Fresno State Athletics
Smith Enjoys Five Weeks in Spain
7/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
July 17, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - When Jenny Smith arrived in Madrid at the end of May she could barely speak enough Spanish to get from the airport to the shuttle to her host families home. The uncertainty of knowing the language didn't last long as five weeks later Smith carried on a 30 minute conversation in Spanish with a cab driver on her way to the airport back to the United States.
"I didn't think my Spanish really improved but after that I realized it did," Smith said. "At first I was nervous and scared but people knew what you were trying to say."
Smith spent five weeks in Madrid with Fresno State's study abroad program. During her time there she took two Spanish classes Monday through Friday and then had the rest of the time to tour the European country.
The senior-to-be Bulldog lacrosse player stayed with family in the heart of Madrid. While living with her host family Smith said she got a good feel for customs the people of Spain have.
"Living with the family was a good decision on my part," Smith said. "The home was a great location in the middle of town. It was beautifully decorated. I am used to seeing track homes where everything looks the same and people try to make new look pretty. It is almost prettier to see homes that have been there for 100 or more years. The trash man came to the door every day at 4 p.m. It was cool to see different customs like that."
Smith said he enjoyed living with the family and watching her host mother, Chelo, cook dinner and seeing how the family interacts.
"I'd watch Chelo, the mom, cook dinner and to see the interaction with in the family made me appreciate my family," Smith said. "Chelo was a wonderful cook. She didn't speak any English but the husband did."
Some of Smith's favorite dishes to eat were paella, a very traditional Spanish dish. It was made with rice and chicken or seafood. Another dish Smith enjoyed was tapas.
To get to class Smith took a 45 minute metro ride from her host family's home. It was on the metro where Smith had her only opportunity to speak English as a young student from Las Vegas was also on the same study abroad program.
Smith said the two Spanish classes she took were small with usually only seven people in the class. Classes were from 9:30-12:30 each morning and after class she would head back to her home to eat lunch, workout and then take a siesta (nap).
The workouts usually consisted of running for an hour on the streets of Madrid and working out in a local gym.
Following the siesta, Smith set out to tour the city of Madrid. This was always the highlight of Smith's day.
"My favorite part was getting lost in Madrid," Smith said. "I'd walk for like four or five hours. I'd have no idea where I was and then I found the nearest metro and got back to where I was staying. I never felt threatened."
Some of Smith's favorite stops were to the Retiro, a park that she said is bigger than Central Park in New York City. The Prado Museum, a three-story building with old paintings was another highlight. On Sunday's Smith went to the Rastro, a huge market in Madrid.
"It goes for miles," Smith said on the market. "It has everything from clothes to car parts to records. Anything you want you can buy it. You have to be careful about being pick-pocketed there. You really can't lift your arms up."
While getting lost in Madrid, Smith discovered a small little jewelry shop that was owned by a woman who sold jewelry battered made.
"The owner of the shop was telling me of their experiences and how this raises money for the people," Smith said. "It was a very humbling experience."
On two weekends Smith took off for Barcelona and Germany and she spent a day in Tulado. The part of the trip that Smith admitted she could not keep up with was the night life in Spain.
"They stay out way too late," Smith said. "The metro closes at 1:30 a.m. and after that you have to take the taxi to get home. The Spanish people just stay out until 6 a.m. when the metro opens again. I was surprised how influential American music is over there."
Smith calls Spain a busy country with a lot of vibrations but added that the people are not very occupied with getting from point A to point b.
"They live every moment as it comes," the Bulldog senior said.
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