Air Force Academy

Aug. 13, 2008

GALLERY

As is the case with many Air Force cadets, Miles McMullan's summer was marked with a unique adventure. The senior water polo player participated in the Academy's Language Immersion Program for a second-straight year. After spending several weeks in Mexico last summer, this year McMullan visited Nerja, Spain, from May 24-June 21. Here, McMullan, the Cadet in Charge on the trip, reflects on his journey and the lessons learned from the experience:

A MEMORABLE EVENT
My cultural immersion to Nerja, Spain, was truly one of the most enriching experiences of my life. The trip afforded me an unparalleled opportunity to learn the Spanish language and study its impressive history firsthand. I was privileged to visit many extraordinary historical sites and engage in many culturally enriching activities, but there is one trip that stands out in my mind. Our trip to the Palace of Alhambra was one of the most impressive sites I have ever seen. For both its immense historical importance and its architectural mastery, the Alhambra was breathtaking. Located in the great Spanish town of Granada, the Alhambra serves as one of the best preserved and most aesthetically awesome examples of Spain's Islamic influence. Controlled by the Moors for over eight-hundred years, Islamic culture is still greatly prevalent in Spanish life. Spain's Islamic roots are clearly evident in the beautifully intricate architecture, the food, and even the Spanish language. As I looked at the wonderfully ornate details of Alhambra, I was amazed that this palace had been around for over twice the age of our country's history. To think that there were Sultans and Kings standing where I was over seven hundred years ago was truly humbling.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Nerja was in many ways my perfect living locale. A native Southern Californian, I grew up loving the beach and the sea, so it is easy to see why Nerja was such a paradise for me. The daily beach trips and sunny weather came as a welcome reprieve from the blistering cold winters of Colorado that I have become accustomed to. I also loved the great food and wonderful restaurants that pervaded the coastal tourist town. Aside from these obvious perks of living seaside in Spain, the town of Nerja held many more advantages. Most of the population there, especially the faculty from our school, was very amiable and happy to speak with us. This proved invaluable as we were able to continually improve our Spanish speaking from these countless conversations. Furthermore, this southern coastal city was perfectly situated in the cultural heart of Spain. Southern Spain served as the gateway to Europe for the Arab and African nations, whose influences are still widely displayed. Some of Spain's greatest sites of historical importance were a mere bus ride away from Nerja, which again adds to the city's perfect location. All of these assets led to the perfect environment to not only study, but truly become immersed in Spain's culture.

COOKING & EATING
During my stay in Nerja, I was privileged to sample the great cuisine of Southern Spain. From my delicious lunches served by my Spanish mom to the wonderful seaside restaurants, Nerja was an eater's paradise. The meal structure in Spain was very different than in America. First of all, they have very small breakfasts, usually consisting of just coffee and toast. This was a vast departure from the traditional eggs and bacon breakfast of the United States. Next, there lunch was the main meal of the day. The meal was usually served in three courses: first salad or soup, then the main course, and lastly the dessert. This meal was always very good, and was a great opportunity to converse with my Spanish family and improve my speaking ability. Another difference between America and Spain was the time that dinner was eaten. It is not uncommon for Spaniards to start eating around 10 o'clock at night. It took awhile for our group to become accustomed to this difference, but the awesome food helped to ease our transition.

The food of Southern Spain has great influence from the nearby sea. One of most traditional (and most delicious) of these seafood dishes is paella. Paella is a mixture of rice, vegetables, and meats. The variety of meat is dependent on the particular region of Spain, ranging from chicken and beef in the inland region, and seafood in the coastal regions. At our school in Spain, our group had the opportunity to make a large paella dish and enjoy our creation. The event turned out to be very fun and rewarding when we ate our delicious meal. Another Spanish custom that I grew partial to was known as "tapas". Tapas are small dishes, like appetizers, served alongside with wine during the evenings. It was great to sample the many different varieties of Spanish cuisine in one sitting.

INTERVIEW WITH MY SPANISH MOTHER
During stay in Nerja, I spoke a great deal with my Spanish family and believe this is where most of my learning took place. One of the first, and still most important, discussions I held with my Spanish Mom was over the differences between Mexican and Spanish cultures. When I first showed up, my family in Spain were surprised to hear me speak with a "Mexican" accent (acquired from my immersion to Mexico last summer). As I continued with my stay, they continually pointed out my Mexican phrases like "ahorita" (right now) and other slang. Intrigued, I asked what other differences there were. She told me that one of the biggest differences is the large reliance of the tú and vosotros forms in Spain, instead of usted and ustedes. The tú and vosotros forms are in second person (like saying you or you guys) and are less formal. She and my teachers told me that this more familiar talk is dominantly used throughout Spain, unlike in Mexico.

I also asked my Spanish Mom about her favorite aspects of Nerja. She said unequivocally it was the nearby beach and awesome weather year round. She also told me of the annual festival in honor of the city's patron saint, San Juan, which I missed by 2 days! She said during this festival everyone camps out on the beaches for a few days and parties day and night. Another interesting conversation we had was sparked when I wore a Barcelona soccer jersey to the lunch table one day. Apparently this was a huge `no-no' in their family, as they were Real Madrid fans. It was all in good fun though, and I learned a lot about the fanaticism that follows soccer in Europe.

The last topic I discussed with my Spanish Mom concerned a very serious matter: the oil strike that Spain was going through at the time of our visit. Fearful of the rising oil prices and their growing dependence on Middle Eastern oil, Spain went on an oil strike in an effort to hopefully gain back some power in the oil crisis. However, the result proved traumatic for the whole country, as their oil reserves were not enough to sustain their current oil consumption. Within days the problems of the strike were clearly visible in all the supermarkets. Without oil, companies could not ship their merchandise across the country, so goods could not get to the stores. My Spanish Mom expressed her concern as the strike went on for many days, instead of only a few like everyone had anticipated. All in all, these discussions were invaluable for their insight they gave me into the Spanish way of life.

LEARNING IMPACT FROM SPANISH IMMERSION
My immersion to Nerja, Spain was an awesome opportunity to both improve my Spanish speaking skills and broaden my cultural horizons. This being my second summer immersion trip, I wanted to take away not just an improved ability to speak Spanish, but more importantly, garner a greater understanding of the language's roots. Spain offered a very unique and exciting opportunity, in that it is the birthplace of the Spanish language. Furthermore, throughout the centuries Spain has had a tremendous cultural impact on virtually all the countries of Latin America. Not surprisingly, the similarities between Latin America and Spain were readily apparent at first glance. As I became more immersed in the Spanish culture, the differences and unique intricacies of Spain's identity began to appear. What I found was a country with an immense history that remains strongly evident as its new culture advances with the modern age. Indeed, Spain's very government is a perfect example of this dichotomy, with their royal family of old working alongside with the newer democratic institutions. It was very interesting to see the great marvels of Spain's history, like La Mezquita of Córdoba standing right next to a Burger King. This difference between new and old seemed to fit Spain's culture and people very well. Now just as ever, their storied history remains a source of great pride for the Spaniards as they move forward into the future.

As I thought of this pride stemming from Spain's many historic sites, I wondered what my country had to compare to it. At first I thought that America was sadly devoid of any truly long-lasting heritage, which spans many centuries and showcases our culture's foundation. But then I realized that we do have a culture, and a very strong one at that. We too have our great cathedrals and palaces that give testament to our country's success. These memorials, however, take the place as giant skyscrapers and business buildings. They showcase the American dream, and represent the enterprise of self-drive in our quest to continually strive for more. And even though these structures are so new compared to the marvels of Spain, they are still important and influential. America in many ways was one of the first cultures to really take hold of this enterprising nature, and it is apparent in our country's success. Through studying Spain's culture and history, I learned much about world culture and even thought about my own. Sometimes the most meaningful discoveries are unexpectedly found. Such was the case here, and I now see the supreme importance of expanding one's breadth of world understanding, for it may even help to better understand one's own culture.