TCSTribune.com

When it comes to hospitality one country that has it down is Spain, according to one of our own students, Brianne McCuistion. She went to Spain as an exchange student her junior year and was nervous about not making friends, but the friends she has developed have become close and very dear.

Brianne had a few surprises once she reached her destination in Villaviciosa, Astorias a city of 14,360 people, “I expected to use, ‘usted’, ‘senor’ and ‘senora’ (all formal titles used for those in authority) but they called their teachers by their first names as well as their parents. To me that was weird.”

Brianne had always expressed that she was interested in other cultures even as a child, but her desire to live out her interests came out on paper one day. “When I was a freshman my dad asked me to think about my future and what I wanted to do. I wrote a timeline out and I placed the option of going to Spain my sophomore or junior year. I like the language very much and the idea of staying in a different county really enchanted me,” said Brianne.

This led Brianne and her family to contact AFS, American Field Services, which is an organization that prepares school students for the different cultures, and prepares them for the exchange student experience. The organization does this so that the students can best represent their country.

Brianne loves being an exchange student, even though it was lonely at first. “I did feel isolated from my family. My year in Spain has been a wild ride. The first thing that hit me was the change in ‘family’. My family is extremely important to me; I love them very much and value their opinion. When they were suddenly gone I almost shut down. In Spain many people tend to yell, shout, scream and any other loud volatile sounds more than I am used to at home. Sometime I feel nervous or even scared to enter the house or leave my room,” said Brianne.

Despite the expense (almost $12,000), Brianne believes it was well worth the price. “Being an exchange student is an awesome experience. I have grown so much. The trip was totally worth it.”

Brianne gets back home July 2, 2010. Her family is excited that she is coming home now.