Temple Update Oviedo Correspondent Jon Dowding filed this reports on how students are getting used to the language, culture and customs of Spain:
After a week-long orientation filled with visits to world heritage sites in and around, students in the Temple Spain program have moved onto their homes in Oviedo until the end of the semester. Whether its practicing their soccer skills or exploring the Royal Palace in Madrid, students in the Temple Spain program have learned a lot about the Spanish language and culture since landing in January. Jacob DeAngeles told us, “I wanted to come on the Spain program so I could have an immersive experience. I feel like when you’re learning a language, having yourself surrounded by the language 24/7 is a really good way to have everything stick.”
Kayla Harnish said that after a bit of rocky start, she’s getting acclimated: “It just became all real to me that this is going to be my home for the next five months and it kind of freaked me out a little bit. But, you know, I got over it and I think I’m starting to get used to it now.” Eliana Hawkins wants to use eventually use Spain as a base for wider travels: “Academically, I want to become more fluent with my Spanish and feel more comfortable speaking and having conversations and discussing my likes, dislikes, you know that sort of thing. And I’d also like to travel a lot and get to see Europe.”
Everyday, students representing many different countries come to La Casa De Las Lenguas at La Universidad De Oviedo. Their classes include Written Expression, Oral Expression, Spanish Culture and Hispanic-American Culture — just to name a few. Eliana says she’s meeting students from all over: “We have a group from China, a group from Japan. There’s a couple from the United States. There’s some students we met from Virginia Tech. There’s some from Iowa, a couple girls from Miami. So there’s definitely a variety of students.”
Although Oviedo does not quite have the hustle-and-bustle of Philadelphia, Temple students are still learning to call this new place home.
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