend Lucia, at Feria***

#2 Choose to live with a host family.

It seems that many study abroad students are weary of living with a host family during their time abroad. They have a lot of concerns like: What if I don’t like it? What if I have a curfew? What if the food is weird and I don’t want to eat it?

I’ll take this moment to refer back to the ”authentic” part of this blog post title: if you want to experience Spain in the most authentic way, there’s no better way than to move into a local’s home and become a part of it. There will be adjustments to make, and you might not love every single meal they make, but they make it for you, and they want to get to know you and make you feel at home. Choosing to live with my host mom led me to have some of the most rewarding cultural, and social experiences during my time abroad. It’s because of my homestay that I feel I have a community to visit when I return to Spain.

Becoming the “niña” or “niño” of a local helps you adapt and feel less confused with the new culture. Your host family looks out for you, tells you the best spots to visit, and by chatting with them, your Spanish will naturally improve. In some cases, they might even link you up with locals or relatives your age to meet and befriend. Having this “in” with the locals is like hitting the jackpot when it comes to forming cultural connections. It is much easier when someone is there to help build that bridge between you, a foreigner, and someone they know, a local.

And the food...Man, what I wouldn’t do for some of my host mom’s croquetas right now...

***All 3 of us: my host mom, her dog and I, dressed up for Feria at home***

***Me with my host mom’s dog, “Jara,” at a local cafe***

#3 Stay local instead of traveling every holiday and weekend.

This is probably the most important tip I could give to anyone wanting to adapt to Spanish culture. And it’s challenging because you’re in EUROPE! It’s a travel haven and Ryan Air keeps hitting you up with those $20 flights to Italy. Seriously, how can one resist?

By no means am I saying you shouldn’t travel during your time abroad, quite the opposite: explore every opportunity that comes your way! But don’t forget there’s so much to explore within the city you chose to spend months (or more) in.

Your host city, and host country by extension is more than just a runway to other awesome places. By staying home some weekends and experiencing the local traditions, you can discover some pretty awesome things, including some hidden gems. There’s probably nothing more exciting than starting to get a bit of that local status by having a daily jaunt, a favorite cafe to study in, and Spanish friends who invite you out on the weekends.

There were plenty of weekends I wandered the beautiful streets of Sevilla meeting locals out and about. It was nice to see the local people out in the streets, by the river enjoying picnics or out to breakfast with the family. These relaxing weekends in my host city became some of my favorites. Multiple times I would come across traveling art exhibits, live music and dance fairs that were free or low cost. In addition to finding these gems close by, I saved hundreds (maybe thousands) of Euros on traveling. The week-long holidays of Feria (spring festival) and Semana Santa (religious processions) can be the perfect time to take off for a longer Europe or Morocco excursion. However, and, I can’t recommend this enough, stay in your city for a few days to partake in the local festivities.

***A candid view of Feria during the day***

#4 Take up volunteering or a local hobby.

This is something that might push you out of your comfort zone, and for the best! There are many ways you can volunteer around your host city, and it’s possible that your university can help connect you to these opportunities. Volunteering drops you in a community of Spaniards, allowing you to get to know them better. On the reverse, it also allows them to learn more about you and your culture. A friend of mine worked with children in an after-school program and found it to be the highlight of her day working with them and learning about Spanish culture. Plus, when you’re feeling homesick, what’s cuter than a bunch of little kids trying to chat with you and wanting to be your friend? To learn more about volunteering opportunities, visit your university’s office of extra-curricular activities in person and ask about the programs they have available.

Alternatively, if volunteering is not your style, there’s the possibility to look into other group activities throughout your city. In the case of the University of Sevilla, the school-sponsored culture and art events called “Cicus” were held throughout the city. You could find info online or from posters in the hallways. If you happen to be heading to the University of Seville (La Universidad de Sevilla) you can use this website to check for events: https://www.cicus.us.es/. In the city itself there were many dance studios offering Flamenco classes, cooking classes at the local market, and so, so many “futbol” teams to become a fan of and root for on gameday.

This will certainly help break down the cultural barriers that can make it harder to get to know people. Also, you may discover a new hobby!

#5 The easiest: Actually take your Spanish class seriously.

Use your new university like the resource of knowledge and opportunity that it is! Take your classes seriously, no matter what level of Spanish you’re starting with, a little study can go a long way. On the other hand, taking time to get to know your professors can give you special knowledge of your host city and cultural tips that you can implement into daily life! You’ll be grateful for this dedication and drive later, te prometo.

At the University of Sevilla I took half of my classes in English and half in Spanish. I chose to study Spanish Foods, Gender and Communications in Spanish Cinema, Arab studies, and a Spanish Conversation and Comp class. Although all the professors were native Spanish speakers, they all spoke English as well and would either speak mostly English, mostly Spanish, or a mix depending on the lecture topic. The classes that primarily taught in Spanish turned out to be most useful in adapting to life in Spain, as I felt that I got insider tips to speaking the language better and appreciating the culture more.

From those four classes, I took multiple trips out of the classroom to local markets, wineries, a Moroccan restaurant, the Spanish Food’s class kitchen, and even to an international women’s day march. Almost all of these were optional to attend, but I’m so happy that I chose to do them because of the cool insight and experiences I gained.

***The local market on a Spanish language class trip***

#6 Be open and welcome new cultural encounters.

Lastly, you can follow all these tips, know Spanish fluently, and never travel far from school, but the real key to getting to know a culture is having an open mind. This is the most simple, and yet, sometimes the most difficult piece of advice to take.

First of all, it’s really weird moving to a brand new place, suddenly becoming a foreigner, and trying to assimilate to a culture you’ve probably never been exposed to, or even potentially have misconceptions about. It can make you feel homesick, out-of-place like you know nothing, or even slightly unhappy at times. But all of these feelings are a part of growing, and that growth is caused by placing yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Now when I look back on those very tough moments I had abroad, they just feel like small events that happened along the way. They have blended into the whole experience of what it was like being abroad, rather than detracting from any of it. That’s because my perspective was changed through those difficult times when I struggled to adapt, see eye to eye on cultural differences, or feel comfortable using the language. I find myself grateful for those struggles and the skills I’ve grown when it comes to future travel and intercultural communication.

Being able to look back on where you were when you started the study abroad, and acknowledge all the growth you’ve accomplished when comparing it to yourself after, is probably one of the best feelings you can get from this experience.

I found that embracing a new culture and new ways of doing things is always more fulfilling in the long-term, rather than sticking to an old mindset. I remember how terrifying it was to try new things and put myself out there when I was in Spain, but I also can’t imagine myself today without those experiences. Studying abroad is meant to change you for the better, but first, you have to be open and brave enough to let it.