Learning on Excursions
Our last excursion we took as a program was to the city of Toledo in Spain, which is about an hour and a half away from Madrid. In my classes we learned about Moorish rule in Spain and how it left huge impacts on Spanish life, not only in the architecture but also in the language. It was an amazing experience to see so many buildings that showed that history and how it’s still preserved to this day. Visiting Toledo helped me better understand how Jewish, Christian, and Muslim history blended together and what that meant for Spanish society. The traditional Moorish architecture present in churches and synagogues there was incredibly interesting to see because those cultural mixings aren’t present where I grew up in Wisconsin. It was also cool to visit and learn about the cathedral in Toledo, which is the fifth largest one in the world. Historic cathedrals aren’t common in the US, so it was interesting to see these churches in person and the amazing architecture up close. Seeing these cathedrals allowed me to get a better idea of how important religion was in Spanish society throughout history, and I was able to better connect the role of the church in how Spaniards thought and acted several centuries ago. Toledo was one of my favorite excursions, and it helped bring to life the Spanish history I’m learning in class.
Izzy Gharib
Major: Economics
Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Program: WIP Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain