Sra. and Srta. Beltram accompanied students Michael, Chichi, Davion, Alice, Gabriele & Marielisa flew into Barcelona June 18, departing from Madrid June 30, 2015. Students loved the relaxed, friendly, fun environment they discovered in Spain. Being surrounded by a language many are learning at South Meck, they explored some of the major cities, marveling at the architecture, park landscapes and natural beauty of the Oceanside of Spain.
Some of the highlights while touring Spain:
Some of the highlights while touring Spain:
- La Sagrada Familia and Paseo de Gracia with Gaudi Buildings (Barcelona)
- Plaza de Sol, La Plaza Mayor, Cathedral and Royal Palace (Madrid)
- Cathedral, the Giralda Tower and stroll the Old Quarter (Seville)
- White Villages, Alhambra, its gardens, the Generalife; stroll the Old Quarters (Granada)
Spain 2015 Slideshow & Memories Barcelona, Madrid, Cordoba, Toledo, Granada, Seville
Memories Made In Spain
What was your favorite thing about Spain? Your least favorite? How did it compare to Charlotte? My favorite thing about Spain was the atmosphere of the area and the people. Spain has a very relaxed feeling about it and everyone was so nice and friendly. I thought Spain was very different and seemed better than Charlotte, everyone was outgoing and very nice to Americans. The climate was comfortable, around 85 degrees, and it was sunny a lot. My favorite part about Spain was the people. They were so fun and inviting and we met a few interesting ones I won't easily forget! My least favorite part was the fact that there were no public bathrooms. You have to pay for the restrooms at the train station! My favorite thing about Spain was the vibe that everyone in Spain projected. Unlike Charlotte, there wasn’t any sense of urgency just everybody calm and having fun which influenced me to relax and have fun as well. I can't really pick a favorite thing about Spain because the entire trip was absolutely amazing. There was NEVER a dull moment! But I think the one thing that made my trip really special was the people I went with. Even though we started off as somewhat 'strangers', getting to experience it all with some of my now best friends and amazing teacher made my trip even better. We all got along so well and and looked out for each other and it was really hard to leave them all in the end. Michael and Davion never failed to make me laugh. If señora ever decides to take another group, to anywhere, I would pack my bags and board that plane in a heartbeat. I loved how beautiful everything was, the people, their culture, and of course the food. I was a little bummed that we were so close to the Mediterranean but I wasn't able to get a little European tan and enjoy a day at the beach.
What was your favorite Spanish food? Paella was my favorite food - I loved the spices and the cooked veggies, the add-ons of shrimp or chicken was pretty cool. Chocolate cake and ice cream was a must have. My favorite Spanish food was paella, but I also enjoyed Shawarma in Granada and all kinds of chocolate cakes in Barcelona and Madrid. The food was amazing and I got to try new foods and drinks that, if I hadn’t had the chance to go, I probably wouldn’t have tried them. My favorite Spanish food was definitely the paella that we had. It was so good and it made me feel like I was at home and in a comfortable place. It gave me goosebumps a little bit. I think I could eat Paella all day if I could!
What was the strangest/funniest experience you had while there? A couple of us got lost in the mall. I was shopping with two friends in the group, but we got separated from Señora Beltram and the rest of the group. That was pretty scary, even though I knew how to communicate with others, I still felt lost. The funniest experience that I had was every moment with the group of friends that I was with. There was always some joke that made everyone laugh or someone who would do something that would make everyone else laugh. Specifically, we had just landed in Madrid and we went to the mall and had our first trial at ordering our food. The lady who took our order didn’t speak English and Michael didn’t speak much Spanish so he started off well saying, “Yo quiero...” and then at the end he just gave up and said, “Can I just have a cheeseburger?” Just seeing him try to order his food made me laugh but then I didn’t do too well either. I think that one of the strangest things that we ran into was the bachelor party and a man in a pink tutu jumped into the fountain. Also to turn on all the electricity/air conditioning in our hotel room, we had to insert one of our room keys in a slot by the door. It's a clever idea but, it's not fun being stuck in the bathroom and the only one in the hotel room then, all of the sudden the lights shut off.
Had you been to Spain before? Where else have you traveled? Will you travel out of the US in the next three years and, if so, where will you go? No, I’ve never been out of the country before this trip. If I have the chance, I would like to go back to Barcelona or Madrid because those two cities stood out to me as very entertaining. There is always something to do! I had never been to Spain but I had traveled to Canada many times before the trip. I will definitely be traveling out of the country again to Canada, however, I would like to go to France or Greece. This was my first time in Spain, but, I have been to China, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. I do plan on traveling out of the U.S. In the next three years and I hope to go to either Greece or (hopefully) back to Venezuela to see my family. And try to impress them with the Spanish I have learned.
Are you a native Spanish speaker? What other languages do you speak? I am not a native Spanish speaker. In the words of Ms Beltram, “He tries…..He still needs to practice”. I only speak English and the Spanish I have taken so far…. I'm not a native speaker but I am exposed to a lot of Spanish because my mother is from Venezuela and everyone on her side speaks Spanish
What was the most interesting thing you saw in Spain? I loved the architecture in Spain, the intricate carvings and designs on the buildings as well as the park landscapes were beautiful. The pathways and alleys winding through the city were fascinating to me.
Everything in Spain was interesting because I had never seen anything like, but there was one in particular that just made my day. I had heard about La Sagrada Familia previous to the trip, but I didn’t know what to expect. So when we entered this huge, beautifully designed cathedral I was in shock. I didn’t realize how amazing the whole thing was. It was just so much to consume at one glance that I had to blink a few times to come to the realization that I was there and that I was really seeing it. It was unbelievable which could pretty much describe the whole trip. That trip was DANK…
Spain is SO different from Charlotte. I feel like Spain is a prettier version of Charlotte x10 with unique and rustic buildings, lots of scenic views and lots of history behind it all. I learned so much not only more of the Spanish language but about Spain's culture and history. I was a bit confused the first few days as to why we would go back to the hotel at around 3 in the afternoon. I didn't mind since we walked everywhere and I was sorta tired. But then I realized that it was 'siesta' time and that's when everyone takes a break. I think my top 2 places were Madrid and Granada. One night in Granada we took a walk to the Old Quarters. Even though the walk long and steep, it was totally worth it because we ate good food, shopped, danced, watched Flamenco, and once we reached the top we looked out over the lit city. There was a guitar playing in the background with someone singing along and a nice cool breeze. It was definitely a movie moment. All in all my trip was definitely unforgettable and I can't wait to do it again.
What was your favorite Spanish food? Paella was my favorite food - I loved the spices and the cooked veggies, the add-ons of shrimp or chicken was pretty cool. Chocolate cake and ice cream was a must have. My favorite Spanish food was paella, but I also enjoyed Shawarma in Granada and all kinds of chocolate cakes in Barcelona and Madrid. The food was amazing and I got to try new foods and drinks that, if I hadn’t had the chance to go, I probably wouldn’t have tried them. My favorite Spanish food was definitely the paella that we had. It was so good and it made me feel like I was at home and in a comfortable place. It gave me goosebumps a little bit. I think I could eat Paella all day if I could!
What was the strangest/funniest experience you had while there? A couple of us got lost in the mall. I was shopping with two friends in the group, but we got separated from Señora Beltram and the rest of the group. That was pretty scary, even though I knew how to communicate with others, I still felt lost. The funniest experience that I had was every moment with the group of friends that I was with. There was always some joke that made everyone laugh or someone who would do something that would make everyone else laugh. Specifically, we had just landed in Madrid and we went to the mall and had our first trial at ordering our food. The lady who took our order didn’t speak English and Michael didn’t speak much Spanish so he started off well saying, “Yo quiero...” and then at the end he just gave up and said, “Can I just have a cheeseburger?” Just seeing him try to order his food made me laugh but then I didn’t do too well either. I think that one of the strangest things that we ran into was the bachelor party and a man in a pink tutu jumped into the fountain. Also to turn on all the electricity/air conditioning in our hotel room, we had to insert one of our room keys in a slot by the door. It's a clever idea but, it's not fun being stuck in the bathroom and the only one in the hotel room then, all of the sudden the lights shut off.
Had you been to Spain before? Where else have you traveled? Will you travel out of the US in the next three years and, if so, where will you go? No, I’ve never been out of the country before this trip. If I have the chance, I would like to go back to Barcelona or Madrid because those two cities stood out to me as very entertaining. There is always something to do! I had never been to Spain but I had traveled to Canada many times before the trip. I will definitely be traveling out of the country again to Canada, however, I would like to go to France or Greece. This was my first time in Spain, but, I have been to China, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. I do plan on traveling out of the U.S. In the next three years and I hope to go to either Greece or (hopefully) back to Venezuela to see my family. And try to impress them with the Spanish I have learned.
Are you a native Spanish speaker? What other languages do you speak? I am not a native Spanish speaker. In the words of Ms Beltram, “He tries…..He still needs to practice”. I only speak English and the Spanish I have taken so far…. I'm not a native speaker but I am exposed to a lot of Spanish because my mother is from Venezuela and everyone on her side speaks Spanish
What was the most interesting thing you saw in Spain? I loved the architecture in Spain, the intricate carvings and designs on the buildings as well as the park landscapes were beautiful. The pathways and alleys winding through the city were fascinating to me.
Everything in Spain was interesting because I had never seen anything like, but there was one in particular that just made my day. I had heard about La Sagrada Familia previous to the trip, but I didn’t know what to expect. So when we entered this huge, beautifully designed cathedral I was in shock. I didn’t realize how amazing the whole thing was. It was just so much to consume at one glance that I had to blink a few times to come to the realization that I was there and that I was really seeing it. It was unbelievable which could pretty much describe the whole trip. That trip was DANK…
Spain is SO different from Charlotte. I feel like Spain is a prettier version of Charlotte x10 with unique and rustic buildings, lots of scenic views and lots of history behind it all. I learned so much not only more of the Spanish language but about Spain's culture and history. I was a bit confused the first few days as to why we would go back to the hotel at around 3 in the afternoon. I didn't mind since we walked everywhere and I was sorta tired. But then I realized that it was 'siesta' time and that's when everyone takes a break. I think my top 2 places were Madrid and Granada. One night in Granada we took a walk to the Old Quarters. Even though the walk long and steep, it was totally worth it because we ate good food, shopped, danced, watched Flamenco, and once we reached the top we looked out over the lit city. There was a guitar playing in the background with someone singing along and a nice cool breeze. It was definitely a movie moment. All in all my trip was definitely unforgettable and I can't wait to do it again.