Jackson Satz: Spain

Part 1: Arrival

On June 28th, I was part of a group of 10 American students, including another from MBA, and two group leaders, that left from New York for Madrid. After a long, and for the most part sleepless seven hours or so, we touched down in the Spanish capital around noon. We all scrambled onto our phones, searching for the precious airport WiFi so as to let our friends and family back home that all had gone well after having to wait an extra hour or so in New York to take off.

The Madrid airport was an immediate spectacle, with its high, colorful, and arching ceilings supported by curling wooden beams. We made our way toward the baggage claim on multiple trains and escalators, all constructed with much more glass than was probably necessary, though it gave the airport a modern feel.

After collecting our bags, filling our water bottles, and walking outside, we were quickly greeted by a kind woman named Ilina. We would later learn that she was the adopted daughter of the couple in charge of our program, as she was born in Russia before being brought to Spain. A bus took us, as well as another group of students participating in an EIL trip, into Madrid, where we all got our rooms at the Hostal Persal, a small, but comfortable hostel where we would spend our four days in Madrid.

Part 2: Madrid

Our time in Madrid was really an adjustment period, where we got to know all of the members of our group and got used to being surrounded by the Spanish culture and language. On our first day in the city, after enjoying a fairly normal lunch during which many expressed their shock at water’s not being offered without charge, we enjoyed an extended siesta after our long day of travel, and then ventured out to El Retiro, a very large park filled with people, old and young, and swarming with vendors and roller-skaters. There, we walked around, took photos, and some bought ice cream. That night, we were allowed to go into the city in groups of three for dinner. With the assumption that this dinner would be our last opportunity to get a taste of comforting American food, three of us went to KFC, where we shared a bucket of chicken.

Over the next few days, we visited the Reina Sofia and El Prado, both of which are art museums. They were very cool and informational, and we did special research about Picasso’s Guernica, a truly incredible piece. We had different eating experiences, stopping in both markets and restaurants, though the majority of our time was spent freely, simply exploring the city.

Part 3: Toledo

We spent part of a day in Toledo as we drove from Madrid to Granada. It is a very historic city, and aside from a tour of the cathedral, nothing was planned. A Spanish man introduced himself on the street, and told us of an artisan fair going on, so we followed him, and found many interesting trinkets, best of all some incredibly large swords. Everyone bought postcards to send home, and then we split up into groups for lunch, trying between the five of us different types of sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, and a couple different spins on a fried egg. We then returned to the bus to move on to Granada, where we would stay for two weeks.

Part 4: Granada

Upon arrival in Granada, we were dropped off by the bus and immediately had to climb a sizable hill in order to arrive at the boarding school where we would be staying. The school was located in a region of the city called El Realejo, and was a 20-minute walk on top of a 10-minute bus ride to the small school, called Celei, where we would be taking our two classes, one covering Spanish, but more specifically Andalusian, culture and history, along with a class focused on grammar and vocabulary. Celei was located in the Albaicin, the region of Granada build by muslims and directly across from El Alhambra, the ancient muslim palace. We took classes for four hours a day over the course of two weeks, learning about the origins of Andalucia, the city's architecture, and many celebrations throughout Spain, including La Semana Santa and las corridas de toros de San Fermín. The boarding school in which we were living was run by a man named Francis, he cooked us three meals a day, took care of our rooms, and did everyone's laundry. The amounts of food he served at each meal were incredibly large, and he often worried that we did not like his food, but it was often just a case of not being able to eat ten pizzas as a group.

We took a few excursions while we were in Granada, going to the beach, hiking, and participating in a scavenger hunt through the city by finding different works of graffiti. We also spent many of the scorching hot afternoons playing games like capture the flag with water balloons outside of the school, and a small group of Spanish kids joined us, and became our friends for the rest of our time there.

Part 5: Guadix/Purullena

After two weeks in Granada, we left early on the morning of July 15th to drive about an hour to Guadix, where we would all live in a separate family’s home. We all felt a mix of nerves and excitement as the bus pulled into the city, but as we stepped out we were all greeted very kindly by our family. My family, though, along with that of one other boy in my group, lived in Purullena, a tiny town that was about a ten minute drive outside of Guadix. My host brother, Antonio, and his mother, picked me up and drove me back to Purullena, where we went for tapas with the host family of John, the other American student.

Over the next ten days, John and I would spend some time together every day, as our host brothers were best friends, which was very nice considering that we were a little isolated from the rest of our group. Every day though, with the exception of weekends, we had an organized group activity with the Americans, whether it was visiting a historical site in Guadix, which has the largest population of cave homes in the world, or simply going to the pool. The cave homes, while for the most part occupied by poorer families, are actually very economical, as they self-regulate temperature, and are very safe during earthquakes.

A typical day with my host family was very tranquil; it was typical to spend most of the day either eating or resting, waiting for the night to go meet up with friends. An especially memorable time, though, was playing basketball with a few people whom we met at a court in Guadix, both of whom were wearing NBA jerseys. It was fun to play and talk with people we had just met, exchanging lots of jokes. Immediately after, as I was filling my water bottle at a nearby fountain, I befriended a group of ten or so little boys who were planning a water balloon fight. They checked if I played Pokemon Go (sadly, I did and do not), and I then asked that they hit me with a balloon, as it was really hot out. Though I will likely never see him again, Henrique and his bucket of water balloons will likely always be remembered.

I was able to meet many of Antonio’s friends, all of whom were very kind, and excited to balance practicing their own English with my practicing Spanish. They shared experiences with past American students, and could not have been more inclusive. My host brother’s family was also unrelentingly kind. My host mother was a cook, always concerned with the amount I was eating, and whether or not I was staying in touch with my parents. My host father was a truck driver, so he was gone Monday through Friday, but I will always remember his pulling up to the house on a Friday evening in a rented Mercedes convertible, something I definitely did not expect in a rather barren desert town. Antonio, who was 19, had two siblings, a younger brother Manu, who was 16, and an older sister Anabella, who was 25. Both were exceedingly kind and patient. Anabella was in a way a second host mother, always checking in on me, asking if I enjoyed the food, and making sure I was never too tired to do something.

Although the first few days brought a bit of a shock, we were all sad to leave Guadix for Madrid. There were many hugs, many thank yous, and many gifts exchanged. My mother made sure to add me on Facebook, telling me that I must come see her when I return.

Part 6: Departure

We left Guadix for Madrid, where we again stayed the night in the Hostal Persal before leaving the next morning for New York. That night included lots of souvenir shopping, all of us searching for gifts for our family and, most importantly, ourselves. Leaving was bittersweet, as it was difficult to leave the country to which we had become so close, but touching down on American soil was a comforting prospect.

Thank You

Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who made this experience possible, from all of the American students to our Spanish families. Also, I am especially grateful to the Wilson family for their incredible generosity and willingness to help me and others further ourselves with such meaningful cultural experiences. Lastly, but certainly not least, thank you to Sr. Paolicchi, Sr. Kamm, Sra. Victoria, and all the other members of the language department who spent time reading applications, organizing flights, and making sure that I was well prepared for an amazing time.