Kayla Bisel
Spanish major and Chemistry major
Universidad de Burgos, Fall 2016
In my past blogs, I’ve written a lot about my cultural experiences in Spain, what I’ve done and seen, what I’ve eaten. Well this time around, I’m going to write about school. The education systems are different for every country around the world, and that applies to Spain as well!
The first major difference is the variations in our schedule. Aside from one constant class, our Spanish grammar class, we have four hours for each smaller class we take. So far, these classes have consisted of dancing, cooking, culture of Spain, literature of Spain, monasteries and cathedrals, castles and palaces, etc. There is so much to learn about all of the different aspects of culture and history, and to get the most out of one semester is difficult! Switching up our daily schedules like this is a great way to learn a little bit about everything.
Secondly, if there is anything I’ve learned while living in Spain, it is that schedules can also change rather quickly. Excursion dates or times may change so fast, you won’t know what hit you! Though it is no one’s fault that these things happen (we get it, things change!), it is a small adjustment to make when you’re so used to a set schedule.
Finally, the grading system is a little weird and quite confusing. Instead of a letter system, here we have been using a number system: 1-10, 10 being the perfect grade. The way they reach this number is still a mystery to me, even after our grammar professor’s hour-long explanation. All I know is that they definitely do not grade quite as harshly as professors in the U.S. In Spain, receiving a 7 and up is considered a good grade, while being at a 6 is basically a C, an average grade, where receiving a 4 and below is a failing grade. Simply having a different grading system is enough to make this experience a little more interesting!
Living in Spain for the last 81 days has been an incredible adventure, one that I would not trade for the world. I have been given this opportunity to learn all these things about such a wonderful country and I feel so unbelievably blessed to call this place my temporary home.