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Where in the World is Miami Wednesday: Madrid

Talia Abrams posing with her award at Nebrija University
Talia Abrams posing with her award at Nebrija University

By Megan Schulte, student study abroad ambassador

Talia Abrams posing with her awardIn this week’s Where in the World is Miami Wednesday, we are going to travel to Madrid, Spain to feature Talia Abrams who recently received an award from Nebrija University for a micro-story that she wrote and performed in Spanish.

Abrams was one of five participants who received this impressive award. Her parents were even fortunate to be visiting in Spain during the awards ceremony! I recently spoke with Talia to learn all about this amazing opportunity.

About the Award

This unique opportunity was centered around the holiday of Dia de Los Libros (day of the books). Nebrija University hosted a contest where participants entered short stories written in Spanish to possibly win a 100 euro gift card to a local store along with being honored at a special ceremony.

“The Things You Do Don’t Go Unnoticed”

Abrams wrote a story in Spanish called “The Things You Do Don’t Go Unnoticed.” Abrams describes her story’s plot as, “a little boy who walks to school with his mother everyday. Each day they pass an old woman who walks with her little dog and supports herself with a cane. Her back is hunched and her head is faced down, but since the boy is so small, he can see her face from below. He smiles at her every morning. This goes on for the entire school year. They see each other everyday, except for the second to last day of school, when the little boy doesn't see her on his way to school. Instead, her dog comes running up to him with a note tied around his neck. The small boy is too young to read, so his mother reads it to him out loud. She doesn't realize the note would bring her to tears. It says that the woman is too old and too sick to walk anymore, but she wants to thank the boy for smiling at her every single morning. Because she looks down at the sidewalk everyday when she walks, nobody smiles at her. The boy's smiles had meant the world to her and kept her going even when she was tired and in pain. The things you do don't go unnoticed!”

Dia de Los Libros Ceremony

Although Abrams was very proud of the story she wrote, she was not expecting to win the award. She was the only American student to win the award this year!

The ceremony occurred on Dia de Los Libros. Abrams received wonderful support from the local community. “Spanish people kiss and hug... a lot. And on that day I probably got 100 kisses. Everyone was so proud. It was pretty awesome. The staff at Nebrija was so warm and sweet. The next day at school, everyone was saying hi to me and getting to know me better after meeting me,” Abrams said.

The Impact of the Award

On top of an already wonderful study abroad experience, the award made for an incredible memory for Abrams. “The entire ceremony was so special. Students from all different countries read poetry from their countries. All the winners received a rose, a certificate and a Nebrija letter opener. It was cool to see everyone come together,” Abrams concluded.


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