Proctor en Segovia: Segovia Through All Five Senses

As spring comes to Segovia, Spain, a new group of Proctor students immerse themselves in the rhythm of daily life in a city where ancient history and modern culture are strikingly juxtaposed. English teacher Shelby Wischan assigned her students to use sensory descriptive writing to offer the Proctor community a glimpse into their study abroad experience, challenging them to distill the essence of their Segovian life into carefully chosen words. Through their vivid descriptions filled with sensory details -- the taste of homemade tortilla, sounds of distant church bells, the feel of the cobblestone beneath their feet, the fragrance of espresso and freshly baked bread, and sights of the majestic aqueduct -- we experience their new world through all senses. Read more below!

Ben '25 - Segovia in the Morning

When I first wake up in the morning, I feel the crisp air hit my face. I roll out of bed to immediately be greeted by my host mom with an amazing breakfast already prepared for me to help me seize the day. After a breakfast filled with muffins, toast and fresh orange juice, I hurry out the door to catch a bus that takes me to the center of the city in just five minutes. When I get off the bus, I am immediately greeted by the sight of the amazing aqueduct. My ten minute walk from the aqueduct up to the school is one of the best parts of my day. At nine in the morning, the city is just starting to wake up. The streets are quiet right now, but soon they will be filled with people looking to get a coffee or pastry. Unlike the morning rush at Proctor's campus, where students hurry from JJ's to class, here, the mornings feel calm and unhurried. As I come to the Plaza Mayor, a distant church bell rings combined with an occasional small European car honk navigating through the narrow streets of Segovia. Being here for only just a short time, I can already tell the rhythm of this city is much different from that of Andover.

Julia '26 - A School Day

I walk to the front door of the school at 9:05, saying hi to the people in my class. Sitting down, I take out my binder and notebook. My first class is history. Derek starts by asking us about how the reading went. In Derek's class, we are learning about Spanish history. After his class, I go to my favorite class, Spanish, with María José. Her class is two and a half hours long, but we get a fifteen-minute break halfway through. During our breaks, we can make food and chat in the kitchen. The kitchen at the school has turned into a hang-out spot. I like the kitchen; it has a homey feel to it, with many snacks thanks to Gary.  Plus, María José is fun. She makes us laugh and tells us many stories. After Spanish, we head to Shelby's English class. In English, we have many projects that involve many different media. We are currently working on a project and learning about Don Quixote, a book by Miguel de Cervantes. We are comparing a quixotic modern-day character to Don Quixote himself. At two o'clock every day, we head home to our host families' houses for lunch. 

Olivia '25 - Segovia in the Afternoon

Following the dismissal of classes, our exciting and activity-filled afternoons await us! From cooking class to dance classes (Bachata, Flamenco, and Sevillanas), metal sculpture with Jesús, to ceramic lessons, singing lessons, and Spanish guitar lessons, our afternoons are exciting. Additionally, the gym, bike rides, and calming walks around the Alcázar de Segovia are also permitted as our activity for the afternoon. The taste of tortillas con jamón (omelets) in Pilar's cooking class dances delicately on my palate, the sounds of Bachata music resonate pleasantly in my ear, and hints of a metallic smell from Jesús' metal shop fill the air in our afternoons. Each afternoon, it is always a "choose your own adventure," much different than being at Proctor, where you are committed to doing the same activity/practice each day after school. In Spain, classes end at 2 PM, and our nightly study hall/class time starts at 7 PM; we have five hours to complete one hour's worth of an activity of our choice after going home for 'comida' with our host families. Occasionally, Adele and I will go shopping or grab a crepe from nearby stores to fill our afternoons if we choose to!

One of my favorite afternoon activities is teaching English to other students in Segovia through my Spanish teacher here on Wednesdays. My Spanish teacher, Rosa, teaches us Proctor students Spanish in the mornings and kids from Segovia English in the afternoons. In my first week in Segovia, I made my first friend in Spain, Patricia, by simply talking to her in English while helping her study for her English tests!  

Olivia '25 dancing the bachata (on right)!

Jake '26 - The Food

Imagine the cycle of eating in the United States but reversed. Breakfast in Segovia and throughout Spanish culture is a very minimal meal. A donut, muffin, or maybe a quick fruit to go is all they need here to fuel them for the morning. When the clock's hand ticks to 2 PM, we rush home for "la comida" - the biggest and best meal of the day. Here, while portions are still small, you are given round after round of meat, vegetables, pasta, or fresh fruit to top it off. Lunch or "la comida" is delicious and home cooked by your host family. Food also goes way beyond your house! Whether in the Plaza Mayor, where our school is located, or up and down the bustling and jam-packed Calle Real, restaurants line the corners and streets. Whether it is authentic Spanish food, Chinese food, Japanese food, Italian food, or the standard burger and fries, there are options for everyone. Bars, restaurants, and cozy breakfast joints are cornerstones of Segovian tourism and bring residential life to bloom. The return home after our evening classes, or study hall, is full of excitement for dinner or "la cena" - this meal is usually on the smaller end - maybe eggs, sausage, pasta, or soup. Between eating at home, finding a new spot to eat down the streets of Segovia, or treating yourself to a crepe, ice cream, or frozen yogurt, you will feel more than fueled and energized to get out, explore, and be ready for the day! 

Knox '26 - Excitement and First Impressions

In Segovia, the atmosphere is amazing. The people are nice, the food is delicious, the sights are beautiful, and there are so many things to do. The smell of the atmosphere is sweet, the many ancient buildings are spectacular, and the sense of an older city is very interesting. The differences between Proctor and Proctor en Segovia are very prominent; you have more free time in the afternoon, you live with a host family, and the classes you take are different. 

Living with another family is stressful at first, but you start to get to know them and it feels less stressful. The food is similar to some of the food that is served at Proctor, but it is a bit different. Your host family makes you meals, but you can also go to a restaurant to order something. On Saturdays, there are excursions, where you visit different places in Spain. These are really fun, and you get to see more of Spain. I really enjoy living in Spain - the lifestyle is different from Proctor, but it is really exciting!

Maisy '26 - The Journey of Cultural Discovery

Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have been able to tell you a thing about Spain; the food, the politics, the social norms, even the overall culture were a mystery to me. But now, I know a little bit about all of it. I think Segovia, especially, is a city of history with cathedrals, palaces, libraries that used to be prisons, and of course, the aqueduct. I walk almost everywhere on cobblestone streets, with some historical architecture around every corner. The beauty of the city never ceases to amaze me. Spain's culture is something that I quickly adapted to, specifically having classes start at 9:15 and how normal nightlife is here - as in it's fairly normal to stay up past eleven on any given day. 

Something I found interesting, although I'm not sure I particularly like it, is how everyone goes home for lunch. For me, this means I get to take my very scenic, twenty minute walk - it will be shorter when I stop missing the bus - two extra times a day. However, it also means that I get to have an extra meal to spend with my host family, so there's some give and take. 

For being such a busy and area populated with tourists, I'm finding it to be fairly quiet, the complete opposite of Boston or NYC. As for the smell, there seems to be a lot of smoking on the streets - smoking seems to be more socially accepted here - which isn't something I have a huge problem with, but it stands out to me the most. All in all, Segovia is an exquisite place, but a place that's more of a tourist attraction than a home.

Jelena '25 - The Beauty of Segovia

I have never imagined Segovia this beautiful. I knew I should expect beautiful walks and paths, but here, every glimpse is special. My eyes have never been this fed before. From the airplane window to my host family's room window, Segovia keeps giving more and more. During the day, in the sunlight, I can see the mesmerizing aqueduct accompanied by a sea of years and years - old roofs through my bedroom window. Late in the night, all around Segovia, romantic yellow lights are making the streets have an almost dreamlike quality. The ancient stone gets a new look and everything seems magical. The deepness of the dark sky in the night makes the aqueduct look like it is almost unreal, standing by itself like it is inserted from a distant time. Late nights also bring a silence rarely heard during the day. You can hear every step you take with such clarity and focus on details you would usually miss in the streets full of people investigating the city.

The details in the architecture, even the details you catch looking through the window of a jewelry store, make you realize that Segovia holds something carefully crafted in each corner. Learning about the legends of how the aqueduct was built by the devil and La Mujer Muerta - the "Dead Woman" mountain, having the shape of a woman lying with her arms crossed over her chest - gave me another perspective of the city. History is everywhere around us, and even looking at stones in our surroundings, we can see the years existing in them. As much as it is mystical, it is equally inspiring, not only the city but the people of the city as well. The beauty of the city is reflected by the people in it. The natural beauty, the fashion, the passion are all created for admiration. Their elegance and grace are the delight of my everyday sights, equally as the sights of this timeless city.

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