Scholarship to Spain
Monday, 17th March 2025 at 7:40am
Anna Hashimoto (Year 13) is a GBHS international student from Japan who loves learning languages.
Encouraged by Spanish teacher Ms. Pascual, Anna applied for and received a scholarship to study in Salamanca, Spain, becoming an exchange student while already living abroad. Her time in Salamanca was filled with challenges, from communicating with her Spanish-speaking host mother to keeping up in a diverse language school. However, the experience proved incredibly rewarding - she built strong bonds with students from around the world, explored the city, and experienced the kindness of locals who helped her navigate daily tasks.
Anna wrote the following review of her cultural exchange:
I am currently a Year 13 student at Green Bay High School, studying as an international student from Japan.
Last year, I took a Spanish class because I have roots in Peru, South America. It was quite challenging to learn alongside classmates who had been studying Spanish since Year 9, especially since it is actually my third language. However, I did my best to adapt to the environment and improve my skills.
One day, Ms. Pascual introduced us to a scholarship opportunity to study abroad in Salamanca, Spain, for a week. At first, I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to be selected, but I decided to apply anyway—and to my surprise, I got it! That’s how I became an exchange student in Spain while already being an international student in New Zealand.
Since I was already familiar with the challenges of studying abroad, I knew there would be difficulties and moments of regret, especially due to my limited English and Spanish skills. However, I was incredibly excited. I saw this as an opportunity to go back to basics—reminding myself of my struggles when I couldn’t speak English at all in 2023, my first year in New Zealand.
My host family consisted of just my host mother, and of course, she only spoke Spanish. Unfortunately, by the end of my stay, we still couldn’t have deep conversations. We even had to use Google Translate sometimes. I could understand most of what she was saying, but I struggled to grasp the details. This made me regret not studying more beforehand - just as I often feel in New Zealand.
In Salamanca, I attended a language school rather than a high school. My classmates included two Czech students, two Swedish students, two Italian students, and a French student from New Zealand. On the first day, I was nervous because only the Czech students and I were there, and they spoke Spanish so fluently. I tried my best to keep up in class (even though sometimes all I could do was smile to avoid awkward situations). Later, more students joined, and eventually, we all became closer as the days passed.
Every evening, we participated in different activities together. We explored Salamanca a lot, and afterward, we went out for tapas every night. We shared stories about our lives in our home countries - our school experiences, how we spend our free time, our future plans, and our past experiences. These conversations were the most fascinating because each of us had lived in different places and had unique perspectives. Their stories even helped me think about my own future and lifestyle choices. Since none of us shared the same first language, we initially tried to speak in Spanish, but when conversations became deeper, we switched to English or used a translator.
One of the most memorable moments in Salamanca was when I decided to send a postcard to my parents in Japan. I had no idea how to do it, so I asked a shop assistant for help. She explained the process, and an elderly couple who were also in the shop at the time stepped in to help as well. The wife even walked me to the post office and patiently tried to understand my broken Spanish. This act of kindness touched me deeply and brought me to tears because, despite my experience as an international student, it was still difficult to live in a place where I had no one close to me. However, looking back, I realize that the people of Salamanca were always kind. They helped me in simple Spanish whenever I was lost in the city, needed to buy a bus ticket, or figure out where to get off the bus. I had so many little challenges, but thanks to their help, I made it home. Since then, I have truly loved Salamanca and its people.
Although my stay was only five days, the bonds we exchange students formed were incredibly strong. It felt like I had experienced the best week of my life. Last night, we all cried a lot and said, “See you again.” Being an international or exchange student often comes with difficult goodbyes, and we may not see each other for a long time - or maybe never again. However, the experience itself is an irreplaceable memory in my life. If I ever have another opportunity to study abroad, I would definitely take it again.
- By Anna Hashimoto (Year 13)
