Students โTrade midwest Autumns for Spanish Culture Duringโฃ Fall Break
MADRID,โข SPAINโค – โWhile many students spent their fall break relaxing at home, a group โขfrom Meijerโ University recently embarked on a whirlwind tour of Spain, immersing themselves in the โcountry’s rich history, vibrant culture,โฃ and renowned hospitality. The four-day trip, completed between 2024/10/11 and 2024/10/14, offered a uniqueโ educationalโ experience beyond the classroom, fostering cross-cultural understanding โฃand creating lasting memories.
This immersive experienceโฃ comes as study abroad and experiential learning opportunities gain prominence in higher education, providing students โขwith a competitiveโ edge in an increasingly โฃglobalized world. The trip’s success โขhighlights the value ofโค these programs in broadening perspectives and enhancing personal growth. For the Meijer University students involved,โค the journey was a packed itinerary of iconic landmarks, culinary adventures, and genuine โคhuman connection.
The group’s Spanish adventure began in Barcelona, where they visited โthe Sagrada Familia, โAntoni โGaudรญ’s breathtaking basilica. From there, they journeyed to Montserrat, โascending theโค mountain via cogwheelโข train toโ explore a thousand-year-old monasteryโ and basilica. “The whole mountain was beautiful,”โ said โขstudent Sarah Roiseland, “And it was full of rich history.”
Their exploration continued โคwith a โคwine โtasting excursion at โคthe Oller del โMas winery, a family-owned estate boastingโ 36 generations of winemaking tradition. The โคRoiselands than undertook a four-hour โdrive to Valencia, where they captured family portraits โคand exploredโ theโ city.
Roiseland โฃemphasized the warmth of the Spanish people,recounting a notably meaningful experience: “In Valencia,we experienced firsthand the warmth and hospitality of the Spanish people โthrough โmeeting my sister’sโ host family.” โDespite theโ fast pace, Roiseland affirmed theโ trip’s โคvalue. โค”We packed inโค as much as possibleโ for the โคfour days I was โthere, and even though the time was short, the memories I โmade were invaluable,” she stated.