In July, 2018, we, six students from Zhejiang University flew to Spain for the second short summer program in the University of Alcalá (UAH).
1. Spain
Located in Iberian Peninsula, southwestern Europe, Spain is a country of romance and passion. At 9 pm after 14 hours’ flight, we arrived at the magnificent and modern Barajas Madrid Airport. Soaked in hot and dry air, we totally experienced the special “Spanish Welcome”.
2. Alcalá
We were warmly welcomed by the local teachers on leaving the arrival lounge, and it took us about half an hour to get to the dormitory of UAH--our living quarters for the following 15 days by bus.
Situated in the community of Madrid, middle Spain, Alcalá is only 35 kilometers northeast of the capital, Madrid. Meaning Castle on the Henares, Alcalá is also the hometown of Cervantes, a master of literature. With a history of more than 500 years, the UAH, one of the oldest universities in Europe, has made remarkable contributions to the popularization of Spanish language and culture. We would spend the next 15 days here.
Unlike the ancient and elegant exterior, the interior of Language Department is a modern teaching center with advanced facilities, where students are divided into different levels of competence.
The language class began at 9 am and finished at 3 pm, during which we were exposed to the courses of grammar, phonetics and culture. In Spain, 3 pm is the time for lunch. Therefore, before the visit in the afternoon, we enjoyed traditional Spanish lunch.
In this small town, we took photos with the bronze statue of Don Quixote and Sancho in the doorway of Cervantes’s house, had a taste of tapas in the main street and experienced Spanish slow life in an outdoor bar at dusk.
3. Sigüenza
We also paid visits to Sigüenza, Toledo and Barcelona within those 15 days.
Located in a comparatively high altitude, Sigüenza is a tranquil town, with the moist air bringing a sense of comfort. While strolling on the street and appreciating old castles, we temporally escape from the tumult of city life. However, the crowd in the center square of the town at dusk brings the town to life.
We also learnt to make tapas there.
Toledo
As capital of Spain in its golden time, Toledo, though small in its area, is the political, economic and social center of this country, especially notable for its characteristic handicrafts.
We can appreciate Mudejar style and Gothic cathedrals with Arabic and Roman characteristics, mosques, houses from Visigoths and ancient Rome Era, as well as antique houses while roaming in the streets of Toledo, a city of elegance, simplicity and deep foundation.
Barcelona
Madrid embodies ancient civilization of Spain while Barcelona is the incarnation of modern civilization, which was the last stop of our summer program.
In this bustling city, we strolled along Rambla Avenue, among the masterpieces of Gaudi, an ingenious architect and immersed ourselves in the sunbathing on the beach. It was the freedom and leisure that can only be experienced in Spain.
Within the 15 days, we attended many inspiring classes, and were fully exposed to the exotic culture featuring enthusiasm, football, architecture, drawing, etc. Furthermore, we understood more about the humanistic environment, lifestyle, customs and cultural connotation of this fascinating country.
Goodbye, Spain!
See you next time!
Institute of Spanish Language & Culture
September 27th, 2018
Translated by Liu Liu and Shang Xiaoyi
Edited by Xu Xueying
