Submitted by Kelly Wentworth on the 2016 summer session program in Salamanca, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
My name is Kelly Wentworth and I am studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain. Prior to the study abroad trip, I spent 4 weeks split between Mallorca, Barcelona, and Madrid. Having been in Spain for 5 weeks now, I can say without a doubt that Salamanca is the most beautiful city that I have visited. Salamanca holds a quiet beauty, exemplified by it’s massive cathedrals and ornate structures. Many of the buildings that we have classes in and visit every day are centuries old, and it never ceases to amaze me how much history is wrapped up in a single city. The United States is a relatively young country, and it is very uncommon to encounter anything that dates as far back as the structures in Salamanca. As someone from a suburb in Connecticut, it is completely mesmerizing to see these antique buildings directly across the street from a fast food restaurant. The culture in Salamanca is a strange contrast between antiquity and modernity, creating an unusually calm atmosphere. The two pictures displayed below do a good job of representing this odd mixture. The first is of La Plaza Mayor de Salamanca, which was built in the 1700’s and is the city center of Salamanca. It is incredibly beautiful, and is often host to a wide variety of activities including dining and live music. The next picture is a tray of food that I purchased from a McDonald’s directly outside of La Plaza.
While I still find the contrast of leaving a historical city square and immediately stumbling upon a McDonald’s jarring, I have come to appreciate the unique atmosphere that is created by Salamanca’s blend of cultures old and new. Also, it’s pretty cool that I can say that I ate my first Big Mac sitting right outside of La Plaza Mayor de Salamanca.