Hello! My name is Max Okamura, and I’m from Columbus, Ohio. I’m majoring in International Studies and Economics. 

As a soccer player with a Spanish language background, I knew AU Madrid was perfect for me. Now, after being here for a couple of weeks, I can confidently say that I made a great decision to come here for my first semester. I look forward to sharing my adventures, advice, and experiences these next few months. 

I arrived at the residence (RESA) on September 1st. After some unpacking, I met the other students in the lobby for our building orientation. We had the infamous first day of college bonding experience and quickly realized how lucky we were. A short walk around the city, delicious Spanish gelato, views of the sunset reflecting on our rooftop pool, and meeting the lovely program staff highlighted the first day, which concluded with a group dinner in the dining hall. After the first day, the program picked up pretty quickly. September 2nd was our academic orientation at the International Institute, and, the following day, we began our journey around Spain. 

The first cultural excursion this semester was a trip to the ancient city of Toledo. With Romans, Barbarians, Muslims, and Christians attempting to leave their mark on the city for over 2,000 years, we were left with some incredible stories to see. Our first stop was Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz. In English, it's the Mosque of the Christ of Light. The Mosque was built in 999 and was in practice until Toledo was taken by Christians around 1085. The Christians then transformed it into a church, but the Islamic origin is still highly visible. 

Some additional stops included the Cathedral of Toledo, Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes, and Synagogue of Santa Maria La Blanca, a synagogue turned church built by Muslim architects. Enthralled with what Toledo had to offer, six of us ambitiously trekked a small mountain with hopes of seeing the sunrise over the city. Although we should have known that the sun wouldn't rise from that direction, we were still given this beautiful view of Toledo. 
Another benefit of the program is the weekly local adventures within the community of Madrid. Instead of classes on Friday, we take trips around the city to learn about different regional dynamics and lifestyles. This week, we went to Cercedilla, a mountainous village to the northwest, for a hike with our College Writing professor. This small city of 7,000 gave birth to a brother-sister duo of Olympic medalists, houses a ski resort and a Roman road from the second century. Cercedilla was a great place to reconnect with nature and unplug from the city. Although I may not be used to mountains and bulls on the hikes back in Ohio, it gave me a familiar sense of hiking with my family.  

There’s no doubt that we’re expecting lots of fun this semester. But do remember, this is a STUDY abroad. I take 15 credits (the normal amount) and have classes in International Migration, Writing, Microeconomics, Spanish Culture & Politics, and Spanish Language. All of the professors are from American University and the only people in our classes are American University students. If you have college credit, the program works closely with you to find other classes that fit your schedule and interests. Mediterranean Art History is a very popular option that includes multiple museum visits into the curriculum to study the art in person. I’ve only heard amazing things about that class, so if you have the opportunity, I’d take it. 

Now that classes have started, it may seem like the fun is slowing down. However, the social benefit of living in such a vibrant city is unimaginable until you experience it. The Vuelta a España, the Spanish Tour de France was last week. This week, friends and I may watch the Madrid Fashion Show, and Real Madrid plays UCL football in the Santiago Bernabeu the following week. In Madrid, the festivities truly never end. 

Some things to look for in the next blog are Catalonia, Retiro Park, El Derbi, Barrio de Las Letras, and so much more. I can’t wait to see what else I have in store and hope to hear from you and see you soon at AU! 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me:

Email: mo6999a@american.edu

Instagram: @okamura.max

It’s hard to believe that more than a month has passed since we arrived in Madrid. I’m unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to live and study in this amazing city with such inspiring people. I couldn't imagine my college experience without this chapter. 

These last few weeks we've done cross-country journeys and local trips around Spain. To summarize, we went to Retiro Park, walked the neighborhoods of literary legends Cervantes and Lope de Vega, visited an Egyptian temple, and interviewed Spanish university students. Most importantly, we spent a few days in Catalonia. Unfortunately, I can’t cover all those in one blog, so these are my top three. 

Retiro Park was completed in 1640 and took up HALF of Madrid then. Designed for royal leisure, entertainment, and relaxation, it took one hundred years of improvements to be considered fit for the monarchy. The current main attraction of the park, The Great Lake, was designed for theater and the arts and is located by a monument dedicated to Alfonso XII. Parque de Retiro, as the locals call it, opened to the public in 1868 and is a place to relax and enjoy nature while staying in the city. We were lucky enough to rent boats and paddle around the lake to watch the sunset and see the movie production process live. The 350 acres of beautiful walkways, monuments, architecture, lakes, and history earns an instant recommendation for anyone visiting Madrid. 

We only had three and a half days in Catalonia, so we did everything possible to fit the essentials into our schedule. Similar to Toledo, we dedicated each day in Catalonia to learning about different artists/architects and their styles. This approach took us to Figueres, Cadaques and PortIligat. (For specifics on Barcelona, I recommend checking out Hannah or Kare’s blog.) We dedicated day one and two to the infamous Salvador Dali. To commemorate and understand Dali and his artwork, we visited Figueres for the Dali Theatre-Museum. It was constructed as a theater in the 19th century and rebuilt under the direction of Dali in 1966. In this intriguing building, we learned about the surrealist movement and the importance of symbolism in Spanish art. The museum itself is the largest surrealist object in the world. It also houses some of Dali’s most famous and intricate expositions from his early career. 

After our afternoon in Figueres, we drove about an hour north to Cadaques, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I speak for everyone in the group when I say we fell in love instantly. Cadaques is a Mediterranean fishing town just 30 miles south of the French border and was the ideal vacation spot for Salvador Dali. Dozens of his paintings are inspired by Cadaques due to its natural and architectural beauty. It’s a town with a population of around 3,200 that expands to 32,000 during summer. Fortunately, we came in late October, so it was less crowded. Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel on the water and swam in the Mediterranean in perfect weather. After three hours of free time, we met back up to walk to the center and destroy a massive pizza and pasta dinner. Watching the sunrise over the water the next morning while eating breakfast on the beach with friends is an experience I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Everything about Cadaques was mesmerizing. I’m sure I will pay another visit someday. 

Because of Dali’s love for Cadaques, he built his astonishing home just eight minutes from the town. Located in PortIligat, he lived in this house until his wife passed away in 1982. Dali surrounded himself with artwork wherever he went. His house was no exception. This beach house held stuffed polar bears, sunrise-reflecting mirrors, a yellow room, a secret chamber, and a pool, and so much more. Dali lived and breathed his artwork every day. If there’s a way to motivate a student, showing them a dream beach house is one of the very best. 

Although the exotic trips are wonderful, it’s important to understand the deeper dynamics of Madrid as well. To do this, we interviewed other first-year Spanish university students at Universidad Complutense. Splitting into small groups of five, we talked in English and Spanish on every topic of life for college kids. American social life, Spanish social life, what to do in Madrid, our college experiences, admissions processes, cost of education, degrees, length of study, living situation, and football (not the NFL) were all big topics in our conversation. During this interview, I met Hector. He is also a Real Madrid fan and we made a plan to go see El Classico together in three weeks. If you’re not familiar, El Classico is Real Madrid vs F.C. Barcelona, undoubtedly the biggest rivalry in European football. Be sure to tune in to the next blog to see how it goes. In my opinion, interacting with locals and getting insight into their lives is one of the best things anyone can do to learn about culture. 

Thank you for visiting my blog! I hope my experiences and insights can provide a lens into life as a student in the Madrid Cornerstone. Be sure to come back in November to see what else we’re up to!

Content will be uploaded in December!