Greener Grass: What I Learned About Discernment from My Summer Abroad
By: Anna Kate Hicks
I had the privilege to spend the summer after my senior year at Hillsdale in Southern Spain with an incredible group of people. We partnered with a church and a nonprofit to host an English camp for the students in the community. At the end of the summer, we reflected together on the pros and cons of the culture in which we had been immersed. The beautiful things came up easily and quickly. Spain is beautiful. Even the streets are aesthetic; restaurants have outdoor seating that overflows into the street. The culture is based around meals. They even have a word just for the hours they spend at the table after a meal: “sobremesa” literally means “over table.” Spaniards either walk everywhere or take the public transit which is clean and reliable. It is safe to walk alone at night, even as a woman. Food is incredibly affordable because it is subsidized by the government. Ambulance rides are free because they are covered by the Spanish National Health Service. Spaniards don’t live to work; instead they work to live. Siesta is taken every day, at least in the summer in Andalucia. The list went on. Quickly we all had the glowing image of Spain that most of us have experienced about other countries in general: the feeling that life is just better abroad. And it did really feel that way.
We then decided to examine the less glamorous parts of the culture as well, to remember why it is worth it to pray for the country. If it is already perfect, then why were we spending the summer trying to serve there? We started with the important cons: the lack of centralized air conditioning in summers of over 100-degree heat and the lack of iced coffees. Spain also lacks education options. Instead, their model is based on shaming students for poor work. The government doesn’t recognize homeschooling as a valid education option. Spaniards are suspicious if someone says “please” and “thank you” or tries to make small talk because they think that a person must have an angle if they are being nice. They refuse to let children be an inconvenience to their lives, so children will be out at 1:00am with them and end up sleep deprived the next day. They have the most beautiful churches and cathedrals that present the gospel, but they are so accustomed to seeing them that they don’t even notice. The culture convinces them that they are living the good life because they have sun and beaches and good food and drinks. They are not receptive to the gospel. This examination helped me look at coming back to the States with a more discerning eye.
When I returned to the States, I missed walking around the city. I missed being able to eat out frequently because of its affordability. I missed the beauty of the country. And I missed the people that I met in Spain. However, I was able to be thankful for AC and iced coffee in a new way because I had just spent months without either. I also was able to appreciate our country in a new way. I could appreciate when a waiter or waitress says hello, asks how the group is, and gives food and drink recommendations instead of walking up and saying, “Tell me.” I was thankful for the religious liberty that exists in the United States and the religious history of the country. I could be thankful for the identity of the country where I was born. I could appreciate schooling options: the classical school that I attended growing up and Hillsdale College. These sorts of places don’t exist in Spain the way they do in the States, and they are good things.
This discerning view of countries can also be applied to colleges. It is easy to complain about where you are. I get it, and there is plenty to complain about. I know the Hillsdale dating scene can be frustrating, and it’s easy to think, “Oh, if I went to a different college guys would actually have the guts to ask me out.” Maybe that’s true. But I’ve also learned that the greener grass is sometimes turf. Maybe it’s a class or professor you are frustrated by. Or the community surrounding athletics or Greek life or Residence Life. It’s easy to find something to be frustrated about.
How foolish would I have been to let my entire summer in Spain be ruined by being upset about not having iced coffee when there are cathedrals to marvel at. The Spaniards we talked to about our countries’ differences were shocked by how unsatisfied the Americans were with their country, but we felt the same way about them. They didn’t understand how much beauty we saw in Spain that they had grown numb to, and it was refreshing to see our country through fresh eyes. So, travel if you can, both to fall in love with another country and culture, but also to fall back in love with the blessings of your own. In the meantime, apply my cross-cultural experience to your college experience. What are your Hillsdale cathedrals that you don’t even notice anymore because you walk by them every day?
Anna Kate Hicks | ‘24
I’m an English major falling back in love with story, a Spanish major missing the beauty and culture of Spain, and just an ordinary human figuring out post grad professional life, wedding planning, and relating to friends and family.
