Spain was fantastic!!! I didn't want to leave! After Madrid, we visited Guadix for 13 days. There, we took flamenco and ceramic classes. We learned about the different variations of flamenco and its origin. One of our group leaders happened to be a professional flamenco dancer, so he helped us out a lot while learning the dances and the history. In ceramics, we created the infamous Cuevas and recreated the Guernica made by Picasso. All of our teachers were extremely nice and caring. They greeted us with open arms and constantly took care of us. Our teachers grew to be really close to us. I saw them as my aunts. We also had 5 native Spaniards our ages to show us more of Guadix. All of the guys were sweethearts and always made sure we were safe and had a good time. We had a 4th of July party on a rooftop with a gorgeous view and fireworks, which can be seen in the first picture. In Guadix, we went to a flamenco show in a gypsy town and I ended up having a blast. It was great learning about new cultures and teaching people about the American culture as well. The food in Guadix was absolutely amazing!! I tried paella and ate ice cream with gofres (waffles) almost every day! In our last day in Guadix, we had a flamenco performance and many locals came to see us. Our group after the performance can be seen in the second picture. After Guadix, we went to Granada for 10 days for our home stay. We lived with Spanish families to emerge completely in the culture. I loved my host family! My parents were absolute sweethearts and went out of their way to take care of me and make me feel comfortable which I greatly appreciate. My host sister was the best! She always made sure I had a fun time and made sure we hung out all the time. She carried me everywhere with her friends, which helped me to really emerge in the culture. In the last photo, me and my host sister Lucia went to the carnival with her friends. We met up with the group every morning for different activities like going to the beach and hiking and visiting different places. We visited an interactive science museum known as El Parque de las Ciencias. We also visited the Alhambra which was an ancient location with old buildings and a church. It killed me to leave Spain! I cried all the way coming back. Going to Spain taught me so much about the Spanish culture and all the factors that attributed to it. I learned so many surprising things about the culture. I also feel like we taught a lot of Spaniards about the American culture and got to disprove some negative stereotypes about Americans. I actually want to be a group leader in the future. Our group leaders Amytza and Ryan were the best!! They were so great that they inspired me to be a group leader. EIL is a program that I recommend for everyone because it is so educational and fun! Just always remember to keep an open mind and to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

My first week in Spain was absolutely amazing! We visited Madrid for 3 days and got to explore several art museums. We also walked around the city for a scavenger hunt and photo challenge, allowing us to see even more what a beautiful city Madrid is. We got to witness a glimpse of gay pride as Madrid was preparing for its Gay Pride Weekend. We tried tapas and had plenty of conversations with native Spaniards. Our group had plenty of bonding activities during our orientation in Madrid and had plenty of fun! The photo shown is near the Reina Sofia Museum which was home to many modernist creations. 

  I am extremely excited to go to Spain this summer! This is a once in a lifetime experience; being able to do this at such a young age is equally amazing. When I go to Spain, I want to learn more about the Spanish culture and experience as much as I possibly can. I also want to practice my Spanish skills. I want to make it a goal to speak as much Spanish as I can, whether it is talking to the locals or having a conversation with my host family. While traveling to Spain is going to be such an amazing experience, I am still a little worried about being away from home. While I have traveled without my parents before, I have never been that far away from them. I know I meet great friends and people in Spain, but I am a bit afraid that I will get homesick. But, I know that I will have such a fun learning experience so I would not think about home. So, even though I will be far away from home, I know that I will have a blast in Spain!

Thank you so much for your support and generosity. Without your kindness and support, I would not be able to travel to Spain this summer. Traveling and learning more about the world are some of my biggest passions and being able to travel to Spain with all of your help is such an honor. Because of your donations, I am able to learn more about different cultures and understand the world on a deeper level. Thank you for helping me dwell deeper into some of my greatest passions.