Anastasia Sideris

As a freshman at Furman University, I had the opportunity to attend Furman Engaged for the first time. Even though I was not presenting, I was excited to listen to presentations and learn from my fellow peers. At 9 am, campus was full of life with students rushing to their presentations and the audiences eager to listen. I attended Spanish Society Through Documentary Film: Furman in Spain Fall 2023 because as a Spanish major, I wanted to hear from the experiences of students who studied abroad in a Spanish speaking country which is something I hope to do at Furman. I watched 6 mini documentaries comprised into 1 film about different aspects of Madrid such as public spaces, transportation, sports, food, daily schedules, and religion. The students presented their knowledge through Spanish narration and captured the beauty of Madrid on film. On this study away, the students worked with film Professor Jean Castejón Gilabert at University Nebrija. Through these documentaries, the students shared their perspectives and discoveries while adventuring in a new place. I was very fascinated by what I learned. For example, with public transportation, I didn’t know that buses and underground trains were main ways of travel for the people of Madrid. I learned about the importance of Football and different leagues in Spain. I got to see the typical daily life of a person living in Madrid and learned that the city doesn’t sleep and there is always something happening! After learning so much about the city, I wanted to go badly! They had wonderful experiences and attending Furman Engaged has impacted my unique Furman Pathways because I know for sure that I will apply for the next study abroad in Spain not only because it is important to me that I practice and perfect my own Spanish but to be able to experience such a beautiful place with so much architecture, unique foods, and culture. I am so thankful for Furman Engaged and being able to get a glimpse of life different from my own that I hope to experience by studying away with Furman University.