This is my last blog that I am writing in Spain. ¡Qué triste! These last weeks in Spain have really flown by. It is crazy to think that I will be returning to the US so soon. It really has felt like this whole experience has gone by in an instant. At first, I was nervous to speak Spanish and to act like I was living here for about three months. That has all really changed though because I feel like I am going to miss being able to speak Spanish daily and going about daily life inside of a Spanish city. Even travelling within Spain to areas without tapas culture, you really miss the areas that have it when you are away.
With all of that, I would like to recount some of my travels these last few weeks. I had the opportunity to travel and visit some family friends who live in the country of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. Malta is quite unique, as it has many different cultural influences in its architecture and language. Additionally, Malta is an English-speaking country due to it being a former British colony, which makes it easier to travel around. I enjoyed the relaxed pace of things in Malta, and being able to see what it is like living on the smaller island Gozo. I got to go to the beach, see salt flats, visit a cave overlooking the coast, an old citadel, and prehistoric temples as well. I had a very great trip and would recommend visiting. I found cheaper tickets to fly from Malta to Venice and then Venice to Madrid than flying directly from Malta to Madrid, so I went to Italy for the first time! I spent an entire afternoon wandering the canals, bridges, and streets of Venice. I got to see famous landmarks, areas from movies I had seen, and just appreciate a small glimpse of Italy.
Our class at the language center got to visit the University of Leon’s museum that is adjacent to our building. There was an exhibition about natural science and an additional cool exhibit that was an example of a laboratory during the late 1800s. As a scientist, I appreciated seeing how experiments I completed in my courses were done with different technology a long time ago. I also visited the Center of Roman Interpretation of León, which delves into the history of the Roman settlement and occupation of Spain. It was cool to see actual archeological sites that were under the building and were older than everything around me.
Again, this is my last blog from Spain. Next time you hear from me, I will be stateside again and adjusting back to being home. I can’t wait to share my perspectives then!
Pictures:
Me on a boat ride across the Grand Harbour in Malta
Me in a quieter canal in Venice
