Spain
As is the case in every instance when adequate description proves too difficult for our own humble words, our best bet is to rely on none other than Sir Elton John:
"They say Spain is pretty, though I've never been Well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever been Oh and he should know, he's been there enough" (www.eltonography.com)
There's just something about Spain, some ineffable and intangible quality that draws people to its Iberian shores year after year. Maybe it's the famously slow-paced and sybaritic lifestyle. Or perhaps it has to do with the warm temperatures and sunny weather. Some people love it because its cafés, food, and wine are among the best in the world. Most likely, though, it is some combination of all three-and then some.
Simply put, Spain is one of the single most alluring countries in the world, and whether you're visiting for just a few days or planning on staying there for all four years of college, the benefits you'll reap and the new ways in which you will see the world will enrich your life to an extent you never thought possible.
Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, and borders with France and Portugal. It's also just a quick trip across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco. As a result of this unique geographical location, Spain has not only been a major player in the colonial endeavors of the European enterprise, but it has also been greatly influenced by the invading armies of North Africa, particularly that of the Moors and their strongly Muslim culture.
Modern-day Spain is a fascinating country that holds on to its traditional ways of life, yet at the same time is very much a part of the culture and political life of greater Europe. One of the first things visitors notice is the relaxed pace at which life is lived in Spain. Everything, it seems, happens a little later and a little slower-especially when it comes to work schedules and meals. "Many shops and some museums (though relatively few other businesses) still split their hours into two distinct periods of opening with a two or three hour break in the middle; a paseo (stroll) in the early evening remains a common custom in many smaller cities and to some extent even in the larger ones; the dinner hour is the latest in Europe, typically about 10 p.m.; nightlife begins accordingly late, with many dance clubs (even in relatively small cities) opening at midnight and staying open until dawn; in Madrid in the summer there is nothing unusual about a live musical performance being scheduled for one or two o'clock in the morning" (www.en.wikipedia.org). And while there is often an adjustment period that visitors go through when it comes to adopting to the rhythms of Spanish life, they generally tend to find it much more appealing than the hustle-and-bustle they are used to.
The cities, particularly Barcelona and Madrid, offer students all the opportunities of attending college in two of the greatest towns in the world, but without the exhausting pace that often goes along with living there. And in addition to the benefits of the cities themselves, the colleges and universities in Spain are excellent. From the Universitat de Barcelona to the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, Spain offers enough of a veriety of top-tier schools to satisfy even the most demanding students.
And in the end, as always, Elton is right: Very few people visit Spain only once. There is just some intangible magnetism about it that keeps people coming back again and again. And after all, if it's good enough for Elton, it's certainly good enough for us. Who are we, after all, to argue with the Rocket Man?
