Author: Davie Pocstar

My insatiable yearning for adventure, seeing the world, and documenting my experiences through writing, blogs, videos, and photography has brought me to this very moment—on my laptop sipping café con leche overlooking Plaza Mayor—and to the moments that I will continue to have. It is through my commitment to and passion for journalism that I have created a name for myself and sought out the best in countries, its people, and myself.

I’m overcome with nostalgia as I write this blog post, thinking back to the summer of 2013 when I won the scholarship by Greenheart Travel to be their Travel Correspondent during my Teen Summer Language Camp in Salamanca. It was my second official journalism job, behind working for the New Haven Independent (which I’d been doing for a year and a half). I had no idea what was ahead—who I would meet, what I would learn, how my blog posts would turn out—which made the experience all the more thrilling and new. My return to Salamanca for three weeks in March and April feels like a sort of homecoming—to my loving homestay mother and amusing surrogate younger sisters, Alba and Rocío, and to my language school’s and it’s caring and knowledgeable staff.

As I am in the crux of thinking and preparing for the next rung of my personal and academic ladder, I am reminded of the words of Pam Muñoz Ryan in Esperanza Rising: “‘We are like the phoenix,’ said Abuelita. ‘Rising again, with a new life ahead of us.’” In Greek mythology, a phoenix is a colorful and animated bird that is continuously recreated or reborn in some form or another. Beyond solely experiencing the new—cultures, food, people, and civilizations—it’s equally enjoyable, and rewarding, and rejuvenating to come back to an old place. As a high school senior in the crux of growth, maturity, and change, it’s refreshing and calming to have another place to call home, where I know I will be welcomed with opened arms (and many red lines on Spanish homework assignments).

I have taken to rereading Esperanza Rising for the academic curriculum that I am creating for the Girls Boxing Club, a non-profit I started with grant funding from AnnPower Vital Voices. In May, when I return to New Haven, I will be launching the Girls Boxing Club to teach young girls the skills of boxing and fitness, healthy eating and lifestyle, critical reading and writing skills, and empowerment. As a ten year old, I vividly remember reading Esperanza Rising for the first time, and being inspired by the messages imparted by its Latina author, Pam Muñoz Ryan, to her readers. Through Esperanza, the protagonist of her coming-of-age tale, she shares countless, timeless lessons of life—that you can face and overcome obstacles; that you can be strong for yourself and for others; and that you can dream and work toward creating a boundless, productive and fulfilling future for yourself. My hope is that through reading this book with the girls, they too can feel the inspiration and empowerment that I attribute much of my continuous success to today.

“Our land is alive…this whole valley breathes and lives…that you can feel it’s heart beating.” I strive to hear the very heart beat of every land, but moreover, to hear my own heart beat in it, whether out of excitement, exhilaration, fear, happiness, or all of the above. This is the reason I seek opportunities to travel and experience all that the world has to offer me, and in reciprocation, give what I have to offer it.

In my coming back to Salamanca, there has been a certain amount of freedom associated with remembering the streets and my way around, having been to the language institute and knowing many of the teachers, having an understanding of the culture, and being able to explore even beyond my initial trip. During the day, my hours are filled with studying Feminist Literature of Latina women, taking classes in grammar, writing, reading, and speaking Spanish. I am a member of the gym, where I take Latin dance classes and gain strength and endurance for upon my return to New Haven as a coach of the Girls Boxing Club. Every day, there is an activity at the language school, which is both educational and social. My days are filled to capacity, and yet, I feel remarkably free to study, learn, and interact with others in this magnificent university town. I feel fortunate to have this school and Salamanca, and to know that I can always come back, just like a phoenix.

“I am poetry,
surrounding the dreamer,
Ever present,
I capture the spirit,
enslave
the reluctant pen,
and become
the breath
on the writer’s only road.”
― Pam Muñoz Ryan, The Dreamer

Last Saturday, I participated in our Spanish Language Camp excursion to the majestic city of Segovia, about a two-hour bus ride from Salamanca. The Alcázar of Segovia (Segovia’s Castle) was one of the expected destinations, a massive fortification built in the shape of a ship. Since it was first constructed in the early 1100s, the Alcázar has not only been a fortress for the Spanish royalty, but also a palace, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College, and a military academy. It is also one of the inspirations for the Cinderella Castle in Disney World!

It was in the Alcázar of Segovia that Queen Isabella promised Christopher Columbus the financial resources he needed to fund his mission that lead to the discovery of America. In the 14th century, Segovia was the setting of fighting between different groups of nobility, and it was the Alcázar that provided the protection needed for Isabella to gain control of Castile. Isabella found refuge in Alcázar when King Henry IV’s death in Madrid reached Segovia. The following day, Isabella held a processional to the main square of Segovia to be crowned as the Queen of Castile. With her marriage to King Ferdinand of Aragon, Isabella and Ferdinand had equal authority in both dominions, which unified Spain.

The Alcázar was continuously referenced throughout the history of Spain, including the fire in 1862 that destroyed the roofs of the castle and the massive restoration that was done to restore it to an even more majestic edifice. Just as one would expect, the interior of the Alcázar is just as magical and magnificent as the exterior. Inside, there are rooms filled with beautifully ornately painted ceilings, armory, art, as well as countless coats of armors in a room exhibiting the nobility’s thrones throughout its expansive history of Spain.

Before heading to the Alcázar, we spent the morning touring through the town, including walking up stairs to reach the top of the famous Roman aqueduct, which transports water from Fuenta Fría in the nearby mountains. It totals 167 arches. As we entered the town by walking through the aqueduct’s colossal arches, we could hear drums and music in the distance. Directly in the town square, throngs of people were lining the streets to watch a parade. As I have learned throughout my travels, you must be prepared to expect the unexpected, and always be sure to carry extra batteries for my camera at all times. Men in both traditional and modern military uniforms marched the parade route, escorted by horses and the music of drummers, flutes and other instruments. According to an article on lavanguardia.com, the parade involved a total of 650 members on foot, horseback, and motorcycles. Colonel Alvarez de Toledo commented on the procession, stating, “the motto of the Royal Guard is ‘Serving the Crown’ and the service of the Crown is the history of Segovia.”

Ariela gives us advice on living with a host family while traveling abroad, and introduced us to her host mom and sister during an afternoon in Salamanca.

by Ariela Martin, Greenheart Travel Language Student in Salamanca, Spain

At 11:30, I got a knock on my door. Thirty minutes after my curfew, I was getting ready for bed after a long yet relaxing Sunday, and preparing myself for another busy week at the language institute. Luisa, my host mom, opened my door. “Put on some warm clothing—we’re going to a special festival, La Noche de San Juan.” Her 
enthusiasm brimmed from ear to ear. “Oh, and you might want to bring a camera.”

I dressed in a hoody and jeans, and walked to the dining area, where Rocio and Alba, my two host sisters, were seated. They were silently scribbling on small pieces of paper. “Isn’t school over?” I jokingly asked (their school had ended on Friday). The girls laughed. “We’re writing down our dreams. Here, write yours,” Alba said in Spanish, as she handed me a pen and paper.

She explained that among the many traditions of La Noche de San Juan, one of the most common traditions is to make an enormous bonfire. The fires are built in pueblos throughout countries in Europe and Latin America, though in Salamanca, all of the people contribute to make one big fire. People contribute their old furniture to the fire, and the bonfire is often followed by a party, with fireworks, drinks, food, music, and more. When the furniture is lit and the fire picks up, people throw their papers into the fire, as a metaphorical representation of “burning” their evils, and asking for a brighter future full of hopes and desires, that one writes on the paper. As we finished writing on our papers, we joked of what we’d written, for example, “to have three more wishes”, or, “to marry Abram Mateo (a famous Spanish musician).” 

At 11:40 pm, we left the house, and huddled into their small van, which they mainly used to transport food to their fruit shop. Luisa rolled down all of the windows, and blasted her favorite music, a mix between “pop and flamenco”. I still had so many questions about the celebrations, but decided to hold off until I saw it for myself. As we drove toward the destination of the bonfire, more cars became noticeable, until all alleys and sidewalks were filled with them. I eyed from the window as a steady stream of people made their way toward the fire.

After ten agonizing minutes, we finally found a parking spot, two blocks away from the fire pit. The fire was below a giant hill that stretched down to the bottom for what seemed miles. At the bottom, a big pile of furniture lay precariously stacked on one another, waiting to be lit and burned by the heavy flames. Along the entire sidewalk of the hill, yellow caution tape was put up to ensure that no one passed it. Hundreds of people lined up on the sidewalk, eagerly waiting for it to be lit. Everyone clutched tightly to their loved ones
—arms on shoulders, babies on hips, and children playing together.

As we waited together for the fire to be lit, I felt a connection to the people, because although this was a very new experience to me and surely not to them, I felt an equal sense of purpose. I knew that I needed to capture my feelings, the feelings of others, and the feelings of the atmosphere, in the best way I knew how—my photographs. The street lamps were dim, so the only real source of light was the fire itself. Although it proved itself to be challenging, I was able to adjust my camera to the darkness, by creating grainy, yet sharp images of the fire, and the faces of people looking at it in wonder. The red and orange hues from the fires cast onto the faces of the many people that gathered, young and old, to be a part of the old tradition and its deep meaning.

That night, I noticed much more than people gathering to look at a big bonfire, or to celebrate—I noticed a community, united by a single message, of hope, strength, and rejuvenation. And in that moment, I, like everyone else, felt proud to be human.

*All dialogue has been translated from Spanish to English

Ariela gives a tour of Salamanca during her time off from her Spanish classes with her new friend, Juliet. Stay tuned for more videos and photos from her Teen Summer Language Camp experience in Spain!

video by Ariela Martin, Greenheart Travel Language School Student in Salamanca, Spain

Meet Ariela, our featured Greenheart Travel Correspondent Scholarship winner. Ariela will be heading to Salamanca, Spain to study Spanish for the next three weeks and will be giving our travel community an inside look into her travel experience. Check back weekly for updates, photos and videos from her adventure in Salamanca!

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