A Day in the Life of a Language Student in Salamanca

After just one week in Salamanca at my Spanish language camp, my daily routine has become easy, fun, and predictable.

In the morning my alarm goes off at 7:20 a.m. and I attempt to get out of bed. Once I manage to get up, I make my bed and get ready for classes. Then, around 8:15 a.m. my roommate and I have breakfast.

A typical breakfast in Spain consists of chocolate milk or coffee, little cookies, and toast. After breakfast, I walk to school with my roommate.

Classes start at 9 a.m. and go until 12:30 p.m.. From 9 to 10:30 a.m. I have a grammar class, then from 11 to 12:30 I have a conversation class where you put to use the grammar you just learned. In between the two classes we have a 30 minute break where my friends and I get a snack.

After class, I walk home with my friends through the Plaza Mayor and busy streets. When I get home it’s time for lunch. After lunch, I shower and complete the homework assigned that day. Usually the homework only takes 10 minutes, but it’s good review on what we did that day.

Later, I meet my friends in the plaza mayor and we hang out around Salamanca. On hot days we get ice cream or lemonade from one of the many ice cream stores throughout the plaza.

Around 5:45 p.m. there is an activity focusing on culture. We have visited the cathedral, a park, and did a treasure hunt. The cultural aspect of the school is my favorite. Hearing about the past of Salamanca helps me understand why it is the way it is today.

After the cultural activity, I head home with my friends. There, I relax for an hour before dinner. For dinner we have a main dish, usually a meat or pasta, a salad, bread, and fruit for dessert. During dinner, my host mom asks us questions about our day, which not only is good for building a relationship, but also great practice for speaking Spanish.

Around 10 p.m., I meet my friends at the plaza mayor, where the majority of people are during the night. In Salamanca, children stay up until around 12am. Later, I head home and get sleep before the next day of classes.

Clara Bekeny is 15 years old and lives in San Francisco, California. Her goal during her language program in Salamanca, Spain is to “to broaden my understanding of the Spanish culture and to make new friends during my trip to Salamanca. Additionally, I hope to improve my Spanish language skills.” Follow Clara’s adventure in Spain on her weekly blog post updates.