Sunny Salamanca - Part 3

This is the facade of the other university in Salamanca, the esteemed but lesser-known Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca.

Following the gincana, the students went on a brief walking tour to see some of places they learned about in their culture class. The first stop? La casa de conchas, a 15th century home that is reconized for its distinct appearance, featuring more than 300 shells on its exterior. The home, located across from the Universidad Pontificia, was originally created as a monument to Santiago de Compostela (hence the scallop shell, which is the symbol most commonly associated with the Camino of Santiago that many pilgrims and tourists alike take each year).

There are many folklores associated with the Casa, but the students were most interested in the one that alluded to gold being hidden under some of the shells. I think I saw a few hands go up when I asked if there was anyone who was willing to spend a few more hours in the salamantino sun to try and find it. :)

Sunny Salamanca - Part 2

Not long after arrival in the sunny university city, students were given a little free time to take in some of the many historical sites and indulge in what has become a favorite passtime, ir de compras (shopping). As it is currently the season of the rebajas (or sales) many returned to our meeting point in the beautiful-yet-imperfect Plaza Mayor with a bag, or two.

These girls each found a special souvenir, an  imán (magnet) featuring a Euro coin and the symbol of Salamanca, a small frog that´s rumoured to bring good luck.

As the many of the stores in Salamanca close during the traditional siesta, the students were ready to embark upon their next adventure after eating lunch. Armed with maps and nearly 5 weeks of Spanish-immersion, they took to the streets in small groups with their list of questions to be answered. Covering the city by foot, they had to rely on the locals to help them in their attempts to be the first in completing the gincana (a type of treasure hunt). Shown below are our two winning teams.

And their efforts did not go unrewarded. Each of our winners was given a key chain with an emblem representative of the city, ranging from the artistic symbol of the charra, the facade of the cathedral, Plaza Mayor and of course, something from the famed university. The favorite? A small skull with the aforementioned lucky frog. Who would´ve thought? :)

Sunny Salamanca

On Friday, we headed with the students to the ancient city of Salamanca, home of the oldest university in Spain and once the greatest in all of Europe.

Our first stop in Salamanca was the cathedral, or should I say cathedrals, as the new was constructed alongside the old. Here´s Ron explaining a little of the cathedrals´ unique history.

The students are outside the catedral nueva, or new cathedral, which took over 200 years to complete and displays elements of many architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque and Plateresque. Below, you can see some additional shots of the cathedral including the tower, which some of our students climbed to get a better view of the city.

Be sure to ask your student about the "unique" piece that was added to the exterior of the new cathedral! :)

Construction on the catedral vieja, or old cathedral, first began in 1140. And though its interior decoration is quite different to that of its more modern counterpart, the students enjoyed being able to travel back in time, viewing the many chapels (including the one where final exams were once given to university students) and also the cloisters.

The Four on the Fourth

Even without the traditional fireworks and parades that many have grown accustomed to, we had a wonderful 4th of July with lots of smiles, laughter and great food to spare. With a willingness to blend traditions and enthusiasm to share in our special day, our host families and friends went out of their way to make us all feel very much at  "home." We cannot thank them enough for their kindness and hospitality.

p.s. - Be sure to ask your student what you might be adding to next year´s 4th of July menu!!!!

Families of the Fourth...

Part of the students´ deberes, or homework, for the 4th of July holiday was to gather their families and friends for an "official" picture for the blog. As you can see, some of the families also dressed for the event - complete with U.S. flags!

Friends, family and food - Celebrating the 4th of July in Spain

Here´s Pedro providing a bit of history...

                                                                        The singing...

And of course, the laughs - of which there were plenty throughout the evening. As part of our celebration of the 4th of July, Honors Program students planned activities for their friends and families, including a 3-legged race, trivia and a water balloon "war." They also got to sing (shhhhhhh!!!!) the national anthem.

The highlight of the event was of course the food, combining traditional Spanish dishes and American favorites. Many students helped their families prepare for the picnic by cooking, baking or providing recipes they could make together.

                            P.S. - Yes, these hamburgers were REAL and they were delicious! :)

Who needs hamburgers and hot dogs when you can have empanadas and tortilla? - Celebrating the 4th of July in Spain

As a way to allow our students to teach their host families about the American customs and holidays, we held a late afternoon picnic as part of our July 4th celebrations. Complete with a bit of history, games, water balloons and a lot of food the park at Monte San Isidro was the ideal setting for our cultural exchange.

The flavor of the picnic was distinctly "Spanish" the students reported, but fun all the same. More pictures to follow!