Párrafo de la foto de Darlene

Porque no tengo mi teléfono para la mayoría de este viaje, no tengo muchas fotos, pero mi foto favorita es un selfie de mis amigas en la cima de una de los castillos más antiguos en España. Estaba en Segovia, y aunque nosotros no pasemos mucho tiempo en Segovia, disfrutemos las vistas y el paisaje mucho. Cada vez yo veo esta foto, recuerdo las memorias buenas de mi viaje con mis amigas mejores.

Darlene's Reflection

I truly believe I will never experience a trip as amazing as Spain. I developed my speaking and listening skills incredibly; now I believe without this trip I would have never been able to survive AP Spanish this year. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and all of the people involved, like Señoras Escamilla and Casco, the teachers at the University of Salamanca, my wonderful new friends, and my host mother Pepita. Each day was filled with new experiences that I could never have imagined, like kayaking or visiting ancient cathedrals or churches and even cooking paella. Spain really helped me understand that learning Spanish is nothing without learning the culture behind it.

Párrafo de la foto (Hanna)

Esta foto es mi foto favorita porque se ve muy tranquilo y pacífico. En esta foto se centra en una flor mientras la luz entra del sol. La foto fue tomada al lado de una piscina en un día caliente pero bonita. Esta foto me recuerda a España porque de lo hermoso que es. En España es muy bonito con toda la arquitectura, monumentos y paisajes donde quiera que vaya. España no es como los Estados Unidos y tampoco es la foto, España y la foto son similares debido a cómo diferentes se comparan con todo lo que estamos acostumbrados cotidianamente.  

Párrafo de la foto (Gracie)

El pasado verano, las chicas de Ursulina todo visitaron Salamanca, España. El primer día que llegamos, todos estábamos muy cansados, pero tuvimos un día ocupado por delante de nosotros. En el primer día, todos tenemos que ir en botes de remo y remar por el río. Tengo algunas fantásticas vistas de la ciudad, pero yo también tengo que pasar tiempo con gente nueva. Esta foto es una de las muchas grandes vistas que teníamos desde los botes de remo. Fue una gran primera aventura y había muchas más por venir.

Párrafo de la foto (Alex T)

Nosotras chicas de Ursulina fuimos a España por dos meces y vivíamos con un familia en Salamanca. Por un día nosotras visitamos la ciudad Segovia y era muy pequeña. La ciudad no había mucha gente pero tenía muchas estructuras del historia España. En la plaza mayor de Segovia, había un castillo grande y bonito. El cielo era muy azul y maravilloso. Este día, nosotras escalamos muchas escaleras en un castillo. Cuando llegamos a la cima, es posible que vea mucha de la ciudad Segovia. También, nosotras compramos recuerdos y comimos helado delicioso. Me encanta el viaje de España mucho y espero que visten otras veces. 

Párrafo de la foto (Celine)

Este es un fotografía del Acueducto de Segovia con el grupo en un buen día. El cielo es claro sin nubes y el sol es luminoso arriba de nuestras cabezas. El acueducto contrujé en el primer siglo A.D. durante el imperio Romano. Es el más famoso acueducto en todos España. Hay un mito del acueducto que dije que Lucifer contrujé el acueducto en solo una noche para ganar el corazón de una niña joven. Pero Lucifer falta un piedra a la aurora y hay marcas de los dedos del diablo en todos las piedras. Hoy, el acueducto es tambien he llamado “Puente de Diablo”.

Post trip reflection Hanna

This trip was an absolutly amazing experience that I will never forget! Because of this trip I have learned so much about the culture of Spain which is something I really wanted to learn about. I have also expanded my vocabulary a lot since my trip and I am now able to understand more spanish. During the two weeks I was also able to have a close relationship with my host family and get to know my roommate even better, as well as the other girls in this trip. This Spain trip was everything I expected and more, and hopefully I will be able to go agin one day!

Photo Paragraph (Alyssa)

Yo escojo este foto porque lo es de un edificio con muy bonita arquitectura. El edificio es el palacio blanco del gobierno Mayor. El palacio construyo de la piedra caliza y granito a protege lo de los fuegos. En el pasado la familia real vivia aqui, pero ahora la familia real viva en el palacio zarzuela. El palacio blanco es una obra maestra con las esculturas y construccion elegante. Me gusta este foto del palacio mucho porque lo mira la belleza del palacio. 

Kelsey's Reflection

My trip to Spain this summer was an experience I will never forget. My host mother, Pepita, made my time in Salamanca truly amazing. She was also one of the reasons that my conversational skills grew throughout the trip. Darlene and I would talk to her about anything and everything, and she even trusted us to hold a conversation with her friends one day at lunch. I also made so many new friends on this trip, and I can't believe I only have one more year to spend with them at Ursuline. They made the trip so fun and so worthwhile; I couldn't imagine going with anyone else. I think we all know that the thing I will miss most is the ice cream. Going from three ice creams a day in Salamanca to zero back in Dallas was quite an adjustment that I'm still not used to. I hope that someday I can revisit Spain and Salamanca with my friends or family. It is definitely a special place that I will always remember. I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to expand my spanish speaking abilities and to experience a new and different culture!!!! 

Párrafo de la Foto Maria

En Salamanca toque muchas fotos, pero la mejor es la foto de la vista de la Catedral del Rio Tormes. Ésta es mi favorita porque muestra la hermosa ciudad de Salamanca y tambien me recuerda del primer día  cuando pasamos el tarde en los barcos pedales. En el fondo de la foto, se puede ver la torre y el domo de la Catedral Nueva que se construyieron en el siglo XVI. Tambien entre estas estructuras, hay La Catedra Vieja de Santa Maria que fue completada en el siglo XIV. Alrededor de Las Catedrales están edificios antiguos que son ejemplos de la arquitectura tradicional en Salamanca.

Párrafo de la Foto

¡Hola! Me llamo Lauren y bienvenido a España. Este es una fotografía de la interior de una iglesia en la cuidad de Salamanca. La iglesia es muy grande y muy bonita. Dentro de la iglesia, hay muchos vitrales y pinturas de Jesús, y el altar es de oro. También, hay mucho espacio por todos los católicos para sentarse y escuchar la palabra de Dios. Esta foto fue tomada el primer domingo del viaje cuando todas las chicas de Ursuline fueron a la iglesia para atender la misa. Hay muchas personas de Salamanca en la iglesia para atender la misa. Aunque la misa hablaba solamente en español, el sacerdote habló con claridad. Él era fácil para entender, y yo comprendí toda la homilía. Él dijo para confiar en el Señor cuando estás teniendo problemas. ¡Me encantaron todos los aspectos de la iglesia, y ojala que yo pudiera ir a la iglesia en el futuro!

Celine's Post Trip Reflection

This past summer’s trip to Spain was an incredible journey filled with new cultural experiences and close bonding with my Ursuline friends and host family. It was such an amazing experience for me that there are no words in the English language to describe how I feel and how much I miss Spain.

I feel that I greatly benefited from this trip. I am very thankful for being given the opportunity to study at the University of Salamanca and practice my Spanish with the locals. Although I am not yet completely fluent in the language, I feel that I have greatly improved with conversation and grammar. I am also more confident in speaking the language.  In fact, this trip has made me more interested in learning all about the Spanish language and culture. The afternoon activities and especially living with a host family allowed me to indulge in the Spanish culture in person. Living their daily routine of later meals, siestas, and lots of walking brought me closer to the Spanish culture. Those two weeks alone made Spain feel like my second home.

If you asked me what my favorite part of the trip was I wouldn’t be able to decide; the classes at the University, the delicious food of Basi (my host mother), the live music in the narrow cobble stone streets, shopping and eating ice cream in the plaza, etc. I am eager to say that I enjoyed EVERY SINGLE part on the trip. It didn’t bother me that we didn’t have air conditioning in most places or that we had to walk many, many miles around the city. Even when I had to study for the final exams I enjoyed it because every single day I was there and every day afterward, I think of how fortunate I am to have joined the API by Aspire program. I enjoyed making memories and becoming very close to some girls I hadn’t known before the trip. I definitely recommend traveling with Ursuline to the beautiful county of Spain. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible and memorable.

Post trip reflection Alex Gholi

To me Spain was an opportunity and an amazing trip I will never forget. Not only did I have an amazing time, but I was able to improve my Spanish so much. By staying with my host family, I was forced to use my Spanish at all times. Also I loved spending time with my host family and all the friends I made. I would recommend this trip to any or Ursuline girl because learning a language in another country is more fun than just sitting in the classroom. I was so immersed and interested in the culture that I forgot I was even in school. I am so thankful I got to go on this trip,and I hope I can go to Spain again soon.

Paragraph about picture

Mi mejor foto que yo toqué en Salamanca es un foto de La Plaza Major. La plaza es en el centro de Salamanca y muchas personas se encuentran allí. Durante la noche, la plaza es muy divertido. Muchas personas bailan y se sientan en la plaza y comen helado. La plaza es mi lugar favorito en Salamanca y espero que yo visite un vez más.

Gracie's Post Trip Reflection

While I was in Spain, I had many opportunities to improve my Spanish. I realized that after my travels, I have improved immensely in my Spanish vocabulary and grammar. I have also been able to speak Spanish easier and been able to put sentences together faster. Also, by immersing myself in the culture, for example living in a Spanish home, made me more aware of the traditions in Spain. I believe that by going to Spain gives me a better chance of being able to not only speak Spanish, but also understand the origin of the language. But most of all going to Spain let me meet new people and make memories that I will never forget!

El párrafo de mi foto (Karina)

Cuando vivi en España para dos semanas, mis amigas y yo fuimos a la Plaza Mayor mucho. La Plaza Mayor está en el centro de la ciudad de Salamanca. Todas las chicas y yo nos encontramos debajo del reloj cuando fuimos a un excursión. Hay muchas tiendas, restaurantes, y heladerías en la plaza. El helado en Salamanca era muy delicioso y muy rico. También, mis amigas y yo fuimos a La Plaza Mayor en la noche para beber Coca Cola antes de dormir en la casa. Había mucha gente en la Plaza Mayor todo el tiempo cuando nosotros estabamos en Salamanca y la plaza es un lugar muy popular en Salamanca. 

Lauren's Post Trip Reflection

I had such a wonderful, life changing experience on this trip. Not only was I able to immerse myself in the culture of Salamanca, Spain, take interesting classes completely in Spanish, and enhance my Spanish skills, but I also strengthened my friendship with my fellow Ursuline sisters and made new friendships in Salamanca, extending the borders of the United States.Going on fun excursions (such as paddle boating), learning new things outside of the university (the cooking class), and experiencing "normal" Spanish social culture (hanging out at the plaza and eating ice cream) truly opened my eyes to how different the world is outside of the U.S., and instead of categorizing these differences as "weird," "funny," or "strange," we should embrace it and celebrate our similarities instead. I felt so immersed into the Spanish culture that even after returning home, I found myself continuing the habits I had picked up in Spain from my host mother, such as wearing socks/shoes indoors at all times, taking a nap around 2:30 (the normal siesta time), and eating a larger lunch than dinner.I am so grateful for everything that I have learned. After this experience, I feel more culturally aware and eager to understand other customs and cultures as well! I am so glad I went! 

Maria's Post Trip Reflection

Spain was an unforgettable trip that proved to be highly educational in ways that I did not expect. By this I mean, as anticipated, I took home a new knowledge of the Spanish language but I also picked up on and embraced many aspects of Spanish life. For example, after staying in a Spanish home for two weeks and observing my host mom's behavior, I now find myself turning off every light when not in use and wearing socks while walking around the house. I even remember feeling confused by being able to respond to adults in English after arriving back in Dallas. I find the integration of behavior I learned in Spain in my daily life especially interesting because it demonstrates how even a short exposure to a different culture can shape one's life and habits. After all, the two week trip to Salamanca was enough time to make things I have spent my entire life practicing such as English foreign. I believe that now that I am aware of the changes made possible by complete cultural immersion, I am now more eager to familiarize myself with new cultures and people. Although I value the Flamenco lessons and cooking classes greatly, it is the new view of traveling's impact on one's daily life that I will remember most from this trip.

Alex's Post Trip Reflection

Spain was an experience I will never forget. I learned so much about another culture and its importance. As much as I thought I knew about Spain, I really had no idea. The whole trip was a long learning experience about adapting to a new city. Learning the way around and the food to eat all seem simple but actually take a while to get used too. Spanish was a difficult task on this trip, but I learned more than ever. Salamanca is nothing like Dallas and it gave me a new point of view on the world. Every place we would walk into had a story behind it. I remember learning all about them in the many tours we endured. I really enjoyed my experience in Spain and wish I could go back. It's so fascinating how Salamanca is so easy to remember. Even Madrid which was only hours away was so different. I learned that the culture is actually over a small area rather than a whole country.

Alyssa's Post Trip Reflection

The trip to Spain was a trip of a lifetime for me where I got to explore another country, improve my Spanish skills, and learn about another culture. The trip broadened my view of the world and let me completely experience the Spanish culture for two weeks. In Spain I learned about its history, Flamenco, siesta, and the different times people in Spain come together for their meals. The trip greatly improved my ability to speak in Spanish and left me wanting to pursue the language more than I had before. This trip helped me to learn about another country and want to pursue higher Spanish classes. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to go to Spain, experience its culture, and learn more Spanish than I knew before.

https://youtu.be/aSLnJUHQEMc

Karina's post trip reflection

Our trip to Spain was a unique and memorable experience, and my first time visiting Spain as well. I loved staying with a host family and learned so much from my host mom, Pilar. Over time I got used to speaking Spanish and by the end I did not have to think as much about what I was saying because speaking felt natural. Now, I feel much more confident about speaking in Spanish. I also learned so much about the culture while we were there through the classes we took at the university, the flamenco class and show, and the cooking class. Not only did I learn how to cook a couple Spanish meals, but I also got the opportunity to try many famous Spanish dishes through the trip. I feel like I was completely immersed in the Spanish culture. I made lots of memories and many new friends by the end of the trip and I think my Spanish speaking and interpreting skills have definitely improved. 

Martina's post trip reflection

My experience in Spain was a new and exciting one. The trip was so amazing and really helped me to understand and appreciate Spanish culture and broaden my horizons. Spanish culture is similar but also very different to our own in America. Getting used to the different schedule was challenging but I learned to appreciate it and look forward to 2pm so I could eat lunch, talk with my host family, and enjoy siesta, a well cherished aspect of Spanish culture that we all enjoyed. The food was always delicious and incorporated a LOT of jamón which surprised me and also a wide variety of seafood. My appreciation of the Spanish language was greatly expanded as it fully came in to focus that Spanish wasn't just a course taught in school, it was an actual way of communication for these people  and a way of life. I really think that the acclimation aspect and only talking in Spanish the entire time, though daunting, really helped me to be able to understand and expand my knowledge of the Spanish language. I strengthened bonds with girls I already knew but also made a lot of new friends. This experience was absolutely fantastic and if I had to choose if I'd do it again I would say yes in a heartbeat.

Michelle's Post Trip Reflection

A mix of incredibly fun afternoon activities, immersion into the culture of Spain, weekday classes, and exploration of a completely different landscape, this trip to Spain was unforgettably unique. As I spent more time with this group of people, I solidified friendships and made memories with the people I had not known before going on this trip. As a group, we participated in several activities, with each one helping to reveal a different aspect of Spain, whether it be culture, landmarks, history, or customs. In just two weeks, I was able to familiarize myself, through personal encounters, with the customs and ideas of the people of Spain. Enjoying a lifestyle completely different from our own, we tried different delicious and typical Spanish dishes, such as tortilla Espanola and paella. And as I learned about this Spanish culture, I was able to adapt their customs to my own lifestyle and way of thinking. For example, I learned that food and meals are used to bring friends and family together, which showed me that they value face-to-face conversations, unlike in America where many people replace conversation with more convenient ways of communication, such as text messages. So I enjoyed meals with my host family since I was able to learn more about their life in Spain and to discover their favorite pastimes. And having improved my proficiency in Spanish through conversations such as these, I have been inspired to continue to work hard to develop fluency in this language.

Gaby's Post-trip Reflection

My time in Spain was a very new experience for me, as I had to adjust to a new schedule and all of the cultural differences. This was my first overseas trip, so I was surprised to find out how easily I was able to settle in and grow acclimated to the country. I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity and I enjoyed being able to learn about it through experiencing it. One of my favorite activities was our Flamenco dance lesson along with the kayaking excursion. I also grew to appreciate the Spanish language more, and improved my comprehension and communication skills tremendously. I think this was a valuable experience that will really help me with my Spanish classes and cultural awareness.

Day 14 excursions- Kelsey

Today we visited two art museos (museums) as well as took a tour in an autubús (bus) around Madrid. The first museum we went to was the Prado museum, which is famous for its collection of works by Spanish artists. We looked at cuadros (paintings) by El Greco, Velazquez, and Goya. Many of these paintings I had learned about in school, so I was excited to see them in person instead of in a textbook. For example, there is a famous painting by Goya of Spanish men fighting French soldiers during the time of Napoleon. My European History course studied this piece a lot, when we discuessed Napoleon's conquests. The most important painting we saw today was "Las Meninas" by Velazquez. It depicts four little girls watching the rey and reina (king and queen) get their portrait painted by Velazquez. The painting is extremely big compared to what size I thought it would be. It took up an entire wall. We were not allowed to take pictures of the artwork, so I've attached a photo of the painting from the internet. As you can see, it is really pretty. 

Las Meninas

Next we visited the Reina Sofia museum to see "La Guernica" by the one and only Pablo Picasso. Before we entered the museum, our API directors, Ana and Inma, described the history of the painting to us. Picasso painted Guernica in the 1930s after the small pueblo (town) of Guernica was bombed by German air forces during practice for World War 2. Picasso was so upset by the news of this attack that he stopped working on another painting to make La Guernica, one of his most famous pieces. Just like Las Meninas, it is larger than life at 11 feet tall and 25 feet wide. Once again, photos were prohibited, but I have posted a picture of the painting. My history class also learned alot about this piece last year, so it was so exciting to see it in a museum. I was very impressed and shocked by the size of the painting. It is a bit overwhelming but still very guay (cool).

La Guernica- La clase por Inma Borrego ennel Paseo del Prado: http://youtu.be/dhpgm00Q6g0

The group in front of a sculpture at the Reina Sofia Museum

Our last excursion was a bus tour of the city in which we boarded a red double decker bus and listened to explanations of each this we past on audífonos (headphones). Maria and I were even able to snag the coveted first row of seats after some people got off. We had a great view of all of the edificios (buildings) including the museums we had visited earlier plus tiendas (stores), restuarantes (restaurants), and iglesias (churches). We also saw many historical buildings and a part of the city called the Salamanca district. I was able to take a few photos that I have posted also. As fun as Madrid has been, I am excited to return home tomorrow to see my family and friends!!!

Alyssa and I before the bus tour

Photo taken on the tour around madrid

Gaby's expectations

This will be my first time going out of the country, and I am really looking forward to experiencing a new culture and meeting the other girls on the trip. I am also very excited to be able to practice my Spanish and see what it is like to live as an exchange student for a few weeks. In addition, I am looking forward to trying all of the food and spending time with my host mother.

Day 13

Today was bittersweet. It was our last day in Salamanca and leaving our Spanish home was a lot harder than I expected. We started the day off with our traditional desayuno (breakfast) of pan, mermelada, y chocolate (bread, jam, and hot chocolate). After desayuno, we went to our last classes at the University of Salamanca to get our exams back and receive our certificates for attending the classes. Since we had already taken the final exam for each class, today was more laid back from the other days. For example, in grammar class, our teacher Marta showed us some famous Spanish singers and gave us the lyrics to their songs so that we could sing along. At the end of the classes, we received our certificates for Curso de Lengua y Cultura Españolas from our teachers. These certificates mean that not only have we completed the course, but we are also now a part of the almost 800 year old university. When we arrived at home, our host mom Maria Angeles made us a huge lunch of patatas, pollo, pimientos, y melón (fried potatoes, chicken, peppers, and melon). After, instead of taking a siesta (nap) like usual, Gracie and I walked around the city to say our goodbyes and make some last minute purchases at the gift stores.

At about 5:00 pm, we gave our host families besitos (kisses) and said adios (goodbye) to all of our friends in Salamanca before boarding the bus to Madrid. After about  two and a half hours of driving, we arrived in Madrid and checked into our hotel, Hotel Regina. Then, we went to cenar (eat dinner) as a group at VIPS Restaurant. When we finished eating our meals, we went on a short walk to the Puerta del Sol, where we saw the famous Cartel de Tio Pepe and Kilometro 0 (the point where all the highways in Madrid come together).

Having to part from Salamanca showed me how much I had come to love the city and see it as a second home. When I first arrived in Salamanca, I never thought I would immediately miss the seemingly strange food from my host mom or the four hour Spanish classes once I left. Now that it is over, I wish there was some way I could have another day to spend there. This is a result of the immersion process because through this program, we have not only learned about a culture, but we have come to adopt, live, and love it. 

My flamenco video (Karina Lall)

http://youtu.be/Yu4lF_Tkwuo

Day 12 (Alex Tedeschi)

¡Hola! Today was a very accomplishing and hot day. We started out the same with breakfast and school but we had examenes (finals). The finals were not too difficult and we expect great grades because we studied and learned so much. In gramática (grammar) the exam was what we are used to back home. In conversation, we acted out a store robbery and in culture we completed a written exam. We were all very excited to finish the exams!

After class we all got in groups and went to el mercado (market) to buy food for our cooking class later on. We purchased items such as arroz(rice), tomates(tomatoes), and pollo(chicken). All of us had to ask for our items in Spanish. Then we left to our host homes to eat lunch and either siesta or work on our videos for the final grade of this trip. 

Lastly, everyone went to a cooking class. Together we made one large paella and gazpacho. Both were so delicious and we finished it all! I learned how to make both for the first time and I'm excited to try to make it at home. We all ate together and enjoyed the authentic Salamancan food. We then went back home for dinner, because the portions were small. Finally, some ended their last night in Salamanca in the Plaza Mayor and celebrated how far we have come with Spanish with a cold helado (ice cream).

Alex Tedeschi

Day 11 (Alyssa Peckham)

Hola! Today was our last day of classes before los examenes (exams) tomorrow. I started off my day as usual with a desayuno (breakfast) of cereal and tostada con marmalade (toast with jam). Then I went to class from 8:30-1:15. Today our teachers finished up our lessons and told us what to study and que no cunta panico (not to panic) about our exams. After class I ate lunch and took a siesta (nap) before meeting our group at 5:30 to go to the beautiful Museo Art Nouveau y Art Deco in Casa Lis.

In 1995, the museum was established to display the collection of art that Manuel Ramos Andrade donated. The museum houses 19 different collections of artwork from the 1900s. Some art types from these collections include jewelry, iridescent glass, porcelain pieces, and furniture. One of my favorite collections was the special exhibit for Coco Chanel y sus amigos (friends) featuring clothes (ropa), perfume, statues, and paintings.  Everything there was absolutely beautiful! After we left the museum we went to buy galletas (cookies) from the nuns near the old church. Then we were given free time before la cena (dinner) to shop and walk around the city. 

Today was a fantastic day where I learned new things and made new memories that will last a lifetime.

Adios, Alyssa 

Monday, Day 10 (Gaby)

Today was a very fun day. We had our usual four hours of classes in the morning, where our teachers might have chided us for being a bit tired, but overall the classes were great. At promptly 1:15, we were released for lunch and a siesta. 

We all met at the plaza at 5:30, where a bus was waiting to take us kayaking. After a twenty five minute drive, we arrived in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. The only water we could see came from some sprinklers watering corn fields. All ended well, as after a few minutes of walking on foot, we arrived at a river. We then proceeded to put on life jackets (safety first!) and were given brief instruction of how to kayak. After that we separated into groups of two and headed down the river in tandem kayaks. The water was nice and cool, and the instructors also really enjoyed splashing us with the water, which kept us feeling refreshed. After about an hour to an hour and a half of kayaking, we arrived at a small beach where we finished the trip. 

After our return to land, we walked to some bathrooms to clean up and headed back to the plaza. We all parted for our houses, where we ate dinner. 

All in all, today was a very productive day filled with many great memories. 

Day 9 (Darlene Ngo)

¡Hola! Greetings from Salamanca. 

     Today, Sunday, was a good day for relaxing and spending time with our families. Some girls traveled to their host family's lake house, while others went to la piscina (the pool).  A group of girls saw a very cute dog at the pool and wanted to share a picture of it. After desayuno (breakfast) consisting of tostadas (toast) and juice (zumo) Kelsey, my roomate, and I traveled to our host mom's pueblo (house) in el campo (the countryside). Pepita, our mom, usually lives in her pueblo during the summer unless she is hosting students. About 50 kilometers and an 1 hour drive away from our house is the pueblo. When Pepita showed us around, she showed us her ancient pottery wheels, hundreds of years old? Unlike electrically powered wheels, these require the kicking of one's foot in order for the wheel to spin. Afterwards, Kelsey and I laid underneath the shade of Pepita's trees until, about 12:15. While we were under the trees reading and sleeping (I was the one sleeping), Pepita tended to her jardín (garden) of floras (flowers) and árboles de manzana (apple trees). We left for misa (Mass) at 12:15 and walked to a community iglesia (church). Though small, the church was beautiful and was inspired by Roman architecture. After mass, we went to eat tapas (appetizers) with Pepita and her lively friends, then lunch where Kelsey and I both tried paella, a common Spanish dish, for the first time. We loved it. The rest of the afternoon was spent sleeping and relaxing. 

     Today was honestly one of the best days for me. After a restless night the day before, I was so glad I could spend some time with Pepita and mi hermana (sister) Kelsey. I, notorious for sleeping, was able to catch some z's. The day was filled with even newer experiences than those in Salamanca and was a perfect way to end the very busy weekend. All in all, I am very content that we went with Pepita and got to know her and her way of life better. 

Thanks for tuning in! 

-Darlene Ngo

La visita guiada del sabado 11 en la ciudad de Segovia- famosa por sus Arcos, el Alcazar y la coronacion de la Reina Isabel de Castilla

Day 8 (Gracie Motta)

Today we took an exciting excursion to the city of Segovia! I had a great desayuno (breakfast) with my host mom consisting of bread and jam. We all started the day around 9 am, when we got a bus for two hours and headed off to the small city of Segovia. When we arrived, we first saw the marvelous aqueducts that are still in-tact after hundreds of years. This happens to be the most famous structure in Segovia. As we walked down El Calle Royal (The Royal Street), we passed La Mujer Muerta (The Dead Woman) a beautiful mountain in Segovia separating the city from Madrid. Our group also passed La Casa Noble (The Noble House) that is most famous for its designs on the walls. Along the way we saw La Inglesia de San Martin (Saint Martin's Church) and La Inglesia de Corpus Christi. After walking for about an hour, we reached La Plaza Mayor where City Hall, La Inglesia De San Miguel, and La Cathedral, the last gothic cathedral, are located. After reaching La Plaza Mayor, we made are way to La Alcazar de Segovia (Royal Palace of Segovia). This is a very famous castle where multiple kings and queens have lived throughout the years. Unfortunately, there was a huge fire (The Fire of 1862) that damaged most of the castle, but there are still some pieces left of the original. Most of the rooms were recreated after 1862 like the bedroom, the church, and the office. In my opinion the most interesting room was the King's room which contained statues of most of the kings and queens that had lived in the castle. After going through the castle, we climbed MANY stairs to reach the top of the tower. It was an amazing view and it was a great place to get some amazing photos of the whole group. Going to the top of the castle made me realize how beautiful Spain is and that I should really savor the experience.

After climbing back the stairs, we had a picnic outside of the castle, provided by our host families and we even ran into some familiar faces. After eating, we had about 3 hours of shopping time, since we only have a day to go to Segovia. When we finished shopping for our families and friends, we decided to stop to sit and enjoy the time together. Around cinco y media (5:30), we made our way back to the bus to return to Salamanca. We returned to Salamanca around 7:30 to eat our dinner with our host families. I learned a lot about the culture and history in Segovia by seeing there most popular landmarks and experiencing the joy of visiting another city other than Salamanca. All in all today it was a very eventful day, full of history, culture and memories to last a lifetime. 

Day 7 (Hanna)

Today was the seventh day of our trip and I think I can say for everyone that today was in their top 5!  Today we started class at our normal time (9:00) but our conversation class was 2 hours instead of 1. During grammar class we went over our tarea (homework) and reviewed ser and estar (to be verbs). During our conversation class we had an intense debate about teens drinking and disturbing the residents near the plaza. And finally in our last class, which is culture, we talked about the history of flamenco (a dance done in Spain, Costa Rica, Japan, and Guatemalla with music and singing). It was really interesting to learn the history of flamanco especially since we took a flamanco dance class this afternoon.

After lunch and our greatly needed siesta (nap) we all met underneath el reloj (the clock) at the plaza mayor at 6:15. We started the flamanco dance class around 6:30 and learned several new moves. At first the movements of the dance reminded me of a ballerina because we lifted our arms like one, but later on in the class we added twirls, steps, and even fans. After about 2 hours of dancing we went to go have dinner at Hei Hidalgo. At dinner we had many traditional dishes like croquettes and huevos rotos (broken eggs). While we were eating everyone had a great time and laughed until their cheeks hurt! Today was filled with culture and laughs and I could not have picked better activities to mark the halfway point of our Spain trip!