20th Anniversary
Introduction / Introducción
Essays / Ensayos
Bethany Kehs (DC '96) Fall 1995 / Otoño 1995
“Hay que rica!” “Hay que rica!” The cry of a vendor selling almonds in the center of Malaga is as defined in my memory as any postcard or souvenir in my scrapbook. The vendor was stationed a block from the window of my Spanish home. Although the message was meant to convey the quality of his product, the repetition of his words also provides the theme music for my experience abroad in Malaga in the fall of 1995. Ten years have passed and I continue to look at my semester in Malaga as a pivotal experience in my life. In 1995, I was a senior at Dickinson as I made my way to Malaga. By studying abroad, I had expected to improve my Spanish, make some new friends, and have a stamp in my passport; what I gained was all of that and more. As I rolled my luggage through El Centro in Malaga on my first day, I knew I was not in Carlisle anymore! My Spanish mother, Carmen Sanchez Conejo, met me at her door with a hug and two kisses. What a wonderful greeting! After three flights of stairs, I found my room, unpacked, and prepared to meet Malaga. And meet Malaga I did. From the “Bienvenidos” and “Adios” parties at El Pimpi, classes near the Cathedral and then at the new “Center,” and flamenco lessons with Ana Soto, to October days at the beach in el Palo (watch out for stray dogs!), shopping at Corte Ingles, and bus rides to my class at Teatinos, Malaga had much to share. Early in the semester, I was side-lined by an illness which resulted in a 9 day stay at the Parque San Antonio Hospital. Dickinson students, faculty and my host family demonstrated care and concern through visits and overnight stays. I recovered from my illness and was able to explore Spain with my classmates. Excursions to Nerja, Frigiliana, Granada, Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Cordoba, and Sevilla offered new adventures in the Spanish way of life. Some of my favorite memories are the every day events of my life in Malaga. These include watching my Spanish mother cook tortilla, meeting Doug T. and Betsy in El Centro, dancing with Lori, Jack and Allison F., and enjoying sardines and sangria at a moraga. These events have provided me with a scrapbook of memories, an emotional connection to Spain, and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Hay que rica!
Imágenes / Images
