Weekend in Tarragona!

This past weekend, IES Abroad took the students studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain on a weekend trip to Tarragona. Just under two hours away by bus, we explored ancient Roman ruins, admired Medieval architecture, learned about the local history, practiced Human Towers, and visited a Monastery. This trip was a wonderful way to bond with my peers around me while experiencing the rich cultural heritage Spain has to offer. 

    We departed on this journey Saturday morning and started our exploration of Tarragona with a walking tour led by locals. The tour was informative and engaging where I gained insight of the traditions that make Tarragona so unique and what keeps its community and culture so alive. Here we saw the ancient ruins of an amphitheater. We even got to see a reenactment of gladiators fighting! From a higher view of the city, we could see both the amphitheater and the beaches surrounding it, giving us a wonderful view of all that Tarragona has to offer. Following this, we embarked on a journey just 30 minutes outside of the city where we got to learn about Human Towers. This is a fascinating and distinct cultural tradition in Catalonia, and it was amazing to actively take part in it. We watched videos on their history and structure of these towers, before getting hands-on experience building them ourselves alongside some experienced professionals. This was such a fun activity where I met so many great people who are also studying abroad, which strengthened the IES Abroad community as a whole. Later that evening, before our group dinner, we had some free time to explore the very lively city of Tarragona. There was a local festival happening where we were able to see some live performances and see some cultural food and drinks being made. 

The following day started with a visit to the Monastery where we took a tour and watched an interactive video discussing the importance of this to Spanish culture.  Here we saw various things like the chapel, the dining area, and a local garden where we could explore and take pictures. This was my first time experiencing something like this, and it was both educational and memorable. We ended the day with a local Catalonian meal with friends from IES Abroad. This was such a fun and welcoming way to meet new people who are also here, share stories, and try new food. 
    

From the architecture, the gorgeous beaches, the lively community and rich history of the Catalonian community, I was able to learn more about Spain through this weekend trip. I am beyond grateful for IES Abroad for taking us on the enriching journey, and I am even more grateful to share this experience with new friends that I met along the way. This was the perfect first weekend trip that eased some of the homesickness I was having, since arriving in Barcelona and was an opportunity to meet new people who are experiencing similar feelings.