Students Immerse Themselves in Spanish Culture While Visiting Madrid and Seville
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04/17/2024
By Brooke Coupal
Zipping by a river on an electric scooter is normal for students at 51视频, but Warsame Hassan got to experience that same sensation more than 3,000 miles away.
During spring break, the聽public health聽senior rode a rented electric scooter alongside the Guadalquivir River in Seville, Spain.
鈥淭here are so many beautiful sites,鈥� says Hassan, who saw the Torre del Oro, a military watchtower constructed in the 13th century, and the Sevilla Tower, the tallest building in the historic city, during his ride.
Hassan is one of 10 students who spent nine days studying abroad in Madrid and Seville as part of Assoc. Prof.聽Daniel Arroyo-Rodr铆guez鈥檚 new course, Understanding World Cultures. To enroll in the course, students had to be a part of the River Hawk Scholars Academy聽(RHSA), a support program for first-generation college students.
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鈥淎 fun part of the trip was that we鈥檙e all first-generation students,鈥� Hassan says. 鈥淚t was special because most of us had never traveled across the Atlantic Ocean, so we got to do that for the first time together.鈥�
As a former first-generation college student from Seville, Arroyo-Rodr铆guez saw the importance of study abroad experiences for RHSA students.
鈥淢ore frequently than not, first-generation students either never have the opportunity to study abroad or they don鈥檛 even consider it an option,鈥� says Arroyo-Rodr铆guez, who teaches in the聽Department of World Languages and Culture. 鈥淪tudying abroad tends to be expensive, and this course is specifically designed to provide first-generation students access to resources that allow them to go abroad.鈥�
The cost of the trip was offset by scholarships from the RHSA and the dean鈥檚 offices of the students鈥� colleges, for which聽business administration聽senior Cheila Ferrufino was grateful.
鈥淭丑别听study abroad聽office was more than helpful in finding me scholarship money so I could go,鈥� says Ferrufino, who also studied abroad in C谩diz, Spain, last summer. 鈥淭raveling is a privilege, but I feel it鈥檚 something that people should take advantage of if they have the opportunity to do so.鈥�
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Students stop for a picture in front of the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions of Sevilla.
The students spent roughly seven weeks learning about Spanish culture and history before visiting the country.
鈥�(Arroyo-Rodr铆guez) had a good way of painting a picture for us of what we were going to see, but actually being there and seeing it ourselves? That was so interesting,鈥� Hassan says.
The students spent their days visiting museums, including the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sof铆a in Madrid and the Museo del Baile Flamenco in Seville. They also toured historic buildings such as the Royal Palace of Madrid, examined architecture, tried traditional cuisine and watched flamenco dance performances.
A visit to the Catedral de Sevilla left an impression on聽junior nursing major聽Brithany Ramirez Castillo.
鈥淪eville was like traveling back in time, and one of the places that transported me to the past was the Seville Cathedral,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his cathedral not only has impressive architecture, but also houses the remains of Christopher Columbus.鈥�
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Back at 51视频, the students continue to learn about Spanish culture while drawing connections to their study abroad experience. Arroyo-Rodr铆guez says the course is providing the students with a framework that they can use to understand different cultures, even beyond Spain.
鈥淭he first day of class, I told the students, 鈥業magine you鈥檙e working for a company, and they tell you that you need to move to Argentina. What do you need to learn, and where do you begin?鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that they develop strategies for learning about other cultures.鈥�
