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School has to be one of the biggest differences I’ve encountered in Spain. It has given me the most difficulties by far–even though there is little homework and the concept of a project seems absolutely foreign to them. This is simply because most of their grades are taken from tests. I struggle with this immensely and have usually spend hours studying each night. The tests in Spain are hard. Period. They’re usually comprised of six questions and ask for long responses. The students usually use around 3 or 4 pages of paper to respond. To me, it seems like a game of memory, because the teachers basically want all the notes they’ve given and summaries of the textbook in response to their questions, just worded funny.
In the US, I used to be a star student. I would bring home straight A’s, and do it with ease. I would at most spend half an hour studying for a test; it was all that I needed (Sorry mum!). Here in Spain, it is the opposite. I will spend almost eight to twelve hours studying for a specific test and two to three each night, and yet it is completely normal for me to fail an exam. I still walk out of the testing room with a smile on my face–congratulating myself for a job well done. I knew it would be hard, so I”m happy with myself as long as I try.
As far as differences go, there are plenty: students don’t move to their next class, the teachers do; the students are so much more disciplined that, as soon as the teacher walks in the door, one could hear a pin drop; the teachers are known on a first name basis (and so are many adults); exams are taken after school; lunch is eaten after school at home, except for Monday, when school lets out later at 6pm; classes are taught in two different dialects: Castellano (Spanish) and Gallego (Portuguese with Spanish influence) with exams taken in Gallego (except for the language tests); etc, etc, etc.
The fact I spend the day with the same group of people makes it a tad bit harder for me socially. However, I get along just fine–the Spaniards are so nice! As soon as one person starts talking to me, they all join in. It is a little hard at times because my language skills are still improving, but it helps that everyone here seems to have a pro-American outlook. I even had someone ask me to take a picture with them after they discovered my nationality upon being introduced. It also made me that much more cooler when they found out that I had been to New York not once, but three times!
I had fun during the Halloween weekend and seem to have made a few friends at all of the parties that went on that weekend. I have gotten asked to do things a few times since then. One invited me to run with him, and the other just to hang out. I always say yes, and drop whatever I’m doing. It always makes my day when someone wants to include me 🙂