Spain Sustainable Communities & Mediterranean Culture, Session 1A
June 29, 2025
Right when we got off the Dallas plane, we were greeted by new friends and mentors — their comforting smiles soothing my airplane nerves. Everyone was so amazing and friendly, immediately bonding and chatting, even with people who wouldn’t be in the same group. We even sat down on the airport floor in the waiting area and started playing cards.
When we got to Spain, I instantly bonded with my roommates — my sister, Bri, and Audrey. We even asked if we could keep our room assignments a little longer so we’d have more time to hang out together.
Spain is beautiful, and the food is even better. We’re making memories with every step along the way.
By: Abigail NB
When we arrived in Spain, everyone clicked right away — wasting no time getting to know each other. The bus ride to our hotel wasn’t too long, and once we arrived, we jumped into group activities and went outside to explore, all while learning about Spanish culture and community.
We had our first Spanish breakfast — churros with thick hot chocolate — and they were so delicious . Definitely the perfect way to start our day!
We also visited Puerta del Sol, where we learned about Kilómetro Cero — the geographic center of Spain — and the story behind the city’s symbol, the bear and the strawberry tree (el oso y el madroño).
In the late afternoon, we visited the beautiful Retiro Park, where we took part in fun team-building activities that helped us grow closer and build trust. Later that night, we had our first taste of classic Spanish tapas — tortilla de patata, queso manchego, and jamón.
Through many icebreakers and shared experiences, we’re already been discovering the beauty of life with a supportive team — a space where we can grow in ourselves so we can make the world around us better.
By: Brianna O.
June 30, 2025
Today we left for Lozoya which is a rural village in the mountains. We were sad lo leave Hotel Persal in Madrid, but it ended up being a great day. The first thing we did in Lozoya was check-in to Ciclolodge and then get ready for our hike. After our hike through the tall trees and shrubby ferns we drove to a natural pool for a dip. At the pool the clouds moved in and it started drizzling, but the majority of us jumped in and after acclimating to the cold water we started a game of “Marco Polo”. We were all parched and hungry so we went back for dinner at Ciclolodge. At dinner we tried salmorejo which is a cold tomato soup. We also had huge burgers and ice cream for dessert. After dinner we went for an astronomy session and ended the lesson in a planetarium where we watched videos about the stars and planets.
By: Zayna & Amelia 🪐
July 1, 2025
Today in Lozoya, we did the orientation challenge scavenger hunt. Our group took a different approach to the hunt by going to the lower sites first. We struggled finding point 6, the cemetery, but used the main road as trail markers and eventually found it. Next, we went to point 8, which was a group knot. Everyone really wanted to do the activity. Then we headed over to the kayaking spot and discussed our favorite movies.
After this scavenger hunt, we went to the kayaking place with our guides, Henry and Ana. We were 2 to a kayak and got to choose our partners once we were in the water. We played different games and challenges, like dancing the Macarena, having one person stand up in a kayak, and more. Some people ended up in the water. The views were very, very nice. I spent time with Archer. We then headed back to the hotel for lunch, which consisted of salad with goat cheese and steak and potatoes. It was very yummy.
Later, we had siesta time. Half the group went to the pool and the other half stayed at the hotel. We had some readers and some card- players. After that we headed to Ecos del Lozoya and learned about organic agriculture with Jorge. We also picked some berries. They tasted great and the yellow raspberries were a fan favorite. After that we got on the bus and headed to Buitrago. There was a pretty cool old castle and some cool street art/grafitti (@DrewMeyers). We had bocadillos in Buitrago. Overall, today was a great day!
By: Seb and Patrick 😎
July 2, 2025
First of all, happy birthday to my mom! I love you!
We started our trip from Lozoya village VERY early this morning (5:30!) and embarked back to Madrid in order to take a speed train that went up to 290Km/h. The train ride was long, but we passed the time quickly by playing card games, talking or calling up on sleep. Our first steps out of the train station into Barcelona were magical, and so is the hostel we’re staying at – very nice beds. Soon after, we embarked for lunch.
For lunch we are at a restaurant called Flax&Kale. It was so delicious. We then returned to the hotel for siesta! Afterwards we enjoyed a nice walk to Park Güell. We explored and took lots of pictures before heading for dinner at an Asian restaurant called Loto. The perfect treat to end the night was a scoop of ice cream for dessert before heading to the hotel and going to sleep.
Adios,
By Audrey & Ky (P.S. Hi moms!😊)
July 3, 2025
Today was a fantastic day! The weather wasn’t as hot as yesterday, which made everything even more enjoyable. We started with breakfast at the TOC hotel. Afterwards, we walked to the bike store (Green Bikes), where we began our tour with our amazing guides: Matías, Rowan, and Alexandra.
We learned a lot about the history of Barcelona and how the different areas were shaped. This included the Muslim and Arab influence on Spain, as well as the different neighborhoods of the city like Raval, El Born, and the Gothic Quarter (Barrio Goticó). It reminded me of all the history tours in Athens and across Greece.
We saw the beautiful beach at the end of the tour, along with a stunning fountain-like mural co-constructed by Gaudí. After that, we had lunch at a famous local market: La Boqueria. It was packed with people and food. It reminded me of the markets in Vietnam, just without the bargaining.
Next, we headed to the Sagrada Familia (the famous Gothic church designed by Gaudí), which was full of history and breathtaking architecture. It looked kind or similar to St. Peter’s Church in New York but even more beautiful. Our tour guide Marta explained so many cool details.
We’re now at dinner eating pintxos (typical elaborate tapas from the Basque Country). Archer got gifts for his family, and I’m still looking. The lights just went out in the restaurant as we’re preparing a surprise for Jaya’s birthday! 🎂 We all sang happy birthday in English and Spanish. Feliz cumpleaños, Jaya! We even had chocolate cake to celebrate. All in all, a fantastic day.
By: Bach & Archer
July 4, 2025
Barcelona, Spain
Today started bright and early with a grab-and-go breakfast from the hotel, which we ate on the way to the bus stop. We went to our morning service activity at Mar Bella beach with a local organization called Good Karma Projects 🌊♻️. Clara from the NGO shared some facts as we helped clean up the beach and sorted the trash, it was truly eye-opening to see the impact of plastic waste up close and how much we collected once we separated the various items.
After finishing up, we took another bus to Barceloneta beach, where we spent a couple of hours swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying the warm breeze from the Mediterranean Sea. It was the perfect break after a busy morning.
Later, we headed to Makamaka, a laid-back burger spot near the beach. We had lunch outside on their terrace , enjoying the food, the weather, and the fun vibes . The fries and burgers were amazing and we couldn’t skip dessert: brownies with banana ice cream! 🍦🍔
In the evening, we returned to the hotel by bus although the traffic was heavy. We did laundry together (a fun adventure), then made a quick stop at the market to grab snacks for tomorrow’s super long train ride. We got dressed up for our last night in Barcelona and wrapped up the day with a relaxing dinner: some delicious pizzas.
Hasta luego, Barcelona!
By Vivi & Marley 🏝️
July 5, 2025
Barcelona to Dilar
We started our day super early at 6:00 AM, waking up in our hostel in Barcelona. From there, we caught a super-fast train and spent the next six hours traveling to Málaga. The ride flew by as we slept, chatted, played poker, and enjoyed the lunches and snacks we had stocked up on the day before.
Even though we had fun on the train, it definitely tested our energy. By the end, we were craving some comfort food so Popeyes to the rescue! It helped a little with the homesickness, too.
After the train, we took a two-hour bus ride to Dilar (Granada). Most of us took the opportunity to catch up on sleep and enjoy a proper siesta. Once we arrived, we dropped our stuff off at Zerbinetta hotel. Then we headed out to visit La Ermita nearby, where we met some local teens: Pablo, Nuria, Mónica, and Carmen. We also got to know Irene (La Flamenca ) and Matteo (El Clown) who will be hosting some fun activities at their place, Finca Furriola, in the coming days. The views and sunset from the hotel at dinner were stunningly beautiful. We are all looking forward to what’s next in this community .
By Harrison & Gordie 🚂🤡
July 6, 2025
Dilar
Today we woke up a lot later, thankfully, at 8:30 in the hotel with the long name. Zerbinetta, I think. Breakfast was really good, not takeaway thankfully. Croissants, doughnuts, fruits, cheese, ham, juice and cereals. After breakfast, everyone walked to the finca (farm) to learn about permaculture. We learned all about how the people there -Matteo, James, and Irene- live sustainably. They have compost bathrooms, they grow food of all kinds, and help keep the land nice. We did some activities like weeding where the creek should be and picking oregano flowers. It was honestly pretty cool to learn about. Also, a couple of the girls from the community, Monica and Gloria, did the activities with us. Then we made sandwiches at the farm for lunch and went on a soft hike. We hiked to a river and we’re kind of going in the water and wading around, really cold water. Then we took the bus back to our hotel for a 2 hour siesta. During siesta , a few of us played poker and wrote Isa’s birthday card! When Isa came down, Eleni put a blindfold on her and led her to a room where we all surprised her with cake (chocolate). Once the surprise was over we went to Spanish class with our teacher Pilar. We did packets and filled the blanks to a Spanish song. After the Spanish class, we took another long 30 minute walk to la finca. According to the company, we didn’t need a bus, but I think we can all disagree with them. We then all flamed Mohammed about wearing three layers in 90 degree heat to keep the bugs away. We finally got to the finca and immediately washed our hands to start making homemade pizza. We ate it while listening to Matteo’s amazing song choices and under the nice evening sky. We had some good free time with the cats (I don’t know their names) and the dogs, Dino and India. And after that, we sang a second happy birthday (in Spanish) to Isa, except with a homemade cheesecake. After an energetic night meeting with our amazing leaders of the day, Eleni and Sam. We finished our night off with another long hike back to our hotel which included Archer and Bach scaring everyone and singing from Hamilton and Glee. What a long fun day, time to rest. Good night !
Eleni & Sam 🌱
July 7, 2025
Granada
We woke up around 8:20 in the morning at Hotel Zerbinetta and had breakfast there again. The options were mostly the same as yesterday, but this time they had eggs, which was a nice surprise.
After eating, we took a bus to the Alhambra Palace for a three hour tour with our amazing guide, Hamdi. He had such a great energy and really brought the history of the place to life. After, we had a 30 minute break to explore some of the local shops and pick up souvenirs.
In the afternoon, we stopped by a swimming pool to cool off and relax. It felt so good to refresh after walking around in the sun all morning.
Lunch was at a Moroccan restaurant. The food had interesting flavors. Afterward, we had a little more time to shop and that’s when the boys decided to buy matching shirts, which gave everyone a good laugh.
Later in the day, we headed to the Sacromonte neighborhood to see a flamenco show inside a cave called Venta del Gallo. It was such a powerful experience. The performers sang, danced, clapped, and poured so much passion into every moment. You could really feel the emotion in the room.
Before dinner, we stopped at the San Nicolás viewpoint to watch the sunset. The view of the Alhambra from there was absolutely stunning and one of the highlights of the day.
For dinner, we shared a variety of tapas. They were different from the ones we tried earlier in the trip, and it was fun to taste some new flavors together.
Now we’re on our way back to the hotel and getting ready for a pajama party during our evening meeting. It’s been a full day, but definitely one we’ll remember.
Jaya & Isaiah 💃🏽 🏰
