This summer I travelled to the Iberian Peninsula, in which I spent three weeks in total in Madrid, Seville and Lisbon. Having last studied Spanish at GCSE, the four years since then had had very little in the way of improving my grasp of the language (apart from the occasional ordering of tapas) and I really wanted to use this opportunity to regain my love for both language learning and the Spanish language itself. Being given this opportunity to explore, I also wanted to experience Portuguese culture for the first time to finish off my trip.

I spent the first two weeks of my adventure in an intensive Spanish school in Madrid where I met peers from both Europe and all over the world – including China, France, Trinidad, and the Czech Republic. I learnt so much Spanish in such a short amount of time – the immersive nature of the classes meant that there was no English spoken at all, and so I was really forced into speaking the language and improving my conversational skills. In addition, being immersed in the culture and nightlife of Madrid gave me opportunities I hadn’t had before to practise – even the queue to a club counts! After this, I spent four days in Seville where I was able to experience Andalusian culture and history. Here, I visited the Real Alcázar de Sevilla, a stunning royal palace which has its roots in the Islamic heritage of Spain. The contrast between the Moorish history of the south of Spain to the vibrant capital was definitely sharp, but it was fascinating to see such diverse history all inside of one country. Something that I won’t forget was the ravaging heat in Seville – 45°C daily during a heatwave is certainly not for the faint of heart!

After Spain, I flew to Portugal to explore its vibrant capital city. Unbeknownst to me at the time of booking, the Catholic festival of World Youth Day was occurring right as I was there, with some 1.5 million pilgrims coming to the city, in addition to the Pope! This certainly threw a spanner in the works, as absolutely anything and everything worth visiting was full to the brim. Despite this, I was still able to have an incredible time in Lisbon, and if anything, I have even more reason to return! I visited São Jorge Castle and saw the wonderful sights of Lisbon from the top of the tallest hill in the city (I managed to make it up there despite the heat), and with some strategic restaurant bookings, I was able to have two of the best meals I’ve ever had. I wasn’t really expecting Lisbon to be a culinary destination, but I was delighted to be treated to far more than just a pastel de nata!

For me, the biggest surprise on my trip was how fun it was to learn a language in such an intense environment. Before leaving the UK I was definitely nervous, given that my extended time away from Spanish had led me to a point where I was just about able to have a broken conversation with a barman and not take much away from the conversation. However, after just a couple of days in the school I had regained my confidence, and already by the end of the first week I was able to talk about such a wide range of topics. By the end of the second week, I was even able to understand a good chunk of a Spanish drag show – something which I even struggle with in a loud club in English! Although some of the other students spoke fluent English, with a few of them I was only able to speak Spanish with them, but despite that I was still able to make friendships, which I found really liberating. Making new friends in such a different manner to the way I’m used to at home was such a unique experience and we’re planning to have a reunion back in Spain in the future.

If you’re thinking of going on a LEAP Adventure, my top tip is to push yourself out of your comfort zone, even if you’re only able to nudge yourself just outside of it. This is such a unique and valuable opportunity, and so the more you can get out of it, the better. I thought that an adventure closer to home was a better fit for me. Whatever you plan on doing, as long as you are pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone leads to the development of a skill – either a new or, in my case, forgotten one – you will certainly have achieved just what the LEAP programme is intended for!