WEEK 3: MADRID

Week 3 in Madrid has left me virtually speechless! This past week has been absolutely amazing; we toured Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (home of Real Madrid Futbol Club), visited the old Royal Palace here in Madrid, and today I am just getting returning from an awesome weekend spent in Valencia.

Since I am such a big soccer fan, getting to tour Bernabeu Stadium was like a dream come true. I was able to walk through the stadium where some of my own soccer idols have stepped foot and played. Seeing the trophies, the locker room and walking out on the field, it was all an incredible feeling. This was definitely one of my favorite parts of my summer abroad in Spain.

Visiting the Royal Palace was very exciting. Although taking pictures while inside the rooms of the palace was not permitted, I can tell you seeing all the paintings, art work, and architecture was pretty amazing. When we walked out of the palace into the courtyard we were able to see the view of the entire city. It was a breathtaking view.

This weekend the entire program went to the city of Valencia for the weekend. We went to the beach and visited a few museums. This is the first time I was able to get to the beach this year and it was ironic that it was in a whole other country, considering I’m lucky enough to be only a few minutes from the beach back home. It’s not everyday you get to swim in the Mediterranean Sea! While there, we were able to see beautiful architecture and a really cool plaza located behind a church. We had talked about some of the festivals held in Valencia during class, and we actually went to a museum about one of them. We also went to a restaurant and enjoyed eating paella, which is a typical rice dish here in Spain. We took a nice boat ride through the rice fields after.

As I begin my last week here in Madrid, I've been thinking of the amazing sights I have seen and beautiful places I have been fortunate enough to visit. I have been lucky enough to have been placed with an incredible host family that treats me as I am a member of their family. While I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends back home on Saturday, I truly am
going to miss my time here. It has been a true learning and growing experience.

-Emily C.

'Global Navigator Voices' is a collection of blog articles and pictures by our very own high school study abroad participants. Follow their adventures before, during, and after their experiences abroad!