Last couple days

Time flies when you are having fun! It´s hard to believe it is almost time for us to say our goodbye´s. Classes are officially done, and so these last couple days we are wrapping up an amazing time here in Cádiz with some fun group activities. Monday evening we walked out to La Caleta beach to watch the sunset. This beach is the closest beach to old town Cádiz. It was BEAUTIFUL. Tuesday we spent the day at Aqualand, a water park outside of Cádiz. It was a day of fun in the sun, with lots of crazy waterslides. 

Anna B. exploring

Siena, McCall, and Anna B. enjoying the sunset

Shannon, Ben, and Austen

The girls with an almost full moon

Anna K. and Sophie, and their green elephant pants

AQUALAND!!!!

Best. Slide. Ever.

Tanya, Katherine K., and Ellie

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Monday we celebrated Allie's birthday with a surprise afternoon party. After the party, we made felt brooches for our home-stay mothers. 

Allie the birthday girl : )

Make a wish!

 Lee and Allie

Working on their brooches

Lee, Ginger, and Emily 

Emily's masterpiece!

Grace with her beautiful brooch!

Cádiz Abbey Road Olympics and EUROCOPA

The 1^st biannual Cádiz Abbey Road Olympics took place Sunday afternoon. Students were divided into 4 groups of 7, and participated in a variety of events: relay races, sand sculptures, penalty soccer kicks, blindfolded race, and an eating competition. It was a fun afternoon of nail biting competition that ended in a tie! To determine the winning team, one more relay race was staged: the shoe mix-up. And the champion team was… 

Encarni (program director) running in the torch at the opening ceremonies

The torch - handcrafted by teachers Rachel and Megan : )

El equipo verde (green team) working on their sand sculpture

Grace la sirena (mermaid)

Katie D. and Allie competing in the wheelbarrow race

Emilie and Anabel running the three-legged relay race

¡CAMPEONES!

Winning team - Equipo Tim (Team Tim) 

Some other champions of the day… ESPAÑA!!!!!!!!!!!! Spain beat Italy, 4-0, in the finals of the EuroCopa 2012. ¡Viva España!

Sophie and Anna K. ready for the game!

At dinner, watching the game

Team Tim Cádiz Olympic Champions ready to cheer on SPAIN!

Espectáculo de Flamenco

Saturday night we went to a flamenco show in Cádiz at La Cava. It was an awesome show!

¡Olé!

Day trip - Ronda

Saturday we visited the town of Ronda, known as the birthplace of modern bull fighting. It is famous for its Plaza de Toros and Puente Nuevo. Some students also explored a mine below the Casa del Rey Moro that leads down to the river.

 2nd floor of the Plaza de Toros - bull ring

Taking a pic (facebook???) in the Plaza de Toros

El Puente Nuevo (The New Bridge) 

Katie D, Grace, and Lee taking in the view on the Puente Nuevo

Charlotte, Anna K, Elena, Kasey, and Ginger in Ronda

Hannah and Emilie relaxing in the park

Ronda

Exploring the secret mine below the Casa del Rey Moro

Climbing the stairs to the river below

Austen at the opening of the mine

View of Ronda from the river below the Casa del Rey Moro

Making a difference in Cádiz

Last week in the afternoons students volunteered at two different non-profit organizations: Educarte Asociación and Madre Coraje. At Educarte Asociación students played games and read in English and Spanish with little kids. At Madre Coraje students helped sort out medicine and donated items to be sent to Perú. 

Siena and McCall at Madre Coraje

Encarni, Tim, and Hannah at Educarte Asociación

Emilie and Hannah

Sophie and Katie D.

Playing outside at Madre Coraje

Red light, green light!

Activities around Cádiz

This blog entry is dedicated to a variety of activities that students have been participating in all week long during the afternoons and evenings when they are not in class.

Last Sunday morning we ate chocolate con churros, a delicious Spanish treat. 

Sunday afternoon we toured the Archeological Museum la Casa del Obispo, or the Bishop´s House. The museum explains the evolution of the city of Cádiz through the ruins that lie below the city, starting in 8^th Century BC with the Phoenicians, to Roman times, to the arrival of Islam to Spain, and then to the arrival of Catholicism. It was fascinating to literally see the different historical phases of the city in the ruins below the 16th Century Bishop’s house. 

At the museum La Casa del Obispo

The ruins below the museum.

Monday evening students competed in a “Humans vs. Zombies” game.  

It was an intense game, and the winning humans were…

Anna K. and Sophie! 

Tuesday night students chose between a noche en casa with their home-stay families, going to the movie theatre to see Los juegos del hambre (The Hunger Games) or Los vengadores (The Avengers) en español, or a “Night Sketch” workshop with leader Hannah. 

Allie sketching

Emily and Ginger at Night Sketch

Plaza de la Candelaria 

Leader Aitor proud of his night sketch!

Wednesday afternoon some students visited el Oratorio de la Santa Cueva, a space built in the 18^th century dedicated to prayer. Its upper chapel is famous for its three paintings by Goya.

Checking out one of the three Goya paintings in the upper chapel

Leader Megan, Katie D, Grace, and Elena

Taking in Goya, in deep contemplation

Thursday night we met up with some Spanish teenagers we met last week at the intercambio for some tea and conversation.

Friday afternoon activities…

Marimekko exposición

Emily and Elena walking through the Marimekko expo

Megan leading Elena, Ginger, Emily and some new Spanish friends in yoga in the park