Madrid: Tales of Old as New Stories Unfold

What an exciting first week in Madrid! Amidst classes, learning to ride the metro, and assigned conversation topics with our host families, we've also found time to explore the city. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we bicycled through Madrid Río, explored the gardens and architecture in Parque del Retiro, and went on an informative walking tour through the center of the city.

During our walking tour, we visited la Plaza Mayor, where we learned that the plaza had historically been used as a garden, a market, and even a bull-fighting arena before it took on its current form! Later, we walked to the Palacio Real, where we listened to stories about the royal family that had lived there for centuries and observed the statues of Visogoth kings. We're excited for the day we get to take a tour into the palace itself; with more than 3,000 rooms, it's the biggest in Western Europe!

After afternoon activities, the fun doesn't end! We've been stepping out of our comfort zones to make new friends, and with friends we've gone to the mall, gone roller skating, and even sang karaoke! One student (who prefers not to be named) reported, "I never knew I loved my mom so much until now, but I also never thought I'd be friendly with this many people! I'm normally more introverted, but here I make new friends every day."

Even as we've been learning so much about Spain and practicing the language, it seems we've been learning just as much about ourselves. In level 1, we reflected on Friday about how we've felt during the first week. Many mentioned having moments of frustration at not being able to communicate or nervousness that we would make mistakes when we spoke, especially during the first couple of days after our arrival. While there have been moments that were harder than we expected, we're already noticing ways in which those difficult moments are changing us for the better. Multiple students stated that when they return home, they will feel more comfortable asking for help when they need it. One mentioned that she's learning to be less of a perfectionist and to give herself patience. Many said that they feel more compassion for people in their communities whose first language isn't English. Even as we realize that studying abroad comes with challenges, we've also found new strengths within ourselves that allow us to rise to the challenges (and I, the author, can assure you, this is one of the grittiest and most optimistic groups of students I've ever had the pleasure to work with!). Luckily, we're also overcoming these challenges together, so we know that even when we get frustrated, we're not in this alone!