¡Una Semana Increíble!

Madrid was so much fun this week! Spain played two more knockout games: one versus Portugal, one versus Belgium. I watched both games in the Plaza de Colón (which they call Plaza Selección for the Spanish national team) right in the heart of Madrid. It was such an amazing experience being around the locals who were very invested in Spain’s performance. And better yet, they won both matches! I’m so excited for the upcoming match versus France and am hoping for another win.

My professor gave us a few immersive assignments this week as well which allowed me to really engage with the city! I had to go to a metro stop further away from the city center where I randomly discovered the South Campus of Madrid’s Polytechnic University. It was so interesting to witness the difference between the bustling city near my residencia versus the quieter suburban neighborhood surrounding the Miguel Hernández station. I also had to work up the courage to interview a Madrileño (which took a few attempts), and it helped me learn about the local life of someone living within the city. I got a few recommendations for restaurants and new sights to see that weren’t on my initial itinerary. It was also a great opportunity to utilize my broken Spanish. Thankfully, the woman I interviewed was incredibly understanding.

This past weekend was also a free weekend for us. I went with a few friends to a nearby city called Segovia, which is northwest of Madrid. While there, we visited Alcázar de Segovia. This was a royal palace that actually inspired Walt Disney’s Snow White. I got to see things such as the throne room, the armory, the chapel and the well terrace. We also got to visit the tower connected to the palace, which was pretty high up. There were so many stairs just to climb up, but the nice view made it all extremely worth it! 

Afterwards, as we walked through the rest of the city and saw the aqueducts. I was really inspired by the way it was built. Originally, the aqueduct was built by the Romans in approximately the 2nd century AD. The fact that this is still standing today was such an impressive feat. 

So far, this has been such a fun experience and I am so excited to continue to experience this wonderful city!