September 29, 2001
During the Spain program we went on excursions. These were required trips that the whole group went on together. Frequently the trips were scheduled during weekends or Spanish holidays. The trips lasted up to four days. Our first excursion was one day long. It was held on a Saturday. All of the group should have been there, but at that point some of the group members were sick, another girl destroyed her alarm clock while she slept and missed the bus.
We gathered outside the Colegio Mayor early in the morning. I remember what it was like getting ready for the excursions. I would wake up and find my breakfast in the dark apartment while my host family slept. After this first excursion my host mother told me not to open the faucet so much. Apparently the pipes made a lot of noise because I was the only one who was awake in the building and there was a lot of available water pressure. Before one excursion I remember walking past the newspaper stand on Avda. Reina Victoria as the owner set it up.

It is very important to be on time for excursions (early is better). If you are late the group will not wait. If you miss a bus or train you will miss the excursion or else have to pay extra to find transportation to the city that you are going to. In the Spain Program, the program director
carried the tickets for the whole group. The tickets were not distributed until we were about to get on the train. If you were late you had to buy a whole new ticket.