Right now I am walking on a long empty road, forty minutes of solitude, just walking by the sea. I have not seen a single soul in this entire time except a black cat that has crossed my path. But now I have come across an old man sitting by the sea. He only has a stick, himself and a bocadillo while he gazes at the sunset. We are both looking at this gorgeous array of colors in the sky but were seeing it very differently. He has more life experience than me, knows this view better than me, and has more patience than me. But we are both here at the same time and same place looking at that fiery ball in the sky.

Although I arrived a day late and missed an exciting day in the Roman ruins of Itálica on Saturday, I can say without doubt that the weekend excursion to Sevilla was my favorite thing that we have done in Spain so far. From the moment I arrived, I couldn’t contain my excitement to see if Sevilla lived up to its reputation of relentless zest for life and heavenly Mediterranean climate. As Laura and I entered the city and made our way towards the hostel, my excitement manifested itself into frustration. The only thing separating us from the 65 degree weather, the glow of the city under the siesta sun, and the equally vibrant people and colors painting the city was an Uber window.

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to witness two of Spain’s finest displays of art: the Prado and an Atlético Madrid soccer match. Although I am mostly certainly partial to the beautiful sport, the Prado gave me a deeper appreciation for the arts.

A famous architect once said; “nothing is art if it does not come from nature.” This specific architect created the plans for one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. The famous architect responded to the name Antoni Gaudí.

The first weeks of Proctor en Segovia are in the books! Getting adjusted to the Spanish way of life has been thrilling. Segovia’s culture is so rich, and it seems every step I take, I learn something new about this historic city. From creative writing with a croissant in Café Colonial to Spanish class on the streets of Segovia, it's hard to imagine ever having to go back to regular high school class. 

We stepped off the bus and were immediately consumed by the Granada nightlife. Shortly after finding our hotel we were off to watch a Flamenco dance performance and eat dinner. The dance performance was entertaining (and surprising for many of us); the dancers displayed amazing footwork and emotion.

Two weekends ago we attended a Real Madrid soccer game. I can easily say that it was one of the most fascinating events I have ever been to. The group had to meet at the bus station in Segovia at 10:15 am. It was one of our earliest Saturdays this term so far, but we all knew that waking up a little bit earlier than usual was all going to be worth it.

After a long day of traveling from Segovia to Madrid, then hopping on a train for three hours, we got to the Sagrada Familia, a Basilica in Barcelona.  This massive building has been under construction for 131 years. This Basilica is predicted to be finished around 2026. The architect was named Gaudí; his main goal was to make up for people's sins and connect them closer to God.