This post features student writing.

Today in Madrid we explored the Raina Sofia art museum, which left us in awe. We first went to see the “Guernica” painting by Pablo Picasso, inspired by the Spanish Civil War. This painting pushed us to look for the many hidden details that would help us grasp the meaning more fluently. After observing “Guernica” and the exhibit along with it, we moved on throughout the museum in smaller groups, allowing us to see and explore our other interests. There were many artists I have never heard of before while looking through the various exhibits. Even though I had never heard of them before, their pieces struck me because it showed me how many perspectives there are in the art world.

For lunch we enjoyed our time at a gorgeous park where we ate a mix of sandwiches and pizzas. We enjoyed sitting in the sunny weather while we then enjoyed delicious ice cream conveniently close to lunch, which helped cool us off from the hot Madrid sun.

Today we also went to a local pool in the center of Madrid. Since Madrid is so hot in the summer this was the perfect activity to cool down. At the pool we were immediately submerged in the Madrid culture. We sat in the shade near the pool and almost everyone went straight to take a dip. The rest of the group chose to take a nap or just get a nice tan. Everyone was enjoying themselves, so time flew by quickly. This was one of the best activities on the entire trip!

— Rowan y Adrien