Danielle Shover ’10 took the ultimate leap after graduating from DePauw University last spring. Shover was granted a Fullbright Scholarship to teach in Madrid, Spain leaving behind all she knew for a city of culture, romance, and the most beautiful sites one could imagine. Shover describes her experience at DePauw as well as in Spain through the following questionnaire. She is a passionate, enthusiastic, and beautiful person that makes DePauw proud to call her an alumnus.
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Current City:Madrid, Spain
Greek House: Alpha Phi
Major: English Writing and Spanish
Working now:Teaching English as a Fulbright Scholar in Madrid. I have 48 12 year-olds who take every class in English, with the exception of Math and Spanish Literature.
What do you miss most about DPU: That would be an absurdly long list. I think I have to sum it up with this: Springtime. It was like DePauw came out of hibernation! Porch swings, tulips, professors letting class migrate outside to the grass…it was definitely my favorite time of year for four years. Can I miss other things? Because now you have me thinking…I guess “the community” sounds so broad, but it’s 100% true. I miss walking down the sidewalk and saying hey to 32 of the 35 people I passed hah. And I miss Alpha Phi’s chocolate chip cookies. I’m sitting here with my laptop in Madrid, eating a croissant filled with nutella and all you have me thinking about now is Phi’s chocolate chip cookies! But beyond cookies and tulips (am I sounding too Disney here?) I miss, hands-down-and-without-exception, the people. Professors, friends, the guys who ran Humble Pie pizza…I miss them all. (Apparently you caught me in a moment of nostalgia. That’s what I get for flinging myself halfway around the world! ;) )
The best part about living in Spain:Oh gosh. Now you’re really asking for a long list. I’ll spare you. Let me just say that my Madrid experience has been so much more than I expected. I live in a ridiculously charming neighborhood with tree-lined streets and dozens of mom and pop restaurants tucked between H&M’s and boutiques (not that I can necessarily shop in those…I can only afford to check my hair in the window!) And I love teaching my kids, it’s been crazy and completely gratifying to see them grow up this year, all 48 of them! And they love high-fives. I will never look at high-fives the same way after giving 20 of them a day. And living in Spain…wow. The stories I could tell. I think I can say with confidence that the best part about Madrid has been the experiences I never thought I’d have…cooking class in Spanish where I had to pop the heads off shrimp? Yup. Staring in awe at Xavi Alonso (Real Madrid soccer player) as he passed me on the street with his gorgeous girlfriend? It happened. Discovering a tiny Chinatown (amazing wontons!) in a parking garage underneath one of Madrid’s most famous plazas? Fact. I somehow cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner for 11 people in 6 hours in our apartment kitchen. And I didn’t poison anyone! Big life successes. I’ve learned a lot about myself here.
When I come home I’ll miss: The rambling streets. Dinners at 10pm. Double cheek kisses. The admittedly weird adrenaline rush I get by just hopping onto a metro in time. And the people. Always the people.
My favorite place on campus: I think we’ve established I struggle with this “name one” thing. But I can do it this time–definitely the pebble beach by the creek in the Nature Park. Or Alpha Phi kitchen. Darn it, that’s two. I did it again.
Best and worst about graduating:The best thing about graduating is also the worst. The unknown. For four years you know where you’re going, what you’re supposed to do, and who will be doing it with you. Then graduation happens and you step (I tripped) into the “real world”. But that unknown can be your next great opportunity or your biggest fear. It was definitely both with me. I packed up, moved to a new country alone, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. That’s also my advice to students, especially seniors: don’t let the pressure of jobs or grad school overwhelm you completely (a little overwhelming is completely ok. And probably healthy.) You’re in college. This is where you learn. But you’re not done learning. Explore your opportunities. Find a passion and pursue it hard for a year or two. Maybe that company will want your 24 year-old self just as much as your 22 year-old self, especially if you have interesting and applicable experiences to share. I’m not saying nap on the couch (tempting, I know) but think about you, not just what you think you should be doing.