Moorman, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Moorman

Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you select your program?
My parents had always encouraged me to study abroad, and the more Spanish classes I took in college, the more I wanted to build my skills and go abroad. The summer before my junior year, I decided to do a one-month program in the Galapagos Islands. It was an incredible experience, and as soon as I got back, I knew I wanted to study abroad again. There were a lot of factors I took into account when I selected my program. I knew that I wanted to do a semester long program because of the complete immersive experience it offered. It can be difficult to become proficient in a language that you only speak in class three times a week, so I knew I wanted an extended stay somewhere. This program also gave us the chance to interact with Spanish students. We could attend the University of Sevilla or EUSA, another university in the area, and be in classes with students who were from Spain. I wanted that experience not only to build my language skills, but also to completely immerse myself in the Spanish culture and build connections with other students. Some of my favorite memories include my History of Spanish Film professor Sergio and our class at EUSA. The other factor that pushed me to select this program was the opportunity to live with a host family. As I mentioned before, language proficiency was a goal of mine, and living with Sevilla natives and only speaking Spanish in the home seemed like a great way to practice. More than that, living with a host family was a way to be fully immersed in the culture of Sevilla – and the homecooked meals were a huge plus. Family dinners and movie nights quickly become some of my favorite memories.

What did you learn about yourself?
I learned a lot about myself through my experience abroad, but the main thing I realized was that I am more independent than I thought I could’ve been. For better or for worse, I’m the type of person that doesn’t like to do things alone. I usually find a friend to go to the library with, or make a roommate go grocery shopping with me. And while there are a lot of opportunities for interaction during study abroad, there are also a lot of moments where you’re alone. At first, I was unsure about this, but I grew to love it. Some of my favorite memories are sitting in Maria Luisa Park, reading, journaling, or just listening to music and enjoying my own company. I shared a lot of amazing experiences with my friends and host family, but I also learned to enjoy my own company.

What is one of your favorite memories from your program?
Out of all the amazing experiences from this program, most of my favorites definitely revolve around my host family. My host mom Paula, host dad Nacho, and host brothers Martín and Guillermo contributed so much to my experience abroad. Towards the end of my time in Sevilla, when the heat was in the high 90s almost every day, we all went to Paula’s parents’ house in a neighborhood a little outside Sevilla. We all piled in their van Saturday morning and drove about 30 minutes, Nacho singing along to Eminem the whole time. Paula’s mom greeted us at the gate, each of us getting a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Nacho and the boys rushed through the house, found a soccer ball, and went to the backyard to play. Paula, her parents, and I walked behind them and found a place in the shade to chat and watch their dog Golfo chase after the ball every time it was kicked. After a few minutes of playing in the heat, Nacho and the boys decided it was time to cool off in the pool. Guillermo didn’t want to jump in because of how cold the water was, so Nacho picked him up and threw him in, and the rest of us followed. We warmed back up in the sun after swimming for a bit, then abuela called us in for lunch. The seven of us sat around the table on the patio and chatted over an incredible meal. Even though my Spanish wasn’t perfect, they didn’t hesitate to include me in the conversation and help me understand things if I didn’t get it the first time. They made me feel like I was truly a part of their family, and it is one of my most cherished memories from abroad.

What advice do you have for future study abroad students?
As basic as it may seem, my best advice would be to go with the flow! Studying abroad is an amazing experience, and it can be full of new experiences, last minute trips, new foods, and so much more. When one of my friends wanted to go to the ACDC concert on one of our last nights in Sevilla, I said yes even though I hadn’t listened to a lot of their music – now that was the best concert I’ve been too. When we took a trip to the outskirts of San Sebastián and went on a hike, I was skeptical that we didn’t see anyone else on the steep path – but the view at the top was incredible and I’m so glad I did it. Try everything and just go with it. If I was ever unsure about a meal that my host mom cooked, I would always try at least a bite – now some of those meals are my favorites. It can be scary to be in an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by new people and places and a different language. But if you treat it as an adventure and let yourself be swept away in those new experiences, your time abroad will be one of the best times of your life. 

How do you identify?
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Memories