Mr. Martin & Spain

Brynn Radak (BR): Where did you study abroad? And for how long?

Raymond A. Martin (RM): In the summer of 2010, I studied in the university town of Salamanca, Spain for about two months.

BR: How old were you when you studied abroad?

RM: I was 25 years old when I studied abroad.

BR: Why did you decide to study abroad?

RM: I had visited Spain when I was in high school and I knew I wanted to return one day. I had just started my M.A. program in History at CSUF and I felt it would be a great time in my life to improve my Spanish language abilities, study history and culture, and make some great friends.

BR: Did you live on your own or with a family?

RM: I lived with an older Spanish woman named Carmen who worked with the program to provide meals and a place to stay for participants. She had a small three bedroom apartment about 10 minutes walking from the center of the city.

BR: What was your favorite experience while studying abroad?

RM: It’s hard to choose because I had so many wonderful experiences while I was there, from eating Spanish tapas in the town’s Plaza Mayor, having a great conversation and traditional meal with my Spanish host, or traveling to other parts of Spain, it was all amazing to me. However, my favorite experience had to be watching the 2010 World Cup Championship game from Madrid while the national team played against the Netherlands in South Africa. The place went crazy when they scored. I’ve never seen such excitement before.

BR: What were the downsides of studying abroad?

RM: The only downside for me was not being able to see my family, friends, or girlfriend like I was used to. The internet makes it easier to communicate with people who are far away, but it still wasn’t the same, especially when I was homesick.

BR: Would you recommend studying abroad to your students. If so, why?

RM: I would absolutely recommend studying abroad to my students and I do so every year, especially when I teach seniors. There is no doubt that there are way more benefits to studying abroad than not. First, learning another language will allow you to communicate effectively at home and abroad with diverse groups. Language is the first step towards mutual understanding and many times this will be important to work related matters. Knowing another language will make you more marketable to employers and knowing you can live outside your comfort zone will only make you more desirable. You will learn to see the world from a broader perspective, which will allow you to contribute more effectively to current issues. You won’t be so quick to judge others and you will learn to appreciate other cultures. You will be inspired to learn more about wherever and whatever you study and often that will motivate you to learn about other places and things. I can almost guarantee that it will make you more excited about planning other trips around the world, increasingly making you a more global citizen. Lastly, it will make you appreciate the things (experiences, family, and friends) you have in this life, but it will also increase your yearning for new friends and experiences. Take a chance abroad because I can tell you from my experience that it was well worth it.