Spain and Its Languages

Since I started this process in December I have gone through basically the entire AFS website related to Spain, combed through their resources, and read a ton of blogs from the students who are currently in Spain or were there in years past. After all these hours of looking and reading (I have a lot of time to waste in study hall), I have kind of hit a wall. I still have more blogs to read, but besides them, I've read and reread almost everything out there with AFS about Spain that I could find. With all this empty time, I've started to think about Spain's languages. And get nervous about them.

Let me explain. And I'm no expert so this is just the basics. Spain has four different languages. The most common one and the one everyone assumes they speak is called Castilian, or Castellano, or just plain Spanish. This language is spoken all over Spain, regardless of the other languages that might be spoken in the area. In certain parts of Spain, there are different regions that have their own language. There is Galician in Galicia, Catalan in the Catalan region, and Euskera, commonly known as Basque, in the Basque region.

These languages are similar, but ultimately different from Spanish. They require extra studying and mostly all the schools are taught in the local language. 

This is where the nervousness comes in. I have no idea where I'm going to be living four months from now. I have no idea if I'm going to be learning an additional language four months from now. The unknown factor of the language is the only thing I was ever concerned about when choosing Spain. 

I've read a lot of the blogs and I've gathered that it is a much, much more challenging experience when you are placed in one of the other regions. Especially with school; as in from a few of the students that I read about, they didn't really understand things in school even months after they arrived in Spain. For me this is very concerning. Don't get me wrong, it's not the end of the world if you get placed there. It will make you multilingual and a stronger person by the end. But for me personally, I really hope that I get placed somewhere that they really only speak Castilian Spanish. Even though I have my preferences of where I would like to be placed, I would be perfectly fine with anywhere within the Castilian area. I would still be fine being placed in the other regions, but I would be nervous learning the second language, plus I actually want to make decent grades in school. But I would take it in stride, because, c'mon, I'm going to be in Spain!

Hopefully I get my information sooner rather than later, but nothing is forthcoming at the moment. I guess right now all I can do is wait and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for reading, and until next time,

Adios,

Sam