A trip that will never be forgotten

Antonia Barela, a freshman at Mat-Su Central School, participated in a six-month foreign exchange program to Spain last year and enjoyed experiences that she will remember for a lifetime.

Barela wanted to do a foreign exchange program because she longed to see and experience new things, not to mention learn a new language.

Barela found the exchange program, called En Famille, through a homeschool email chain.

“I selected this program because the foundation of what they built their program on is very stable. They’re good at what they do, they know how to get the best outcomes, and they know which types of personalities to pair with which. They also charge a very reasonable price,” Barela said.

Barela’s older sister did a year exchange in Switzerland, and she saw what amazing things could come from participating in something like that.

“I chose (Spain) because my family is Mexican, and I grew up hearing many Spanish words and phrases,” Barela said.

Also, many people agree that Spanish is a relatively easy first language to learn. Barela expected to experience a variety of different things on her trip, and many of those expectations came from seeing what her older sister had done.

Barela hoped for a loving and supportive host family, and in this desire, she was incredibly lucky. “The city, my host family, and my exchange sister were all so amazing and welcoming,” Barela said.

Barela’s time in Burgos, Spain, was truly a life-changing experience in so many more ways than just visiting a new country or becoming fluent in a new language. “I now have a home, family, and a whole other life in Spain,” Barela said.

“I think my favorite experience was the 10-day summer camp because it was a chance for me to test my Spanish skills in a meaningful way,” Barela said. “In the summer camp, we played a variety of games, old fashioned games, water games, volleyball, soccer, and we also did some crafts. One of the crafts was each team made a penguin out of paper origami. Each team had different colored paper to work with, so the penguins were all different colors.”

Camp participants also sang songs, ate together, and worked together to accomplish different chores. Barela’s host family was really creative about the activities, and everyone was like a big family. “It was just a blast!” Barela mentioned.

Barela’s first impression of her host family was that they were very kind and supportive. “I enjoyed that they really took teaching and showing me everything about Spain seriously. They made sure I was comfortable,” Barela said. Barela didn’t just feel like a guest in their home; she felt like a part of their family.

Barela notes that the daily life in Spain is different than in America in a few ways. One routine that Barela wasn’t accustomed to was eating lunch around two o’clock. Of course the weather is warmer in Spain, and the fruit was of better quality in comparison to Alaska. They also eat a large amount of seafood and have a slightly different lifestyle and housing situation.

According to Barela, most families live in apartments, and then they have a particular village their parents or grandparents are native to that they visit on the weekends or during the summer.

The Spanish culture is very similar to American culture in many ways, and less so in others.

“Something I found different from here was that it’s not socially expected to tip a waiter or waitress. It’s a small difference, but it was interesting to me. To them, tipping is fine, but also if you don’t leave a tip at your table, it doesn’t mean anything. Unlike here, where if you don’t leave a tip for the waiter, it’s considered rude or it’s thought that you’re saying the waiter wasn’t very good,” Barela said.

Barela says she is a controlling person, and she usually needs to know exactly what’s going on at all times. “In Spain, however, I learned how to be OK with not knowing what everyone was saying, or every last thing we were planning to do,” Barela mentioned.

It was a very valuable lesson for her.

And, of course, Barela had a hard time with homesickness. Often, she talked with her family over Skype, but Barela found herself too busy to really get extremely homesick.

“My typical school day was I would wake up around 7:30 and get ready. I would eat a breakfast of milk, biscuits, or fruit. Soon I would depart from the apartment to school with my exchange sister. After four class periods, we had a 30-minute recess. After the break, we would continue to have three more classes. After school, I would walk home with my exchange sister, Alma, and her friends. Once home, we ate lunch together. Sometimes it was beans and meat, or chicken, and salad. The meal varied every week. Then I would work on the homework I was capable of doing, take a nap, or watch TV,” Barela said.

On the weekends, Barela would either go sightseeing to other villages or visit her host grandparents. “Sometimes Alma and I would go to the center of Burgos, the city I lived in, to hang out with friends. Some weekends, we would go for walks in the park, go shopping, go to the community center, or just stay at home,” Barela said.

“I would want other students interested in an exchange to know that doing an exchange is not easy,” Barela said. “Many students think it’s like a vacation; however, it’s very emotionally and mentally taxing.”

According to Barela, the amazing experiences students gain on an international exchange absolutely outweigh the frustrating, confusing, and sad moments they feel during the six months in that other country.

“You must be flexible and understanding. Despite how difficult it is, it is most definitely worth it,” Barela said.

In spite of the challenges, Barela says more students should pursue a foreign exchange.

“I would definitely recommend this program to other students because you’re not just learning another language or experiencing a different culture, you become part of a family in that country,” she said. “You have a whole other life there. Also, you gain life-long, lasting friendships with your exchange siblings with whom you spend a whole year.”

Katie Bondarenko is a freshman at Mat-Su Central School.