My trip and time in Cadiz was
definitely a memorable experience. The city is manageable to walk
everywhere. In the evenings we would
meet up with our group for dinner or to relax after our day. We had different plazas we would choose each
day to meet. My favorite weekend day trip was to Ronda. The group and I went
there for the day and it was beautiful. We started out by meeting in Plaza De
Espana, then riding the bus to Ronda. Once there we went to a park that
overlooked a valley that was spectacular. At a certain point there was a huge
drop off, going down hundreds of feet that allowed us a view of the whole
valley. Soon after we moved on to the
Ronda bull-fighting arena. This arena is amazing; the shear spectacle of it was
astounding. The architecture, the history and the tradition of bullfighting is hundreds
of years old. Visitors are allowed to walk on the arena floor, allowing for a
very personal view of the arena. To be able to see the arena from the point of
view of the bull and matador like that was really cool. The only thing I could
compare it to would be like walking on the field of Yankee stadium in the
Bronx. There was also a museum incorporated into the arena, which was very interesting.
It had old matador costumes, bull skulls, artwork, and the weapons used by
matadors. They had several bullfighting sketches by Goya, and a whole area
dedicated to the weaponry used in the ring.
We were allowed to have free time to explore and I ended up meeting up
with a couple others in the group. We walked down a 200 stair ancient staircase
that was through a rock face, eventually leading to a pond that had formed at
the bottom of the rock face. It was beautiful, the scenery above reflected in
the water creating a double image.
The
learning experience I received in Cadiz was great and I felt fully immersed,
whether it was buying groceries or asking a question in class. I was always using Spanish. I believe I
benefited greatly from the experience. Class was great as it not only expanded
my vocabulary and conversation, it immersed me in the cultural norms of Spain,
and all the different groups of people there. We had a great class activity of
going out and asking class questions to locals walking around outside of the
school. For example one class was discussing the running of the bulls and bull
fighting, and we had to go ask how these traditions came about. Ultimately I
ended up meeting interesting people and finding out some very interesting
facts. The staff members were great and
very supportive. They continuously challenged me in class, but keeping it
interesting.
The living conditions were very nice
and comfortable. I shared a room with
another Abbey Road student. The family
setting was really warm and welcoming. Even when at home, I was conversing in
Spanish. Every meal was with the family who were very engaging during family
nights. My mother was a great cook. One of my fondest memories was when she
offered my roommate and I a chili pepper to eat. We both had one and it was
hilarious. My roommate’s face turned bright red, as he ate the whole pepper! I
only took a little bite of mine. My host mother made soups that were really
good. It was interesting how she would add a piece of chorizo for flavor, only
adding to the delicious flavors of the soup. In closing I truly enjoyed my time in
Cadiz.
