The Latina-American
Experience Abroad
Lucy giving the
commencement
speech at the June
28, 2018 graduation.
At the Paraninfo, a
500-year-old building,
where the King of
Spain gives the Premio
Cervantes, awarded
annually to honor the
lifetime achievement
of an outstanding writer
in the Spanish language.��
By Lucy Ortega
This summer Lucy’s family, her
greatest supporters, traveled to
Spain for her graduation. (L-R) Ada
(Lucy’s sister), Lucy, Anna Maria
(mother) and Jose Alberto (father).
the school. The implementation of a bilingual education
program in Spain is still quite recent, and it was beyond
refreshing to witness how much the country values speaking
more than two languages. Speaking two languages in Spain
is not an issue of race or ethnicity like it is in the U.S., it is an
issue of economics and better opportunities. I have always
believed in the power of bilingualism, but my experience
at the school allowed me to appreciate the value of bilingual
education more than I ever did before.
My time in Spain has come to an end and I now look
back at my year abroad as a learning experience. A time
in my life where I was able to make a pause to a fast-paced
life in the United States and appreciate who I am, where I
come from and my ability to speak two languages. Should
anyone reading this be presented with such an opportunity,
like I have, do not be afraid to say yes! Do not be afraid
to get to know yourself.
LS
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Ayear ago, I packed my bags, put
my life in the United States on
hold and moved to Spain. Prior to my
move, I worked on Capitol Hill and
also at a national nonprofit in Texas. I
was yearning for change, for growth as
an individual. Therefore, as soon as I
was presented with the opportunity to
pursue a Master’s in Bilingual and
Multicultural Education from the Universidad
de Alcala in Spain, I took it.
I arrived to Spain without knowing anyone, but I did
know that I was more than a Latina going to graduate
school abroad, I was a cultural ambassador. I represented
Latinas from all over the United States who yearned to
defy the stigmas and statistics, such as the number of
Latinas pursuing a higher education degree.
I moved to Alcala de Henares, a small town just outside
of Madrid. The town is known as Miguel de Cervantes’s
birthplace and for the University of Alcala, which occupies
16th century buildings, including the Paraninfo. The Paraninfo
is a hall where the King of Spain presents the annual
Cervantes literary prize, named after the celebrated author
of “Don Quixote.”
The graduate school experience was more fun than I ever
imagined. I was elected leader of my class and my classmates
became my family away from home. I had an interesting
self-discovery experience in terms of my identity as a
Latina and how others perceived me. Spaniards often
questioned my nationality. They wondered if I was Mexican
or American. It was challenging for them to understand that
everyone in the United States immigrated to the country
from somewhere else.
My best friend (a guy who lived in Spain his entire life)
told me: “To me you are an American, because that is where
you have lived most of your life.” At that point, I realized
that I had become used to labels because we always put a
label to everyone in the U.S. His words also made me reflect
on the current immigration situation in my country, with
the undermining of Dreamers and of people who have lived
in the United States for longer than they ever did at their
countries of origin. To those outside of the U.S., they are
perceived as Americans, regardless of where they were born.
Besides working on my graduate degree, I taught English
at a bilingual public school in the community of Madrid. I fell
in love with the people of Spain because of my experience at
College Beat
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