Lizzie Wolfgram is currently a senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in cognitive-behavioral neuroscience and minoring in Spanish. This past June, Lizzie participated in a four-week-long study abroad program at Loyola’s Córdoba campus in Spain.
Jacky: Tell me a little bit about your summer study abroad experience in Spain. Why did you decide to do it, and what do you feel like you learned from your time there?
Lizzie: I decided to do the summer program in Córdoba, Spain because it was the perfect way to complete my Spanish minor. I’ve been taking Spanish for long enough to know that I needed immersion in order to fully appreciate the language. This was just a taste – the four weeks flew by – but it was everything I hoped it would be! I learned so much in that month. I had a very unique experience because I went with a close friend of mine, Klea. We stayed with the same host family and took both of our classes together. It was so much easier to put myself out there in this new environment with her by my side!
When we weren’t doing school-related things, we were spending time with our new Spanish friends. Some of my favorite memories are from the late nights we spent by the river, speaking “Spanglish” and discussing our cultural differences with each other. Klea and I agree that we learned the most from them. We also learned a lot from our host mom, Lola. She is wonderful! Fun, open-minded, loving, and independent. Her strong personality helped keep me in check when I felt lazy or frustrated and wanted to speak English. I learned more from all of the amazing people that I met abroad than I ever could have learned in a classroom in Chicago.
Klea (left), Lizzie (right), and their host mother, Lola (middle).
A total of twenty-three students from universities across the U.S. participated in the program.