With the deadline for Winter Term trips approaching I know many are questioning whether or not they should apply. And although Winter Term trips can be expensive, I highly encourage everyone to try and participate in one. Everyone should try and participate because, Winter Term trips are opportunities that are unique to Eckerd Students. When else are you going to be able to travel to Spain and visit the Prado, or scuba dive in Cuba? In addition, many people cannot fit spending a whole semester abroad into their schedules. Winter Term is a great alternative to a whole semester abroad. Also, since Winter Term is only 3 weeks long, it is a great opportunity to put yourself outside of your comfort zone.
The Eckerd College students of Spanish Language Immersion: Salamanca 2015 trip thank all those who made this wonderful trip possible
I can personally recommend a Winter Term trip because last year I was fortunate enough to visit Spain and study Spanish with the wonderful Professor Yanira Angulo-Cano. Visiting Spain was my first time leaving the country and I was scared that perhaps I would not enjoy my time because I would be too uncomfortable with the culture. I didn’t know how I would feel living with a host family in a foreign city. But, I can honestly say that I loved every minute of the trip. There were so many opportunities for me in Spain. I rode a horse for the first time, I saw Pablo Picasso’s Guernica (the emotions I felt looking at it are indescribable), I visited Toledo and the ancient Roman aqueduct in Segovia, and I attended a Real Madrid vs. Atlético game (I also freaked out the moment I saw Cristiano Ronaldo). All these amazing experiences do not even amount to half of what I did in Spain. If you need a Spanish credit, I highly recommend this trip.
One of the most exciting and terrifying moments of my life, riding a horse through the river surrounding Salamanca
I believe that it is important that every student travel during their time at college because travelling provides students with so many different learning experiences that cannot be provided by school. Traveling teaches you life lessons. You experience new cultures first hand. Textbooks and lectures do not evoke the same emotions that physically experiencing a culture does. Before Spain, Guernica was just a picture to me, after Spain, Guernica is a symbol and a warning of the destruction of war and dictatorship. I am so thankful that I was able to have this wonderful experience in Spain and I hope that everyone has the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture, to expand their horizons, and to think outside. The opportunity to experience a foreign country is priceless.