Poco a Poco: The Words You Learn by Living Them

Duke student Alex Thisted found language, connection and confidence while studying abroad and living with a host family in Spain

A group of people in a kitchen taking a cooking class

This is a summary of a story by Alex Thisted on Global Education Office Student Stories.

This summer, 280 Duke students took their learning beyond Duke’s campus through 21 study abroad programs. For Alex Thisted, a Class of 2028 psychology and global health major, that experience took place in Alicante, Spain.

Through the Duke in Alicante program, Thisted spent six weeks developing her Spanish skills while experiencing the language as part of everyday life. Some of her most memorable lessons happened not in the classroom, but around the dinner table with her host family.

Each evening, Thisted’s host parents introduced her to new Spanish words and challenged her to remember them at later dinners. Words like arcoíris (rainbow), pulsera (bracelet) and pendiente (earring) became unforgettable because each was connected to a specific experience, rather than just a word in a textbook.

“I learned the word arcoríris early on when my host dad and I looked out the window during dinner and noticed a rainbow,” reflected Thisted. “Because Alicante receives fewer than 30 days of rain per year, it felt especially rare and memorable.”

By the end of the program, Thisted’s understanding of the Spanish language and culture had changed. “Thanks to my host family, I left Alicante feeling as though I had not only learned Spanish, but lived it,” Thisted said.

That growth happened poco a poco – “little by little” – a phrase that became an important reminder throughout her summer. Early in the program, when Thisted was frustrated by the language barrier, her host mother gave her a handmade flower keychain and compared learning a language to growing a garden: Both require time, patience, and care.

To read more about Thisted’s experience and opportunities to study away, visit Duke Global Education.