After 3 weeks of the intensive course, we were all ready for a break from classes. Little did we know, the trip to Portugal would be just as academically stimulating as it would be fun. The night before we left for Portugal, the intensive course culminated with a theatrical masterpiece, in GRIIS’ rendition of Sostiene Pereira by Antonio Tabucchi. One section of the group performed a synopsis of the novel (this is where I made my Spanish Theater Debut, as Pereira). After the performance, the other section spoke about the significance of the novel in relation to the material taught in the course and also in our present-day lives.
The trip to Portugal served as a bridge in between the intensive course and what we would soon learn in the seminar Spain within the 21st Century: Building Bridges. There were stops in Mérida, Spain, Évora, Lisbon, and Cascais, Portugal. In every stop, we were able to compare the cultural similarities and differences between Spain and Portugal. We compared designs in historical monuments, such as the colors of tiles used in buildings, with those we had seen in the monuments in Granada. In addition, we saw the remains from the Roman Empire, including an ancient theater and temple, in stops such Mérida and Évora. Although portions of the trip were spent in museums and touring palaces and monasteries, we had plenty of time to explore this new country on our own. Even during our free time we encountered cultural differences and similarities to Spain. We spent time exploring the city of Lisbon on our own, and we had a full day to relax at the beach in Cascais.
Ultimately, the trip to Portugal allowed us to relax and enjoy our time before all of our classes started, but also it served as proof of what we had learned in the intensive course: that the Iberian Peninsula is a melting pot of history, cultures, and languages.
by Luke Meyer (University of Delaware)
