Amidst the stress of what to bring back for my family and friends in my final week abroad, I needed to consider what to bring back from Spain for myself. For my loved ones, the best thing I can do to share the Asturian culture is to pack some traditional snacks to bring back to the U.S. For myself, no physical object will do the trick of encapsulating the experience I have had in Oviedo. The impending goodbyes have become difficult for me to process, because it feels like I am finally getting adjusted to my life here. Going forward, there are a few things I can do to carry my experience here with me.
My biggest concern going forward is losing touch with the Spanish skills I have developed by practicing in daily life. I live in an English-speaking country, and traveling for months at a time to Spanish-speaking countries is not a sustainable method of language learning. Because of this, I know I will have to seek out opportunities to practice my Spanish. At home, I sometimes am embarrassed to practice my Spanish, like to talk to my bilingual friends and coworkers, or to speak up in Spanish class. I think the most helpful thing I have gained from this experience is confidence. I have found that many native speakers, my host family, waiters, and even local residents I have met through community events have been more than happy to help me with my Spanish, and have been very patient with me. Oftentimes, when I meet other young people, like this week at the Festival of Carmín de Pola, they are excited to meet Americans and help me with my Spanish in exchange for help with their English. I often feel embarrassed and humbled when I know I am not speaking correctly, but an important part of learning is making mistakes and being aware of them.
Although I am sure I will face people being frustrated with my imperfect abilities in the future, I have had such a positive learning experience here in Oviedo. The confidence I have gained just from the extra practice will undoubtedly allow me to challenge myself going forward and put myself out there. My recommendation to any readers who plan on studying abroad is to not be afraid to make mistakes when speaking because you will only get better with more practice. As I travel back to the U.S. this week, I am bringing home confidence in my Spanish abilities and a plan to seek out Spanish learning opportunities, whether it’s a club at school, community events, watching Spanish movies, or just practicing with my peers when I get the chance.
My most authentic experience of language practice during my time abroad was definitely this weekend at the Festival of Carmín de Pola. The tradition of this festival dates back 300 years ago, and celebrates the Virgin Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen who is widely revered across the coastal towns of the Asturias region. In my homestay, we had a mini celebration for the feast day of the Virgin Carmen, whom my host mom is named after–for her the day is like a second birthday. Although our in-home party did not quite compare to the real festival, it was amazing to see how widely celebrated Carmen is, specifically in the Asturias. According to an article from La Nueva España, the festival saw over 50,000 visitors last year. The community gathers in a field in Pola de Siero wearing white shirts, denim bottoms, and a bandana with the Asturian cross. Everyone shares food and drink and listens to music, until the evening when the procession into town begins. In town, festival-goers on the street yell up to people on their balconies, who throw buckets down onto the festival-goers. This tradition dates back to when pilgrims returned to their village and asked their neighbors for water. After this, the group reconvenes in the town center where there is a music performance.
This festival was an amazing experience because I was able to indulge in a tradition that is huge for locals but not overrun by tourists. Many of the Spaniards we met were surprised to find Americans there. For me, this festival was especially interesting because of its Catholic roots. I grew up Catholic and had religious education for most of my life, so it was great to see my faith so strongly celebrated and central to the culture. There are many Catholic celebrations in Spain that did not reach the United States, and it was great to visit a traditionally religious celebration that is popular with young people, a rarer occurrence in the states. This festival is just one of the examples of the beauty of the Asturian culture, and I am so lucky to have chosen a location where I can get an authentic Spanish cultural experience.
I am so lucky to bring new linguistic confidence home with me, as well as a better understanding of Asturian culture. To read more about local festivities near Oviedo, check out one of my peers posts describing other ways to interact with local residents and practice Spanish!