Megan Tooker ’08

I was looking for a small college within a reasonable driving distance from my home in New Jersey. Hood was on a list with several other colleges. I remember falling in love with the campus and the friendly “Hood Hello” during my first visit. I also loved downtown Frederick and the history in the area.  When I went on my first tour of the campus, that is when I knew I wanted to be there.

As part of the requirements to complete a Spanish major at Hood, we had to choose between living in the Spanish house, or a semester abroad in Spain. I have always had an adventurous spirit and loved traveling, so I decided to do the semester abroad. I felt it would be a challenging and rewarding way to explore the world, and cement my knowledge of Spanish.

I experienced some culture shock when I first arrived in Spain.  The Spanish people, especially in southern Spain, are extremely friendly, helpful, personable and lively.  Coming from the northeastern US, this is basically the exact opposite of what I was accustomed to. In Spain, it is customary to say hello to everyone when you walk into a store. Families are very close with each other. They don’t follow the “personal space” rule we have in the US, but instead greet each other with hugs and kisses on the cheek. I found this challenging at first, but it became one of the most endearing aspects of Spanish culture, one that I still miss to this day.  The most rewarding part of living in Seville was immersing myself completely in another culture, language and way of life. I came to have a deep appreciation and love for the Spanish language, people, and culture. Spain, and its people, has become a second home for me, and will forever hold a special place in my heart.  In fact, my semester abroad had such a profound impact on me that when I returned to the US, I knew I had to get back to Spain. I spent several years finding out a way to do just that.  Finally, in 2011, I found a program to teach English abroad in Spain, and ended up spending the next three years living in Granada. 

I found the academic setting in Spain to be much more relaxed than the US, but I feel the laid-back, relaxed attitude is also something ingrained in the Spanish culture. At the same time, Spanish high school students tend to have very difficult and competitive placement exams to enter into colleges there. So, while the atmosphere is laid-back, the learning and studying is definitely not. A huge advantage of higher education in Spain is the cost; it is free! I also found that Spain, and much of Europe, places a huge emphasis on learning English. Most public schools teach all subjects in both English and Spanish. I think this is a practice we should adopt in the United States; being bilingual is an amazing quality.

In reading this question, I am not sure I could choose a favorite experience during my time in Spain. I absolutely loved living there, so much so that I went back for another three years to teach English! But, if I did have to choose, I would say living in Spain during Semana Santa, or “holy week” was an amazing experience to have.  Semana Santa is a week-long festival following Easter.  In southern Spain, especially, it is a very lively celebration, where thousands of people take part in processions through narrow streets, carrying massive, intricately carved wooden statues of religious scenes. It is a breath-taking experience to have, unlike any other.

I would say, “Go! Do it!”. Studying abroad is truly a once in a lifetime experience I believe everyone should have. It really opens your eyes, and your heart, to a new way of life, a new culture, a different way of being, that you would not be able to experience otherwise. You will get to see amazing sights, and lay your hands upon buildings that are thousands of years old, make new friends, and immerse yourself in a new language.  Living abroad is not without its challenges, but - it is an experience you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

Photo: L-R: Heather Hortie’08, Megan Tooker ’08, Erika Molina Slaughter’08, at a tour of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.