International Programs at the University of Iowa continued its Study Abroad Conversation Series on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, with a session titled, Building Intercultural Competence: Our Study Abroad Stories from Spain and Latin America.

The event, moderated by Emily Brown, senior advisor and program coordinator in Study Abroad, featured a panel of student speakers who had previously studied in Spain, Chile, and Argentina. These students shared their experiences navigating language barriers, adjusting to different cultural norms, and gaining confidence in their Spanish skills.

The panel included:

• Ellie Crock, studied abroad in Spain in summer 2023, and in Argentina in fall 2024
• Sean Keene, studied abroad in Spain on the Iowa Hispanic Institute program in summer 2024, and in Chile in fall 2024

Below are some highlights and tips shared during the discussion.

Overcoming language barriers abroad

For many students, the biggest challenge of studying abroad in a Spanish-speaking country is communicating in a language that is not their own. Sean Keene reflected on his experience in Spain and how it humbled him despite his previous confidence in Spanish.

“Before going abroad, I thought I was pretty good at Spanish,” Keene admitted, “And I came to Spain and was like, oh, okay. So maybe I don't have this as well as I thought.” Keene described moments when he felt completely lost in conversation. However, he emphasized that repeated exposure helped him adapt.

“You have to go in and get ready to be embarrassed a couple of times,” said Keene. “You can get through most situations that you get into though. Most people there are really nice too, and they're not going to think worse of you because of it.”

Ellie Crock shared a similar experience, noting that while she initially lacked confidence, her time in Spain and Argentina helped her become more comfortable with making mistakes.

“When I arrived in Spain my first time, I honestly—opposite of Sean’s experience—I was like, ‘I'm terrible. I'm horrible at Spanish,’” she said. Crock emphasized the importance of self-compassion in language learning.

“I had to accept for myself that it is a learning process,” she said. “Everyone else is having compassion, so I will also think, 'it's okay that I don't know that word. It's okay that I said that wrong.'”

Differences between Spanish in Spain and Latin America

For students who studied in both Spain and Latin America, adjusting to different regional dialects posed another challenge. Keene described Spain as a good introduction to immersive Spanish due to its structured and formal nature.

“Spain was a really good first step for me to study abroad or simply going to a Spanish-speaking country where you're going to speak Spanish,” Keene said. “Because it's very formal, it's very slow. They speak Spanish at roughly the same cadence we speak English.”

Crock agreed, sharing her experience with the distinct Argentine dialect.

“Spain has a very traditional, regular cadence,” she shared. “In Argentina, they speak a dialect called Rioplatense, and it’s very different— they use lots of slang on top of having a different accent. It was a lot to adjust to.” Despite the challenge, she developed a deep appreciation for the way Spanish is spoken in Argentina.

The value of homestays

Both Keene and Crock highlighted their homestay experiences as crucial to their cultural immersion and language development. Keene, who lived with an older couple named Carmen and Pepe in Spain, described how their hospitality helped him feel at home.

“They made us feel very special; they had been hosting students for over 40 years,” shared Keene. “It was like having grandparents who were Spanish. Carmen was home cooking for us all the time, and Pepe would talk to us about sports and Spanish Wheel of Fortune.”

Crock, who stayed with a host mother in Buenos Aires, emphasized the warmth and openness of host families.

“Your host parent is often such a kind and wonderful person,” she said. “They've chosen to do this. They want to get to know you. They want to build that connection.” 

She encouraged students considering studying abroad to embrace the homestay experience despite initial apprehension they might have.

“I would always choose to do a homestay, despite there being that scary aspect at first,” she said.

Tips for studying abroad in Spanish-speaking countries

Keene and Crock offered practical advice for students preparing to study abroad:

• Be ready for challenges: There are going to be moments where things may get hard, but those moments are where you grow the most.
• Immerse yourself in the culture: If you are willing to put a lot into your experience, the gains and the returns will be a reward in and of themselves.
• Take advantage of travel opportunities: If you find yourself studying in Spain, there is an amazing train system. Most anywhere you need to go, if you start in Madrid, it’s no more than three and a half to four hours away.
• Learn key regional phrases: In Spain, for example, Keene discovered that many places and people didn’t use ‘baño’ for the bathroom. They used ‘aseo’ instead.

The event concluded with reflections on how studying abroad shaped Keene and Crock’s personal and professional growth.

“My experience would have been a lot more boring if I hadn't met local students and other exchange students,” Keene said. “I would have just hung with my American program mates and done stuff as an American. But getting to know other cultures and seeing how they viewed the same experience I was having made it so much richer.”

Crock emphasized that even after returning to the U.S., her connections with people she met abroad have continued to influence her, and she still talks to her friends from Argentina all the time.

The final event in this Study Abroad Conversation Series focuses on mindful travel, and will take place in person on Monday, March 31, 2025, from 5 – 6 p.m. (CDT) in the International Commons, room 1117 in the University Capitol Centre.
 

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The Study Abroad Conversation Series is dedicated to amplifying the voices of UI study abroad students, and covers essential topics like funding study abroad, leveraging international experiences for career growth, gaining global skills, and traveling mindfully.

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.