In this, her first guest post for us, publications associate Emilie Smith ’20 reflects on her first study-abroad experience: on the new understanding it gave her, and on her appreciation for the college that made such an opportunity possible even at the very onset of her undergraduate career. Smith, from Green Bay, is an English major and Spanish minor pursuing a pre-law certificate. In the office of communications, she serves as student editor of the college’s in-house newsletter and contributes articles to other SNC publications. In addition to working three part-time jobs, she’s involved with Kappa Beta Gamma, a sorority whose philanthropic focus is the Special Olympics.
At times, the corner of the world that is St. Norbert College can seem incredibly small. Of course, I love my campus, my professors and my friends, but, as a school in De Pere, Wisconsin, we are not necessarily “in the thick of things.” If we desire adventure, we need to take the initiative to reach out and grab hold of the experiences we will treasure for the rest of our lives. And this leads into one of the reasons I love St. Norbert so incredibly much. When we reach out, they reach out with us, and try their very best to help us find experiences that will expand our minds and so much more.
As a freshman, I was ready for a year of plunking away at a computer and pulling at my hair while I listened to a professor lecture on subjects way beyond my level of comprehension. What I wasn’t ready for was the change to pack up, hop on a plane and fly off to the southern tip of Spain to take a class on culture and rich history.
I was given the incredible opportunity to travel to an amazing, beautiful country through the Honors Global Seminars Program here at St. Norbert College. I rode trains through the countryside, stopping to admire the scenery of small cities like Toledo or the bustling city life in places like Madrid. I stood on the crowded streets of Málaga and watched as children scuttled about to collect the candy thrown during the Three Kings Eve Parade. I hiked the gorge in Ronda and stood at the very bottom, looking up at the waterfall and countryside, feeling as if I could see the entire world from my perch. And, in a way, I believe I did. I believe that, in simply being somewhere else and by experiencing a world so far from my own, I was able to see the entirety of the world as something so much more diverse, expansive and connected than I was able to before.
However, it would be unjust if I only spoke of the beautiful things I had seen and failed to address the beautiful people I met. I was only in the country for a short two weeks, but I still managed to interact with so many fun, kind and energetic individuals. My favorite interaction occurred near the middle of my trip when I was just slightly adjusting to the intense change in culture. However, this change seemed less intimidating after I decided to take a solo excursion to the mines under the Casa del Rey Moro.
About halfway up the stairs, I turned a corner and placed my hands on my knees, desperate for a quick moment to stop and take a breath. When I looked up, I saw the father, hunched over in a similar position. We made eye contact and both laughed at our inability to climb up this steep flight of stairs without groaning and panting. We both continued up the steps, and I lost the father some time along the way. But, when I exited the mine, I saw the father and the son sitting on a bench, both laughing and breathing heavily. When he saw me, the father pointed at me and said, ¡Lo hiciste!, or, you did it! In response, I laughed, gave him a hearty thumbs up and replied, ¡Y tú!
It was such a silly moment, but it was pure and simple. It was a little, insignificant connection I made with a complete stranger despite our cultural divides. It taught me how similar we all are, how interconnected, and this was the true value of my experience in Spain. As I sat, surrounded by beauty and history, I was able to learn about the surrounding world and the people who make it such an amazingly diverse, interesting and intimate place.
