Culture, to me, is the way of life of the people in a
certain area. It exemplifies the beliefs and the characteristics of what the
people of the nation stand for in life. When traveling to different parts of
the world and experiencing the different cultures of the nations it can be eye
opening and interesting to see the similarities and differences between our way
of life in the United States and their ways of life over seas. When I think of
the culture in Spain I think of life that is simpler and less chaotic than our
lives in the United States. I am very interested and excited for the daily
“siesta” that takes places from 2 to 5pm. During the “siesta” the country shuts
down to allow the people of Spain to rest and relax after a busy, hectic
morning of work. I think this is a great idea because it gives people energy
and enthusiasm to get back to work after they rest and this could improve the
quality of work and maybe even the production of the companies. I also know
that in Spain most of the transportation is by walking. This is not only a good
exercise and better for the health of the people living in Spain but is also cleaner
and healthier for the environment because it causes less pollution and waste. What
I hope to learn and gain from the upcoming experience of living in Spain for
four weeks is the way of life of the Spaniards. I am excited to be immersed in
the language and culture of Spain and I think living with a host family will be
important in allowing me to feel like a resident of Spain and not just a
college kid who is visiting for school. I am excited for the opportunities that
will be presented to me such as visiting different historic sites and also
being able to take classes in Spain and see how the teaching may be different
from our education in the United States. I am also interested in meeting many
people in Spain that I will be able to relate with and learn about the
different cultures that they live in. I am excited to go to Europe for my first
time and see how the lifestyles are different. I will be able to learn the
language in a new environment instead of being in a classroom. I will be able
to learn the language by living in it.
