Submitted by Jessica Bursler on the 2017 winter session program in Spain sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences…
Picture this: A group of 18 students board a coach at 8:30 am and are told we are headed to a beautiful site in Spain. The students all fall back into their slumber (8:30 am is early!) until the destination is reached. Upon awakening, the students find they are far from Zaragoza, a small, but busy, city. They have arrived in the small, ancient, mountainous town of Jaca, Spain. Most shocking, though, was the winter wonderland of snow, surrounding the bus. I was truly in shock when I exited the bus into the snowy landscape – we had just left 55 degree weather in Zaragoza for 29 degree weather in Jaca! But, we moved on, following our coordinators with trust, trudging through the snow to reach our destination.
The scenery surrounding us was undeniably beautiful. As we hiked, the group swallowed the sights in awe. We finally reached our destination: Cueva de Las Guixas (The Guixas Cave). We walked through the winding tunnel of the cave, learning about its use as a shelter for both humans and animals in extreme weather conditions. Before exiting, we were told that there were thousands of bats hibernating in the cave as we walked through. I am certainly glad they shared this as we were walking out! (I am not a fan of bats).
Our excursion came to a conclusion with a hearty meal to warm us up and a long trek back to Zaragoza. While it was certainly a great adventure, I am glad the climate of our base town is much, much warmer!