Teatro Real-- Opera!

This post is for all of you classical music buffs out there. Going to an Opera at the Teatro Real was a phenomenal experience that I definitely recommend, especially for students! One thing I find wonderful about Spain so far is that there are tons of discounts for students and youngsters to help educate the young crowd. I bought tickets on the student discount for 90% off; The woman sitting next to me paid 

€66 but I only paid €6! All I have to say is that Madrid takes good care of the kids.

With two other friends I saw The Perfect American, a work in English about the last days of Walt Disney's life, by Phillip Glass. Even though my seats were not the most spectacular I was still blown away by the amazing voices, orchestra, and staging. Along with that, being inside the building for an event was a treat in and of itself. The audience seating is beautifully adorned in red velvet and gold leaf with several tiers and a designated box for the king and other dignitaries.

Was Walt Disney really the perfect american? Did he really make dreams come true? These questions comprise the plot of the work. So intriguing and eye-opening!

My favorite part was when Walt had to fix the broken animatronic Abraham Lincoln, but has an inner conflict over the ideals that the President stood for and Walt's own beliefs.

Real Madrid

If you come to Madrid and have a limited amount of time here, a Real Madrid game should be on top of the bucket list. Seriously, you don't even need to like soccer in order to have a good time! I have never been in a larger stadium, although I've been to many big sporting events in the USA. Everything about a Real Madrid game is fun: the stadium, the enthusiasm of the fans, the skill of the players and the overall atmosphere.

Mi vida en Alcala de Henares

Alcala is a suburb city northeast of Madrid and is the home of the University of Alcala. The University was built in 1499 but this facade was built 50 years later under the direction of Cisneros the cardinal. The students were forbidden to speak any other language than latin; If they were caught speaking Spanish, they were sent to prison!














I am studying at Alcalingua which is a Spanish language learning center. Campus is so, so much different than in the states! It's right in the heart of the city, near the Plaza de Cervantes and La Calle Mayor.

Alcala de Henares is also the birthplace of Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. Behind me is his home!