Choque Cultural (Culture Shock)

Even if you're the most open or prepared person in the world, you can still experience culture shock. Culture shock is basically just depression or stress steaming from being immersed or faced with a different culture. There ar three main stages to cuture shock.

1. The Honeymoon Phase

     I was in this phase for the first few days. Everything is exciting and pretty and amazing and you want to do everything. You are excited for the new things and can't wait to dive into the culture. 

2. Cuture shock 

     This hit me the first Friday I was here, after I went in a walk with friends. I had realized that I really didn't have any close friends here, because I met all of the people for the first time on the plane trip. I realized that I had very few comforts that were familiar, which stressed me out even more. I started to fell really lonely and stressed about the smallest things, like buying a train ticket or booking a hotel. I worried about everything and had trouble enjoying myself and relaxing because of this.

     To deal with cuture shock, I had to work things out in my mind and try to resolve the things I was worried about. I started to plan my trip and got everything booked. I made sure to hang out with my friends and I realized that I didn't need a specific group of friends because the whole group was extremely close. I also tried to be more positive and to not overreact, which can be hard, especially with those people who overthink and stress a lot. I also tried to make connections between home and Segovia and found that they were more than I had previously believed. Taking showers and keeping busy can also helps lot, or at least they did for me. 

3. Acceptance

I'm still not completely there yet but I am better. I can calm myself down and I find I am excited for the independent trips instead of worried. I don't fell as excited as I did in the Honeymoon phase and I have moments where I am stressed, but it is no longer as bad. 

     Every person will have a different time schedule when it comes to culture shock. Some may have a long honeymoon phase, with the cuture shock hitting later in the trip while other may hit culture shock upon arrival. Understanding what you are going through can help you deal with cuture shock and overcome it. 

     Also, the intensity of the phases can differe fro person to person as well.

FYI most of this is just what I went through and did but we did have have a page on this in our preparation materials at my college. 

Mi Horario Diario (My Daily Schedule)

This is my schedule during the week. Obviously if we go on an excursion, this doesn't apply but this is generally how my days go. All of my weekends are going to be different so I don't have a schedule for that.

8:00-8:40 getting ready and breakfast. 

8:40-8:50 walking to class

8:50-10:30 Spanish Civilization and Cultire with Dra. Pertusa and Dra. Stewart

10:30-12:00 homework and studying at the school, el Centro KIIS

12:00-2:00 head home and relax or finish homework (sitting on the awesome balcony :D) OR time to explore

2:00-5:00 lunch and siesta

5:00-8:00 free time, most likely with exploring or hanging out with friends

8:00-9:00 dinner 

+9:00 free time (homework, relaxing, or hanging out with friends)

After being here a day or two, this is how my days have gone so this schedule is subject to change in the future. 

Introducción (Introduction)

During this summer, I will be studying abroad in Spain. I have chosen to write a blog so that my family back in the States can know what is going on. I'm also going to include how I got ready for my trip to Spain and what I researched before going for anyone who is interested or visiting Spain in the future.

I am studying in Segovia, Spain this summer with the KIIS program. This program
is an organization in Kentucky that has many different trips around the world. I chose to go on the KIIS Experience Spain II summer program, which requires students to have at least 18 hours of Spanish before going. (I have intermediate speaking and comprehending skills, having taken classes throughout high school and one year of college.) They offer four classes and students can take either one or two classes. I chose to take only one class on the Language and Culture of Spain so that I will have a little more time to explore.

This program is a home stay and so each student will be assigned a home with one to two other students. Each of the homes is somewhat close to the Plaza Mayor de Segovia (number 10 on the map), which is where the KIIS classes will be held.

There are about 4 or 5 different day excursions with the group to different locations near Segovia, including Salamanca, Madrid, Avila, and Toledo. We also have a four day weekend in the middle of the trip, during which we can travel wherever we want.

I hope this blog is helpful and interesting and I will continue posting other information I find about Segovia and Spain.

Los Teléfonos (telephones)

If you are planing on going abroad, make sure to check with your phone company to see what they offer when it comes to international service. Sometimes international texting, data, and calls are include in the plan while sometimes they aren't. When it comes to my plan, I had no international service provided and so I ended up purchasing a $30 plane from AT&T, which gives me unlimited texts abroad. My roommate's plan, however, included texting and data abroad so she didn't need to worry about that. 

Should you want to make calls to your family, you can use wifi using apps like Skype and FaceTime to communicate with family back home (which is what I am planning on doing). You can also get apps like Magicjack and WhatsApp, which can make calls through the Internet. (Be aware that MagicJack costs depending on where you are calling to and from). 

If you don't like either of these options, you also can purchase a SIM card from a local provider in Spain. Telefonica and Orange both sell them in their stores and you can get data, calls, and texts depending on what plan you purchase. You have to have them activated by a store attendant but you get everything you probably have with your plan back home. I believe these cost around $30 as well but I am not sure. To do this method, however, you must have an unlocked phone, with which you can change out the SIM cards.

Experience:

With the AT&T plan, I have been able to text my family back home with no problems. I can't send pictures or set up group messages unless I have wifi but I'm not upset about that at all. I'll actually be using WhatsApp to connect with a few of my friends here.

Update:

Having only texts works fine but sometimes I won't receive messages from those I am talking with until I get internet. They send through iMessage and since I can't get data here, it is a little frustrating.

Productos Electrónicos (Electronics)

One important thing to know if you travel to Spain is that the electrical outlet has a different shape and a different wattage. The prongs are rounded and the wattage used is higher than in the United States. Because of this, you will need an adapter and/or a converter to make sure you can plug your electrical products into these outlets.

 

iPad and iPhone chargers along with many computer and electroninic chargers are made to adapter the voltage of outlets around the world. If you chargers says that it works with 110-240V then you should be fine in Spain.

Hairdryers/Curling Irons are the things you have to worry about. If you don't have a good converter,  you could end up damaging your device or even setting something on fire. These devices use less voltage than those in Spain and when the higher voltage goes in them, some type of explosion is possible.

(I find it funny that Denamrks's outlet is so happy. They are supposed to be the happiest country in the world and even their outlets show it.)

Experience: 

My host mom had a multiple outlet plug. I had a simple adapter that fits fine in the outlet but my converter does not fit at all (thankfully I don't need it).

(Adapter is underneath the iPhone plug. My roommate has the larger one, which also can work in the UK and USA)

More Information: Electrical Plug/Outlet and Voltage Information for Spain (Reino de España)
Travel Power Adapters: How to Choose
Using Electronics in Europe: The Backpacker’s Guide to Travel Gadgets

La Ropa (Clothing)

Research:

People in Europe, including those in Spain, tend to have a higher standard of dress than people in the United States. Women going to the supermarket dress up and wear heels, looking like they are going to a fancy party rather than shopping for food. Because of this, sweatpants are not worn outside the house and gym shorts are only seen on those who are doing something sports related. Shorts in general are not as common. Most people will wear a dress or capris rather than shorts. Wearing shorts will oftentimes identify you as a tourists. (Note: If you try to visit a church in shorts, oftentimes they will turn you away.)

The types of shoes they wear are also different. Flip-flops are not worn and tennis shoes or sneakers are not common although some say that converse are the only acceptable type.  Most women will wear heels or nicer shoes so make sure that you have a nice pair of sandals or dressier shoes instead of sneakers.

For this trip, I have purchased a lot of dresses. I bought around 7 dresses with me. I also brought nicer pants that I could role up so that they could work as capris. I brought some nicer shirts to go with these pants. 

Experience:

 We walked around and I have seen people in shorts but a majority of women are wearing dresses. Many of the host moms that picked us up wore comfortable dresses and nicer shoes. My host mom wore a comfortable, informal dress and I felt like I fit in with my capris and shirt (although in the afternoon, this was hot and so I will probably not be wearing those unless it is cooler out). Although I have seen some jean shorts, I haven't seen any long jeans yet.

People hear primarily wear sandals. My Señora wore them to pick us up. I have also seen quite a few pairs of heels. 

Mi Llegada en España (My Arrival in Spain)

We arrived around 9 in the morning at the Madrid Airport. It was really simple getting out, more so than I thought it would be. We followed a hallway and the signs to the baggage claim (they are in both English and Spanish), where we had to give our passports to customs before entering the baggage area. We found our luggage area and everyone got their luggage with no problems. Inside there was a place to exchange you money if you wanted to although I ended up not doing that. We then headed out of the baggage area where we met out professors. They took us to a bus that was rented for the KIIS students and we drive for about an hour till we arrived near the aqueducto. 

After that our host families, who were waiting for us, took us back to their houses. Our host mother, Lola, had an apartment  that was extremely close to the aqueduct so it wasn't that long of a drive. Mary, my roommate, and I got there and unpacked and then she took us on a walk to the plaza mayor where our classes are. After that we had lunch with her and her husband, Alfonso. We had gazpacho (a cold tomato soup that originates from Andalucia) along with baked chicken, potatoes, and melon for desert (which was better than any melon I have ever had in the United States). We then took a little nap and rested a bit before heading over to the aqueduct to meet with our group for orientation.

Dr. Melissa Stewart showed us around Segovia and some of the famous landmarks before we went to the KIIS office, where she answered questions we had and discussed plans for the nextfew days as well as rules. We then continued walking and saw the Alcazar, an old palace in Segovia.

We circled back around to the aqueduct, where we then separated, with Mary and I heading back to our house to shower and have dinner.

We had Spanish rice and a tomato salad. I actually like the tomato salad even thou I usually have trouble eating tomatoes. I only ate one piece of tomato though. We then had cherries and a Spanish fruit called Paraguaya for desert. The Paraguaya is delicious and is like peach with more flavor. It is amazing (It's now my favorite fruit). We ate on the balcony for dinner and Lola, Mary, and I talked for a while. I really feel like we are much closer even though it has only been one day. Hasta mañana!