The History and Spirit of the University of Salamanca

Evelyn Rupert is a student at Washington and Lee University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Evelyn is currently studying abroad with ISA in Salamanca, Spain.

The old University of Salamanca facade at sunset

Last week I finally had the chance to see what’s behind the facade of the old University of Salamanca building. And I’ll be honest; it’s not much to look at on the inside. But I was still in awe throughout the entire tour, not because of the building itself, but because of the history it houses.

Five Signs I’m not in South Carolina Anymore: Hola Salamanca!

Katie West is a student at University of South Carolina and an ISA featured blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Salamanca, Spain.

Why yes, I am studying in one of the prettiest cities in the world:Salamanca. No big deal

I’ve now been in Spain for six weeks (how did that happen??), and I’m constantly going back and forth between feeling really comfortable in Salamanca and feeling just as American as I did when I arrived. These have been the biggest adjustments:

My Salamanca Bucket List

Evelyn Rupert is a student at Washington and Lee University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Evelyn is currently studying abroad with ISA in Salamanca, Spain.

My first month in Salamanca has gone too fast. The time slipped away somewhere between the café con leche and tapas and aimlessly going into gift shops even though they all basically have the same things.

When I was saying goodbye to my friends and family back home, four and a half months seemed like forever. But now I’m worried I won’t have enough time to do all the things I want to do. So to remind myself to stop being such a baby about the cold weather and not waste any time, and also to show off some of the things that make Salamanca unique, I decided to make my first blog post a Salamanca bucket list.

Disclaimer: Some of these things I’ve actually already done. But come on. Who hasn’t written something on their bucket list just for the satisfaction of crossing it off? It’s not cheating.

In Spain Do As The Spaniards Do: A Comparison of Cultures

Adrienne Prillaman is a student at University of North Texas and an an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with a high school student leadership class in Keller, Texas. Adrienne is studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 4 program.

One of the main concerns people have when studying abroad is experiencing culture shock. It’s inevitable – every culture has differences. However, it’s important to not look these differences as hindrances, but as a way to broaden your cultural horizon. It’s about learning to appreciate and tolerate another way of life, even if you disagree with it. That being said, here are the 10 biggest cultural differences I have encountered while living in Spain – some of them are a little strange, and some are things I prefer over my own culture!

Salamanca: 5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Studied Abroad

Mollie Herlocker is a student at California Lutheran University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Mollie is currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 1 program.

1. Bring a watch: there are no clocks in the classrooms, at least not in the San Boal building where my classes are, and some teachers depend on the students to tell them when class needs to end.

Top 5 Tips If You Discover You’re Experiencing Homesickness

Mollie Herlocker is a student at California Lutheran University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Mollie is currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 1 program.

I was intensely homesick for a week about a month after my arrival to Spain and I have struggled with some random sad and unhappy days in Salamanca this semester. This has been exacerbated by the difficulty I’ve had communicating with the people that I depend on for support because I don’t have good internet access when it is convenient for my friends and family (there’s a nine hour time difference between Spain and California). This is a list of some of the things that I’ve thought through or done to help alleviate some of the tougher times that I think might be helpful for anyone thinking of or currently studying abroad:

One of my favorite views in the city: the steeple of the cathedral as you walk down Rua Mayor

Top 5 Best Things About Studying Abroad in Salamanca

Mollie Herlocker is a student at California Lutheran University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Mollie is currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 1 program.

Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor on a beautiful, clear day.

There are so many great things about studying abroad in Salamanca, it would be impossible to name them all!  But these are a few things that are making my abroad experience oh so special:

Adventures of a Food Enthusiast: Typical Meals with My Spanish Host Family

Adrienne Prillaman is a student at University of North Texas and an an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with a high school student leadership class in Keller, Texas. Adrienne is studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 4 program.

Soups, Soups, Soups…

I’m not entirely sure who was more concerned about my diet in Spain, me or my mom. She was constantly saying that she was concerned I wouldn’t have enough fruits and vegetables while here, however it’s quite the opposite! Although the typical Spanish diet doesn’t consist of a lot of produce, my host family provides me with several servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This isn’t as common with some other host families, so I really lucked out. In my biased  opinion, I have the best host family. And I have the best host mom, because she is an excellent cook! No really, she’s great for a lot of reasons, but the cooking is phenomenal. I think my favorite thing about the food is that I get to have soup at almost every meal, because I absolutely love sopas! But there has been such a great variety of food provided by my madre (Spanish word for mother, which my friends and I use to refer to our host mothers versus our real mothers). Some are very Spanish in origin, some more worldly. Have a look!

Salamanca: An Exploration in Photos

Adrienne Prillaman is a student at University of North Texas and an an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with a high school student leadership class in Keller, Texas. Adrienne is studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 4 program.

Distant Views: The top and bottom left photos are shots of the city from very close to the river, and the bottom right is what lies southeast of the main part of Salamanca.

To reiterate the end of my last post, I really could not have chosen a better city to live in! Salamanca, although a rather small city in comparison to many cities I have visited, is filled with history and has so much to explore. When I first arrived, I was clueless as to how to navigate the city, but by the third week I could finally put away the map completely (well, almost). What my friends and I did, and what I advise others to do when moving to a new city where you can walk almost anywhere, is to just spend a day or so just walking without a plan. Have a map handy, but use it to navigate where you are, not where you are going. When my friends and I did this, we learned how to navigate the city much better, as well as see sights we otherwise might have missed! Below, I have created some photo collages to show the sights we explored in Salamanca:

Exploring España: Madrid, Toledo and El Escorial

Mollie Herlocker is a student at California Lutheran University and an ISA Featured Blogger. Mollie is currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on an ISA Fall 1 program.

The Plaza Mayor of Madrid on a gloomy day.

I’m finally in Salamanca and really enjoying my time here so far! I can’t wait to have time to actually explore this city! Madrid, however, has got to be one of my top three favorite cities in the world:

• I think it might be a rule somewhere that you’re not allowed to visit Madrid without making a visit to El Prado. I definitely enjoyed my visit there significantly better than the last time I visited (it’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of classical art) and I think having a guide helped. We got a fairly comprehensive look at the major styles featured in the museum through the art of El Greco, Diego Velasquez, and Francisco de Goya. Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Child is still my favorite.