Art venders, brick roads, and shops align my path, this country, this street, has seen centuries gone by and legendary wars, but now it is one of the greatest civilizations on earth. Madrid, Spain was awe inspiring to my fifteen year-old eyes; I was traveling through Spain, England and France with a group from school and was overwhelmed. I had never left the country before and knew no one on the trip. I wanted to connect with the other kids and most importantly I wanted an adventure.
Spain was the most beautiful country I visited. Something about it was comforting, as if it wrapped itself around me and allowed me to feel the essence of home. I was not a tourist, but instead I was an observer. I walked down city streets watching people pass by. I wondered what their lives where like, what jobs they had, and if they lived in the city, or were on a special outing. The city was exciting, filled with diversity and culture. During part of our trip we visited La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona; the church contained intricate details of angelic angels alongside cryptic depictions of skeletons on its exterior. The modern Catalonian structure is immense in scale; yet new towers continue to be built; working to an ever more perfect design. This structure is one of the many testaments to Europe’s appreciation of artistry. Nevertheless the enthusiasm of Europe diverged with the way I felt inside.
Unable to make a connection, I felt lonely through out the trip and therefore detached from the experience. Instead of appreciating the trip I kept hoping for a notable event to occur. Looking back I realized that I was not ready for the experience; however I learned to appreciate every moment when traveling and accept anything that occurs.
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