I had so much fun today in Segovia. It was bittersweet since the trip is ending soon, but it was good to be able to hang out in a new Spanish city like Segovia. When we first got there, we immediately went to see the Roman aqueducts, climbing a few flights of stairs to get to look alongside them. We learned a lot of history about these landmarks from our teacher as well. Afterwards, we walked throughout the city, looking at more places along the way, until we made it to a castle located in Segovia. I learned that this castle was a model used for a Disney castle, although I don’t know which one. We went inside, going through all the rooms and learning more history about Spain. Eventually we climbed this really tight, long staircase to the top of the castle, giving us a great view over the city. Finally, we went throughout the town with friends, having fun on one of our last days. -Henry
Visiting Segovia today was one of the highlights of the trip! As soon as we arrived I noticed how charming the city was. We saw lots of beautiful architecture throughout the day as we toured places such as the castle! During my free time I went to a cafe and did some shopping for Spain souvenirs.
Naima Milad
Our last excursion was to Segovia! While we were there we saw the aqueducts and a really beautiful castle. My favorite part was getting to walk through the castle and look at all of the old paintings and weapons that they had inside. I also liked walking up to the highest tower even though the stairs were mad trippy. Then we got to spend some free time exploring the city and having lunch. It was a great day and I’m sad that it was one of our last ones. -Julianne
Today we went to Segovia, which was the first time I had been (even with my last Spain trip). It was so cool, with the roman architecture (even though it was older than the romans). I was also able to get some ham, and sandwiches at the butcher which was awesome. It was misty on our trip which made things eerie but also super cool. We visited the castle, cathedral, and aqueducts (beyond traversing the city), and it was so cool to see all of its history and sheer beauty. And then a bird crapped on me again (just like the other trip, and the same type of bird, which I found out is called a gorrión). Overall though it was a wonderful trip, very sad that this was going to be our last big outing but still an amazing experience, and one I won’t forget! -Mateo
Today was the last of our excursions in Spain. On this final trip we visited Segovia which is about a 45 minute drive away from Collado Villalba. When we first arrived in Segovia there was a giant aqueduct made of stone that had been there for thousands of years and was built without the use of any concrete. The only thing keeping it up was the pressure of the stones pushing against one another. After this we went to the castle where supposedly Christopher Columbus asked to fund his voyage to the United States. Being in the presence of such an immense part of history was truly fascinating. After this, we roamed around Segovia with friends where we went shopping, ate tasty food, and made lots of memories. I can’t believe how fast this trip has gone by and that we go home in just a couple days. The memories I have made throughout the trip have been amazing and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.
Monday was a super exciting day for me as I got to play “tour guide” around the city that I love.
We started our morning by meeting at the train station where we yumped (jumped) on the train that was heading to Principe Pio, a train station / mall / food court of sorts. We went directly to see part of the “Green Ring” (learn more about that here). I told them that later in the day, we would get to relax by the river but on the south side of Madrid.
Our adventure continued with an uphill hike to the Templo Debod, an Egyptian temple in the center of Madrid. We had to start off with lots of exercise because we had plans to eat Churros a little bit later in the day. From the Templo Debod, we continued walking until we reached the Plaza de España. The Plaza de España has been under construction for many years as it was another project to make another green space in the city center. Plaza de España has the monument dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quijote.
We then walked to the city center to the famous Chocolatería San Ginés to enjoy some delicious chocolate con churros and porras. I’m pretty sure that we ate our weight in chocolate con churros and porras, but it was well deserved after our mini morning hike.
After eating, we adventure on the Madrid Metro to visit the school I worked at during my sabbatical, Colegio Montpellier, during the school year 2019-2020. Upon entering, we immediately got split up into 3 groups to partake in some of their English classes. It was so fun to see the students I had in middle school now at the high school level and interacting with my current students. Our BHS students worked together with their students to solve riddles and answer trivia questions. Both sets of students were so excited about this meeting. Once class finished, we toured the school as it is a school for ages 3 all the way to high school. Needless to say, our students were impressed and now have a better appreciation for their elementary school teachers – ask them about it!
We made our way back to the center for a couple of hours of free time to get some shopping done, eat lunch and enjoy some snacks. Around 6pm we headed down to Madrid Río to have a typical Spanish afternoon. The park was full of people walking their dogs, hanging out with friends and family, exercising, enjoying some snacks together and doing some interesting sparring. We walked immediately to the zip line area of the park and we got to see our BHS students revert to their younger selves. After sitting around that area for a bit, we kept walking as some of them wanted to see a really cool looking bridge. They found some crazy slides before getting to the bridge and that’s exactly where we spent the rest of the night. No phones, no worries, just having fun.
A quick walk (30 minutes) later, we were at the Delicias station waiting for our train to take us back to Villalba. 30k steps later, everyone was back in Villalba recharged from a super fun and relaxing day.
Today we got to visit Toledo! First, when we arrived to the city, we got to see the view from El Greco’s “Vista de Toledo” which was really cool and very pretty. Then, we went to a cathedral that was huge and very interesting and beautiful. Next was the El Greco museum which was interesting to see all the paintings we studied in class last year. Then we saw a few more places and had some free time to get lunch, shop and look around, and we also got ice cream. We then headed back to the bus to go back to Villalba. -Kathryn
Toledo was very nice. We had a pretty relaxing day walking and only visiting a few spots. I loved seeing the El Greco museum as well as the shop with all the handmade, gold jewelry. The museum had a lot of knowledge and history that I found interesting. The sights in this place were beautiful and straight out of a painting. We also visited another cathedral and it was jaw dropping. The intricacies of the architecture amazed me. I also learned many things about the Catholic Church that I did not know before. -Sidney
Toledo was a spectacular city to visit. We walked around and saw a lot of different things like seeing a monastery and the house of Greco even though I’m not really into art it was still very cool to see. I also got to see all around the city, seeing some amazing views. All in all it was an amazing trip.
~ Evan
We spent the day walking around the city of Toledo where the painter El Greco lived and work. We also visited the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. The cathedral was so beautiful, with intricate ceilings as well as altars. My favorite part of the cathedral was the intricate wall and ceiling sculptures/paintings.
We also visited El Museo del Greco where many of El Greco’s paintings are kept and displayed, including his Vista de Toledo. However, El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz, one of his most famous paintings, is held in the Toledo church of Santo Tomé. It was really cool to be able to see El Greco’s painting style in person and compare it to other works of art that we have been able to see this week, and see how many of his figures are elongated and unnatural proportions.
Haley McMakin
This field trip should have been called the El Greco field trip; we saw two of his most famous paintings, ones that we saw in Spanish IV. It was amazing to see them in person—it’s one thing to talk about a painting and see it on the board in class, but another to actually see it in real life. It was amazing how huge they were, especially the funeral painting. Toledo itself was an incredibly cool city, with the stone walls and towers everywhere you could see, the cobblestone streets, and the full river. We visited a really pretty cathedral, which had amazing paintings, stained glass windows, and a skeleton in the crypt (which was the cooled part). After visiting the cathedral and the El Greco paintings, we had some free time. I had some amazing paella, got some tiny swords, and had very good sorbet as well. That was it for the day! I’m so glad that it was relaxing in comparison to the 12 miles I walked the other day 🙂 -Meghan
Today was another day filled with more fun activities! We took the bus to Toledo and had a day full of lots of walking, food and adventures. First we went to a church that had beautiful architecture and history to it. Then we went to two museums that were related to El Greco who was an artist that we learned about at school and at these museums there were two famous paintings that we talked about in school called El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz and Vista de Toledo. From there we had free time to ourselves to explore Toledo. Some friends and I had a delicious lunch together, went on a walk and had ice cream for dessert. To end off the day we took the bus back to Collado Villalba and had a relaxing night. -Aesha
Today we went to Toledo. It was a pretty relaxed day in comparison to the previous days which was nice. We had an hour-long drive to get there which I slept the whole way which was very nice. When we arrived we stopped to look at an outside view of the city which was very cool. There was a river surrounding the whole city and bridges over it. After that we entered the city and went to a massive cathedral. It was filled with so many different things that I didn’t really understand how it was possible to build something that large. After that we visited El Museo Del Greco. It was a small and short visit but cool to see paintings we had talked about in class. Finally we had 2 hours to ourselves to explore the city. We got lunch where I had squid ink paella. Paella has been my favorite thing in Spain by far. It feels like the whole dish was made for me. Finally we did some shopping and then went home. It was nice to have a more chill day so I wasn’t totally dead when I got home. -Cooper
Today, we went to Toledo. We went to the school and got on the bus, which was probably the best bus we have been in so far, so we all got some sleep in. When we first got to Toledo, we stopped to see a beautiful view of the whole city. Then, we walked around a cathedral. There were so many decorated rooms, and there was also a cool outdoor section, which is something I hadn’t seen before. After that, we went to the Museo del Greco and saw La Vista de Toledo that we learned about in class and more. Then, we went to a workshop where they made intricate jewelry and sold swords. We got to see the process, the final product, and the difference in making each piece manually. Next, we went to a church to see El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz. Near the church, there was a cafe where we ate lunch. We all had pasta and pizza, which was really good. We walked around Toledo during our free time and got some ice cream before meeting up with the rest of the group to head back.
Granada was an absolutely incredible experience. I loved how close everything was to each other. We had a lot more free time to buy gifts and try different foods which was great. The Alhambra was so cool and had so much history and things to learn. It was very interesting but my two favorite parts were our tour guide and the view from this specific high point in Granada we went to twice. The flamenco show number one: gave us all a reason to dress up, and number two: was beautiful. My favorite part was the guitar player and how fast his hands were moving. It was so impressive and looked unreal. The soccer game was also a fun experience and last day activity! So glad we got to go.
Sidney Giglio
Granada was an amazing place to visit. When we first arrived, we checked and Steven went walking around and found so many shops to buy really cool souvenirs. We also saw the alhambra with an amazing tour guide who showed us all of the interesting architecture and history with that place. After that we saw a flamenco show which was also amazing and food which was delicious. After that we went to fútbol/soccer game that was really fun even though I’m not a big fan of fútbol/soccer. All and all the Granada trip and the fútbol game were amazing.
We’re back from Granada! After a six hour bus ride through some very scenic places, we made it to our very fancy hotel (thank you Profe!). It was like a picture out of a travel guide; cobblestone streets, orange trees growing on the sidewalks, beautiful architecture. I think my favorite part had to be the Alhambra—the sheer amount of history in that building is incredible to hear. We had an amazing tour guide, Gustavo, who told us all about the Moor’s occupation of Spain and what happened to the Alhambra after the Christians took over. Later that night, we went to a flamenco show, and it was a show that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. The performers need so much stamina to dance that it made my legs hurt just watching them. On the last day, I was able to walk around the plaza and see some artwork. However, I had already done some drawing of my own the night before. I spent some time before bed doing a five minute sketch of what I had seen at the Alhambra. I took some artistic liberties with it, but linked the photo above! Then we faced the long bus ride back to Madrid, where we went directly to the Atlético de Madrid game. It was so much fun! I was so happy that I got to see Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo de Paul in action. Soccer games in Europe are so much more fun than the ones in America. That’s it for the Granada weekend! -Megan Ohol
This weekend was easily my favorite few days of the exchange so far. On Friday, we started with a 5 hour bus ride, which while not the most enjoyable, wasn’t all that bad. We finally arrived in Granada and checked into the hotel. It was so nice!! Then we relaxed for a little while in the hotel and got ready to leave for dinner and some sightseeing. We went to a really cool viewpoint in which you can see the entire city and the Alhambra all lit up at night. On our walk back down from the viewpoint, we got to look in all the cute little shops. We then went to dinner and ate really great food, went back to the hotel, and went to sleep.
On Saturday, we woke up early, had breakfast at the hotel, and left for a three hour tour of La Alhambra. It was so amazing to see how beautiful it is and hear about all the history. After we made it back to our hotel area, we went for lunch at Burger King. It’s interesting to compare the fast food here to the US. We went back to the hotel briefly to regroup and then a smaller group of us went around to go shopping and just see all the streets around the hotel. Then we decided to go back to the Albaicin area which is an Arabic area of the city and we saw another great view of the whole city. As you can imagine, it’s quite the trek to get there—all uphill and lots of stairs. Next, all of us got to go to a Flamenco show and ate dinner there. It’s so crazy that the dancing is all improvised. The performers are so talented. Then we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Sunday morning, we got to sleep in thankfully, and went down for breakfast in the hotel. Then, we went out and walked around the streets for 30 minutes or so. It’s so funny that almost all stores are closed on Sunday’s there. Then I went with Mrs. Boivin and Aesha to Starbucks to get lunch that was gluten free/vegetarian to eat at a rest stop later. We loaded up our bus and were off on our second 5 hour bus ride of the weekend. After some naps and a lunch, we made it to the soccer stadium. I had a great time watching the game and was so amazed by the sheer quantity of people in the stadium (I’d never been in a packed stadium like that before). Thankfully Atlético Madrid won 1-0. We took the bus home with all the Spaniards and we were all singing for the ride. I was exhausted and ate dinner and went to sleep. All in all, it was such an amazing weekend.
-Kathryn
Even if the bus ride was so long, Granada was so worth it. The hotel was amazing, having a balcony that you could look out from. We got to go out into the city, climbing the many steps by these gorgeous houses, and finally getting to see the Alhambra at night. We ate an amazing dinner, afterwards with macarrones and pollo a la plancha. The next day we went to the actual Alhambra, taking a 3 hour tour. I took so many pictures and learned so much. Then we had some delicious kebab which made my actual day. Finally, we saw a flamenco show which was mind changing and really showed the culture of Spain. To wrap the weekend up, we went back to Madrid to see an Atlético de Madrid game. I had so much fun 🙂 -Henry
I think that my favorite place that we have visited so far is Granada. On the way there we passed by farms and countryside that led to the city. The first day we went to a lookout where we were able to see La Alhambra from a distance with the mountains and city surrounding it. It was quite crowded so we didn’t get the chance to take a lot of photos but we were able to go back the next night and see it all lit up. Seeing it at night made it so much more spectacular and beautiful. When we visited La Alhambra one of my favorite parts was the ceilings of the muslim palaces. Replicated to mimic starry sky’s or cave stalactites. It is amazing to be able to see a such well preserved piece of history that has multiple different cultures and religions tied to one place.
While in Granada we also went to a Flamenco show and were able to see the culture dance being performed while eating dinner. The rapid pace of the dancers and music was so cool to witness and to take in. There were both female and male dancers as well as a singer, guitarist, and a man on percussion. It was so cool to see how they were all able to read one another and create a performer that worked so cohesively and fluidly.
Haley McMakin
This weekend we visited Granada which translates to pomegranate. Although I found only a couple of pomegranate tree. While in Granada we visited the Alhambra which is a gorgeous town as it has intricately laced flowers and script on its walls that were once painted stunningly. While visiting the Alhambra I truly felt like I was dreaming as I had never seen anything so beautiful, I actually felt like crying it was so breathtaking. I never wanted to leave the Alhambra and if I can I will go back in a heartbeat. -Julianne Pascale
Our time in Granada was my favorite part of the trip! On Friday we took the bus to our beautiful hotel and at night we went out. We walked around the city and went to dinner all together. Saturday morning we woke up nice and early and went to the Alhambra where we got a wonderful tour by a tour guide named Gustavo. After our time there we went to lunch and had time to ourselves. I took a nap and went shopping which was very relaxing and fun. That night we went to dinner in a cave which also had a flamenco show which was fascinating. Sunday morning we woke up and got back on the bus to go to an Atletico Madrid soccer game which was very fun. Then we went back to Collado Villaba to end off our amazing weekend! -Aesha Patel
This weekend we went to Granada! We started the weekend off by saying goodbye to our Spaniards and getting on a really long bus ride. We made a few stops to stretch our legs and get snacks, and then we finally reached our hotel. That night we went to look out over the city and a group dinner where I tried croquetas which were so good! The next day we went to the Alhambra with our favorite guide named Gustavo. After that we got to have free time where we explored the city and had lunch together. That night we went to the flamenco show which was so cool! After that we went on a late night run to burger king and watched Take Me Out which is a german dating show. On Sunday, we came home and met our Spaniards at a fútbol game! We had so much fun! Then on the bus ride home we sang all together! It was such an amazing weekend! -Jules Piscatelli
Granada was sooo funnnn
I had the best kebab sandwich that was very good. We also saw the Alhambra and it was so beautiful, my favorite part was the garden. We all took a nap in our hotel room and had a nice dinner. I tried croquetas and they were so good. We also got Burger King at 1 am and it was fire. I think the best part of Granada was the flamenco show because the dancers were so impressive and talented. _Emma
We spent three days in granada and it was awesome. We got to spend time with our classmates and just screw around and wander which was super fun. We also got to go to the mirador San Nicolas where we saw the Alhambra both in the day and night, followed by actually going there and getting to explore the fallen city and learn its history while still admiring its stunning architecture. We also went running up a hill and into a cave to get the flamenco show, where we ate a variety of delicious foods and saw an awesome show, it was so interesting and had a blend of so many dance styles, also the singer looked like Jeffery Dean Morgan, and the guitar player like Keanu Reaves which was awesome. Finally we went to the soccer game, which was my second game in Spain and first in that stadium. We got to see Atlético Madrid vs Bilbao, and Madrid won by just one point, it was a very tense game but equally awesome to see the game and spend time with all my other classmates and friends. Overall this trip was awesome and to be able to return to such a cool place was awesome for me. -Mateo Silva
This weekend we went to Granada. It was a nice break from everything and very relaxed. The bud ríe was very long though. My least favorite part. I couldn’t sleep on it well so it took ages. We arrived at the hotel and the first thing I did was take a shower. The water at my house in Collado Villalba never stays hot for very long. It was very nice to take a long hot shower for the first time in like a week. We had some time to settle in the hotel and then we all took a walk to a viewpoint of the city with the sunset where we could take photos. Unfortunately it was overcast so no sunset but still got some good photos. Afterwards we went to get dinner. I had paella which was delicious. By far my favorite thing that I’ve had here.
The next day was busy but also somehow relaxed. We were up at 8:30 to take a tour of the Alhambra at 9. It was a very cool experience and tour. After the tour we got lunch and then were sent off on our own for about 5 hours until 7:00. Within that time I did some shopping with friends. I didn’t plan on buying anything but found a jacket that was nice and bought it. We went back to the hotel to relax a little bit and then headed out again. My sister wouldn’t stop texting me with places to visit, because she is studying abroad in Granada for the semester, so I decided to finally visit one of the places she suggested. We went to Albaicin which is a historic neighborhood of Granada with many Arab buildings. It was a long uphill walk that we were kind of rushing through to make sure we made it back in time. The surrounding area was very nice and the views of the city from the top of the neighborhood were incredible. The sun has started to set and I wish we had had more time to really see the sunset. When we returned to the hotel we all got on a bus and went to a flamenco show in a cave. The bus ride there was interesting to say the least. When I say bus it was more of a large van or minibus. Either way the bus driver was flying through very narrow streets. It felt like we were racing in the Monaco Grand Prix. The flamenco show was incredibly cool to see. The music was something different that I had never heard before and it was cool to see it live. The best way I could describe it is tap dancing multiplied by like 30.
On the last day we left Granada. We took the long bus ride back to Madrid but instead went to a soccer game. I was very excited because not only do I love soccer but it was a home game for my favorite Spanish team, Atlético de Madrid. The game was close and very good but ultimately Atlético scored in the second half to win 1-0. I was very excited and got the goal on video. The noise of the stadium when they scored was incredible. After the game ended we took the bus back to Collado Villalba and went home to end the weekend.
-Cooper Visco
Over this past weekend all of the Americans traveled to Granada which is a city about 5 hours away from Madrid. Here we stayed in a hotel all together which was a lot of fun since all the rooms were right next to one another. Once we got to Granada, we walked to a really high point in Granada where we had a great view of the Alhambra. After getting this magical view we all went out to dinner before crashing in bed due to all of us being tired. The next morning we woke up early to go into and tour the entirety of the Alhambra. When we were on this tour, we had a really great tour guide named Gustavo who was very funny and personable. After that we had time to roam around the city of Granada where I went shopping and coincidentally ran into some family members who were also in Granada. After that we all went to a flamenco show. Seeing these people do flamenco was very impressive and made me want to get up and dance. Then we came back to the hotel and watched a German dating show for a bit and made a late night food run. The next day we took the bus back to Collado Villalba, but on our way we stopped to watch the Atletico Madrid vs Atletico Bilbao game. The game was very interesting to watch and I had a lot of fun with all of my friends this weekend.
Theo Visco
Over the weekend, we went to Granada. We took a bus ride and we reached our hotel. It was beautiful and we unpacked before we got to see the Alhambra from afar for the first time. Then, we had dinner where I had paella, croquetas, and pineapple. The next day, we woke up, had a great breakfast at the hotel, and toured the Alhambra with an amazing guide named Gustavo. He showed us all the best views, and we made a song to show to him. Then, we got free time in Granada where we went shopping and had lunch at Burger King. Then, we had dinner while watching a flamenco show. Then, we saw the Alhambra lit up and headed back to the hotel. There, we watched a German dating show because the TV was not in English. We also made a late night Burger King across the street. On Sunday, we took the bus back, went to an Atletico Madrid game with everyone, and listened to Spanish and English music on the way back.
Today we went to Madrid and visited the Palacio Royal. We took the train over there in the morning. Then we had a beautiful scenic walk over to the Palacio. It was huge and the courtyard was beautiful. When we went inside I was shocked, the Celtic f were absolutely beautiful and the details on everything was gorgeous. We visited a bunch of rooms which were all different themes and colours. The details on the ceiling and the furniture were so exquisite. During lunch I met my cousins from Barcelona, it was so nice to catch up and the chocolate was divine! Then I met back with my friends at Burger King and we got LLAO LLAO, it was good. -Jia
I can’t believe it is already day 6! Today, we visited el Palacio Real in Madrid. It was so amazing to see how huge it is and how detailed every single room is. I was especially interested in the paintings on the ceiling. It’s crazy to think about someone painting the ceiling that long ago. Then, we walked around the streets of Madrid (somewhat aimlessly) while enjoying how beautiful the city is. I’m excited to see what new foods I’m going to try for dinner in a few minutes! – Kathryn
We went to the royal palace!! So beautiful and the designs were so intricate. Each room had a different theme coordinated with a different color. Unfortunately we couldn’t take any pictures after the third room, but it was magical. The view from outside the building and the view over Madrid was indescribable. However, I think if I were ever stuck in that castle overnight, I’d freak out because of how big it is. -Sidney
We went to the royal palace today which was a ton of fun. We were able to go see a lot more of Madrid itself as well as some amazing views from the palace. We were also able to walk around the city more for lunch where we got these amazing tacos and a new drink which I have the recipe for. All and all it was a really great experience. ~ Evan Johnson
Today we went to El Palacio Real in Madrid. The architecture was so pretty and there was so much gold and marble within the palace. We were only allowed to take photos in three of the rooms but each room was filled with colors and so much detail. A lot of the rooms had grand paintings on the ceilings. It was also interesting to see that there were some rooms with Chinese influence and the old ceramics that were there. One of my favorite parts of the palace was a small sitting room with a simple floral mural ceiling. I was not allowed to take any photos of it but it had soft pastel colors and was so pretty.
Haley McMakin
Today we went to the royal palace! We took the train and switched lines for the first time. Seeing 25 teenagers chasing after a speedy old man (we love Ramon) sprinting up and down escalators must have been very entertaining to the people passing by. However, after getting onto the correct train, we arrived at the old Madrid train station. Unfortunately, the huge garden inside was closed; there was construction absolutely everywhere. Then, we proceeded to walk 45 minutes to El Palacio Real. I think my feet might fall off by the end of this trip—19,000 to 22,000 steps a day is no joke! Every room was absolutely gorgeous, and the dining room is the most oversized dining room I have ever seen. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos in most of the places, but I got some good ones from the front and outside! Then, we had a longer lunch break meant to accommodate for the 30-minute line to get tacos from Takos. They were well worth it; in fact, we ate the tacos so fast that we forgot to take photos. I was able to buy some souvenirs and gifts and went window shopping at all of the small stores along the streets. Thankfully for my feet, that was it for the day, and I’m now excitedly preparing to go to Granada! -Megan
Today, we left early in the morning to go to the station and went to Madrid! We took a long walk from the station to the Palacio Real. The weather was really nice out and the buildings were all intricate. The Palacio Real was beautiful and all of the rooms we toured were very interesting and detailed with paintings and gorgeous furniture. After the Palacio Real we had two hours of free time to ourselves where we could go around Madrid. A group of friends and I went to Takos Al Pastor and it had very delicious food. We also went to a frozen yogurt place called llaollao before we went on the train ride back home. To end off the night a group of friends and I went to get hot chocolate and churros and we went to the park to play games. -Aesha
Today we went to the royal palace. The rooms were so beautiful and intricate inside. I also walked around Madrid with my partner Ari and our friends. I tried a restaurant called Takos and it was really good. I had takos al pastor and they had pineapple in them and they were delicious. Walking around the royal palace and Madrid was so pretty.
-Emma
Yesterday we visited the Royal Palace of Madrid. It was a very cool experience. I moved through the rooms of the palace much slower than anyone else it seems. I was the back of the group and we took our time walking through each room in comparison to the rest who must have ran through. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take photos in most of the palace, but it was really crazy to look at. -Cooper
Today we took a tour of El Palacio Real. First, we took the train to Madrid and bought snacks at the station. Then, we walked to the palace. The inside and the outside were very detailed and so cool to look at. We took a lot of photos, and then we had free time in Madrid. We bought tacos and frozen yogurt while walking around. When we came back, a few of us bought hot chocolate and got together by the laguna.
“Today was a day revolving around Madrid. We first all got up and met up at the school to walk to the train station. The ride to Madrid was a 45 minute ride that was smooth and relaxing. I tried to not fall asleep but it was hard because of the past weekend’s events. When we got there we went to “El Museo Del Prado”. While in there we looked at many fascinating paintings along with some that we learned about in class, it was amazing seeing something in person, especially when I’ve only seen it through a screen. After about an hour or two we left. Walking down the street was relaxing because I ate my prosciutto sandwich and listened to music. We then made it to a fountain which was used as a meeting point. I then left alone and walked around alone and listened to music. I think when you walk around a new place alone you take more in because you aren’t attached to a big group of people. I went to eat tacos at a taqueria called “Takos”. These tacos were some of the best ones that I have ever had, but they don’t beat Mexico. Around 3:25 I decided to meet up with other’s at Starbucks and talk to them for a little. We then met up with everyone else at 3 and started walking towards “El Retiro” to go on boats. We were there for around an hour then headed back home.”
– Andrew
“Today was very exciting because we got to immerse ourselves in Madrid, going straight into the center to see El Museo Del Prado. In Boston, the art museums are okay but when we went to this one, I was actually blown away. The stories and the history that you could see in each painting or sculpture was incredible. Seeing the artwork that we studied in Spanish class was so surreal and it brought me closer to the Spanish culture that we have talked about throughout this year. Afterwards, we were given some time to explore for lunch, where we went around shopping and looking for new places to go to. Next, we went to El Parque del Retiro, which was super big and had a large lake where we were able to take boats and row out onto the water. I had such a great time laughing with friends and I am excited to see where else we go on this trip.”
-Henry
“Today we went to a museum. We saw many cool pieces of art like Saturno devorando su hijo and other art pieces from Goya and other artists. Then afterwards we got to explore Madrid for a few hours. Afterwards we went to a park and got to go in row boats for an hour.”
-Steven
“Today I went to El Museo del Prado and I loved it a lot. Everyone walked to the train station to take the train into Madrid in the morning. Once we got to Madrid, we walked to the Museum and it was very nice on the outside so everyone took a picture there. Unfortunately there were no pictures allowed in the museum but I had a nice time enjoying the artwork. I saw paintings from Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, and more. We learned a lot about them in Spanish 4 last year so it was cool to see in person. Then after the museum, we went to the city center area that had a lot of amazing architecture. For two hours we were able to get some lunch and walk around so I went shopping a little. There were so many shops and the stores were huge. I liked how cheap everything was compared to in America. Our final stop was the row boats! It was definitely a highlight of Spain for me because it was a nice day and the scenery was beautiful. I had a nice time on the boats with everyone!”
– Christian
“Today was such a fun and busy day exploring Madrid! We took public transport to El Museo Del Prado. While on the train we were able to see the lovely landscape. We arrived at the Museum and saw beautiful pieces. It was so cool to see famous pieces I’ve learned about in class like “Las Meninas”, in person! During our free time we went to the heart of Madrid to shop at Zara. Afterwards, we stopped at Starbucks and noticed it was very different from the Starbucks in the US. Finally, we went to El Retero. In the delightful park, we went on row boats and had a blast!”
– Naima
“Today we went to el Museo de Prado. It was absolutely amazing although sadly we were restricted from taking pictures inside. While Inside I found some people drawing a painting so I was able to take a picture of their drawing, it was a very accurate drawing. After that we went boating which was cute since it was Valentine’s Day. There were massive fish in the lake, I believe that they were carp. While boating my crew sang to some music we played. It was a great way to end the day.”
– Julianne
“Today was the first day where all of the Americans spent the day together touring around Spain. We started off by going to the train station very early in the morning which took us straight to the center of Madrid. Once here, we went to the Prado Museum where we saw artwork by Velázquez, El Greco, and Goya. Throughout Spanish class in high school we had learned about all of these artists and their famous paintings so seeing them in real life was extraordinary. After that we got to roam around Madrid by ourselves for 2 hours where we got tacos that Profe had been hyping up for months (they lived up to the hype). After eating lunch and walking around Madrid, we went to the Retiro and took boats out onto the lake. Steering these boats took a minute to get used to, but spending time in the sun on a lake with friends was very enjoyable.”
– Theo
Today we spent the day in Madrid. We first went to school and walked to the train station, where we took the train to the center of Madrid. Next on the list was El Museo De Prado, where we saw stunning paintings by El Greco, Goya, Velazquez, and many more. After spending the afternoon in the museum, we were given 2 hours to rome Madrid and have lunch. A group of us went to get coffee and shop as well. Later we all got back together as a group and went to a park, called El Retiro, and rowed boats in the pond. Overall, it was a very busy day, but I had lots of fun with everyone! -Radina
For the first weekend in Spain we did a ton of activities. When we first got to Spain all the kids took us out for Churos which were delicious and a good catch up with all of the new spanish kids. After that we played some basketball and fútbol with some of the other kids on the Spanish exchange. The next day we went to the countryside of Spain to see all the old fashioned windmills which were interesting, but the best part was the view of the countryside. The next day we went to an old castle/monetary that they turned into a school and a tourist attraction. All in all I had a great time with all the new things that I saw and I can’t wait to see what happens next. -Evan
Our first weekend in Spain is over! Though the plane ride was a rocky start (turbulence is the worst), my first few days in Spain have been incredibly fun. On Friday, we met up as a group after trying—and failing—to set up our flip phones with Spanish SIM cards. Apparently, Pitbull and the Macarena are the best way to connect with people from different countries. The next day was a blur; we took the train to El Escorial, a place in the mountains that houses a large monastery. First, the public transportation is absolutely amazing—it’s clean, fast, and on time. The monastery is gorgeous, full of antique paintings and gilded walls. The thirty minute uphill walk was well worth the views. Sunday was much more relaxed; we took a trip by car to the Castillo de Los Manzanares el Real. The views were the perfect picture of a European town, with cobblestone streets and small houses. After the trip, we had paella! I understand all of the rave reviews about paella now. -Megan
My first weekend in Spain was so fun and interesting. After recovering from jetlag, the weekend was full of activity! On Saturday my family took me to Avila and we explored 2 Catholic Churches with beautiful architecture and history. While also exploring the city we ate at a nice restaurant and I got to get to know the family. At night everyone went to Pizza Hut and we were able to enjoy a meal and get to know each other. On Sunday we slept in and had breakfast at Maria’s neighbors house. Later on in the day we went to a musical, Singing in the Rain.. it was amazing! After the musical we explored Madrid, it was beautiful.
-Naima
For my first weekend in Spain, I went on many adventures. On Saturday morning, I went to a cafe called La Nueva Castiza Churrería Chocolatería where we had hot chocolate and porras. Later that day we went to Madrid where we went on a long walk and enjoyed the fresh air. The next day we woke up early and went to Avila where we saw old architecture and historic buildings. After that we went to San Lorenzo de el Escorial in Madrid that had more architecture and paintings. To end off the weekend we went to McDonald’s with other exchange students.
-Aesha
Over the weekend I explored Spain with Leyre and her friends/family! We went to Madrid on Saturday with her friends and explored some monuments that were really old. We also ate some yummy desserts. In the afternoon we ate lunch with her parents and it was really yummy. We ate paella with calamari and croquettas. On Sunday I went and watched her volleyball game then went to a cute cafe with her parents after. I got a croissant which was yummy and a cappuccino. Finally we ate dinner with her family friends at an American inspired diner.
-Jia
This weekend was great! The first day we got here was very overwhelming initially, but I adjusted. The family I am staying with is so loving and very curious about the U.S. On Friday, all of us hung out together for most of the day and we had a little party in the park that night. On Saturday, I was able to take the train with my girl, Naira, to Madrid and meet up with my cousin which was so encouraging. We went shopping and got really good food. On Sunday, we went to a Monastery called El Escorial which was built during King Philip II that had beautiful artwork inside. All weekend we had good food and met really nice people.
-Sidney
For the first weekend in Spain, I went to el Castillo de manzanares and el monasterio del Escorial. The castle was cool and small while the monasterio was huge. I had some really good food here too. I also met the other Spanish kids that are on the Spanish exchange too.
-Steven
Spain is super fun! On Saturday, we went to La Escorial and saw the monastery and I learned about some of the history there. I think Filipe the Second built the monastery there because he thought that’s where the gates of Hell was. My host family mom kept calling him crazy, making us all laugh. After we came back, we had lunch and then went to another exchange student’s house, Carlota. It was her mom’s birthday party and that was really fun. We all did some karaoke together and went to Pizza Hut for dinner. Next day, we went to La Ávila. It was beautiful. There’s a huge wall covering the city. I tried their local sweet called yemas. After, we went to some snowy mountains, had a little snow fight, and then went back home.
-Ameyaa
To be honest at first I was a bit worried, I knew spanish and had already been here before, but to live with strangers was really odd. But after the first day it was awesome. I slept from like 8-12 hours for the first three days which was crazy. They also have a bunch of food that just doesn’t exist in the US and so many new words for me which is awesome. We also went to valle de los caídos (y el cruz), and el escorial, which are ancient and beautiful. So far I’m loving it, the family is great and everything is awesome.
-Mateo
On Saturday, we started the day by eating some breakfast (some really good gluten free pastries), and then went to El Escorial. It was really cool to see all the history behind the monastery and how old everything is. Then, we went to lunch and had paella and a ton of different appetizer things that I can’t remember the names of. Then we walked around the town some more and took more pictures. After we went home, I drank hot chocolate and we left for the mall to eat Pizza Hut with everyone.
On Sunday, we woke up late and Claudia and her family taught me how to play two Spanish card games. Naima and Maria came over for breakfast, and once they left, we went to El Castillo Viejo de Manzanares el Real. It is crazy how old everything is here and the view from the castle was crazy. On the way home we stopped at Cloudia’s cousin’s house which is actually a farm, and we saw a ton of goats. Then, we went home and ate some dinner and went to sleep.
-Kathryn
This weekend Ari and her family took me to Avila and the zoo in Madrid. Avila had a beautiful castle and many cool restaurants and stores. I had potatoes that were really good. My friends and our partners went jumping, (pronounced yumping in Espana), at night and it was really fun. I tried a dessert called yemas which is an egg yolk with sugar and it’s actually really good. At the zoo, me and Ari took pictures with dolphins. I have also played Mario Kart with her brother which was also fun. Lastly, we went to McDonald’s here and they have really good apple pie and ice cream here. -Emma
Over the weekend, I went to Salamanca and Madrid. In Salamanca, I went to the plaza, and I had tapas. This included patatas bravas and croquetas. In Salamanca, we saw the plaza, cathedrals, and buildings. At the end of the day, we went to Pizza Hut with all the students. The next day, we went to Madrid. I toured Real Madrid’s field and saw their trophies and the renovations that were being done. I also walked around the city and saw many buildings, such as City Hall and the palace. In Madrid, I also had a really good ham sandwich and Fanta. -Abby
This weekend I participated in many fun and different activities with numerous different people who are on the Spanish Exchange. When I first arrived, me and a lot of other people on the exchange went out to get churros together. The churros here are much better than the ones in the United States. After this, we went out with a few other members of the exchange and played basketball and soccer to help us bond closer. Later in the night, we had a mini party at the park with all the people on the exchange and danced the night away to Spanish music. The next day, my family and I went to Madrid where we visited the Retiro and other famous sights. On Saturday night, a bunch of the people on the exchange went out to eat at Pizza Hut together. Here I met many more people from the exchange and started to form real friendships with the people on the trip. Last, but not least on Sunday, I went out to lunch with my partner and met some of his friends. Overall, this weekend was very fun and I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks and spending more time here in Spain. -Theo
1st Day
When we first got here, I went on a walk around the park with Theo Visco. We then met up with a couple other people and had hot chocolate and churros. I took a couple pictures for my urban gallery instagram profile.
After we went to have hot chocolate and churros I went to Unai’s house and met his family. I tried taking a nap but ended up oversleeping and slept for 3 hours. I had a timer set for an hour and slept an extra two hours. I woke up to Unai getting home from school. After I took a shower and get ready for the rest of the day I went to get the sim cards for the phones, and after Unai and I went to get kabob with his friends and went to his friends house till 12am and had a mini party.
2nd Day
We woke up around 7:30 and all took showers. The water was a little cold and I wasn’t used to getting out of the shower and having a cold room to change in. We then left the house and went to madrid. We saw the RIU building and took a couple of pictures.
After walking around for a little we went out to eat in Plaza España, I tried blood sausage, croquetas, y Tortilla Patata.
When we finished eating we then walked around more so that I could shop a little. I bought a pair of Nike Grey Fog Dunks and I went to Kilometro Zero. We also went to the Galleria del Lujo donde Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Etc
After the Gallery with all the designer stores we went to the Bank of Spain.
We then made our way back to the car and went back home. When I got home we just chilled for a little bit and I tried prosciutto, chorizo, mussels and a couple of other meats for dinner.
2nd Day
The third day we woke up at 10, got ready and hopped into the car and went straight to San Lorenzo de El Escorial. I went in and did an online tour through an app and listened to a speaker show me around.
We all then went out to eat at a restaurant that’s named La Cueva : It was created in 1798. The building is still in very good condition.
After eating we went home and rested for the rest of the day.
-Andrew
This weekend I visited Salamanca. Salamanca was absolutely gorgeous with its old architecture and picturesque views. In Salamanca we walked around the cobblestone streets. The next day I went to Madrid it was beautiful with its grand architecture and flavor filled food. -Julianne
Being outside of the United States for the first time, my expectations for Spain were very limited. When I arrived in Collado Villalba, I was immediately greeted with a strong sense of community, seeing families clapping and friends together as we exited the bus. Over this weekend, I continued to learn more about this community and the history of Spain. Saturday, we traveled to Madrid. As we drove, I got to see the architecture of the city and how it is so similar yet different to Boston. Next, we traveled to a castle outside of Madrid, bringing me back to the historic aspect of Europe, allowing me to see the story of Spain and how it connects to the world. The sights of the mountains and the towns as we drove were incredible, feeling surreal. Sunday we went to a volleyball game for my partner, Arturo. His team won the game and all I remember was everyone clapping and cheering. Afterwards, we traveled to an ancient monastery that was very large and beautiful. Although we were not allowed to take pictures inside, which had lots of art and history, I definitely enjoyed viewing the many rooms and places. I am so glad I took the opportunity to go on this trip and I am very excited for what’s to come next.
-Henry
During the weeked, we were very busy. First Saturday morning, my host family threw a party for the mother’s, which was lots of fun. I met the whole family, ate great food, and played games, as well as a bit of karaoke! One of Carlottas, my exchange student friends, Lucia, came by with her partner, Ameyaa. We left the party a bit early and went to the park and played more games and later met up with everyone at Pizza Hut for a late dinner. Sunday was travel day. My host family and Ameyaas went to Avila, which is a beautiful town that has almost like a wall surrounding it. We also went into a stunning church in Avila. After, we ate a big lunch, and enjoyed time with the families. Later we drove up one of the mountains near Collado Villaba and walked around. -Radina
I started my weekend off by getting settled in my new home for the next two weeks. I met Laura, my exchange partner, her sister Irene, her mother Naomi, and Miguel. We started Saturday off by going to Navacerrada and going for a walk at la barranca, a nature reserve. After our walk we had el almuerzo, the snack between breakfast and lunch, where I met Laura’s grandparents. I had croquetas con jamón y champiñón. After that we went to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, an old monastery, where we sat at a cafe and also explored the surrounding town.
On Sunday I attended Irene’s volleyball game and was able to see the surrounding towns. We also went to Madrid with Julianne and Eva. The buildings reminded me a lot of New York minus the large skyscrapers. We went to La Plaza Mayor, La Puerta del Sol, La Cibeles y Gran Vía. We walked around for most of the day taking in the city and walking through stores that we do not have in the US.
-Haley
On Friday we arrived and all went to a cafe to get churros. After that we went to play soccer and basketball. The soccer ball we had was super deflated though so it was kind of difficult to actually do anything. We then played some card games with a very large group. Afterwards, we went home and ate lunch. The food was good but I was so tired I just couldn’t eat. I took a nap after lunch for an hour and felt better after. At night we all bought snacks and drinks and went to the park. At the park we played music and were dancing. I was extremely tired the whole time. It was a wild experience to say the least.
Saturday we went to Salamanca which was very cool. It was an interesting city centered around a university. The highlight of Saturday came later. We all went to Pizza Hut. I made new friends and it was my favorite night so far.
Sunday I went to Escorial in the afternoon and went to a monastery. It was massive and very cool to see. At night we went to McDonald’s which was fun. McDonald’s here is definitely better than in the US.
-Cooper
During my first weekend in España my host family took me to Burgos! We went there in a van with their family friends and there were a lot of beautiful mountains that we drove through. When we got there we went to the Cathedral that was right next to our hotel. Both the insde and outside were beautiful and were filled with lots of art(sculptures, paintings, etc.) Then we went to a tiny little restaurant where I tried lots of new foods like octopus and lamb. We also walked around Burgos and went into different shops like Ale-hop. The next day we came back to Villalba and me and Lucía went out with some of the other students to the mall where we tried Spanish McDonald’s! It was an amazing first few days and I can’t wait to see more!
BHS Spanish Exchange Blog 