Disclaimer: As I am writing this I am finding it a lot harder to write. The other blogs where straight forward responses or tasks. This blog is different. It is asking me to reflect on six fantastic and complicated weeks. I am not a gifted writer. I am much better at deriving equation and writing computer programs. So if will be difficult for be accurately represent and reflect on my stay here but I am going to do my best.
To aid in this attempt I have some ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ for future participants of the program and there explanations.
Do try as many different tapas/types of food as you can.
I usually do not have a lot of variety in my diet but here I was forced to change that. I have learned to love fish I have had an open mind to everything and have loved almost everything that I have tired. One of the best advice I got before coming here was "ask what it is after you eat it." I think that, in Spain at least it is a good rule to live by. I mind and stomach have been opened to new varies in food and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Do go to as many CEA/Program events as possible
The CEA staff is wonderful and they do all that they can to make your stay amazing. They are the kindest sweetest people I know and have really been a great resource and foundation. The trips that they set up for us are fantastic. The are so organized you don't have to worry about a things. I really enjoyed the program events especially due to there diversity. They did a great job showing us a myriad of different things. The trips as I said were great but I also enjoyed the small afternoon events and wish that I could have gone to more of them. I have never meet a group of people that seem to care more about the people they are help. I really feel like I've made some great friends at CEA.
Do go and experience the night culture
I don't often go out at Michigan. I am more of a stay in and watch a movie kind of guy but I have had so much fun going out here. Drinks and Tapas are some of my new favorite things and while my waistline isn't very happy right now I would do it all again. I have made great friends in my class due in at least in part to our unforgettable adventures on Pedro Antonio and many different Discotecas.
Don’t forget to sleep
With so much to do it is easy to forget how important sleep is. I found naps/siestas to be a very necessary part of my days here. Having a good amount of sleep will make you enjoy everything better, it will make it easier to work, easier to learn, and easier to have fun.
Don’t forget to study
This is a big one with some much to do it would be very easy to just sleep all day and go out every night and get tapas. It is important to not for get why you are here. You are a University of Michigan student and you are here to learn and to gain a bit of cultural perspective. The class is a lot of fun but it is not easy.
Don’t have a closed mind
Most important of all, you are going to experience a plethora of things and it is important to keep an open mind and understand that you might not alway be able to communicate or do exactly what you want to do but that is okay. You will but much better of going with the flow of things and will most likely end up having more fun.
I stay in Granada was amazing and I would trade my experience here for anything. I would much rather have a reflective conversation then try to write out my feelings but I have the framework of do/don't has helped explain my thought and the perfective that I am currently developing.
No comments:
Post a Comment