by Aaron Connolly

Spain really is an amazing place! Not only am I learning about the history and culture by visiting museums, churches, castles, etc., but my free time and nights have been experiences I will remember forever. By meeting and interacting with locals, I have been able to practice my Spanish in a way I had not been able to before. Most people I have encountered in Spain only know a handful of English, so to communicate was at times very difficult. When I was put in a situation where I only knew a little Spanish and the person I was communicating with knew absolutely no English, things got interesting fast.

I was forced to find a way to communicate no matter how confident I was in my Spanish. The biggest step was not worrying whether my Spanish was perfect or not. As long as they understood me, I could work on perfecting it later. Whether it was buying something in a store, eating in a restaurant or going out at night, I was able to improve my Spanish and I am much more confident in speaking it.