Day 7. The Last day in Madrid: Saturday 3/14/26

If I had to compare Madrid to U.S. City, Madrid would be the New York of Spain- a much better New York. A city filled with vast cultures, ancient history, and a lot of exquisite cuisine.

The Start

It was 2024 of freshman year, and I have earned the Immersive Scholars scholarship. There were 3 options for work, study abroad and one more I can’t remember. The study abroad option appealed to me because I wanted to go somewhere else for a while; I chose Spain because I was already familiar with the culture and the history since high school. It was also one of the cheaper options compared to other countries and that this program had a personal interest of art and history. After 2 years of planning for Spring Break, I left for the airport around 7:00 pm-ish. It was the first time I was traveling alone. I was a bit nervous about the TSA and luggage, but after that I was ecstatic about departing

Before leaving the only concern, I had been pickpockets and scammers, everything else I already knew since high school. I left exploration and shopping unplanned, so I could have that thrill of exploring the unknown. Then for personal planning like luggage, hygiene, paperwork; I had those filled out since last year; but what I did not prepare were phone plans, payment methods, and travel adapters. I didn’t consider phone plans until my sister mentioned it and I didn’t realize the vast difference between American vs. European outlets until I arrived there.

I needed to learn not only about the country, but also to consider things like personal technology, bank, and paperwork based on the country along with a bunch of other things; I was bound to make a couple of mistakes solo traveling even with research; but this was an important lesson on proper preparation. Other than that, I did not come with many pre-conceptions about Spain.

The Experience:

When we arrived at 10:30 am, we took a bus to the center of Madrid near the Calle Gran Via, after seeing lush countryside and mountains from the plane. The sound of the locals and the sights of the Gates of Alcala and Cibeles, had me pumped.

I had a variety of sights throughout this trip. With the others, it was the Royal Collections and El Rastro on Sunday, the city of Salamanca on Tuesday, La Puerta de Sol on Saturday, the Reina Sofia, and a Flamenco dance on Wednesday just to name a few. On my own, I witnessed Cercedilla, the Royal palace, 2 cathedrals, and the night life of Spain. People waiting in line for a local staple, while chatting about life was something I could get behind. I had a lot of fun on my own and I knew I could get around with my level of Spanish.

As a history and art nerd, the Royal palace on Monday, The Las Ventas bullfighting ring on Thursday and the cathedrals of Almudena on Sunday and Salamanca on Tuesday were my favorite; The architecture, paintings, or religious symbolism of these places get better with each glance. I was in awe at the works of previous artisans and artists creating visuals everyone could appreciate regardless of if you were atheist or religious.

But the most memorable day for me was Friday. After I got back from horseback riding in Cercedilla, everyone in the group went to the Cheers Bar and did karaoke and one of the songs was Last Friday Night by Katy Perry, because it literally was our last night in Madrid. Seeing the locals and my group having fun and living in the moment was one of the most meaningful things I could have seen.

Likes and Honest thoughts

What I liked about this country was its outgoing people and laid-back nature. Many people came up to me to complement my attire and were curious about my plans. A sentiment I rarely seen or felt during the states. American cities offer no grand views, or big enough bars for massive social gathering. Hell, not even good infrastructure for walking. The food was great; lighter, healthier and cheaper depending on what you got; but I did not like the fact I spent more than what I had for budget. If I had more funds, I would spend a lot of it just on food alone.

To be honest, I should have been afraid of racism or ending up dead somewhere in a ditch; yet my excitement and curiosity of the country overcame those things. Plus, I already knew what to look out for due to previous experience of independence as a child. Still, people should be more cautious when going alone with personal belongings or going to a club; and make sure you have everything you need before leaving your place of stay and when you return. Thankfully, I did not encounter any major incidents for myself, minus some people assuming the wrong culture with my outfit.

The Departure

After last night, it was 8 am, and I was in bed contemplating “It flew by quickly. I had such a wonderful time here in Madrid, but it was not enough to do everything I planned out”.

Throughout my time in Spain, the places I visited left an impression on me. After visiting the cathedrals, royal gallery, and the old markets and bars. It left me with a deeper appreciation for cultural exports and history, religion being an inspiration for artists, and an everlasting sense of community when I’m not a local. That’s not even all of it, so having to leave this place was a bittersweet feeling.

I knew I had to leave; but I wish I could have spent more time here. Sure, I missed some parts of home, but I did not feel homesick most of the time; I was glad to have been away for my own peace of mind. At 9 am, I had breakfast with the others and had conversations with the others about how we all felt about our entire experience, until we all met our tour guide Fran in the Lobby around 11:45. I was really going to miss the food.

Airport arrival

We got on the bus around 12:00 pm and arrived at the airport around 12:30 pm. As I gazed at the buildings and surrounding landscape. They were nothing special. However, being the first things I saw on my arrival, it reminded me that although our time here was short, I cannot wait for the day I return. Seeing these mundane things again reminded me of all the changes I learned about myself and other people, while also learning other valuable lessons between now and when I first landed. Fran had led the way up until the security checkpoint and checked bag area; to which we said our Fairwells to him, before we all left for the gate

As we finally got through customs and checked baggage. me, and two students-John, and Dahianny-waited around gate S4, until it changed to S48; which was where everybody went off to. We also bought some stuff for ourselves, and I realized how expensive airport products are. I told myself, “Time will continue to move forward, but this week of my life is something that I will always travel back to”. After we met up with the others, they called our group after 30 minutes of waiting and as we moved into the plane, I had Lana- another student take a pic of me to conclude my journey in Spain.

This flight was also 7 hours, but it felt shorter on the way back. Then we arrived back in the states in no time. Everyone left until I was the only one in the baggage claim area. As for me, I came back to Lowell by bus and train; but this was more of a quiet pilgrimage. Of solitude and reflection, as I imagine taking these modes of transportation and navigating these systems in adulthood. Safe to say, I am more confident in traveling alone. The first thing I did when I got back to my dorm was eaten a bowl of Pho. It was a week old, but the taste of marrow rich collagen broth, rice noodles and flank steak alleviated my weary senses. It was a much-needed hug after a cold, desolate walk from the train station.

The Lessons

Philosophical Lesson

That day of departure reminded me of some of the philosophies from East Asia and Stoicism I had grown up studying. From Miyamoto Musashi and Buddhism, it was “things and people will come and go”, while for Stoicism it was the concept of “memento mori” which means remember you will die. These ideas encapsulated my feelings of impermanence and made the most out of each day I had during that week. Sure enough, this time I traveled with a random group of people to learn about another country together, while making the best of it will be unforgettable. That it’s okay to let go and live for once instead of surrounding yourself with constant tasks all the time.

Academic and Personal Growth

This whole experience taught me that to be complete as a thinker, you need more than complexity to be elegant, you also need creativity as well- which I lacked both semesters. This fatigue and apathy was not rooted from the amount of work I had, but the number of burdens I carried in both heart and mind and no medium to express those feelings through.

This experience surprised me with the differences between my mindset and my peers; I was a wanderer by nature, but my independence was deemed unordinary. I learned how charismatic and outgoing I can really be, and I never saw myself as an extrovert. Finally, learning how to handle purchases, and managing my own time made me understand that to have more free time. I need to rid myself of destructive habits that consume my time and plan most of my actions out. Even though I did plan ahead of time, after completing everything; I was still deciding the next move. As for the country, I learned how a history of political conflicts, the arrival of different historical groups over centuries, and geography can influence the lifestyle, cuisine, social issues, and diversity of a country. That can really contribute to that beautiful complexity that makes each country unique.

Life lesson wise, there is the usual be present, be grateful for your opportunities, and stay true to yourself. A new one I did learn was that sometimes the people you frequently never speak to are the last ones you expect to become great friends and establish connection with.

Conclusion

After this whole experience, It inspired me to work toward a career where I can afford to see these sights again. Even when my hair turns gray and my skin has wrinkles; I will never forget the feeling of being a 20-year-old on a 1-week journey in Spain and the experiences I have brought back with me. No matter what happens, I’ll continue to have a deeper appreciation of the arts, and the feeling of joy to unite others in the states, cause what we really need in this place is hope and a sense of community.