STORY ABOUT INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

NEW AND LARGE MEETINGS

It was a fine, sunny day but it wasn't a normal day, it was one a very special day for Clara. Probably one of the most special ones of her life: the first day of University. Even while she was having breakfast, Clara was already thinking about all the kind of students she would know. Once she finished, she got all the things she considered necessary, and got out of hers to catch the bus in direction to the University. After twenty minutes of journey and impatience, she got down the bus and the first thing that impressed her was the amount of students gathered in a large area of grass which looked like it had been recently cut, and that they all went gradually to the large red-orange coloured building in order to find their classrooms. Clara was enthusiastic, and she was even more encouraged when, before getting into the building, she came across her best friend from the Secondary School, Rachel, who was coincidentally at the same University than her. They both had chosen the same degree on business studies, and after having a small talk and a laugh after the so unexpected meeting, they got ready to get into the building and found out in what class they were. Fortunately, they were together in the same class. The classroom was very big, as Universitys classrooms usually are, and they took a seat. Then they started to count how many people were there as they arrived, they counted about seventy or seventy-five, more or less. They also noticed two girls, who seemed to be foreigners and kept talking among themselves. Not a long after, their teacher came in. He looked like he was a middle aged man, but above all, strict. He was presented to the students and he said to them: -Welcome students. First of all I would like to introduce myself, my name is Roberto. Well, as you know, we are in the University and you all are here to study a business studies degree, so that I hope you all get really good grades. Also, I would like to explain which are going to be the contents of the course. You know that it lasts four years...- he continued to give all the necessary information about how was it going to be carried out, and when he finished, it was time to go and take a mid-morning snack in the canteen of the main building. Clara and Rachel sat together at a table. They took a drink and a bit of fresh fruit, while they talked about their new foreign classmates. They were sat at one of the many tables there, and Clara and Rachel thought that they should talk to them: -Look, why dont we go and introduce ourselves? I bet that they havent met many people here yet since this is their very first day of class; it would be nice to meet people from other cultures. I would get to know some more about their country of origin. said Clara to Rachel who was very interested in new meeting people and especially if they came from a different country than her own. -Yes, I would like to meet them, and apart from that I would like to go to another country, maybe they can tell me something that helps me to decide to what country I will go.-answered Rachel who was also excited to talk to them. For a moment, they left their mid-morning snack and went to the table where the foreign girls were. The first one to say something was Clara: -Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Clara and she is Rachel. We are in the same class than you, how you call?
Eva Pampn Caneda 22nd March 2012

After asking the question, one of the two girls answered: - My name is Julia, and she is called Barbara. Nice to meet you too. They seemed very nice, and with Nordic origins. With great interest in learning from other cultures, even though their names didn`t sound much as Nordic names, Clara said to them: -You are foreigners, aren`t you? I say this because of your accent, although your names confuse me - Yes. I'm from Norway, but my mother is Spanish. She emigrated there many years ago, and then she met my father. My name is Julia because of my mother and I love it really. -replied Julia who was also interested in Spanish culture. It really looks like you love Spain, dont you? - To be honest weve been going to Spain on holiday since I was a little girl. I really like Spanish landscapes; they are different to the Norwegian. Also this is the reason why I know Barbara. We met five years ago in a camp here in Spain. She is also Nordic, but she is from Sweden. -Yes, Julia says, I'm Swedish, although my fathers parents are Spanish. I also like Spanish landscapes and what I like the most are the beaches, because as you know where we live, it is very cold - But there are beautiful landscapes as well, and you got the Norwegian fiords. Id like to be able to see that landscape one day... - said Rachel, who started to be interested in knowing things from where they came, so she could decided what country would she travel to - and, if I said that I would make a trip there... what would be the best to see?-asked Raquel, who thought that this question was the key to make her choice. After this presentation, a true conversation of cultures had emerged and Julia and Barbara told them about all the wonderful things they could find in their countries. -Well I love many things from Norway. First, I would go to see the fiords as you said. They are beautiful valleys I live a little further away from where they are, but one day my family and I went to see them. It was amazing. As we were camping, we could see all the landscape it was such a moment of quietness and relax I always wonder how can a glacier be formed of something as beautiful as that. The truth is that it is spectacular-said Julia, who started to remember them as if she was there. I started to imagine them -and after a brief pause of Rachel in her mind, she kept on making questions. and you Barbara, what would you say about your country? -I would say that gastronomy and architecture are the best things there. Have you heard about the Spisbrd? It is a type of baked bread, which is flattened and hardens which finally turns into some kind of cookie, its very characteristic from Sweden. It is very nice, whenever I see my Swedish grandmother I ask her to make me a few. -You have to tell your grandmother to make some for us some day, it really sounds like theyre delicious and when she said this, her mouth turned into water and all of them started to laugh. -I will say it to her - and she continued to tell them - also when it comes to architecture, theres a very nice skyscraper called Turning Torso, its a true work of art, its really impressive! I went to see it last year Rachel knew already where she wanted to go in the future, but what she didn't know was that her friend also wanted to travel over there once she had heard everything those two Nordic girls had said to them. After fifteen minutes of conversation on different cultures, Clara and Rachel had also told them about Spanish traditional dishes, bullfighting, etc., it was about time that they study business. They also told them that they had come to a Spanish university in order to learn the language, even though they were very good already. They also knew that they would be very good friends, and they werent wrong.

Eva Pampn Caneda

22nd March 2012

After four years of degree, they all had finished with very good grades, and above all, they all had learned a lot, not only regarding to what they had chosen to study, but to know how to live among different cultures and traditions. It was the last day of University, and they four were very excited. That day they gave them their diplomas. Everyone had gathered for the handing over and the four had plans for the future: -Look, Rachel, what are you going to do now that you have finished your degree? I guess youre still thinking of travelling around, arent you? - asked Clara, who was very interested in knowing the answer. -Yes, the truth is that ever since we met Barbara and Julia, I have been looking forward to going to the Nordic countries and to learning some more about their culture. Im going to go there on holiday. -Well..., I've also decided to go there on my next holiday, for the same reason as you. Ever since I heard them speak, Ive kept thinking of that Is it true!-answered her friend in a euphoric mood - and would you like to come with me? The experience would be much more entertaining, what do you think? -Sure I will go; and you, what plans do you have? Will you come with us? So we will have a better time and youll show us all that we need to see, what do you think? -asked Clara to Julia and Barbara, who would love to go with them, but they had other plans. -We would like to go, but wed rather stay here in Spain. We want to see the landscapes and traditions that we havent seen yet but, if you want, we four could go on a trip next year - asked Julia. And they all said yes at the same time. -Look, the handing over begins go get a seat. -Raquel told them. They all were very excited. The handing over had started and all students got their diplomas. One of them gave a short speech of as he had passed the course, and so did Clara: -Well, I would first like to thank my family, my after a brief thanks speech to people who had helped her to advance in her degree, she continued - these four years I have studied here have been amazing and I would like to say that Ive met really interesting people here they are wonderful. Thanks to them, Ive learned to appreciate and respect different cultures. Ive also learned to live with them and that every culture has something different that makes it special. I would like to say too that people should be proud of their culture because this is what makes them unique, and thanks to them, you learn things that you've never heard of them and that are spectacular and marvelous, and many more things that I cant say in words, because thats something you can only feel and live yousrself. Thank you and congratulations to all.

Eva Pampn Caneda

22nd March 2012