I cannot believe how quickly this program flew by! As I am writing this, I am on my way back to the United States. This Verano Español program has inspired me to travel more, not only to more places in Europe, but also new places in the United States. The beautiful pueblo of Candelario awakened an interest I never knew had- an interest in nature. What this small town made up for in lack of wifi, was beautiful scenery and rustic charm. I will probably never forget the moment Professor Alberto was giving us a tour of the town, stopped us on a road, and said “the road you are standing on right now is 2,000 years old”. I am so grateful to have been able to spend a weekend in a town so old and rich in history. I have lived in Florida my whole life so I am used to flat land and being able to see miles in all directions. I cannot believe I have been missing out on nature hikes on beautiful, lush mountains my whole life! Never in a million years would I imagine myself being excited to go on a nature hike! Another highlight of the Candelario trip was the short (too short if you ask me) trip to Granadilla- an abandoned pueblo. This town was abandoned in the 1950s due to the belief that the new dam would flood the town. However, the town did not flood so I honestly do not understand why the people did not simply move back when they realized the town is not flooded. So now it exists as a small not-well-known tourist destination. This pueblo is somehow even smaller than Candelario, but still has the same rustic charm. When exploring, I found a small niche (pictured below) that I immediately fell in love with and even enjoyed more than the castle.