UMGC’s Madrid Field Study class at Las Ventas Bullring. (Patricia Sanchez)
I went on a Field Study to Madrid with the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) to study writer and journalist, Ernest Hemingway. We visited famous landmarks and art museums, as well as dined at the world-renowned Restaurante Botín. We experienced the city through Hemingway’s footsteps and were transported back to the time of the Spanish Civil War.
Our class began in April through Zoom with Professor Dr. Jessica Stock who lectured on the Spanish Civil War, Modernism, Hemingway’s life and his novels, “The Sun Also Rises” and “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” preparing us for three intense days in Madrid.
Arriving three days before the Field Study officially began, my friend Mariana and I spent the first half of our week exploring. I practiced Spanish with locals, as the class applies to my Spanish certificate. Traveling to Spain contributed to my cultural understanding, and most people were welcoming, helpful and patient when I spoke in Spanish! Madrid is a great city for those wanting to improve their Spanish.
On April 25th, our Field Study officially began when we met our classmates by the metro station, Callao, on Gran Vía, a street blooming with life. I loved photographing the vibrant architecture, like Edificio Telefónica, Madrid’s famous telephone tower.
The tower of Edificio Telefónica on Gran Vía. (Julia Yeager)
As our class slowly gathered, it was refreshing to meet my UMGC classmates in person. Our Madrid Field Study student-group consisted of military dependents, spouses, active duty and retired service members, as well as UMGC staff and faculty.
After a short time to chat, our first tour guide, Stephen arrived to lead us through the streets of Madrid. Our class was regaled with stories about where Hemingway spent his days and which historic locations influenced his writing, such as the former Hotel Florida, now a Corte Ingles department store.
The once-storied hotel now has a rooftop food court with incredible city views, especially on a nice day. However, in Hemingway’s time, it was a hub for war correspondents, writers and celebrities. I easily envisioned the connection Hemingway must have had to the hotel, especially after seeing its view of Madrid.
Flamenco dancer in a pink dress lit up on stage with a guitar player sitting behind her (Patricia Sanchez)
A large group of us returned to the food court that evening for dinner after the scheduled Flamenco show. It was a happy coincidence that we ate and socialized in the same location Hemingway frequented.
“Flamenco made me cry. I had never seen anything like it.”
— UMGC Student Serena
My classmate Serena told me, “Flamenco made me cry. I had never seen anything like it.” The dancing is a blend of Gitano culture with roots in Moorish Spain, and it was fascinating to hear folk traditions embedded in the music. I loved experiencing how cultures connect and intertwine. Flamenco shows are worth a visit in Madrid.
Our second day consisted of three museums. It was several hours of listening and viewing, but our knowledgeable guide, Dr. Jorge Ruiz, kept the tour interesting. We visited Reina Sofía and El Prado to view the art that influenced Hemingway, including Picasso’s “Guernica” and Goya’s “The Third of May.” Notably, these artists portray the toll of war on civilians just as Hemingway’s novels narrate.
“It was extraordinary art. I loved it,” said professor, Dr. Jessica Stock, who includes creative projects in her Field Study courses to encourage student innovation.
Painting of a bullfighter and bull (Painted by UMGC Student Faith Ward)
Faith Ward impressed our class with her own art of a Spanish Matador with a Bull, echoing Picasso and Hemingway. “The Sun Also Rises” inspired the emerging sun, while the mountain range evokes the Segovia mountains, a key element of the landscape in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Faith says her painting “represents the connection between war and bullfighting in [Hemingway’s] works.” She conveyed many of the course’s key themes through her expert use of brushwork and value, applying saturated colors reminiscent of Dalí’s paintings at the Reina Sofía.
After the art museums, we ate lunch and lied down on the grass outside the museum like the locals seemingly do to enjoy the spring sun. We had so much fun that I couldn’t fit it all into one article. Read Part Two here.
