'We are handling the same issues'

During a four-week stay in Spain, 11 IU students learned that the Western European country and the U.S. face the same fear about immigration issues.\nThe program, which ended June 13, was sponsored by the Latino Studies Program and the Office of Overseas Studies. The students stayed in Aranjuez, Spain, where they studied at the Centro de Estudios Superiores Felipe II. At the center, they took two courses – “Latinos and Globalization: Immigration in a Comparative Framework” and “Conversational Spanish,” according to an IU news release. The students also traveled to the cities of Barcelona and Toledo.\nIU senior Carol Dangelmajer was hoping to advance her language skills while on the trip. She said one thing that was unique about the study-abroad program was how it provided students the opportunity to stay with host families.\n“I definitely learned more Spanish than any semester I’ve taken it at IU,” she said. “We were forced to speak Spanish, so it increased the learning process for all of us.”\nIU junior Jamie Enright said she enjoyed her host family, which had traditions and rules she wasn’t accustomed to. She said her family was patient and kind with her.\n“Spaniards are very family-oriented and nice to everyone,” Enright said. “I felt very welcomed.”\nAssociate history professor John Nieto-Phillips co-directed the program and said he wanted to stress the importance of the complexity and diversity of Spanish culture and how it compares to U.S. culture.\n“I hope they gained an appreciation of how Spain is very different from the U.S. and an appreciation of some similarities,” he said. “I hope they really have an in-depth understanding of Spain – not just through language, but also by traveling.”\nNieto-Phillips stressed that the U.S. isn’t the only country experiencing immigration, noting that Spain has more immigration than any other Western European country. Immigrants usually come from Latin American and North African countries, he said.\nEnright said that, before the trip, she didn’t know people immigrated to Spain. But while reflecting on the trip, she realized although both Spain and the U.S. are different in many ways, both countries have the same debates about immigration.\n“It was interesting to learn that we are handling the same issues,” she said. “I actually learned a lot about immigration in general.”\nNieto-Phillips said it’s important for American students to study immigration in other countries so they can learn that other countries share the same fears about the issue. He also said it’s important for students to see how other countries deal with immigration.\n“It’s very relevant about how we define ourselves as citizens,” Nieto-Phillips said. “You can learn a lot from other countries and how they discuss issues of citizenship. It broadens our understanding of humanity.”\nDangelmajer said the lessons she learned in Spain will remain within her mind as she continues with her life.\n“I wanted to listen and gain different perspectives,” she said. “I became a better listener.”