Students from music and language department roam through Spain during summer

This summer break, while many students were busy attending summer camps and SAT prep classes, another group of students traveled to the opposite side of the globe — Spain. On June 21, 220 students and five teachers from the music and language departments traveled there to perform and learn about Spanish culture.

The band and orchestra go on a international tour every three years, but this was the first time the band and orchestra have gone with students taking Spanish 2 and above. The trip lasted 14 days, and the group traveled to numerous cities, including Madrid, Valencia, Peniscola, Barcelona and San Sebastian.

“Performing in Spain was an entirely different experience,” said junior Shiva Djabbari, who plays the tuba. “You never knew how the audience would react. Many of the crowds were really energetic and you could feel their smiles when they clapped after every piece we played.”

Being able to perform in concert halls with such old and majestic architecture was truly a reward for the music students.

“There were ornate statues and [stained] glass that you usually don’t see in a concert hall,“ said junior Michelle Handoko, who plays the flute. “It’s the kind of historical architecture that you don't see, especially in the U.S.”

As the students traveled from city to city, they found that even the hotels had a touch of old-fashioned charm in them. Instead of having card keys, the hotels in Spain had actual keys, according to junior Alice He, who plays the clarinet.

Performances were often in the evenings, so students had the mornings to spend time exploring. For some, this time provided an opportunity to interact with the locals and practice Spanish.

“We had a free day where we all just played frisbee on the sand and splashed in the ocean,” said senior Josh Pi, who is one of the four drum majors. “It was just altogether a really great day spent with a bunch of really great people.”

In one memorable instance, senior Anshul Aggrawal, who plays the tuba, took a taxi with his friends, intending to visit a former bullring area.

“The taxi driver seemed kind of disgruntled to be carrying tourists, so I tried to ease the situation by talking to the guy, [but] somewhere along the way the dude blew up on me!” Aggrawal said. “He started yelling at me in rapid–fire Spanish which I could barely understand. I then talked about why we were here and how great the city was, and he slowly opened up. By the end of the ride he was giving us tips on where to go on a budget.”

Many students noticed how different the Spanish lifestyle was compared to America.

For instance, in Spain, dinner is usually eaten at around 8 or 9 p.m., so it was hard for the students to find places to eat.

“It was really stressful when we had limited time to eat, and although I missed Asian food during the trip, being able to have such great Spanish food was worth it,” said junior Felicia Hung, who plays violin. “I really suggest trying every single tapas dish on the menu.”  

The trip to Spain was one of the longer tours the music and language department have gone on, but the increased timespan allowed students to interact with locals and immerse themselves more fully into Spanish culture.

“All the Spaniards there … were so welcoming and patient with the people that were struggling to communicate in Spanish,” Hung said. “Occasionally, some kids would even say hi to us by screaming ‘Konichiwa.’”

Traveling around an unfamiliar country was hard for many of the non-Spanish speakers and even for the students from the Spanish classes, but students nevertheless found the experience enjoyable.

“It’s such a beautiful country and just a fun place to be,” Pi said. “[It was] definitely an unforgettable trip. I’m still having withdrawals from late night ice cream runs in Peniscola and Barcelona.”