Tom Bruton: Cáceres - Spain

In September 2003, I left behind my friends, family and everything I knew and got on a flight to a country where most people don’t speak English. It may seem a bit depressing, but it was actually the start of the most exciting four months I’ve ever had.

I spent that semester in Cáceres, Spain through a program run by ISU’s Spanish Department. About 30 other Iowa Staters and I took classes in Spanish language and culture at the Universidad de Extremadura. The classes were great because of their small size and the teachers who were eager to get to know us. They came with us on our field trips, bought us coffee at the university’s café, and even arranged a special Thanksgiving dinner so we wouldn’t feel homesick. Because you can’t buy a whole turkey in Spain, we feasted on paella (a traditional Spanish dish made from rice, saffron and whatever else happens to be laying around in the kitchen) and an interesting attempt at pumpkin pie.

In addition to my 12 credit hours of classes, I did a 3-credit internship working 10 hours each week at the CATELSA Company, a manufacturer of automotive parts. My job was to build a database for the company’s quality control department – something I wasn’t very familiar with as a civil engineer. Imagine being thrown into an unfamiliar work environment doing a job you’ve never done before, and then doing it in a different language! Needless to say, the internship was a great learning experience, even if it was challenging at times.

By far, the best part about living in Spain was getting to know the Spanish lifestyle. Although I can’t say that the Spaniards don’t work hard, I do believe that they really know how to live. People at the university and in the business world didn’t seem to be as stressed, and the Spanish “ritmo de vida”, or rhythm of life, is generally more relaxed. The custom of siesta is still going strong, and every afternoon the shops close while people go home to eat lunch, rest, and be with family for several hours.

Also, the Spaniards are a very social people. My first night in Cáceres I remember being amazed that the main street in town was crowded with people just hanging out and talking. And it wasn’t just the young people! There were children, parents and grandparents out socializing when many people in the US would already have been in bed. And speaking of staying up late, the typical Spanish family doesn’t eat dinner until around 10PM. It was almost as if the national schedule was designed with college students in mind.

The longer I stayed in Cáceres, the less I wanted to leave. So instead of coming home right away at the end of the semester, a friend and I decided to spend winter break traveling across Europe. With nothing but our backpacks, our Eurail train passes and our passports we saw eight countries in just under a month. While it was amazing to see famous cities like Rome, Paris and London, even more amazing were all of the people we met along the way and the stories they had to tell.

It’s hard to describe, but my study abroad changed me. I feel more confident and more independent than I did before. I don’t stress out as much about the little things and I am more open to new ideas. As someone who will soon be facing a job market where increased competition and globalization are the realities, this makes me feel good about the future.