Our Last Week in Spain's Capital

The last week of the program is finally upon us and the general consensus among the students is a blend of “I never wanna leave!” and “I can’t wait to see my puppy!” In short, emotions are high and hearts are heavy as we complete our last tasks here in Madrid.

Monday: Modern Art at the Reina Sofia Museum

On Monday, the students lugged themselves to class after an exhilarating and equally exhausting weekend in Granada. After classes in the morning, each group completed their community mission and in the afternoon we all went to one of Spain’s most esteemed modern art museums: El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.

Our tour began with the museum's most prized possession, Picasso’s El Guernica, a 12ft x 25ft goliath of a painting. Created for the World Fair of 1937 in Paris, Picasso struggled to come up with an idea until he saw the news that displayed images of sheer terror. Francisco Franco, Spain’s dictator from 1938-1975, permitted Hitler to test out a new series of incendiary bombs on the town of Guernica which lies in the north of Spain. A place with no military influence, innocent civilians found themselves trapped in a firestorm in the middle of the night. After seeing this in the news, Picasso knew exactly what he must create for the World Fair. Thus, Guernica was born and remains one of Picasso’s greatest masterpieces.

After standing in awe of this illustrious creation, our tour guide led us to visit three paintings by another outstanding Spanish artist, Salvador Dalí. We witnessed the surrealist artist’s genius up close and personal, as our guide pointed out the hidden symbolism within each piece. Common themes are reflected in Dalí’s creations: solitude, phobias and fears, and subtle murmurs of that era’s political situations. Painted in 1939, The Enigma of Hitler demonstrates the artist’s preoccupations about the Nazi invasion of Poland and the threat Germany posed to Europe and the world.

Tuesday: Gymkhana and Pizza Party

On Tuesday, students competed in a Gymkhana, or scavenger hunt across the city, not only testing their aptitude for getting around town, but also their knowledge of Spanish history, culture, and language. The first teams to arrive with the task complete received a prize. Afterwards, host families joined us for an evening of pizza and Coca-Cola. A storm cloud loomed overhead as everyone was gathered with their friends and families in one of the final moments before our tearfilled goodbyes approach.

Wednesday: Bike tours and archaeology museum visits

On Wednesday, half of the group took a bike tour around Madrid’s river, where students were able to explore a different perspective of the city. The other group, which had already taken the bike tour at the beginning of the program, explored the halls of the archaeology museum, packed with artifacts of Spain’s voluminous past.

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: Packing and saying goodbye

The final countdown has begun as students are given Thursday to pack their bags and say “Adiós” to their host families. On Friday, we’ll move to a hotel near the airport for a farewell dinner, and at the break of dawn on Saturday, we’ll board the plane to go back home.

The month that we’ve spent in Madrid has simultaneously felt like an eternity and a blip in time. Sad to leave, but excited to be reunited with friends and family back home, this summer will stand as a monument in our memories of one of the best of our lives.

By Graham Cruise