The great thing about spending a semester abroad in Spain is that my class has had the opportunity to explore surrounding cities with our professors. Some of our excursions are overnight and others are day trips. These excursions have allowed us to experience subcultures and famous landmarks and then be able to connect them to the material in our courses.
On our first excursion, we traveled to Andalucía and were able to see Córdoba, Granada, and Sevilla. This trip spanned five days and in those five days we saw so much. Starting out in Córdoba, we saw the Mezquita, an old mosque that was originally home to the Muslims and was later converted to a Christian church when Christianity conquered the area. Even though Islamic influences are still present in the architecture today, Muslims are prohibited from praying in the temple as both religions cannot worship in the same space.
Next, we traveled to Granada and visited the Alhambra, a palace with well-preserved Islamic architecture, like the Mezquita. Outside the Alhambra are sprawling gardens, named Generalife. We learned that a big chunk of biodiversity in Europe is present in Andalusia. The grounds have an abundance of plants and water. For Islam, water is the best gift from God and a Muslim paradise is composed of a fortress and flowing water.
Our last city to visit was Sevilla. We visited the Cathedral of Sevilla, a Roman Catholic Cathedral that contains Moorish and Gothic influences. As the biggest gothic church in the world with rich historical and cultural significance, the cathedral is recognized as a world heritage site under UNESCO.
Our last excursion was a day trip to Mérida where we visited a Roman theater and amphitheater. In the amphitheater, gladiators would compete, and wild animals were let loose. In the theater, seating was organized by one’s place in society, making the lower seats accessible to those with a high standing.
These excursions have allowed us to learn more about Spain’s culture and history while also getting closer with one another. Since we spend every day together, our class has gotten pretty close, and I would not trade these relationships for the world.