Encountering digital artworks, enchanting gardens, and majestic castles during study abroad in Spain.
– Alexa Ortiz, SPC Student, Spain Program, June 2019
Where do I start? There are numerous aspects of my experience in Spain that I could talk about: the sights that I’ve seen, the food that I’ve eaten, and even the number of hours that I have studied.
Maybe, the best way to begin would be to describe how photogenic the whole country is. From the beautiful Gothic cathedrals of Salamanca to the breathtaking views of countryside places like Alberca and Pena Francia, every sight in Spain had me pulling my phone out at least once every five seconds.
Moreover, if you’re a gardener like my grandmother (or at least a flower person like me) then you’ll definitely be enchanted by some of the gardens and even home flower boxes that are in Spain, as they are lush arrangements of thriving plants and vibrant colors.
Next, there are the local events that occurred in Salamanca during my stay, such as the Festival de Luz y Vanguardia. This is an event where digital artists from across the globe create and submit short, but elaborate, computer-generated light shows to be showcased in Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor. These works were absolutely spectacular and worth seeing!
In fact, I found myself in complete awe of all the pieces that were featured and even felt like a five-year-old having to leave Disney once it started to get late and I had to start heading home. I was enthusiastically taking dozens of photos and videos of these pieces to share with my folks back at home.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the cultural experiences that I attended with my class. Two of my personal favorite excursions during this trip were to Granadilla and Alberca.
As far as ghost towns go, Granadilla is surprising beautiful, with its picturesque views of the area’s surrounding mountains and the reservoir located behind it. Moreover, the Medieval castle located near the town’s entrance is absolutely majestic, while its walls make it fun to explore around town.
However, it was sad to see the modern homes in this town vacant and abandoned. They seemed to serve as a testament to the sense of loss caused by the town’s financial failure and the death of its community’s dreams for the future.
Alberca looked like a village straight out of a Disney movie: from the German-styled village houses and beautiful surrounding mountain-scape, to the lush floral arrangements found in the town square, you would’ve sworn that you stepped into a fairytale as soon as you entered town. There was even a babbling brook not too far from the plaza by which a few classmates and I ate lunch.
Overall, this study abroad program was a very rich trip for me, especially in terms of all the sights and experiences that I was able to have while in Spain.
– Alexa Ortiz, SPC Student, Spain Program, June 2019
Thank you for sharing Alexa!
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Cover photo: Plaza Mayor (Salamanca). Photo by manuelfouce & anaramos, Wikimedia Commons [CC BY 2.0].