yo soy aprendiendo a hablar Español
As I sit down to write about our last day on the Zamorano campus, it is with a definite tone of sadness. Celebrations could be heard all around from yesterday through today as students received their final grades and found that they had passed the difficult courses of the semester. A gradual shift in emotion throughout the dorms was nearly tangible, from the somber weariness of finals to a steady hum of excitement as the students finished their last finals and prepared to go home. A final deep cleaning of the dorms was accompanied by music and laughter before shifting into the formality of weekly inspections. Parents appeared soon after to gather their children and belongings, looking oddly out of place among the young faces in crisp blue uniforms. Not all the students left today; some remained behind to make up work hours, to complete their thesis, or to retake exams. We remained with them, and I spent the day touring facilities and harassing our guide for translations of Spanish words.
The language barrier is a bit of an elephant in the room when it comes to travel to Zamorano from the US. The students here take three hours of Spanish per week, and many are fluent enough to communicate about basic work tasks (though sometimes they need a bit of encouragement- it’s tough to speak in a foreign language to strangers!). Among the professors, many also speak at least some English. Before coming here, I only knew some basic vocabulary and grammar, but more importantly, I was far too shy to speak the little Spanish I do know. Immersion really is the best method and the best motivator in learning a new language, and today only solidified that realization for me.
Still, there is no doubt that Spanish is the dominant language here, and it can feel a bit lonely to be the only speaker unaware of conversation around you. Many of the workers not only speak Spanish exclusively, but have strong local dialects that sometimes even confuse the students. However, it’s easy to tell by their interactions with students that they enjoy working with them, and being able to understand the exchange between the two (or talk with them directly) could only enhance the experience here. But hey- surely communicating without speaking the same language is a handy skill to have.
As the day fades into evening and a rain shower passes overhead, the campus almost seems to be slumbering. Many of its inhabitants have left, and those remaining are eager to catch up on sleep lost to studying this week. I too am ready for bed after a week of working in food plants and a day of touring facilities via bicycle under the hot August sun. Even so, I cannot tell you the last time that I ended my day feeling quite so satisfied, and yet so disappointed that this journey will soon be over. In less than a week, and a hectic finals week at that, Zamorano has won over my heart. I am truly thrilled for (and perhaps a little jealous of) the students that will come here from Auburn in the future, and those who will join us in the US.
In the interim, however, I’m going to practice my Spanish and get some sleep.
