On Friday 14th May, 60 students and 7 staff met at a very chilly Gatwick Airport to embark on a fun-packed Spanish adventure, as they travelled to the country’s capital, Madrid! We spent 3 nights in a hostel slap bang in the centre of the city and crammed in as much as we could!
After a buffet dinner on the first night, we navigated our way across the city on the Metro underground system to CityPlay, where we had a game of bowling and a round of minigolf. There were strikes a plenty, but not a hole-in-one to be seen! Then the weary travellers headed back to the hostel.
The following morning, after a continental breakfast, students had an hour free time to spend their euros, something we instantly regretted as they returned with a hoard of squeaky plastic chickens. Cue plenty of confiscations! Then it was time to head to Parque Warner, Madrid’s closest theme park. Despite a gloomy forecast, there were plenty of thrills had by all, and the weather behaved itself! Afterwards, we headed to the restaurant for dinner and then back to the hostel.
Breakfast the next day was a sombre affair, as the tiredness was starting to kick in. Later, the group split in two; half went on a guided walking tour while half took the coach to the home of Real Madrid. The walking group took in such sights as the Plaza de España, the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. Meanwhile, plenty of photos were taken and hundreds of euros were spent at the 78,000-seater Santiago Bernabeu stadium. After lunch in the centre of the city, the groups swapped and did the other activity.
After breakfast and packing, we took a final day walk across the city, past the Museo del Prado, to IKONO, an interactive art gallery featuring a giant ball pit and a confetti room. Many selfies later, and after a refreshment break, we rode the Metro to Gran Vía where students spent the last of their euros in MacDonalds or one of the largest Primark stores in Europe! Then it was back to the hostel to grab our cases before boarding the coach back to the airport for a swift flight back to Gatwick.
It is true to say that, after 75,000 steps, it was a tiring weekend to say the least, but students and staff had a fantastic time. It was a joy to watch so many immerse themselves in the culture and strive to communicate in the language they’ve been learning in school. Realising their language skills were paying off raised huge smiles and fostered immense pride, and so many have come away with the motivation to succeed. Job done!
