September 2023 – Journals from Abroad

September 19, 2023

Starting The Journey

Hi everyone!

My name is Clara Johansen and I am a junior studying communication arts at Linfield. In one week, I will be departing from the Portland International airport to San Francisco California, then headed to my final destination of Nottingham England for a semester abroad.

I applied for this study abroad on a bit of a whim, but I couldn’t be happier that this came to fruition. As a communication arts major, I really value getting to experience and learn about other cultures and gaining a better understanding of how to interact with people from those differing cultures. Linfield providing opportunities like this is such a great way for a lot of students to gain new experiences while still advancing in their academic pursuits, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

While I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life, there are some things that make me a bit nervous. I am the only person from Linfield participating in the England study abroad program, so I won’t know anyone when I get there. As well, being a legally blind individual, navigating airports like London Heathrow, even with gate assistance, seems a bit daunting. But, I am not one to shy away from a challenge and I’m hoping that my skills of adaptability that I have honed over the years will allow me to arrive and settle in safely without much trouble.

While those are the things I am nervous for, the things I am excited for far outweigh the nerves I am feeling. As I already mentioned, I get to experience a culture that is very different from my own and learn how to navigate and settle into being a part of that culture. Getting to take classes like film and television production and how media shapes our identities is also very high on that list as I wouldn’t be able to take those classes at Linfield. I’m also very eager to travel around the greater EU as ease of travel is so good from country to country. Lastly, I’m looking forward to creating some new friendships that will stay with me even when I come back from this journey. I have the opportunity to meet people whom I never would’ve met if not for this study abroad program I signed up for, so, even though I am the only person from my home school going, I’m still blessed for the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and create lasting relationships with others.

I hope you’ll be excited to follow along my journey, as I’m sure there will be a lot to update you on as experiences keep rolling in.

Cheers,
-Clara

September 19, 2023September 19, 2023

Beautiful House en el campo

My first two weeks in Alicante have been full of emotions. Today my host mom took me to see her house outside the city. She lives in a beautiful village just about 30 minutes outside Alicante. As she drove to the house, we passed many small towns where I saw a slat factory and a goose farm where geese were placed in large ponds to grow and then release them by the shore or for commercial purposes.

Seeing her home brought me almost into tears, because it looked just like my grandpa’s house full of fruit trees, a beautiful view of a lake and a quiet place to be at peace. Seeing the house was one of my best experiences so far. It made me feel connected more to the family knowing they have a house that has similarities to a place I loved as a child and still do as an adult. The house is small and very traditional. It has old Spanish architecture, the furniture is classic and in fact, she has a radio that is over 100 years old from when the radio was first created in Spain.

After picking some fruit from the trees, we drove down to the market where we could find many delicious items. The drive to the market was very nice, as we could see every stand from the road. It had bars, clothes, food stands, fruits, veggies, shoes, bags and other commercial items. The market was full of people from all around the world. I did not expect it to be such a touristy place, since it is in the middle of nowhere. However my host mom told me that “Guardamar,” the town where the house is located, has patriotic parties which means their saint is being celebrated with a carnival and little celebrations.

Seeing so many people at the market reminded me of how I would go to these markets with my mom when I was a child. I also bought a purse in the stands. It was so affordable and beautiful! I loved the experience of witnessing a market so similar to those at home in Mexico, but yet different.

Here are some pictures.
Alondra

A shoulder bag for sale.

Bag I purchased

Patio outside the house with an interesting tree.

The patio of the house

The patio near the house with all kinds of shoes for sale.

The market with lots of fruits and vegetables for sale. The market

My host family's front patio with table and chairs. The front Patio of the house Salt dunes created by a near-by factory. The salt dunes from the factory

September 6, 2023

Arrival first days

My arrival at Alicante has been quite a journey. I arrived on Saturday September 2nd in the city. As the taxi drove to my homestay I was looking at the different landscapes Spain has from Oregon, it is so rocky and dry. Once I met my family they received me with hot coffee, which surprised me because the weather is hot and humid. Although the weather was hot I loved the coffee she made me. She calls it “cafe con bombon” and it is so yummy! Is basically coffee with condensed milk.

My first time out of the house was to have our nails done. My host mom is really sweet and fashionable. She took me to her favorite spot where the prices are very reasonable. That was so nice of her. Also she told me that everything about beauty is inexpensive here in Alicante so in the future we will be having more girls dates.

After the nail salon we headed to the supermarket where I got to see real Spanish ham. The pig legs were hanging out in the store and people could ask for the different types of hams. My mom got a bag of the best ham to make some alicantinas. Alicantinas are bread with tomato sauce and ham on top. They have been my favorite dish so far. My first days were full of emotions of sadness, anxiety and confusion. However, getting to talk to my classmates and my family help a lot to feel comfortable in my surroundings. Here are some pictures of my first days at the most humid, lovely and wonderful city of Alicante.

-Alondra

Alicantinas, which are bread with tomato sauce and ham on top — Alicantinas

A delicious cup of coffee with condensed milk — Cafe con bombon

My nails after a wonderful manicure with light pink nail polish. — Nails