Saturday, June 18

With most of Cádiz sound asleep after celebrating Spain’s decisive victory in the Eurocup the day before, we got up bright and early today for another Saturday excursion. This time, it was to Los Pueblos Blancos, or the White Towns of Andalusia. Los Pueblos Blancos are a group of small towns just over an hour drive away from Cádiz, and they are called “white” because almost every house in each town has white walls:

All 28 of us — including the new arrivals of Señor Walsh and Doctor Guerra’s parents — crammed into a 28-seat bus, and we were on our way.

The first town we visited was El Bosque, where we learned how they use a water mill to make bread in a site called El Molino de Abajo. Led by the owner of the mill, Fran, and his father, Juan, we learned how they obtain and use the four ingredients of bread: flour, yeast, salt, and water. To end our tour, we got a firsthand look at the system at work.

Then, it was time to make our own bread. Our first task was to sift the flour, which led to a few small competitions to see who could do it fastest. Unfortunately, we did not see an Ayinde-Rohan rivalry rematch, but we did see some strong performances:

Caption: Mahamud is too fast for the camera, while Carson “Cochehijo” Straub holds his own. (Also, what is Rohan doing in the back?)

Caption: Rohan “First Round Pick In Every Sport” Balakrishna proves his worth in flour sifting against Zach Levin.

Caption: Grady finishes up, while Evan is just beginning.

After we finished (some evidently more quickly than others), we threw all the ingredients into a machine to knead the dough, and it was soon ready. We were each given a small piece of dough, and we were told to create whatever we wanted — one of the worst things you can say to a group of RL kids, as we found out in the ceramics workshop yesterday. However, it turned out surprisingly well:

Fortunately, we did not have to sit around and watch our bread bake for 45 minutes. We had a bit of free time before heading off for our hike, so we decided to hold a few races on a private road nearby. Still furious over his controversial loss last Saturday, Ayinde challenged Rohan to a rematch, but apparently Rohan “didn’t eat breakfast today” and “was not wearing athletic shorts” (the latter was true, but it is widely believed that the former was false). Sadly, the highly anticipated rematch did not take place.

Soon, we began our hike. This was a 5 km hike to the town of Benamahoma, alongside the river Majaceite, and we were glad to find that much of it was in the shade. Andrew Steinberg led the way for much of the hike, scaring many of us who were recalling his recent history of being late to our meeting places. Surprisingly, we did not get lost, and we got to Benamahoma on schedule! A few photos from the hike:

When we arrived at Benamahoma, we enjoyed our packed lunches, chatted (all of it in Spanish; no need to worry, Dr. Guerra), and played cards. We also received our bread from earlier, which turned out quite well. Of course, it wouldn’t be an RL lunch without something shattering:

The culprit will go unnamed.

After lunch, we packed into our bus to head to Grazalema, another town in the region. We did not have a scheduled activity here, but rather we had free time to walk around the town. There was an art convention while we visited, and we saw some pretty impressive works:

After about an hour in Grazalema, we went for a swim in a natural recreation area in Arroyomolinos. A group of about 12 of us played Waboba with a Spikeball, where Joe Nero blocked just about every throw in his direction, showing flashes of a young Manuel Neuer, and where John Philippides received several wounds to the chest. Even though things got heated — there was much controversy over one particular player wearing highly protective body armor — we had a good time in the end.

Caption: Robert jumps a little too early. (Or maybe with a smaller upward velocity, as we learned in Physics…)

There was still one destination left on our checklist: Zahara de la Sierra, one of the towns with the most fascinating views in the region. We walked up to the town’s castle to take in the sight of the surrounding hills, and were not disappointed:

Caption: Robert Cunningham can’t get to the top in time, and the group decides to take a photo without him.

With everything on our itinerary checked off, we headed back to Cádiz, and arrived at around 9:00 PM. Although we would usually make our daily visit to the beach (where Will Connaughton still leads the Beach Football League in just about every receiving category), today we were far too tired. And yes, 9:00 is a good time to go to the beach in Cádiz; one of the things that I have loved most here is the unfailingly great weather and daylight. For example, I took this photo at 9:00 PM one day:

Instead of heading to the beach, I went straight home to watch the Eurocup match with my Spanish parents. Speaking of my parents, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk a bit more about them. They have welcomed me in every way, preparing meals for me, washing my clothes, and stooping all the way down to my level of Spanish to help me learn new words. Their children are grown up and don’t visit very often, so it is usually just my father, my mother and I at home, but there is always plenty of discussion about the day’s activities, the news, or a TV show that we’re watching. I’ve heard that almost everyone’s parents are amazing cooks, and my mother is no exception; I have enjoyed every dish at every meal, even though I have never even heard of most of them before. Although the meals, in all honesty, sometimes do not look too appetising at first, it has been important for me to try everything, as I’ve found new, rich tastes that I would have missed otherwise. In addition to helping me understand the native accent of Cádiz, my parents have answered all of my vocabulary questions (and believe me, I’ve asked many), and I’ve learned so many new Cádiz-specific words.

With our last Saturday excursion in the rear view mirror, I am only just realizing that our time in Cádiz is dwindling down. Everything has flown by so quickly; in less than a week, we’ll be saying goodbye to our host families, and in less than two weeks, to Spain as a whole. We can only hope that these last two weeks are just as fun, engaging, surprising, tiring, and (everyone’s favorite) educational — if not more — as these first two weeks have been.

–David Ma

Friday, June 17

Instead of attending our usual classes this morning, we met at the Plaza de Mina, home of the Museum of Cádiz, where we would spend our morning learning about the role that the ancient city of Cádiz has played throughout history. As you may have gathered from some of my classmates previous blog posts, it just wouldn’t feel like a typical day in Cádiz if at least one person wasn’t fashionably late, really late, or lost. On that front today did not disappoint: we began the day two men down, as two unnamed boys must have missed the memo that classes weren’t taking place at San Felipe Neri today.

Once everyone was accounted for, we made our way to the museum. As you can imagine, it can be somewhat overwhelming to be thrown into such an incredible museum with no background information. To combat this, our amazing Spanish teachers, Laura, Elena, José, and Juan, created worksheets that served as a guide to help us understand the major ideas and guide us through the museum. Most of the work we have done in class has not been grueling assignments or assessments, but rather discussions regarding Spanish culture or worksheets that provide background information about places we will visit. In this way, our time at the San Felipe Neri School has allowed us to get the most out of our various activities and day trips.

The museum itself was phenomenal, packed with paintings and artifacts from the Phoenician, Roman, Arab, and medieval Spanish cultures. Pictured below are two Phoenician caskets which were recovered in the province of Cádiz in the 19th century, a Roman statue, an ancient sun dial that is still in the restoration process, and just a few of my favorites from the myriad of paintings.

We then headed home briefly for lunch and a quick siesta, and then it was time for our afternoon activity: a ceramics workshop. Upon arrival, we were greeted by our instructor, but surprisingly she just handed us clay and told us to begin. This turned out to be representative of the activity as a whole, as we simply worked with our hands and taught ourselves what worked and what didn’t (with a few tips along the way from the instructor). At the end of the day, there were some amazing works created, and I think that everybody surprised themselves a little bit with the quality of their work.

When we finished the ceramics activity, we then had a couple hours of free time before we had to be home for dinner. The free time we have had throughout the trip has been some of the most enjoyable time we’ve spent together. Whether it was spent playing soccer, football, or Spikeball on the beach, going for a swim, playing a relaxing game of Uno or Texas Hold ’em (today we all pitched in a few euros to buy an enormous bag of smarties to use as poker chips), or visiting the shops in the streets of Cádiz, it has all been a blast and we have all created some great memories.

After our time at the beach, I returned home to my family for dinner. At this point in the trip, I have developed a great relationship with my Spanish Mom, Maria Jesús, and her husband, Benito (Benny). They truly treat me like I’m their own son, and have done everything in their power to make my experience in Cádiz the best it can be. They are both fantastic cooks, which has made one of the more difficult cultural shifts (food here is very different) a little bit easier for me. While it was a little difficult for me to have meaningful conversations with them at the beginning of the trip, my Spanish has progressed so much as a result of this trip, and I now am able to be part of their conversations without needing them to repeat things or slow down. While it may sound cliché, when I walk in the door and sit down on the couch to watch the nightly Eurocup soccer game with my family, I truly feel like I’m at home.

Zach Milton

17 museum 01

17 museum 02

17 museum 03

17 ceramics andrew

17 ceramics evan

17 ceramics milton

Thursday, June 16

So far this trip has been a whirlwind of experiences. I feel like we’ve been here for months, but also feel like time is flying by. In my opinion, today was the best day yet. The theme of the day was sports in Cádiz, so our day revolved around physical activity and competition. We started the day in school learning about sports in Cádiz and Spain in general. We learned that in Spain, there are two tiers of sports: fútbol, and everything else. We then created our own sports, baloncerdo (hog ball, created by Zach Milton) and juamani, by Ahmed, Tyler Wolfe, and John and got the chance to play them in the school yard.

In the afternoon, we took in surf lessons. We have one real surfer on the trip, Carson Straub, who could have given the lessons himself. However, before the lessons, unnamed culprits began to doubt Carson’s skills when he said, “I don’t know, these waves aren’t that great. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do much.” These doubts were quickly put to rest. Other highlights included nice rides by Will Connaughton, John Philippides, and Evan Lim. Following the surfing, 9 of us took on some students from our school, Colegio San Felipe Neri, in a “friendly” game of basketball. The Spainards could not handle our 1-3-1 trap defense called “Rat”, and we handled them pretty easily.

I believe my Spanish has progressed immensely during this trip. At the beginning, I could understand the Gaditanos pretty well, but had a harder time saying what I intended to say. Now, I find myself speaking with more ease and flow than before, and much of this credit can be given to my host family. They are extremely helpful and understanding, as they take in students all the time from around the world. I’ve become good friends with my three brothers, Melchor, Ezequiel, and David, and even have a little secret handshake with the youngest, David. Overall, this trip has been the best experience of my life, and there are still two weeks left. I can’t wait to see what the final weeks have in store for my classmates and me.

Surfing!

Wednesday, June 15

Today, continuing with the momentum of this high energy trip, we engaged in a variety of activities that where presented to us. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the backbone to this entire trip, our families. My family is comprised of only a mother and father, and they have taken great care of me. What hasn’t my mother done for me? She not only cooks my meals (which are delicious and of which I recommend the pasta de camarones) and washes my cloths, she has given me plenty of tips and tricks concerning Cádiz and reminded me every day to grab my keys. When I told her I had a sunburn on my neck, she immediately grabbed some type of cream and applied it with the gentle hand that every mother possesses. Without using my entire blog post as a thank you to my parents who have supported and put up with me for a little more than a week now,  I wanted to share a tidbit of how caring, and important they really are. 

Now to provide insight on the busy and fun day we had. To start we met at the plaza de San Antonio at 930 am. We almost had perfect attendance, expect for a few of the usual suspects…James…(my tone carries a gentle jest) but once assembled we marched on to a museum. The museum not only held art and artifacts from the 13th century but held the Maqueta, a scale model of Cádiz built in the years 1777-1779.  It is made of bone, wood and ivory. We filled out a worksheet that asked about differences between the model and Cádiz today. This question was honestly difficult because Cádiz has changed very little in the last 300 years or so!!! Hopefully the attached image conveys the impressive impression we all got. Above it hang a painting that depicted the people of Cádiz holding a meeting to produce the first constitution of Spain. The reason that painting  has significance is because it acts as a perfect Segway to the building depicted in the painting, only a few blocks away. The building functions as a church. Sadly we could not take photos, but imagine sitting, surrounded by 6 beautifully ornamented stations. 

After learning about the church, its significance and its role in creating the first constitution of Spain we moved on to market. We were grouped then tasked to buy food for our cooking lesson later that day. The food was fresh, each stall was manned by friendly locals, but sadly I couldn’t read a single ingredient on our list. Taking full advantage of the kind gaditanos, we went to some fruit stalls and started figuring out what we needed to buy using our, somewhat shaky but improving, Spanish. We traveled from stall to stall, often asking for food that they clearly didn’t sell. Through the adversity, we strove to victory, purchasing every item on our shopping list, even finishing before the other groups. Then I dropped a bag with a glass bottle of olive oil (I could have sworn there was only one bag in my left hand). Carson “cochehijo” and I stood speechless, he picked up the bag and nothing had broken. We laughed it off and passed in our food. 

After the adventure through the busy market we were given free time. A third of us went to give back to Cádiz by working with young children. I have yet to take part in the service project so I don’t know very much, but I was told a story about it later that day. I was told by Tyler, who participated in the service, that he and the other RL boys were playing catch in a parking lot with the young children after their lesson. One small boy, 6 years old, threw the ball and accidentally hit a man walking by. The man supposedly became extremely angry and threatened to call the police. Thankfully our trusty and amiable guide Vicky came and saved the day, no lawsuits required. Other than that side story, I’m looking forward to working with young children to help with their English studies! 

Finally, we all met to cook. Peeling shrimp, cutting vegetables, and cleaning fish was our major contribution. We also stirred some pots (Most of us don’t seem very cooking oriented)!!! I was extremely lucky and found that the fish I was cutting up and cleaning was in the process of eating another smaller fish when he got caught. The two for one deal became what Spanish people call, a tapa. 

The best part of the day though, was gathering on the roof, listening to Juanes, and enjoying each others company. Though eating with my family proves fruitful, I miss sitting down with my RL brothers and sharing a meal. When that meal includes music and lots of open space, we produce some of Andrew Steinberg’s smoothest dance moves and Evan Lim’s famous beat boxing. It was such a good time, it’s hard to describe. There was hand sumo, a strange game that I made up with my little brother years ago and lots of laughter. If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that eating dinner on a rooftop in Cádiz is amazing, but doing it with your closest friends makes it a moment never to be forgotten. 

There was a lot going on today, and I went quickly, but to us this experience is moving just as fast. Thankfully we are given just enough time to appreciate and  eternalize this great opportunity.

-Elson Ortiz 

Cooking together

Community Service in Cádiz

Tuesday, June 14

Today we launched into our study of the relationship of Cádiz and the sea. With tired arms from kayaking the day before we arrived at San Felipe Neri, where we focused on the Andalusian tuna fishing industry in preparation for the trip on which we would embark later in the day. We learned about the long and rich history of tuna fishing in the Iberian Peninsula, which dates all the way back to the Venicians. From the primitive, close-to-shore use of small nets, to the modern, efficient technique involving multiple ships and the lifting of a large net from deep in the sea called El Levanté, we plotted the course of fishing techniques through the ages. We took a bus to La Caleta, a nearby beach, where we met a few fishermen who explained to us some of their own methods of fishing. At the end we were all treated to a tasty helping of fresh seafood.

We then had a few hours until we met up again to go to Barbate, a coastal fishing town about an hour and a half via (very comfortable) coach bus. Part of what has been so wonderful about Cádiz has been our free time. Students have plenty of time to go to the beach together for a quick swim or football game, and with our ever-increasing knowledge of the bus routes of Cádiz, we can return to our homes quickly. That’s not to say there haven’t been a few mad dashes along the beach to make it home before curfew, but in general, we are beginning to feel more like true gaditanos when it comes to getting around the city.

At 3:45 we all were aboard the bus and ready to go. Or rather, all of us but a few latecomers who will remain nameless. After a scenic drive through sometimes pastoral, sometimes mountainous Spanish coastline, we arrived in Barbate. There we visited an informational center about tuna fishing through the ages, and later a museum dedicated solely (pardon the pun) to the town’s fishing industry. There we learned about the process of preparing the tuna for consumption. It turns out that tuna is air-dried in a sterilized environment for 20 days on average before it is shipped out for distribution–who knew? Additionally, we learned about the different parts of a tuna and how the fattier, more tasty cuts of tuna cost more. We were then treated to the rather unfortunate gastronomic combo of watching a tuna being disemboweled and filleted up close and much too personal, and immediately after eating some traditional tuna dishes. Although it was very interesting and educational, I’ll confess that my stomach was not as big a fan of the experience as my mind.

Finally, after a long day of learning, we made a short walk to a nearby beach where we played a big game of beach football and volleyball, and made use of the beautiful late-day might for some nice photos. Will Connaughton continued his domination of beach football with too many receptions to count. Tired but satisfied, we piled into the bus to go back to what is truly starting to feel like home, Cádiz.

-John Philippides

Monday, June 13

DISCLAIMER: If my English isn’t too good, I apologize. I may have forgot some words (and grammar) since I finished my 16 year English immersion program, so my sentences might be a little shaky. Please don’t show this to Mr. Randall!

Instead of classes at San Felipe Neri, we spent the morning in the old city. Our day started at the “new” Cathedral of Cádiz (construction started in 1722), rather than the “old” Cathedral (built in 1263). The two structures are right next to each other and truly demonstrate the city’s antiquity. According to many historians, Cádiz is the oldest continuously inhabited city in western Europe. It was founded in 1104 B.C by Phoenician fishermen, who favored its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Over the years, the city’s rulers changed – from the Phoenicians to the Greeks to the Romans to the Visigoths to the Moors and eventually to the Spaniards. Each civilization built upon the remains of the last, leaving a peninsula with a rich history and culture. At Roxbury Latin, we also know the importance of the word “continuously,” so at least we finally found a people who see the world the way we do.

The “new” Cathedral

Between the long flight and spending a whole day as glorified blue teletubbies (they said the suits were for “safety,” but the smirks of the workers said differently), we were pretty tired. We got our needed support in the form of reinforcements. Dr. Guerra came from Boston and met us at the Cathedral. Those who came early tried to pass the time by juggling a soccer ball – to the confusion of all natives who passed by. When the bells of the Cathedral struck 9:30, we began the main activities.

“Football” in the square

On the steps of the new Cathedral, we reviewed the weekend’s events – both the trip to Seville and what we did on our “family day.” We also talked about our time at the Navantia shipyard. When we finished discussing the last few days, we started a scavenger hunt. While not as extensive as the previous “Amazing Race” style search we had a few days ago, there was a competitive atmosphere as we headed off in our respective directions. Our goals were simple. We needed to:

1. Find some arches

2. Draw a picture of a noble’s house

3. Find a cross “sobre el agua” (above the water)

4. Find a well

We had 15 minutes to complete this task. The first few tasks seemed easy and most groups accomplished them in the beginning. However, this “well” befuzzled many who tried to find it. My group spent over 10 minutes trying to locate this mythical water source, to no avail. When we returned and asked where it was, our guides brought us to a place we had passed countless times. The well was in fact covered by a stone structure that hid it from plain sight. We learned this was because when armies attacked cities in antiquity, they would try to target the water wells, as this resource would be essential to a populace during a siege. Therefore, the people of Cádiz hid their wells and built structures to protect them. Although we were frustrated we did not catch the well during our search, we were glad we came away with new knowledge – don’t stand next to a well in a city under siege.

The well

We returned to the new Cathedral and received another sheet of paper. In groups, we each prepared presentations about an element of of the city that seemed ordinary, but really had an extensive and interesting history. Structures like arches and walls that we had passed so many times now took on new meanings. For example, did I know that that arch connecting those houses was over two millennia years old? That those arches once made up the wall that protected Cádiz from Napoleon? Of course not! But now I do!

On this tour of our neighborhood, we stepped into a small museum dedicated to a Roman theater. It was built by Lucius Cornelius Balbus in the first century B.C. We learned about the important role of Gaditanos (people from Cádiz) in the Roman Empire as merchants and fishermen. In the Colosseum, they even found a bench reserved for people from Cádiz, showing that their influence extended far beyond La Caleta. I’m sure this information was extremely interesting for the guys taking Latin – being able to put the surroundings in context. However, a lot of the names and Latin words flew over my head. A year in modern European history will do that to you.

“Gaditanorum” (people of Cádiz)

After our visit at the Roman theater, we had the opportunity to indulge ourselves in the shops neighboring the Cathedral. A frequent stop was “Deportes Bernal” where they sold (relatively) cheap soccer gear. I made sure to load up on Cádiz F. C. merchandise.

“Deportes Bernal”

After 30 minutes or so of shopping (and a little bit of ice cream) we were given a questionnaire to fill out concerning the role of the ocean in Cádiz life. In pairs, we tried to interrupt someone to help us with the questions. Mahammud Hashi and I were able to finish just in time. We then returned to our homes for lunch.

At home, I munched on the typical Andalucian meal – spaghetti with salmon. One surprise I was not expecting is that Heinz ketchup is served with almost every meal. Who knew? In all seriousness, this experience has really been a test for my taste buds. I have enjoyed all of it, but sometimes I don’t say the words exactly right – especially with food! One time, when my family asked me what I had eaten earlier that day, I responded that I had “chocos” with chocolate. At the time, I couldn’t figure out why my family looked like they were going to throw up. In reality, I had meant “churros” (the long pastries that you dip in chocolate). “Chocos” is actually a type of fish. And no, I didn’t put any fish in chocolate.

This type of communication error is more of the exception than the rule, and I feel like as I spend the more time here, the better I converse with my family. They are all very patient when I mess up and my pocket dictionary has helped a lot. I am fully acclimated to the timezone now, but am still waiting for the opportunity to hit double digits when I sleep. One day…

At 4:00, we met at the Caleta (which is a beach) for kayaking. We had already conquered Cádiz on the land (various scavenger hunts) and the air (Tower Tavira), so it seemed fit to complete the elemental trifecta and take a crack at the sea. After all, this week’s theme is Cádiz and the Sea. In groups of three we departed from the safety of the harbor into the unknown. The sand was scorching hot while we were dragging the kayaks, so we were more than happy to get in the boat and the water. Little did we know, but the next three hours would be one of the most traumatic experiences of our young lives.

Cue Jaws music

Joe Nero, Rohan Balakrishna, and I made up the crew of our fine vessel. We had some trouble communicating and paddling in the right direction at first, but we eventually righted course and moved forward.

I want to put this on the record first – WE WERE NOT THE AGGRESSORS. Jimmy, Robert, Zach Milton, crashed into our boat splashed us with their paddles. We tried to remain peaceful, but they persisted. This totally isn’t biased either – 110% the truth. The War had begun.

On the open sea, mere anarchy was loosed upon the world. Our guides tried to instill some form of order, but is was every ship for itself. All the kayaks converged into a world of sound and fury. Common tactics included splashing water to distract oarsmen, ramming, or pushing boats with paddles with the ultimate goal of capsizing them. The “S.S Hog” (Jimmy, Robert, and Zach Milton) employed the unusual strategy of launching themselves onto our boats and bringing the fight to us. We tried to fight, but there was simply too many. We lost many good men that day. And Elson’s sunglasses. And our pride.

From the carnage, alliances emerged. Kayaks united to ensure a world of peace and stability. By the time we had reached the negotiation table, all kayaks had joined the alliance but us. We came bearing gifts, but they shut us down. The “S.S Hog” attacked by surprise. Their aquatic aggression led to more chaos, and in the fighting, the “S.S Hog” turned on one of its allies (James, Mahammud, and Ayinde). Facing a common foe, our two boats united to start a two front war. We entered the harbor as victors.

The harbor

Although the clock read 6:30, the day wasn’t over. In Cádiz, the sun doesn’t set until really late, so we often have plans after the main activities of the day end. Today, we made a quick trip to the Playa Victoria (a beach), where we played American football. My team, which included Grady, James, Rohan, and Will, struggled at first. However, we overcame this slow start and defeated our opponents 3-2. Afterwards, swimming ensued.

La Playa Victoria

It’s hard to say today was by far the best, because all days here are their own adventures and so amazing! However, this day seemed a little more special to all of us as we did such a myriad of things. We learned about the city’s history AND had some good ol’ fun in the process. The sun finally sets on 24 well-spent hours. When it rises, I know we’ll have 24 more!

-Andrew Steinberg

Sunday, June 12

Today was a milestone for our immersion trip. Every Sunday during our stay in Spain is scheduled as a “Family Day”, and each of us spends our day either by going on excursions to the beach or park with our families or enjoying the many other diverse aspects of the Spanish culture. This being the first Sunday of our trip, it was a new and exciting experience for me as I am sure it was for the rest of our group. I was lucky enough to travel with my family to a small community in Conil de la frontera, a town of approximately 22,000 about a 40 minute drive to the south of Cádiz. There I met many cousins of my family members along with countless more family friends at what they refer to as “El campo”. Essentially this is their summerhouse that they go to visit with relatives on the weekends. Situated far away from the more densely populated areas of the Province of Cádiz, this was a place to unwind and experience more the nature that the south of Spain had to offer. Along with Will Connaughton whose Spanish mother is the cousin of my Spanish mother and my brother Fernando we went mountain biking through the dunes and forests in order to get to the field where we played soccer with some of Fernando’s friends. After losing decisively in an intense game of fútbol, Will, Fernando and I returned through the dunes to our house where we were greeted with sandwiches and, a personal favorite, gazpacho. I swam for a bit in the neighbor’s pool with my little sisters, Naiara and Juana, and before we knew it was time to have dinner and return to Cádiz for a restful evening.

This past week getting to know my family has been fantastic. As far as hospitality goes they have been some of the nicest people that I have ever met. They are very understanding when it comes to communication between us, and if I ever have any trouble communicating my parents or sisters are always there to help out. I have tried many different dishes including different types of fish, potatoes cooked in many different ways and salads. To be honest, they have yet to cook a meal that I have not enjoyed. I have learned so much already about how they go about each day as well as their values and cultural customs. I am very excited to see what the next two weeks have to offer, but am not looking forward too seeing the time fly by as there is so much left to do and talk about with my friends and family. Finally, here are a few photos from the past few excursions that we as a group have taken throughout Spain. Some personal favorites have been the visits to the Cathedral in Sevilla as well as the Torre Tavira. You will see that there are many photos of Spain from above. We are both figuratively and literally getting new perspectives on Spain and its culture as a whole.

-Carson Straub