July 26, Gibraltar

After a fun filled two hour bus ride, the Abbey Road group left Spain for a brief period and entered a territory of the United Kingdom. We spent the afternoon wandering through downtown Gibraltar, and then proceeded to explore the rock itself. The highlight of the trip was interacting with the monkeys that dwelled on the rock. They were quite personable, and there were some incredible photo opportunities.

July 23, Ronda

This Saturday, the group went on an excursion to Ronda, a town similar to the previously visited Arcos de Frontera, except for the fact that it is slightly larger. In Ronda, we all spent time shopping in European clothing stores, conversing at delicious cafes, and taking photos. A main attraction there was the bridge, which was built out of stone and brought cars over a steep valley that was extremely lush and quite breath taking.

July 18, Noche de Actividades

Another week has flown by! This Monday was kicked off with our usual morning classes that are filled with new vocabulary and grammar. After lunch and fun evening classes, everyone prepared for activity night in which each person can sign up for an activity of their choice to spend time with their friends in the Abbey Road program. Some kids went to an open air concert(Cadiz offers a few concerts a week during summer) in which musicians performed classical music compositions. Other kids that were in search of a more laid back night chose to attend a yoga class on the beach led by an instructor from Spain, or they relaxed at "Spa Night" in which people did their nails and enjoyed conversation.

July 16, Los Toruños

Like all saturdays in Cadiz, today was an excursion day. At 10 am the group met up to take a bus to Los Toruños, a beautiful national park that offers many beautiful sights as well as recreational activities. After arriving, the group relaxed at the beach and enjoyed the picnics that our host families kindly packed for us. Then, we biked to the largest wooden bridge in Spain with knowledgeable guides that taught us about the ecosystems inside the park, and we kayaked in a marsh, which was a great way to cool off after a day filled with activities. Eating delicious gelato with the entire Abbey Road group brought the day to a close.

July 14, Corridas de Toros

A new crowd of Abbey Road kids joined us today! I am sure that they are extremely jet lagged and are getting settled right now, but we did get a chance to briefly meet while those of us staying for a full month had a break from class. They seem awesome, and we cannot wait to get to know them. Tonight was really unique too! The kids staying for four weeks got the opportunity to attend a traditional bull fight. It was gory and a little sad, yet the fight was extremely interesting, and attending the event was a once in a lifetime experience.

July 13, La Cava

After a typical morning of engaging classes, the Abbey Road kids got a real treat: we got to watch a traditional flamenco show in an establishment called La Cava. Three very talented dancers, a guitarist, and a singer took the stage after everyone wished Hadley, one of our friends on the trip, a happy 18th birthday. Although we all expected the trip to be interesting, it completely exceeded our expectations. The dancing was incredible, exhilarating, and it really displayed Spanish culture. Unfortunatley, tonight was our last night with the kids who went on the two week program, but there was no better way for them to conclude their journey to Spain!

July 9, Arcos de Frontera

Today all the Abbey Road kids got to visit Arcos de Frontera, a city about an hour away by bus. Once we arrived, our professors gave us a brief tour of Arcos, which is also known as the white city because all the buildings are painted white to keep cool, and then we all explored in groups with our friends. Everyone stopped at a local convent where nuns baked and sold delicious cookies. We also got to see many pottery shops and buy some souvenirs to bring home.

July 7, Torre Tavira

Today was an awesome day in Cadiz! We passed morning classes learning about the royal family of Spain and wandering the streets to find out what natives thought about the family. It was a great chance to begin understanding Spanish culture. After a lunch with out host family, we received yet another memorable opportunity! Staci and Jose, the program directors, took us to Torre Tavira, a very high building in Cadiz in which we got a chance to see Cadiz from a whole different perspective. Using a special camera, images of the city are reflected on to an indoor screen from which people can view live shots of streets and buildings in Cadiz. The night came to a close with a dinner at our homes and some free time to enjoy the town.

July 5, La Catedral

After a morning of class and a delicious homemade meal (gazpacho), the group headed to the central plaza to climb to the bell tower of the cathedral. Views from this tower were spectacular; we got to see all of Cadiz from one spot! After that, the program directors led us to an ancient Roman ruin which was really incredible because it showed us what civilizations once stood here before Cadiz existed. Later, we spent a "noche en casa," so everyone dined with their host families before heading out to wander the beautiful cobblestone streets of the town and get helado before finally veturing back to our homestays where we slept very well after an exhausting and exciting day!

July 4, Un Día de Clase

Happy fourth of July! Although that holiday is not celebrated here in Cadiz, the Abbey Road group had a memorable and exciting day. Our day began with class at 9:30. After the counselors had placed us in groups according to out language proficiency, the learning stared right away! Classes are quite interesting because they are based on conversational Spanish, in contrast to Spanish classes in most schools, in which instructors focus on the written language. After class, we walked home to get a delicious meal provided by our host family, and some of us even had time for a quick siesta. We soon hurried back to class for an interactive class in which we journeyed around Cadiz and communicated with locals. The day came to close with an enjoyable dinner with our host families and evening activities that included a trip to a nearby movie theater or a bite to eat at an Arabic cafe. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings!

July 2, Playa Victoria

After at least two flights, a bus trip, and a walk to our homestays, we had finally arrived in Cadiz and could now say that our summer adventure had officially begun. Saturday we went to an incredibly beautiful beach, Playa Victoria. It was very warm and maybe a few kids got burnt! Locals flocked to the beach on this hot day as well, so the beach was quite crowded, and the Abbey Road kids got the chance to meet and converse with many people from Cadiz. In the afternoon, we headed back to our homestays to recuperate and prepare for the evening that awaited us. Once well rested, the entire group strolled to a nearby restaurant which served food typical of Cadiz. Our meals consisted of lettuce salad, potatoe salad, fried peppers, chicken, and veal; they were no less than delicious! Following the feast, we got the chance to explore Cadiz with our friends and take in the beauty of the town at night. What a great start to our four weeks in Spain!