This summer in Oviedo was an exciting adventure! We all started off a little timid but quickly made connections with the host families and each other and challenged ourselves to interact with local residents in stores and on excursions. Many of our Hoosiers were impressed by the green mountains and lovely weather of Asturias
Students expressed a new appreciation for walking everywhere and being outside more often as well as for the long Sunday meals in which families talk for hours. The students' dedication to the language commitment and interest in local slang led them to grow exponentially throughout their six weeks, which was reflected not only in their test scores but also in their ability to communicate with family members and other locals. Many of our students were lucky to have host families who drove them to the beach on the weekends and spent time teaching them how to cook typical regional foods such as tortilla de patata and arroz con leche. They learned to problem solve and became more independent and self-sufficient as they navigated the city without smartphones and used public transportation for the first time.
The depth of the connections made over these six weeks was evident in the tears shed...on the last morning in Oviedo.
We all loved learning about the rich cultural history of Spain, which included visiting national monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the church Santa María del Naranco in Oviedo, Santiago de Compostela, and the Roman Aqueduct in Segovia. We also visited Covadonga, where we were able to see a historic church that lies inside of a cave in a cliff. On school days, we had three classes and study time before participating in Afternoon Activities together, which included preparation for the Farewell Show. We struggled together through the difficult lyrics of the Danza Prima, a local dance that is sung in the Asturian language, and invited the host families to join in the dance with us at the Farewell Show. Our students also presented the host families with a new twist to the Farewell Show by organizing it around the Cup or "Super Bowl" of Asturias, in which they were able to share their passion for sports and other activities through a soccer game. They started the game with the Hymn of Asturias and thanked the families with speeches, a skit, a bachata dance, and music during the halftime show. After finishing the game, we invited the host families to dance the Danza Prima with us and celebrated everyone's success and friendship over food. The depth of the connections made over these six weeks was evident in the tears shed as the students said goodbye to their host families on the last morning in Oviedo, as well as through their tearful group hugs in the airport upon returning to Indianapolis. We are all so excited about the students' growth throughout this process as well as their new connections with each other and their Spanish families and friends, which will serve them in their promising future as world citizens.
