Student Spotlight: Addy Lamaute in Spain

What is one challenge you experienced during your first month? How did you overcome it?

One challenge I experienced during my first month was remembering why I was here. One of the biggest reasons I applied to this program was for the academic benefits of attending a music school that I wouldn't otherwise have access to at my home university. I was so excited about the study abroad experience and how it would help me grow professionally, but I often found myself feeling distracted and overwhelmed by all the new things around me. I found it difficult at times to remember why I wanted to be here in the first place. I've been working on finding a balance between making the most of these new, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and prioritizing the things that are important to me professionally.

What similarities and differences have you noticed between your host culture and your own culture?

Some similarities I've noticed are that people value respect and politeness. This month has solidified for me that it's always worth it to be kind to others. I've found that most people here are very laid-back, open, honest, and funny—you just have to be open to connecting with them.

The biggest difference I've noticed is the flavor palette of the food here. I love sauces, mouth-numbing spice, and condiments, so it's been a big adjustment getting used to eating most of my fries without ketchup and salads without dressing. But don't get me wrong—I've never left my food unfinished here. It's delicious!

Have you stepped outside of your comfort zone yet? What did that feel like?

Every time I've gone to the grocery store, something has gone wrong. I'm at the point of hyping myself up before participating in the public humiliation ritual that is grocery shopping.

For two weeks straight, my biggest enemy was fruit. During my second week here, the cashier had to call her manager as I held up a full line of people because I didn't know I was supposed to weigh my own fruit. The manager grabbed my produce, ran to the back of the store for me, and explained that it was imperative to weigh my own fruit before getting in line.

I thought I would have known it all by then, but the next time I went to buy fruit, I was once again left embarrassed. I spent 10 minutes searching for the fruit I wanted on the scale, but it didn't show up. There was no other scale around, and I was running late. I walked back and forth through the store before finally working up the courage to ask for help in broken Spanish.

I once again learned something new: you only have to weigh certain fruits, while others can be brought directly to the register. Despite the struggles, I'm glad to be learning so much from my grocery store experiences, and I'm happy to report that yesterday, when I bought oranges, nothing bad happened!