Diversity in Spain

Did your study abroad opportunity influence your perceptions about your home country at all? 

Photo provided by Kenice

As a black body in a predominantly white country you are forced to be self-aware. There hasn’t been a day (yet) where I have walked down the street without noticing the double takes and stares of my fellow Sevillanos. Although I do attend a predominantly white college, it is also very culturally diverse and not uncommon to see a variety of skin tones, hair styles/types and hear various accents. In Spain, I stick out like a sore thumb. I am a black woman with locs (dreadlocks). Surprisingly it is more common to see people with dreadlocks on a daily basis. Being so easily noticed has reinforced my idea of race and belonging. Although I am subjected to stares it is not because they dislike me but because the area in which I live is not a very diverse place and so it is rare (but not uncommon) to see a black person. It is next to impossible not to compare the two places. On one hand you have Seville, not very diverse but very welcoming of all types/races of people. On the other is the US, a diverse country but so intolerant of accepting everyone. It’s a lot to take in and think about.

My Interest in Spanish Culture

How did you choose to study abroad in Spain?

Photo provided by Kenice 

I chose Spain because I wanted to experience an entirely new culture. I did not choose a Latin American country because I felt it would be too close to home and that there would somehow be an American influence on the culture (whether this is true or not). Here in Spain, the American culture is far withdrawn and I get to experience it in its most natural form. I chose Spanish Studies Abroad because it is a pre-approved program wherein I would not have to worry about credits being transferred to my major at the end of my study. The less things I have to worry about when I return home, the better.