Guadalest & Los Fuentes del Algar

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Megan Buzzanca

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Megan Buzzanca

<i>Pronouns:</i> She/her <i>Home Institution:</i> University of Dayton <i>Expected Graduation:</i> 2024 <i>Major / Minor:</i> Middle Childhood Education/Intervention Specialist / Spanish <i>Study Abroad Location:</i> Alicante, Spain <i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola <i>Program Provider:</i> CEA Study Abroad <i>Identity:</i> Caucasian/White <i>Future Career Goals:</i> My future career goal is to either be a Middle School teacher or Intervention Specialist for students in the 4th to 6th grade. As a general education teacher, I would love to teach language arts, however I could also teach math as well. <i>Top 3 Goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Immerse myself in the Spanish culture 2. Meet new people 3. Enhance my Spanish language skills

iHola Amigos (Hello Friends)!,

I have less than one week left in Alicante, and I cannot believe how fast time has flown! This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit Guadalest and the Algar Waterfalls through a day trip organized by my program CEA (Center for Education Abroad). Guadalest is a small mountain village in the Alicante region of Spain. We visited the governor’s house with impressive panoramic views of the reservoir and surrounding mountains. After the governor’s house, we hiked to the top of the Castillo de Guadalest or Guadalest Castle. The castle was an ancient defensive system of the Muslim population in the 12th century. The castle is situated on a large rock at the top of the village and dominates the views over the valley. The views from the top of the castle were surreal and beautiful as I could see the whole town of Guadalest.

After visiting Guadalest, we headed to Los Fuentes del Algar (Algar Waterfalls). Algar is a nature reserve located about 40 minutes from Alicante with waterfalls, a walking track, and multiple swimming holes. The waterfalls have 3 levels, which are easily accessible throughout the reserve. The waterfalls have been my favorite activity since being in Spain because I have never seen anything like it. While the water was freezing, it felt amazing under the hot sun. It was so fun to climb the rocks through the waterfalls and explore different swimming holes.

Guadalest and the Algar Waterfalls had been an incredible experience, and I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity. As Alicante is more of a major city, it was interesting to explore the small village of Guadalest as it contrasted with the busy city vibes. Both locations were extremely rich in culture and I enjoyed being able to immerse myself into that culture. As my time in Alicante comes to an end, I will be forever grateful to have had the unforgettable experience to study abroad.