On our first day in Madrid, the group flew in around 5:00 pm for a 6:00 pm check in at our hotel, Petit Palace. After everyone got situated in their rooms we met in the lobby to embark on a walking tour of the area. We ended the night with dinner at a family restaurant serving tortilla de patatas.
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.
Each winter and spring, a group of Proctor sophomores spends a term studying at The Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Living with host families, navigating the small city of Monteverde independently, and taking a full academic load is no easy task, but this winter's group is thriving. At the core of the study abroad experience in Costa Rica is the home stay where our students are immersed in the Spanish language and develop relationships that last a lifetime. Read more about the power of the home stay experience below.
This week has been anything but short of entertaining. We started off with a sleep-in on Monday morning in attempts to rejuvenate our minds after a late night watching the Super Bowl until 4am our time. However, once we all did manage to crawl out of bed, we were greeted by freshly cooked pancakes courtesy of our pancake master, Annie.
(Sketching at the tomb of Paul Cézanne)
In a week where the south of France saw many more rainy days then it usually does, our European Art Classroom crew continued to make the most out of every day. Our Mondays and Thursdays here in Aix-En-Provence, are our only days where we truly have a set schedule. We begin the day with French class, followed by a well informed art history class by Dave.
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.
As the TGV sped along the French countryside under a darkening sky, I sat back and thought about the past week, a week we’d spent in Paris. Even on the train ride back to Aix, none of what I’d just experienced seemed real.
By the second week, we are getting used to life in France, what a thing to say! The town of Aix is starting to become more and more familiar by the day. Everyone in our group is finding cafes and restaurants that they like and are trying to become regulars at.
