Gabriel Valenzuela, a Romance Language alumna from the University of Oregon discovered the enchantment of Oviedo as a junior in 2002-2003. Gabriel and many other AHA alumni will recall with great nostalgia Calle Mon, Gascona, La Gorda and other city points of encounter. After a decade, Gabriel returned to Oviedo to visit his host family Isabel and Gustavo, and Carmen and Reme at AHA. Pacing through the old town “casco antiguo”, memories flooded his mind, much like the brooks of water that the street cleaners use to clean the streets every day in this unique town.
“I knew as a freshman at the UO that study abroad was in my cards. Professors and academic advisors had spoken to the benefits of taking a few to several months+ to travel to a country where the target language that I was learning was the language of the people. Two years flew by and I found myself flying to Oviedo, Spain, a place much like the NW with respect to the verdant landscape and amicable people.
I must say that I arrived with a good foundation built by 6 years of studying the language, but the 9 months to follow took my Spanish to heights that I know would not have been possible without having studied in a Spanish speaking country. The support that we students had from Carmen and Reme was exceptional. The professors from the school were engaging, accessible and made the language learning process a joy. AHA Oviedo must also take great pride in their selection of host families. The families are patient, friendly and inclusive, in so much as I have returned to Oviedo twice since my abroad experience to visit my host mamá y papá and AHA.
One cannot underestimate the power of study abroad, and this was evident in many of the lives of people I met in Oviedo: One student married an Oviedense girl that he met while studying there. One student and friend/colleague of mine has returned to Spain to do a PhD at the University of Salamanca. I now teach Spanish at Spokane Falls Community College and lead a group of students on study abroad every summer to Spain. These three examples are merely a glimpse toward the hundreds of stories out there to be told by AHA Oviedo students. Oviedo is a home away from home, and I am quite sure that echoes the sentiments of those who spend time in this seemingly Celtic land near the Picos de Europa.
I encourage those who want to expand their horizon, eat amazing food (mmm..mm fabas, morcilla y cabrales), meet stupendous people and learn a great deal of Castillian to pack their bags embark on an AHA adventure to Oviedo. I know that I will be back next summer to visit!”
Gabriel Valenzuela