A day in my life in Alcalá de Henares
A typical week day in Alcalá de Henares would start at about 8AM when I would get up for school. From there, I would walk about 15-minutes to campus where I would attend my first class of the day. Before class started at 9AM, I would usually try to grab a coffee, or cafe con leche, from a machine in my class building (that only cost 0.60€!). In June my first class was Phonetics and in July my first class was Modern Spain through Film.
When my first class ended at 11:30AM, I would use my 30 minute break from class very wisely; by getting a chocolate croissant from a local bakery in Plaza de Cervantes. At noon, I would return for my second class. My second class in June was Gastronomy of Spain and my second class in July was Modern Spanish Literature. After my classes had ended at 2:30PM, I would head back to my host family to eat lunch from about 3-4PM. My host family consisted of my host mom and 2 other students through the study abroad program. I really enjoyed meal times, as they were a great opportunity to speak lots of Spanish with my host mom! After lunch, I would usually take about a 30 minute siesta.
Around 5, if I had any homework I would do it. Otherwise, my schedule varied on a day to day basis here! Some activities I really enjoyed doing were hanging out with my friends at Parque de El Retiro in Madrid (pictured) or Parque O’Donnell and Plaza de Cervantes in Alcalá. No matter where I was, I always greatly enjoyed this free time with friends.
Depending on the day, any time from about 9:30 to midnight we would eat dinner. This was another great opportunity to not only practice speaking Spanish, but also learn about the gastronomy of Spain. Sea food, gazpacho, paella (pictured), and many different types of breads were frequently eaten at both dinner and lunch. After dinner I would usually head to bed and do it all again the next day!
Carrie Semenas
Major: Neurobiology and Spanish with a certificate in Business fundamentals
Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Program: CIEE Summer Language & Culture in Alcala, Spain
I chose my program because of its rich history. I want to try a bunch of places to eat, spend time in the historical university, and see the statue of Don Quijote! One goal I have is to practice speaking Spanish as much as possible. I don’t always have the opportunity to in the US. I’m excited to try paella and meet people with different background than me! I’m really thankful for the opportunity to learn first-hand about different cultures.