Kurt Blankschaen
  Over the summer I traveled abroad for the first time by myself. I had a rough start and mixed up the travel dates on my flight and ended up in Spain a day before everyone else. Even though I had the initial mix up, everything evened out with all the help and support that everyone gave me. I found that everyone in Spain, including strangers, were very welcoming and helpful. This hospitality was not limited to my first arrival in Spain, as any time I tried to travel, I would bumble travel plans with busing, housing, or some other unforeseen logistical problem. Each time, however, any one I met was more than happy to offer help in finding the bus station or the hotel. Aside from the very welcoming rapport that I found in everyone, I also found that though the food was not always as expected, every effort was made to ensure that food was compatible with dietary needs. Though my first days of Spain were very rocky, I found that it was made better with the kindness of the people.

 
Molly Morgan
 After spending 4 weeks in Segovia, Spain, I returned home not only more confident in my abilities to speak Spanish, but with a new outlook on the world in which we live. By living with a host family, I was able to experience the Spanish culture first-hand. Through conversations with my host mother at meal times, I improved my Spanish speaking skills and learned about the culture of Segovia. The two classes we took while abroad were exceptionally unique because we were learned about art and architecture that we were able to view first-hand, and we read legends that had taken place all around the city. It was truly an out-of-the-classroom experience and provided us with conversation with our host families and the people of Segovia. In addition to discovering Segovia, we were able to visit and learn about other sites and cities in Spain that had fascinating history and captivating scenery. For me, the most powerful experience was becoming a minority, yet discovering many similarities with the people of Spain, forming bonds with new and old friends, and finding forms of unity in the human experience through participation in cultural activities.

 
Maryjo Pirages 
  I thoroughly enjoyed my study abroad experience in Segovia, Spain this past summer through the University of Dayton’s Department of Languages.  While abroad, I had the pleasure of living with a host family, Josephina and Jesus, with whom I am still in correspondence with.  They did not speak a word of English, which forced me to further develop my Spanish abilities and brought me to a comfortable level of fluency.  As part of the program I took two Spanish classes, one focused on literature and one focused on art history and appreciation.  The courses were great and really exposed me not only to the culture of Spain, but specifically to the culture of the town of Segovia.  This proved to be a very personalized, rewarding experience.  We took field trips and did not just read and discuss art; rather we went and saw it in person.  The professors were absolutely dynamic and helped to calm any nerves I had about living in a foreign place, speaking a different language.  In addition to classes, studying abroad allowed me to travel throughout Spain on the weekends.  I went to Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, and even to Pamplona, where I watched the infamous “Running of the Bulls.”  All of these were once in a lifetime, eye opening experiences.  Along the way, I made many new friends, as is characteristic of any program sponsored by UD.  My study abroad experience broadened my horizons and exposed me to a whole new world.  The trip really enhanced me personally, culturally, academically, and professionally.  I am extremely grateful for the opportunity!    

 
Jessica Schulte
  The month I spent in Spain was one that taught me not only about the beautiful Roman architecture we encountered, but also about the life, language and culture of the people in Segovia, Spain. Because the program was focused on developing Spanish language skills, a lot of us came back with stories about how our minimal Spanish skills failed miserably. Some of our most victorious moments were when we would successfully buy train tickets for our weekend trips without being asked four times to repeat our requests. However, I think we can all say our language skills drastically improved, and we learned more in this month abroad than we would have been able to in a typical classroom.  In just one month, I managed to explore and then embrace a culture formerly unknown to me. To the food, the culture, the people, the experience and the memories, I simply have one thing to say: Te amo, España. I love you, Spain.

Casey Schuster
   I knew when I signed up to be a part of the study abroad program in Segovia last summer that it would be an experience I would remember and treasure forever, but I had no idea just how much I would fall in love with the country, the culture, and the people. When I look back on my month in Spain and reread my diary about the trip, I am always filled with an indescribable emotion. Segovia was the experience of a lifetime. Having the opportunity to take a class on Spanish culture and legends and another one on Spanish art, both of which were able to complete my minor in Spanish, was amazing. I learned a lot in the classrooms in Spain, but there is no comparison to first-hand experiences. Being able to take class trips to museums like Reina Sofia or the Prado in Madrid and seeing Dali’s paintings and Picasso’s famous Guernica was just so incredible. Not to mention our trips to summer palaces once lived in by famous kings of Spain. There are a lot of interesting things to see in the United States, but they lack the history and magnificence of the buildings in Spain. As a history major, I was fascinated with everything I saw. The differences in architecture and landscape as you travel throughout the country are difficult to put into words; everything is so beautiful. Life is just so different there. Everyone is so welcoming and eager to teach you about the culture. My host family became just that to me, a family. They talked to me as if we had been friends for years and they told me stories about Segovia that could not be taught from a textbook. People always told me to study abroad if ever given the opportunity, and now I do the same. I will never forget my experience in Segovia and I know that if I ever do return there, which I hope to in the future, I will always have a family to visit.