From January 15th to 19th we got to explore the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain. Zaragoza is a big city, but it feels like a small village. People are friendly and cheerful. Music in restaurants evokes good mood and memories, traffic flows smoothly, without traffic jams and you have the feeling that traffic lights wink at you. Magnificent old buildings with typical Aragonese facades and balconies rise above the streets. The city is strewn with statues, trams purr peacefully and the atmosphere is relaxed.
On Monday 15th we were taken around the really friendly hosts' school - Colegio Esolapias Santa Engracia from Zaragoza, Spain. We saw how classes are conducted, got informed about various projects and got to know each other better over lunch. In the afternoon we went to a large shopping center where we bought makeup, clothes and souvenirs.
On Tuesday 16th we visited the mobility museum. It resides in a marvelous building designed by Zaha Hadid. Old and new cars, driving simulations, travelling to future, and gaining new knowledge through games. The is located a modern environment, which was built on the site of a decaying industrial area during Expo 2008. Inspirational!
The hosts took us around Zaragoza on Wednesday 17th. From school to the central part, we walked past the important buildings that were presented to us by the students of the upper classes. We saw the theatre, the bullfighting arena, the church, the more modern parts and the natural history museum. The day was filled with culture and pulse of everyday life, the sense of belonging and familiarity. That day even rewarded us with with the sun's rays. On our return to school, we were pampered with typical dishes prepared by the teachers and students with their parents at home. Mmmm, a really good snack, what a snack - a real feast!
On Thursday 18th we were ready for new adventures. A bus full of young men and women drove towards the Pyrenees, the mountain range that separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. On the way, we stopped at a factory for the production of hydrogen, the cleanest energy. A young scientist presented their work and commitment to a better tomorrow - long live green energy! In Canfranc, at the foot of the mountains, we admired the magnificent railway station, which has been converted into a modern hotel. The railway line still connects this mountain place with Zaragoza. The place offers accommodation for skiers, who, especially on weekends, indulge in winter pleasures on the slopes of the Pyrenees peaks. The city of Jaca, which is called Haka in Slovene, is located at the crossroads of two important early medieval routes. Jaca is the city from which the Kingdom of Aragon developed and the part of today's Spain, where Zaragoza is also located. This is where the El Camino route is and here the hikers gather their strength for the future. We walked along the fortified streets, filled our stomachs and returned to the embrace of Zaragoza.
On the last day – Friday 19th, despite the rain, we visited two famous sights, the Pilar Basilica and the most beautiful church in Zaragoza, La Seo (see), which is really something special. A few years ago that it was renovated and opened to visitors. We weren't allowed to take photos, but I highly recommend it if you're ever visiting the Aragonese part of Spain. At the end of the wonderful Erasmus+ meeting, we experienced a real snowy day in Zaragoza, which only happens once in every five years. Children were catching snowflakes on their tongues, adults were smiling, and we imagined that it was a greeting from our homeland.
All that was left for us was to say goodbye, sign T-shirts, hug, and promise to see each other again. Because friendships last forever. And some photo memories, in my head or in our phones. Phones? To call each other, not tiktok. Because we are here - to experience the world. With eyes, nose, to be in raptures about the world and new knowledge and encounters. Think green, blue, red, tarry!
Thanks to all my new friends for letting me share this experience with you. Shoulder to shoulder, the world is the World!
Vojka Miklavc
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