My Return to Texas

As I return to the United States, I am both excited and sad. I am sad to end my great experience in Spain, from which I learned so much about the Spanish language and culture. However, I am excited to start a new school year with my students and be able to share the information that I learned in Spain. I believe that this information will help my students feel a stronger connection to what I'm teaching, and I will be able to emphasize the importance of learning Spanish in high school. I want to say a big thank you to the people at the National Spanish Exam and the AATSP for allowing me to have this amazing experience. I will remember this amazing experience for the rest of my life, and I believe that it has made me a better person and more accepting of other cultures and ways of life. I made many friends along the way and had many great experiences that continuously make me laugh and smile. I hope to return to Spain someday to visit my friends and see how much the country has changed. I will encourage all of my students to take a trip to Spain to enhance their knowledge and experience many new and exciting things.

El Parque del Retiro

Nothing beats Sunday afternoon in Retiro Park. It is the most popular and widely visited park in Madrid. On a Sunday afternoon, you will see Madrileños walking with their families in the park and being entertained by the multitude of street entertainers. Retiro is also a central meeting point for all sorts of people, from the roller skating younger kids and older men playing 'petanca' to football players and joggers of all ages.
The Retiro was originally built for the Spanish king Phillip IV and was opened to the general public in the 1800's. One of the most beautiful places in the park is the 'Crystal Palace', which is made entirely of glass.
The central point of the park is the large lake where you can go row boating or lay around on the steps and listen to street entertainers perform. The park has quite a few restaurants where you can enjoy a cold drink in the heat of the summer. Also, the major road through the park hosts a huge book fair every year in June. Among the park's numerous statues, there is one dedicated to the 'Angel Caído' - said to be the only statue in the world dedicated to a fallen angel.