How do you reach today's youth?

Part of my role at my internship, Movement against Intolerance, is going to various middle and high schools in Málaga and giving presentations on the various forms of intolerance with corresponding workshops on specific types of intolerance, such as racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, etc. After visiting various types of school and working with all ages of students, I have noticed a trend with the attention span and participation of the students in regard to these presentations. At my internship we often think about this topic, but I am not sure we have found the best answers.

I am sure that this is an area in which most teachers in countries all over the world struggle. I feel that if we cannot properly reach the students, then the presentations are useless. My supervisors and I talk to the students, show video clips, utilize PowerPoint presentations, pose controversial questions to spark class discussion, and hand out flyers and stickers, among other in-class resources. However even with all of these resources, I feel that we are not truly reaching the students. Though in theory they should have more maturity than their younger counterparts, I feel it is the older students that are not fully involved in these seminars. I think back to my high school experience and wonder how my teachers managed to hold the attention of the class. While I’m sure those majoring in education would have a better idea of this, I truly wonder… how do you reach today’s youth?

Empty Nest Syndrome

According to Psychology Today’s diagnosis dictionary, Empty Nest Syndrome “refers to the feelings of depression, sadness and/or grief experienced by parents and caregivers after children come of age and leave their childhood homes.” Luckily, Spanish parents have discovered an effective antidote to this horrible affliction: keep the nest full as long as possible.

One cultural difference between the United States and Spain that continues to surprise me is the average age that young people leave home. Through conversation with my classmates I discovered that many of our host-families have “grown” children living at home. (I use the word “grown” loosely because I know that maturity and independence cannot be accurately measured in years, but once a person reaches 30, I believe it is safe to say that he/she is grown.) There are many theories as to why young Spaniards tend to stay at home longer than Americans. One theory is that the Spanish have stronger family bonds and values—I can only guess the nationality of this theorist. Another is that housing in Spain (and Europe) is more expensive than in the United States so it makes economic sense for young people to live at home until they are financially secure—logical. A third possibility is that the American higher education system encourages independence more so than the Spanish system because a significant amount of American students live either on campus or in an apartment during college and then on their own post-graduation. Meanwhile, many Spanish students attend a university close enough to their home that they can continue living at home during and after college. It is hard to say whether these systems are the source or product of the different cultural norms surrounding the moving-out process, but regarding the age cut-off there does seem to be an unspoken agreement in the United States while in Spain it is much more dependent on the individual. But as we know, even if some need more time, eventually all of the little birds leave the nest.

Public Transportation

During our stay in Malaga, I have become greatly appreciative of the facility with which we travel. Here, we can take a train to Madrid or even outside the country, a bus to class or a nearby city, and sometime in the near future people will be able to travel by metro. The benefits of this system are immeasurable: fewer traffic jams, less pollution, fewer people traveling by foot, inreased efficiency, and the list goes on. As we all know, the public transportation system in the United States leaves something to be desired. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I´ve traveled by train and bus combined. Though, to be fair, most large US cities do have highly developed systems of public transportation. With that said, however, we still lack modern rail systems between large cities, and furthermore, have developed most medium sized cities in such a way that makes walking anywhere impossible. As you may have guessed, I love the high-speed rail system in Europe and believe that if such a system were developed in the US, the tremendous cost of building it would soon be justified by the benefits.

Why do the Spanish respond in English?

With some of the experiences I have had since studying in Spain, I have started to notice a pattern in the relationship between the Spaniards and the tourists or foreigners. Whenever I start up a conversation in Spanish, the Spaniards decide to respond in English. Even when I try to continue the conversation in Spanish, they carry on in English. My question is why. Is it to make it more convenient for the non-Spanish speakers? Is it because they want to practice their English? Do they believe that their English is better than my Spanish? It is a question that still goes unanswered. The irony of it all is that most foreigners came here for vacations or to study. Some people come here for the sole purpose of improving or practicing their Spanish. I find it something rather frustrating to deal with. I am actually more offended by it. Although I appreciate the effort put forth by the Spaniards, I find it more difficult to understand them when they speak English.

This is not an occurrence that only exists in cosmopolitan cities, like Madrid or Barcelona. Although it is more common in these cities, speaking English has also come about in small touristy cities, like Málaga. English has become the language most commonly exchanged in conversation between a Spaniard and a tourist or a foreigner. Is there any way to escape English?

New Appreciation

Continuing with the thought that Kennon brought up, our recent trip to Barcelona made me think about the variety of study abroad programs that exist. I knew that Barcelona was a popular destination for American students wishing to study in Spain, and rightfully so as it is a beautiful city. Despite this, I never realized the extent to which English is spoken in Barcelona which is seemingly more than Spanish and Catalan combined. Many of the friends that we met up with were amazed at the intensity of our program and the fact that we had even signed a contract promising to only speak in Spanish. While many of these students are in Barcelona with the goal to learn Spanish and improve upon their current level, their classes do not facilitate the same level of learning that ours do and their programs are much less language-intensive. After seeing these differences, it gave me a new appreciation for our program here in Málaga because we benefit greatly from being in a city that almost exclusively speaks Spanish.

Study Abroad Barcelona

In our last trip sponsored by Dickinson College we traveled to Valencia and Barcelona, the third and second biggest cities in Spain. More so in Barcelona than in Valencia we encountered an incredible amount of American students. Understandably we met up with multiple friends whom are studying abroad. As we would walk down La Rambla at night I could not ignore that fact that English seemed more predominant on the street than Spanish or Catalan. We would continuously encounter Americans in bars, restaurants and on almost every street corner. I could not but help ask our program director Mark Aldrich, why it was that there were so many American students here. He replied that after the 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona a lot of study abroad programs began to focus in on the Catalonian city. Over time the amount of study abroad programs increased and began to accommodate more and more students. Some companies such as CEA or IES bring thousands of students every year to Barcelona. Someone in the group also commented about the success of the Woody Allen movie Vicky Christina Barcelona and how that could have made an impression on some Americans who wanted to study abroad this past year. After only spending a little time in Barcelona I understand why so many people would want to visit, it has something for everyone. Be it the reputation of the city or films made about it, Barcelona will continue to be one of the most visited cities in the world by American students.

Beach Therapy

The proximity to the beach has served me well over these past 5 to 6 months mostly due to the fact that it has given me a place to go when I just wanted to get out of my house and have some alone time. The beach is a great companion because it allows you to think and be alone with yourself to reflect or just relax. Before coming to Malaga I would often usually daydream about what it would be like to live near the beach and have the luxury to enjoy it anytime I want. Now that I have this great opportunity to not only be in a foreign country to experience and learn culture but I can also take advantage of the beach and all it has to offer. I remember the first time I ever went to the beach in Malaga, the one in El Palo, to be exact, it was the first day I arrived in the city and had a great desire to explore my surroundings. When I first saw it, it gave me relaxation right way. It was as if all my worries were lifted away from me and I was left there to enjoy the beauty I had in front of me. The ocean breeze is one of my favorite things and it has always brought me a great deal of peace and serenity.

In the USA, I do not have the opportunity to enjoy the beach anytime I want and so being in Malaga has given me yet another gift. The beach not only has had and continues to have an affect on me, it also effects the Malaguenan people. It is often said that southern Spaniards are more open and friendly and now I can clearly say that this generalization, almost stereotype, is a correct observation of the people. The close proximity to the beach allows people to relax and open up more easily compared to people that live in places inland. Not only has the beach served as a type of therapy but it also has turned into an anti-stress remedy for life.

I hope that I fully take advantage of the not ever 2 months I have left in Malaga and fully take in as much as I possibly can. The beach, in my opinion, is a big part of this Spain experience because without it I would not have been able to learn and observe a lot of little things that have made my stay in Malaga that much better.