Our last day in Spain was packed and joyful! We are grateful for these days full of amazing experiences and opportunities to learn and grow. I am so very proud of each and every student; they engaged deeply with everything they saw, overcame challenges with resilience, and demonstrated amazing maturity.

Today was a wonderful, full day in Madrid, with such a wide variety of sights that we enjoyed them so much we forgot to take very many photos!

This morning we headed out on our last day trip, this time to the Royal Palace and Monastery of El Escorial. We arrived in a charming small town in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains and walked toward the imposing royal structure ahead.

At the end of today’s adventures, I asked students whether they preferred Segovia or Toledo, and they had a very hard time choosing a favorite (as did I!). Every day, I find a new reason to be proud of them and grateful to have them with me on this trip – they are learning so much, truly experiencing everything we see, making new friendships, supporting one another in challenging moments, and so much more. It’s been a couple of wonderful days and there is more to come! 

Today’s journey took us outside of Madrid, to the hilltop town of Toledo, sometimes called the City of Three Cultures”, which refers to the coexistence of Christians, Muslims, and Jews within the city throughout the turbulent medieval period,

Today’s journey took us to so many wonderful places, and we all had such a wonderful time. Discussions ranged from the serious (the legacy of colonialism, the ethics of displaying human remains like a mummy of a young woman) to the much more light-hearted (statue-inspired future prom hairstyles, so many jokes I can’t remember them all). It was a completely full day of the best kind of travel – full of learning, joy, and delicious food. 

There were smiles and amazement all around when we came out of the metro into the gorgeous plazas of central Madrid. There were also so many questions about what we get to see and do tomorrow! I can’t wait to explore more over the next few days!

It All Begins Here! Departure Day.