The Cadiz Res. program is off and running...fast! The students have had a couple of days to acclimate themselves, and are beginning to get over their jet-lag. It has been a pleasure to see many students already gaining confidence with their spoken Spanish.
After breakfast, we divided the students into three groups of five, gave each group a specific (but different) route to follow; each distinct route took the groups through the city and allowed them to explore a bit. They were given lists of monuments, churches, and plazas to find and photograph. The students negotiated these routes without any assistance from the staff, and I'm happy to report that all three groups took great photos as well. The groups selected their best two photos, and these will be judged to determine a winning group for a prize to be named later.
After lunch and some rest from the previously mentioned activity, the students were introduced to some of the history of Cadiz, including ruins from its first inhabitants. The students climbed the highest tower in the Catedral as well, a site that provided them with a spectacular view of the city and Atlantic Ocean. Our Resident Assistant, Eduardo, provided us with many facts about the city while orchestrating this activity.
Upon returning to the residence, I happened to see a woman dressed in traditional flamenco dancing attire. Being curious, I asked her where she was going, and low and behold just around the corner from us a parade was forming with dancers from several different countries including Spain, Ireland, Argentina, Poland, and Angola. A few of us chose to see the parade before dinner, and hopefully as a group we will have the chance to see these performers once again before their festival concludes.
We begin classes tomorrow (Friday) and take our first excursion to Sevilla and Cordoba the following day. I know Encarni and I are looking forward to teaching these students, who so far have fulfilled all of our expectations!
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