Picturesque European streets. Gelato every day. The sun was shining. Good food was consumed. Cute outfits and little souvenirs collected. New friends made and new language learned. These were all aspects of my study abroad spring break trip to Spain with the Arts and Sciences Scholars program, and I am here to talk about the experience and what I thought (hint: I loved it!).
I found out about the program through my scholars program, which made me eligible to go. Once I heard about all there was in store during the trip, I knew I had to sign up and apply. A couple weeks later, and I got the news that I got into the program. The next few months consisted of attending the attached course and prepping for the trip, and then, just a week or so ago, we all hopped on a plane and flew over to Spain!
Our first stop was in Barcelona, and when I tell you this city was so charming, I am not lying. We stayed at a hotel on La Rambla, which is the street in Barcelona. I was lucky enough to get a hotel room to myself the whole trip, and the balcony in the room I was staying in was well utilized. In true Spanish fashion, the city starts to wake up in the late morning, with most shops and stores opening around 10 or 11 a.m. We had a few excursions that were scheduled before that time, and if you stepped outside, the only people you could see were tourists with suitcases and the occasional runner.
While we were in Barcelona, we went on a walking tour to explore the historic areas of the city (which were just as cool as you would think). We also went to the Sagrada Familia, which was so beautiful I cried. I’m not joking, by the way. Additionally, since our trip was technically about the arts and sciences and how they connected in the cities we visited, we took a trip to a non profit called Casa R.A.R.O, which was an art focused non-profit that helped sponsor students to do exchange programs and residencies. We got to learn a lot about their mission, did some painting, and helped with a mural project they had going on their terrace. (I got to spray paint a wall, and did I write “Ohio” on there somewhere? Yes.)
We got plenty of free time on our own, so my friends and I went thrifting, visited the beach, grabbed dinner at cute little places, and enjoyed our time to the fullest. Surprisingly, we ran into a lot of American students, including a group of Ohio State students when we visited Park Guell. While we were staying in Barcelona, we made a day trip to Figueres, which was a little town about two hours away by bus. They had a Salvador Dali museum, given that Figueres was where he was born, and we got to see a lot of… interesting pieces. Let’s just say that I enjoy realism a lot more, but I did knock on Dali’s tomb! The scenery in Figueres was so gorgeous, and a small group of us walked around, did a little shopping, got some gelato, and enjoyed the warm weather. Did I mention that it was really warm for most of this trip? Thank goodness, because the cold Ohio weather was about to kill me.
After four days in Barcelona, it was time for us to make our way over to Madrid, the capital city. After a long, peaceful train ride, we dropped our bags at the hotel (no balcony for me this time, but still a very nice room), and started off on a walking tour. We got to see a lot of historic sites, but the most memorable part of the walking tour was the water fountain we passed. When we were informed that it was safe to drink from (which I knew, given that I have travelled to other European cities before), I went to drink from it and was bombarded with questions like, “What does it taste like?” When I stated it tasted like water, because it did, people kept asking if it had an aftertaste of some kind. For reference, for both you, dear reader, and all the people on my walking tour, the water tasted fine, and did not have any weird aftertaste or texture or whatever. It tasted like water from a bottle. You can drink the water.
We visited museums, learned some beginner flamenco dances, saw a flamenco show, did some more shopping, and explored the city. Also, I would like to note that I had jamĂłn, or Iberian ham, every single day of this trip. It was delicious, please try it if you ever go to Spain. The next day, we took a day trip to Toledo, which housed a lot of history and swords. (Yes, swords.) While it did rain pretty hard all day, we got to see a lot of really cool, old buildings and scenery. We also made a lot of Toledo, Ohio jokes, which were solidified when we saw a street with the name “Toledo, Ohio.” Who knew I would see an Ohio reference while in Spain?
That night, I got to see one of my best friends, Naiara, who I haven’t seen in a while. We had dinner, walked around, and went out to celebrate one of her friend’s birthdays. I got to meet some of her friends, and they were all so kind and welcoming. I genuinely enjoyed hanging out with them for the night, and I had a lot of fun. Plus, you know the whole thing about Europeans greeting each other with kisses to the cheek? I thought that was an exaggeration that was pushed by the media, so you can imagine my surprise when I met these new people and I got two kisses, one on each cheek. I am told this is a more formal greeting, but this was very much a small culture shock for me. Did I hate it? No, especially when one of Naiara’s cute friends kissed me on the cheek, too.Â
Our last day was spent walking around local markets and the Prado Museum (not Prada, Prado). At this point, I was so tired, but I pushed through to make sure I got the most out of this trip. After all, when in Spain, right? That night, I got to have dinner with Naiara’s family and see her town, which she has been talking to me about since I met her. Suffice to say, it was as cute as she described it, if not more.Â
I think the highlights of this trip for me were the food, the sights, seeing my friend, and meeting new people. I really enjoyed my time in Spain, and I would definitely go back to explore more. The nice thing about the cities I visited is that it always felt like there was more to explore. I didn’t ever feel bored, and I had so much fun. Memories were definitely made. If you are looking for the location of your next trip, might I recommend Spain? It’s beautiful, most people are really nice, the food is great, and the way of life will help you to slow down, breathe, and enjoy your time. I know I did.Â