My wonderful year

A few days ago my French professor told my class that we were to prepare a brief oral presentation for our final exam. The topic was open to our choice. As I'm a conversation group leader for Spanish, and I had also asked my students to do oral presentations, I thought that I could do the same thing that they did: talk about myself.

Talking about oneself for an oral presentation is something absolutely unimaginable in Spain, where I am from. But I'm here now for a few more days and I would like to use this opportunity to write about my experience at Tufts.

Everything began one spring day of 2001 in a class at Universidad Autonoma of Madrid. A friendly guy came into the class room, sat down next to me and said "Hola!" It was just one word, but I could tell from his pronunciation that he wasn't Spanish. I asked him where he came from, and he told me that he was from Puerto Rico and that he attended Tufts University. "Tufts? Where is that?" I asked. It was the first time that I heard that name. And it wasn't to be the last time. As he told me about Tufts, my desires to come here and live this experience increased.

I studied for the TOEFL and applied through my Spanish university for study at Tufts for a year as an exchange student. I would never forget the emotion that I felt that day, Jan. 8, 2002, when I saw my name written on the final list of exchange students under Tufts University. I just couldn't believe it!

It would be without a doubt one of the most important experiences of my life. I had a good idea what it would be like because my friend had told me a lot about Tufts, but there is nothing like seeing it with your own eyes. As Robin Williams explains to Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, "you can know all about Michelangelo's life and work by heart, but you can't feel the sensation of looking at the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel from looking at his paintings in an encyclopedia."

I have my own album of memoirs kept in my head. The day that I arrived here and read "Tufts University" on the post, my first meal (that was at Carmichael), my first conversation class and how nervous I was, all the holidays celebrated here, but not in Spain (for example, Halloween and Thanksgiving), the unique events at Tufts (the Naked Quad Run, how unforgettable) and the meaning of snow.

How could I forget the simple things that happen everyday when you're in a new place? Things like choosing my soda for lunch among an infinite range of names and flavors unknown to me, buying the best phone-card to call Spain, discovering how to get to Dowling Hall or Brown and Brew. The list is endless.

Almost as long is the list of very special experiences. A trip to NYC, spring break in Montreal, a Celtics game, the Freedom Trail, a Vonda Shepard private concert (and an autograph!), an award from the Italian poetry contest, the a capella concerts, SOC shows, parties on campus, movies at Barnum, BBQs, and fireworks do not finish the list.

An experience like this one cannot be thought of in the limits of an academic year. It's something that you experience for several months, but that becomes a part of your life and stays with you forever.

Thanks to all my professors, thanks to the students. Thank you, my friends (we all know that we won't forget this experience). Thanks for being part of this wonderful year.