June 16: Intercambios, Vejer de la Frontera

After morning language classes, students visited an immigration center to exchange stories with newly arrived refugees from Africa. This center provides Spanish language and technology classes to help new arrivals better integrate into Spanish society. Our students were divided into three groups, and all exchanged stories of their new experiences and of home. Students were deeply moved by the conversations that took place. 

In the afternoon, we went to Vejer de la Frontera, one of the nine “pueblos blancos” located in the province of Càdiz. Vejer is located on the historical border between Christian and Muslim territory; for this reason, it is called “de la frontera”. Vejer is a typical Andalusian town. Houses here are painted with white lime to keep out the heat and capture the cool. In addition, the lime is antibacterial and easy to maintain. If it gets dirty, just repaint it white! In Vejer, you can still see the remnants of the three cultures: Jewish, Moorish, and Christian that once existed in relative harmony. We learned that the Covijada black dress for females was the typical Christian dress in Vejer that covered the entire body except for the left eye. It had its origin in Muslim culture. One last historical tidbit. The Battle of Trafalgar, one of the first significant defeats of the Spanish Armada, Spain and Napoleon v. The English, took place on the shores of Vejer. Wow! Our students are being exposed to so much! It was another hot day, but the beautiful winding streets provided ample shade and respite from the heat. On to another adventure tomorrow.