CEA CAPA held many events as a part of my study abroad program in Madrid, something that was helpful in getting to know the culture and other students studying abroad at the same time.  

Orientation 

Orientation was held during the first few days in Spain and helped us familiarize ourselves with cultural norms, our university, and our housing. They also had free coffee and pastries in the morning and an excellent buffet for us for lunch. I don’t think anyone left very quickly, as we all ate so much good food. 

The orientation lunch was delicious and took place in a nice hotel. It was some of the best food I had all week and a great opportunity to get to know other people on the program. 

Tapas Night 

The second event I joined, the tapas night, was my favorite. CEA CAPA set up cooking classes with a professional chef, where we learned about national dishes and how to make them. I met new people and learned how to make paella, tarta de Santiago, and tortilla de patatas (with onions!). It was a blast and we walked out full after devouring our delicious creations. 

CEA CAPA arranged a cooking class with a professional chef. We cooked traditional Spanish dishes including paella, tarta de Santiago, and tortilla. 

Day Trips to Toldeo and Segovia 

CEA CAPA held two day trips: one to Toledo and one to Segovia. Toledo was beautiful, and it’s known to have one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Spain.  

During the Toledo day trip, we visited the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. The cathedral was impressive and nestled inside the old and historic town. 

With my roommates in front of a scenic overlook of Toledo. The city was so picturesque and remains much more impressive in person. 

We did a walking tour around the old city, learning about the history of the area. The tour also came with tickets to enter into the cathedral, which was awe-inspiring. A traditional food in Toledo is deer stew, so we had to try some for lunch. We had some extra time to explore so my friends and I explored the hilly streets and small shops. 

The Toledo walking tour was included in our trip and helped us get to know the city. Traversing the hilly city was a bit of a workout but learning about the history of the city was worth it. 

Toledo is full of small side streets with magnificent views. Here you can see the cathedral between the apartments on either side of the street. 

Weekend Trip to Seville 

Another trip that was part of the program was a weekend trip to Seville. They held a walking tour the first night that my friends and I opted out of due to some bad weather. However, the next day, we went on the tour of the Royal Alcazar, which is a beautiful royal palace that changed hands many times. Dorne, from “Game of Thrones,” was also filmed here, adding a modern twist to its history. The royal gardens were beautiful, and we almost got lost in the maze.  

CEA CAPA provided a walking tour and tickets to the Royal Alcazar. It has beautiful architecture and gardens, and the Dorne scenes from “Game of Thrones” were filmed here. 

We explored the Plaza de Espana in Parque de María Luisa in Seville. It’s known for street flamenco shows, and Star Wars even filmed scenes here. 

Seville had some excellent tapas restaurants and was a great city to walk around and relax in. If you can find it, there is a very cool store that sells orange-related products since Seville is known for its oranges. You can’t miss them since orange trees are lining every street full of fruit. 

During our trip to Seville, a must-see location was Las Setas, a giant wooden structure. Tickets to the 360-degree view up top also came with an immersive glimpse into the city, and it was lit up at night. 

Conclusion 

I’m glad I studied abroad through CEA CAPA, as they organized a lot of events for us. These trips are organized well and assist you in seeing the cities of interest but also provide space and free time to explore on your own. The trips helped me meet so many people and have new experiences. I’m grateful for all the memories I made during my time studying abroad, and CEA CAPA helped create all those memories.