My First Trip Abroad: Learning Spanish Abroad

Introduction

Frederick Douglass was first taught how to read by his master's wife, Mrs. Auld. She then taught Frederick the alphabet and small words before her husband forbade her from teaching Frederick. Frederick then realized that reading could be his path to freedom and decided to learn to read at any cost. This essay and specific quote then triggered my thoughts on how I studied aboard for a year and how hard it was for me to learn how to read and write Spanish. My first trip abroad to Costa Rica exposed me to different cultures, languages, idioms, customs, and ways of life that forever altered my perspective on the meaning of life. Being seventeen and freshly out of high school, I didn’t know if I wanted to work or attend college so I made a decision to study a foreign language and enroll away to a Spanish school aboard. I had no idea what to expect going to a Spanish school in Costa Rica and living with a host family. I was born in Florida but I was raised in The Bahamas and then after some time I attended high school in Durham, North Carolina, so I was always accustomed to change. However, Costa Rica is much different from the Bahamas and the United States, the number one reason being its first language is Spanish. Furthermore, I never imagined living with people who don’t speak or understand English.

My Trip Abroad to Costa Rica

The day I first traveled to Costa Rica I was very nervous about the fact that I was actually about to study aboard but I was almost not allowed to board the flight going from Fort Lauderdale to Juan Santamaria International Airport because I was scheduled to come back five months later but you can only stay in the country for three months. For a moment I was relieved not being able to go on the flight until the agents then rescheduled me coming back to the U.S. 3 months to that exact date. My relief was now gone. Entering San Jose, all my anxiety hit me all at once.

As I looked around, everything was so different and all the people were too. I felt like an outcast. Walking into the yard of my host family, I noticed that there were several houses, five in total that all consisted of families related to my host family. In my observation, most Central American families build their houses in a plantation form which made them very family-orientated. The families then crowded around me and started asking me questions in Spanish. I tried to answer as many questions as I could. They then proceeded to show me to my room and as I looked around it seemed much smaller than I imagined. As soon as you enter the room, there was the bed, and very close to the bed, it was the closet. I smiled at the family because I didn’t want to hurt their feelings but deep down I knew I had to adjust to the living arrangements.

Living with a Host Family in Costa Rica

My host family consisted of 3 adult kids and their mom and dad. All three of the kids including myself shared one bathroom, which I hated. Imagine, four of us getting up in the morning and all needing to use the restroom and shower. Also, I was not allowed to speak English in the house because they wanted me to learn the language faster. I had school Monday through Friday for four hours and I had to walk to school every day but it came as a surprise to them when I expressed that I never walked to school before. It was customary in Costa Rica that kids catch the bus to school or walk because most families can't afford to buy a car or luxury items since it’s a third-world country. Despite those things, my living conditions and not being able to speak English didn’t stop me from doing what I came there for.

My first day of school was relatively easy since it was only me and the teacher in the classroom. I struggled with learning a new language like how Douglas struggled but to me anything worth doing is hard. Learning Spanish verbs entails much more than just a single word. Verbs in Spanish are conjugated by person and number, meaning that you’ll have to study five different endings for each verb that you learn as per subject pronoun. If that’s not enough, the conjugations can be different depending on the ending of the verb and even further, verb tenses are all conjugated differently. Learning the grammatical rules of Spanish is one thing; actually talking to people is another because Spanish speakers talk really fast.

Overcoming Challenges on My First Trip Abroad

After long tedious days of four hours learning Spanish nonstop I walked home to then learn and speak more Spanish. I felt that four hours a day was not enough for me so I took matters into my own hands. I went to the libraries and bookstores and bought Spanish books to help me with my reading. Sometimes after everyone thought I was asleep, I would turn my light on and start reading more and more until I thought I mastered it. I turn my iPhone settings into Spanish and I watch Spanish shows to give me more exposure to the Spanish culture

I learned vigorously by reading a lot, watching Spanish programs, and listening to people but personally, this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Each step in this educational process has taught me a different point of view on life. This has been a remarkable growth for me. Learning a foreign language can take you to a lot of places and for Douglas, it leads him to freedom. The knowledge helped him to articulate the injustice of slavery for himself and others and helped him to recognize himself as a man rather than just a slave. The process of learning Spanish taught me the true meaning of determination. It’s one of the best languages to learn for travel and makes you more employable. Also, it kept my mind sharp and I become a better person because it inspired me to open a whole new world of art, literature, and beauty.

Conclusion

My Spanish teacher reminded me that any step you take in language learning is a step forward and there is no specific direction you need to take. For most people like me learning their first foreign language, the very beginning is the hardest part. I just didn’t know where to start and I felt like my journey ended before it even began. Like myself, Douglass showed his determination to read and write by pursuing both through a variety of means that altered and shaped his mind. Even though our roads were very different, the process it took for Douglas and I was merely the same. We both were determined and encouraged to push ourselves to become a better version of ourselves and even though it was through different circumstances we both had and end goal and achieved it.    

Works Cited

1. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. 1845.