Segovia + farewell CTY

It took an hour to arrive in Segovia, a small beautiful town outside of Madrid. Quaint narrow winding streets, with small electric busses shuttling the elderly around. Most of the shops were closed of course, being Sunday. It was a lot more tourist driven than Brunetta, but still very nice. We started by looking at a small Romanesque church, and then headed in to see the aquaducts.

Seeing the aquaducts makes an engineer proud of his or her profession, even an electrical engineer looking at a civil masterwork. We climbed up into the city after pausing for some photos, and headed to Plaza Juan Bravo, and then the Plaza Mayor. After pausing for photographs, the group continued to the Cathedral which was very very large. It was nice inside, but because of poor timing, we weren't able to get in to see anything beyond the main room, which was still huge, as services were starting.

Onwards to Alcazar, which was a beautiful castle situated on an isthmus of land jutting out into a sea of air overlooking valleys and quaint towns beneath. The place was very well preserved, with beautiful rooms, and vine covered courtyards.

Back towards the Plaza Mayor, where Alex and I split a small cake and I had an eclair thing. I was hoping for a more filling lunch, but so be it. I took the longer route to arrive there, walking in a few different littly barrios (neighborhoods) and seeing something off the beaten, well beaten that is, path between Alcazar and the Plaza.

We spent more time taking photographs back at the Aquaduct - I only wish we had a guide who could have made it come alive for us, describe what history considered were the working conditions, how many gave their lives, unwillingly, for this Roman structure.

Back at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, we gave the students ice cream and time to pack or come down and hang out. After dinner, I instructed the kids on my hall to dress up. It was mostly to match Slash who had run out of clothes. Turns out, it was a good decision. I wore my linen shirt. We went down and had passionfruit, a ritual of drinking juice and toasting CTY and friends. Each toast ends, "I love CTY and I love passionfruit" (I may have the order mixed up). Nevermores (and maybe nomores, those old enough who will not be returning), students who have outgrown CTY, speak about their experiences, times that they broke the rules, and share their thoughts. I was ready to speak about my experience, but the option never arose.

Two students thanked me in their speech during the event, one for just being awesome, and a really amazing RA. The other for treating her as an adult. It was actually very funny as she phrased it, thanks for everything, especially at the pool... and well... you know. I was very touched by both.

Afterwards, we sang Ryan's RA rap, which was posted last night.

I put the kids to bed, and came down to sit with Jean and Rachael. Alexandra and her sister came upstairs, they were hyper from drinking to much soda while at the movies, I think they went to see Harry Potter. Jean, Rachael and I talked for a while, said our farewells, and headed to bed.

Afterwards, I made some skype calls and turned in around 2AM. I woke up at 6AM this morning to bid farewell, loaded some luggage on the bus, and comforted the students as much as I could as they left this safe nerd haven, in the suburbs of Madrid.

Ryan and I stayed out while the quarantined sat in their windows, and we all watched the sun rise over the 4 towers in the Madrid skyline. Eventually we came in, and I started to write this post.

When will then be now? not soon.

now.