It's been a big week here in the city of lions! Apart from advancing in classes, continuing with afternoon activities, spending plenty of time with the host families, and exploring the special festivities throughout the city, we've been able to do some really exciting things in the evenings.
On Tuesday night, Spain played against Italy in the sub-21 European soccer tournament (all players on the team are 21 or younger). It's an interesting tournament, because it gives a bit of a sneak peak at what the top levels of international soccer could look like in 4-5 years as these players continue to hone their abilities and play on other teams. This was the semi-final match in the tournament, and the stakes were high, so obviously we organized a night out to have some tapas and go watch the match together. While some chose to sit the evening out, many put on their red and yellow, broke out the flags and vuvuzelas, and joined the professors for a night of international soccer.
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| A strong contingent of Team León out for tapas and fútbol to support the Spanish side |
We set up in a local spot with an enormous projector screen to watch the game, and it was a close one (at least for the first half). Spain, of course, took home a decisive 3-1 win, securing them a spot in the championship match against Germany on Friday. Fortunately, we'll be arriving in Santiago de Compostela (more on this later) with plenty of time to find a place to watch the final match, because now everyone is very invested in seeing Spain's eventual victory.
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| Madison, Reagan, Jade, Helen, and Tessa getting PUMPED to see Spain stomp Italy |
Last night (Wednesday) marked one of the biggest events in León's summer schedule - an outdoor concert by the famous Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh (Sarah T and Israel have been huuuuuge fans for years). Nearly every student came out to the jampacked Plaza Mayor to see this show, and the band did not disappoint - even those previously unfamiliar with their music were instant converts, dancing and singing along, electrified by the energy in the crowd.
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| New Oreja de Van Gogh super-fans, representing IUHPFL |
La Oreja played all of their big hits, including "Cuídate," "La playa," "Jueves," and a number of brand new songs from their freshly released album "El planeta imaginario" (The imaginary planet). It was a huge show, and everyone had an amazing time - in fact, the concert didn't end until after 1:00am, so the professors mercifully began classes a bit later this morning to let the students rest up.
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| La Oreja de Van Gogh taking the stage getting the crowd excited for the first song of the night |
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| La Oreja de Van Gogh is AMAZING!!!! |
This weekend finally brings us to our biggest and bestest excursion - it begins with hiking the last 20km of the Camino de Santiago, entering into Santiago de Compostela on foot like the pilgrims we are. We'll take the following day to visit beautiful Santiago and then explore a pristine national park on an island off the coast of Vigo. On Sunday morning, we'll head west, crossing the border into Portugal on foot. It's going to be an unforgettable few days, so expect many photos and stories to come afterward.
Until then, we thank you again for letting us borrow these brilliant, hard-working, and often hilarious students for a few weeks.
~Mark (and Isra, Sarah T, and Sarah G)
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