Hola!
I just got back from my Spring Break trip to SPAIN!
Let me fill you in on my amazing trip to ESPAGNE with the Wake
Forest Concert Choir!
So, our travel day started at three in the morning on Sunday the
fourth.
Our group of 37 was split up into three flights to Dallas on
Sunday after our flight to JFK from CLT got canceled on Friday morning due to a
huge snow storm up north.
Our trip was delayed by two days, but we made up for it in spirit over in Spain.
Our trip was delayed by two days, but we made up for it in spirit over in Spain.
It took us over 30+ hours to get to Madrid but once we did it
was amazing!
We had an overnight flight from Dallas to Madrid. We landed at
8:30 am and were exhausted. We immediately made our way over to Salamanca and checked
into our hotel via coach bus.
We went around the corner for tapas and attempted to use our
español. I left the español speaking to the professionals (aka my friends that
had taken Spanish since the 7th grade) and I just sat back at
watched.
Shortly after that we bused our way over to Zamora and sang at
the university there.
It was a packed audience and we sounded okay considering we had
not slept in over 30 hours.
After we performed, the university treated our very tired and hungry group to tapas and wine to congratulate us on our first performance in Spain.
It was a lot of students on our trip’s first time being able to drink legally!
On the ride from Zamora to Salamanca, a group of us decided it would be funny if we took photos of everyone sleeping and put it in a power point.
I think I was one of the few people who didn’t get their photo taken sleeping on the bus.
Later that evening I proclaimed myself social chair of the trip!
I sent out a "frat social" with details for our first
evening in Spain by mimicking a frat social all the sororities get.
That evening I made plans for the whole group to go to a bar
with some friends from Wake that are studying abroad in Salamanca! We went to Gatsby’s,
Camelot and the Irish Theater where we met many Americans who were studying
abroad in the college town of Salamanca.
It was a pretty early night for us because the next morning was
going to be another busy day.
The next morning, the group went on a walking tour of the tiny
historic city with Wake professors from the Wake study abroad program.
The city is tiny, and we were able to walk it in a couple of
hours. We saw the Plaza Mayor which is the central plaza of the city. I learned
that all cites in Spain have a Plaza Mayor that people meet in. We also went to
the top of the cathedrals and got a bird’s eye view of the city. For a snack,
we dined on hot chocolate and churros.
We had a great day despite that it was raining on and off.
I loved Salamanca. It is such a small pretty city.
We ended off the afternoon with more tapas for lunch at the Wake Forest campus in Salamanca with our fellow Wake professors and classmates.
That evening we had a big concert at University of Salamanca with the University of Salamanca’s choir. We had the biggest audience we have ever had. It was amazing! I really enjoyed it. The best part of the concert was when we did a finale with the concert choir of the university. All the students were really sweet, and it was such a fun experience.
I got three and a half hours of sleep that night and woke up at
7:30 am to check out of our hotel. But WHEN IN SPAIN! (That became our moto of
the whole trip!)
On the way to Madrid, we stopped in Avila where Saint Teresa was
born and baptized. The city is so amazing. It is a city surrounded by a HUGE wall.
It was so stunning. We had some impromptu performances that day and we went
into an old church to sing. We also got the opportunity to perform in Saint Teresa’s
house, which is now a church. We videotaped all of our impromptu performances on
my camera!
So not only was I social chair but choir photographer of the trip.
After Avila we continued to make our way to Madrid for our last
two days in Spain.
Of course, I continued to take pictures of people sleeping.
I refused to fall asleep on the bus despite my lack of sleep because
I am an ugly sleeper…
Our motor coach drove through the mountains to get to Madrid.
The view was breathtaking.
The Madrid hotel said it was four stars, but I really did not
believe that.
The whole chorus was so exhausted that we did not really do much
but chill for a bit until dinner. A small group of us went to dinner at the
Plaza Mayor in Madrid, where we tested out paella and had lots of drinks.
We then walked over to see an authentic flamenco show!
When in SPAIN!!
The dancers were so talented. I couldn’t believe how fast they were moving their feet!
The dancers were so talented. I couldn’t believe how fast they were moving their feet!
I went to bed super early that evening after the flamenco show,
a burger place for a snack and after sending my social for the evening saying we
were not having a social gathering.
Our last full day in Spain was JAM PACKED!
We went to the “central” park of the city, two museums where we
saw Picasso and traditional paintings and the palace!
We received free admission to the museums with our student ID’s!
I have to say I really enjoyed the museums. I have a way bigger appreciation
for art after I took my first-year seminar class last year, which I have talked
a lot about in the past. I really enjoy art more because I understand it better
from that class.
We dined on an expensive lunch at a trendy restaurant that was attached
to one of the museums. I had a poké bowl.
While we were dining in the restaurant that resembled an
airplane, for lunch, we got to watch the women's march in the streets from
International Women’s Day. It was really amazing to see. It was very inspiring
and uplifting.
After lunch we went to the central park where we hunted for a
glass castle which had a really cool art exhibit in it.
After not really understanding the art exhibit at the glass palace we rushed over to
the royal palace to take pictures in front of it. The palace was really the big
thing I wanted to see while in Madrid!
It was fabulous, as most palaces are.
We were running late because we had a meeting at a certain time.
So of course, we Ubered back to our hotel. On our Uber ride, our driver asked
us why we were in Madrid and we told him that we were part of a chorus. Very
unexpectedly, he asked us to sing in the car. It was so funny. It did not sound
very good because we were all laughing the whole time, but it was probably one
of the funniest moments of the trip.
That evening we took our motor coach to our last concert at a
church. We sang after an adult choir sang.
For dinner we went to a market which was very similar to Eatily!
I dined on lots of burrata, paella and champagne. When my friend and I went to
get our flutes of champagne, the server filled the glasses to the rim because
my friend and I were "pretty girls."
After feasting, we then went to a jazz bar which was the size of
a sardine can.
After listening to some great jazz music, about 15 of us went to
a chill bar called El Mini Bar. My friends and I all sat, bonded and reflected
on our trip over a couple of drinks.
Then next morning we woke up pretty early and got ready to leave
Madrid.
The security at the airport in Madrid is a joke compared to TSA.
Except for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I got swabbed for bombs at
the airport. My hands, my feet and all of my stuff. I know it happens all the
time, but I felt like my space was so violated. I have been flying since I was
four months old and this was the first time I had ever gotten swabbed.
But the day got better
when I realized that our flight back to the states was empty, so I asked the
flight attendant to switch my seat and she put me in the 9th row which had so
much leg room my legs could go all the way straight which helped me nap!
We also feasted with really good food on the flight from Madrid to
the states. All of my friends stayed back in economy, but they totally
should've asked to move their seats because I was living it up in premium
economy!
This trip was amazing! I met so many amazing people and now I
have all these new friends! I learned a lot about their lives and pasts but
also again about myself.
It's interesting to see how people were raised and how that
affects the way they act in certain situations.
Yet again I've learned about myself and that I am very short
with people and cranky when I am tired.
Overall, it was a trip of a
lifetime and I cannot wait for all the rest of my European travels this summer
and next fall!
Adiós for now!
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