36 Hours in San Sebastian..NY Times

I found this link to a great article about San Sebastian, my future home for 5 months. It gives me the itch to be there now! :)

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/travel/18hours.html

Le dio en el clavo....

I found this quote in a publication by Michael Byram and Anwei Feng titled, "Teaching and Researching Intercultural Competence" that "hit the nail on the head."

"The intercultural learner moves amongst cultures, in a process of continual negotiation, learning to cope with the inevitable changes, in a manner that is ultimately empowering and enriching. The home culture is never denied nor demeaned, yet the intercultural learner will find his or her attitudes and beliefs challenged by contact with others, and the process of interaction will lead to the kind of personal growth characterized by 'progressive curricula'."---Corbett

A little about my story......

As a seventeen-year old high school senior from Northern California, I left the United States for the first time for a week long vacation with twenty classmates and my high school Spanish teacher. Leaving, I had worked hard for a year to save enough funds to visit the country I had been introduced to during three years of high school Spanish, with visions of eating delicious Mexican food, and having a taste of what college freedom might be like. This trip, as cliché as it may sound, captivated me and changed my life forever. I quickly learned that burritos and tacos are not eaten in Spain-what was I to do for a whole ten days without Mexican food? Putting this newfound realization aside, I became enthralled with the ancient architecture, nightlife, language, and culture of the Spanish people, while declaring San Sebastián as my “favorite city” in Spain. In fact, I became so mesmerized by the world that existed outside of my small Northern California town, that I caught the travel bug, and declared Spanish as my undergraduate major with the intent of becoming a high school Spanish teacher. I too wanted to provide students with the opportunity to change their lives, much like mine had been changed by my teacher; and of course, I wanted to continue to travel.

Eight years later, I had accomplished what I set out to achieve as a seventeen-year old high school senior. I graduated from college with a Bachelors Degree in Spanish, successfully completed the teacher credential program at Chico State, had traveled to 13 countries in South America and Europe, had two successful years of teaching high school Spanish under my belt, and…..still wanted something more. I wanted to live abroad, and felt that this experience was a necessary component to enhancing the environment in the classroom I taught in. I started the Master’s Degree Program in Teaching International Languages at Chico State in the Fall of 2008, with the intent to study abroad as part of the program. Still teaching full time high school Spanish, I took two masters classes per semester at Chico State. Truth be told, this was the most challenging, and demanding year of my life (until this semester!). However, I was working toward a life-long goal- actually living in Spain; an opportunity I passed up as an undergraduate student because of athletic obligations. I applied for, and received, a leave of absence from my teaching position for the Spring of 2010 to study abroad. Although it took some convincing, I explained to my superiors the importance of this move for me not only personally, but most importantly, professionally. I returned to my realization as a high school student that Mexican food cannot be found in Spain, and convinced them that it would be a good model for my students to see their teacher explore the world outside of their small community, have the desire to continue learning, and take a personal risk.

Aside from being a positive role model for my students, this experience will fulfill a life long dream of mine; to be immersed in and become a part of the Spanish speaking culture that has fascinated me for years. As a non-native Spanish speaker, I also seek this opportunity to increase my language fluency and cultural knowledge. Choosing San Sebastián was an easy choice as it is simple to recall its beauty that prompted me to declare it “my favorite city in Spain.” Also, I am intrigued to learn more about the bi-culturalism of the Basque people, as my master’s project will focus on teaching culture in the foreign language classroom. Therefore, not only will I gain insight into the Spanish culture, but also the culture of the people of the Basque Country.

I am truly grateful for all those who are helping make this dream a reality: my employers for granting me a leave, my parents for feeding me almost every night and allowing me to take over their office with homework, my best friends who understand the dedication and sacrifice that this endeavor requires, and to my students who always brighten my stressful days and whom I will miss very much!


I'm leaving January 8th and returning August 5th..but one last thing---keep your fingers crossed that my student visa will be accepted!