0 CommentsOompa Loompas in Spain
I had the opportunity this summer to travel to Spain and learn about the Spanish language and culture through my participation in Learning Programs International (LPI), a study-abroad program open to U.S. high school students. I lived in Spain for 18 days with a wonderful family who spoke absolutely no English. Living in Spain was a huge adjustment. The days were longer, my showers were shorter, and eating was an all-day event. Although it took some time to acclimate to the living conditions in Spain, my trip gave me a new appreciation for other cultures, languages and people.
Houston Christian High School senior Hannah Holmes can’t get the Guggenheim Museum off of her mind after visiting Spain this summer during her pre-college studies abroad.
A major part of the program was studying at the University in Santander, La Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo. But that name is far too complicated to pronounce all the time, so we just called it the UIMP (pronounced “wimp”).
I attended classes four hours a day, which is not much class time for 40 hours of college credit. When not in school, I usually found my way to the beach with friends and took excursions with others in my group. I did everything from touring museums to surfing to playing bolos, which is a Spanish version of bowling played outdoors using a smaller, lighter ball. At the beginning of my trip, I spent four days in Madrid and Toledo, which are known for their historical museums and bullfighting rings.
I wrote a short blog about one of my favorite activities while in Spain titled “Oompa Loompas at the Guggenheim” in honor of the somewhat strange live-art exhibit that took place while I was visiting the museum in July. A man dressed in an all-white jumpsuit shot out paint from a cannon onto a huge white canvas, similar to the Oompa Loompas in the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Read about it in my trip blog at www.blog.lpiabroad.com/category/country/spain/santander/san-2-week-june.
Want to be a Buzz Kid? E-mail approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and cutline to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401.
