Spain Sustainable Communities & Immigration Session 1B 2024

June 29, 2024

Today we at the airport and took a redeye flight to Madrid. There, we met the rest of the group our Global Works leaders, Pablo, Penelope and Teresa and got settled into the hotel. Then we went to a restaurant called Catxo do Jose to eat pasta, salad, and pizza. After that was siesta, which we all rested for. We went to the beautiful Retiro park and played a get-to-know-you game, which allowed us to get to know each other better, and we want to continue getting to know each other to build shared experiences. We then went shopping in local shops and we felt the vibes of the capital of Spain. We ate a family-style meal (using tapas way) at a restaurant called Parrilla Gallega and tried oxtail and many desserts. We were all exhausted but was a really good day in Madrid!

Nola & Alex

June 30, 2024

We woke up early to take a high-speed train to the city of Málaga in the south of Spain. On the train ride we had fun playing board games and chatting with each other. When we arrived in Málaga, we were greeted by the mesmerizing blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. We left our belongings in the hotel and we went shopping, walking around the pedestrian zone of the city.

After that, we sat down in a traditional restaurant to enjoy some delicious meals. Then, some of us went to have another siesta back in the hotel, while the rest continued exploring the city, appreciating the good weather, stunning architecture, and enjoying the beauty surrounding them. About an hour later, we reunited the group and we took a bus to the beach, where we got to swim and play games. Later on, we went to a “cooking school” in Málaga, to prepare various Spanish dishes such as the paella, a stuffed bread with cheese, and an alcohol-free sangria. All of them turned out delicious and the experience is absolutely unforgettable. It was awesome! After eating the tasty dinner we prepared, we went to have ice cream in the city center and we got to watch an exciting street performance of local acrobats. Some of us even volunteered to participate in that spectacle. Tired from this amazing adventure, after all the things we did, we headed back to the hotel to rest. This was the coolest day we’ve had so far and we’re excited to discover the beautiful town of Nerja tomorrow! Great!

Iva & Taylor

July 1, 2024

Today was a sunny morning in Malaga! We woke up at 7:15 and packed before heading downstairs for a typical Spanish breakfast of cereal, pastries, and ham and cheese. Following breakfast, we got on a bus then realized it was too small and got on a bigger one. The bus ride to Nerja, about an hour long, while listening to music and talking about our future adventures. We arrived at las Cuevas de Nerja at 10am, they were gorgeous and had a voice-guided tour. Then experienced a virtual tour as well of the history of Nerja. Then we went to the beach! We ate oceanside and had delicious food called croquetas. Enjoyed some sun and waves! Then we headed over to FES. At FES we met the community over dinner, pasta and veggies, and games. We also went to the park to play with the kids and play futbol with the young people . It was good and it looks that we will have a great time!

Salome and Nola

July 2, 2o24

Today we woke up to another great day in Granada. We started off with breakfast with the community. Then we had a tour of F.E.S. from their founder Ignacio. He showed us all of the wonderful programs FES has to offer. Then we had siesta time and ate snacks. We had a variety of baked goods & yogurt. After that we had lunch which was a mix of potatoes, pollo, + veggies, and another dish of rice and veggies along with bread and celebratory apple cake for one of the kids birthday. Then some of us ventured to the pool. We then returned to our Casa and made Pizza (thanks to our chef Dora) and had ice cream + fruit salad (thank you Aliza!) Then we did some wellness checks and played Soccer with the locals. After lots of fun at soccer we came home to play a guessing game. Adios!

Alex & Aliza

July 3, 2024

Today we woke up excited to spend another enriching day in Granada! We woke up and had breakfast with the community followed by siesta. After siesta we split up into workshops. Some of us did carpentry, baking, Mosaics, farming, sewing, printing, marmalade making, or helping out with the younger kids in the community. All of these tasks are split among the community members in daily life. We then had lunch. After lunch we had siesta + went to the pool. We also found a helmet and played a game with it and some of the kids of the community. Then we got together with a group of community members and participated in something called “conviviencia”, which is a Spanish word for essentially a sharing circle. We heard about where all of the people have come from and where they are going or hope to go. All of us found the experience to be very impactful and uplifting. Once we finished that we had dinner, some of us went to watch a movie & others played soccer. We then returned home and wished Candy a very happy sweet 16! And went to bed.

By Zac and Miguel

July 4, 2024

This morning, we woke up in FES again! It was Candy’s birthday and we have celebrated all the day long. We had a delicious breakfast and had a small break after. Then, we split into groups for workshops. The groups did baking, working on the mosaic, gardening, carpentry, sewing, and making jam. It was very fun and we all did different activities from what we had done previously.

It has been beautiful to see how all of the members participate in the transformation of the conference room into a dinning room cause there was not enough space due to the growing of the foundation. After the workshops, we ate lunch and took a bus to Granada to take a flamenco class in Los Jardines de Zoraya. We learned a lot, and it was super fun! After, we walked around Granada, went shopping and sightseeing, and ended back at the flamenco restaurant for dinner. We then saw an amazing flamenco show featuring professional dancers, and went home. There we prepared a special surprise for the children in the community. To celebrate Candy’s birthday, we made a piñata filled with sweets. The joy and excitement on their faces when they saw the piñata was priceless.

By Kiley and Candy

July 5, 2024

Today we woke up to one of our final days in FES. We enjoyed breakfast and left to go on our hike. Our hike was chill along a gorgeous stream of water, crossing five bridges along the way. We hiked 5 miles to a waterfall deep in the mountains. We then returned to watch the soccer tournament. Spain won and will advance! We then split into small groups and ate dinner with different families to further our education of the FES community. Sharing food and a table with locals has been incredibly enriching. It allowed us to immerse in their culture, learn about culinary traditions, and connect on a personal level. The hospitality and warmth made us feel welcomed, turning meals into memorable, relationship-building experiences. We all learned a lot about Spanish culture. We then went and played soccer and danced with the local community members. We then relaxed and had a meeting about what activities tomorrow holds. Adios!

By Griffin and Charlie

July 6, 2024

Today we woke up at 8:30 on our final day in FES. After an 8:30 breakfast, we hopped on a bus to the Alhambra. At the palace, we learned about the architecture and origins of the monument. The Alhambra is a stunning palace and fortress complex that showcases exquisite Moorish architecture, beautiful gardens, and breathtaking views of the city. It was a pleasure to have the privilege of being able to see it.

We then took a bus to Granada to visit FES’s second-hand store called Casa Luna. There we supported their store by playing Secret Santa. We had a lot of fun doing it. Granada’s city center is vibrant and full of life, with narrow streets, picturesque squares, and a mix of Moorish and Spanish Renaissance buildings. The heart of the city, Plaza Nueva, is a popular meeting place for both locals and tourists. The area is filled with charming cafes, shops, and historical landmarks, creating a perfect blend of the old and new.

We tried food at a Moroccan restaurant for lunch before returning to FES to relax. We went shopping and bought souvenirs to remember our fiesta time before having burgers at a pool party with the residents. We spent the day playing soccer with many of the locals at a nearby park. And now we say good bye to the foundation and we can just say “thank you”

By Sydney and Amir

July 7, 2024

We began by waking up at 8:00 for an 8:30 breakfast (our last at FES). After breakfast, we went back to our rooms to pack up and clean the house for the next guests. Then we had a farewell brunch at our dinner table in front of the house with some community members. At 12:00 we said our final goodbyes and hopped on the bus. We set out for 2 hours before taking a much needed bathroom break and rest stop. On the second half of our bus ride we blasted music, made friendship bracelets, and played games like word length. After 3 more hours we arrived in Madrid and had to quickly unload the bus before rolling our suitcases to the hostel. Upon arrival at the hostel we had a much needed SIESTA hour before setting off to go shopping. After shopping we went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant. Unfortunately we became a bit too clumsy and knocked 3 glasses off the table. After dinner we returned at 10:15 to the hostel and reflected on our time at FES and things we were grateful for about our experience there. Finally at 11:15 we returned to bed so we could be well rested for our next full day in Madrid!

By Harper & Callum
P.S. I miss you mom and dad! – Harper

July 8, 2024

This morning we woke up to eat breakfast at 8:30 in the hotel. The hotel Persal. By 9:30 we were ready to go on our walking tour around the city of Madrid. Our tour guide, Sebastian, told us all about the history of Spanish (and non Spanish) royalty of Spain. At the end of our tour we enjoyed the delicious Chocolate con Churros!!

We then headed back to our hotel to eat at the restaurant, Ginger, located next to the hotel. Then we had a siesta, as we were tired from all the walking. Our tour guide, Marta, took us around the Museo del Prado. She first showed us the oldest art in the museum and then how the art has evolved since then. We then learned about Royal portraits, many of which were of people we had learned about that morning. She showed us portraits of the Habsburg family done by the artist Velasquez, then the portraits of French royalty done by Goya.

After that, we shopped around the Fuencarral Street. Then we had dinner at the Mesón de la Tortilla, trying the traditional dish tortilla, made of eggs and potato, as well as many other topics. Dessert was ice cream around the corner.

Finally, we had a group meeting where we learned about all the fun stuff we will do tomorrow!

Jack & Violet

July 9, 2024

We started our morning with a delicious breakfast at the hostel Pesoa around 7:30. We boarded the bus around 8:30 in Madrid and made our way to Segovia. On the way, we siesta’d, talked, read, and looked outside at the beautiful scenery. We stopped at the Acueducto Romano to look at the structure and continued to El Alcázar for a tour of the entire castle. Afterward, we had some time to shop and chat before lunch. The lunch was a typical Spanish meal. We got on the bus again for 2 more hours which everyone spent sleeping and talking. We arrived in Amayuelas, our 2nd community, and it was so beautiful. We saw fields of wheat, corn, and crops and visited the recently rebuilt structure to meet the founders. After a quick game of fútbol, we went to dinner. It was all organically produced and harvested that week. We ate bread, fresh salad, and Spanish omelette that was so amazing. Then we watched the fútbol semi-final (France vs. Spain) together in the common area. Spanish team won! We finished with a group meeting where we shared our thoughts and feelings about the trip so far. Goodnight!!

Nola and Andi

July 10, 2024

Today was our first full day in Amayuelas! After waking up at 8:30 for breakfast, we began our service work. We split into three groups: gardening, house chores, and taking down an old building.

Some of us were assigned to the garden and first had to break up hard dirt, then plant radish sprouts in that dirt. After finishing planting the radishes, we had to de-leaf the oregano previously picked by other people in the group. Also while at the farm, we met the various animals living there, including donkeys, pigs, geese, chickens, and a super cute dog named Sendal. We then went to lunch, where we had a potato and lamb dish, homemade bread, and salad (which were all from the garden). We followed up with siesta time. Next, we had more work, either making bricks or making bread and dough. We played board games like fusbol and cards. Then we had dinner which was pizza and salad with the oregano and dough we had prepared before and had ice cream for dessert! After playing some soccer and exploring the town, we went to bed!

Aliza & Taylor

July 11, 2024

Today we ate breakfast and then went to our assigned workshops: construction, farming, chores. After we finished, we went to lunch and then took a break during siesta time. At 5:00, we ventured across wheat fields for 40 minutes to reach another town. We took a tour of the church. It was dark and covered in depictions of religious imagery. After visiting the church, we got some ice cream and walked further to play soccer against other kids in the village. Some people also painted landscapes or played cards. After a few hours, we walked back home and watched a movie. Others explored outside. A lot of people were super interested to see the 12 century church, so a group went to explore there. People watched the movie “Instant Family” and overall, it was pretty good. Then we ended the day by going to sleep.

By Candy & Charlie

July 12, 2024

Today, we woke up at 8:30 and had breakfast. After that we left to do community service. We did either farming or house chores. For farming we harvested garlic to peel and clean or we would clean up the farm. We then moved on and continued the community service projects by moving wood into a pile to later be used for fuel. After we ate lamb and lentil soup for lunch. We split up the group where one group took a break while the other made pizzas, bread, and cookies. While waiting for the bread to rise we learned old traditional games like jump rope, and two other traditional games that Melitón had the patience to teach us. Miguel and I went back to finish baking. After, we ate dinner and for dinner we ate the pizzas we made. To finish the night we had a foosball tournament and movie night.

By Miguel and Sydney