If you watch GoT (Game of Thrones), you most likely share my passion and love for one of the best things created by man (since Nutella, of course). You also know that a great season has ended and fans have to wait months (although it feels like years) until the next season. Already dealing with Jon Snow withdrawals, I had to try and move on with life until next season.
After a brutal semester of all-nighters and working like a slave, I finally saved enough money to study abroad in Leon, Spain. Naturally, I began to research to learn more about Spanish culture. My research consisted of important elements in Spanish culture, such as history, soccer (football), ham, wine, Enrique Iglesias, and Gaudi. It was going to be amazing to get away from the busy New York lifestyle and see the rest of the world.
I began draining my savings account, booking multiple weekend trips to visit different cities in the Iberian Peninsula. In my research, I came across Seville, Spain. Anyone who has studied Spanish history knows Seville to be one of the most influential and important cities in the country. The city is filled with kind people and beautiful architecture. Excitingly enough, the city, rich in history, happens to be one of the various locations where GoT is filmed!
Once I found out this piece of information I had to inform my best friend. We were both so excited; at one point I was shaking like a nervous chihuahua. We booked our tour and began the search for bus rides and hotels.
As two college students who have no real savings account, we found it almost impossible to book an affordable hotel or flight from Leon to Seville. If you are familiar with Spanish geography or even look at a map of the nation, you may notice that Leon is the north of the lovely nation, and Seville is south, just across Morocco. It would take an eight-hour bus ride from the two cities and due to our classes, we couldn't afford to miss any days. Our best bet was leaving after school on Friday, sleeping on the bus and arriving in Seville the next morning.
Telling my mother our plans gave her slight anxiety and made her question the sanity of her daughter (sorry, Mom). Looking back, it was definitely dangerous for us to travel alone in a country we barely knew, but if we couldn’t be crazy then, when would we ever be? So, we began our journey. We ate dinner after class, headed to the train station, saw the countryside, slept for a few hours, and got to one of the most breathtaking cities I have ever seen. We didn’t regret one second of it. We almost passed out from the heat and walked over 20 miles (according to FitBit). All of this to see a Game of Thrones tour, which in our eyes was 100% worth it.
Just to be in presence of where great writers, as well as phenomenal creative directors and actors stood, was enough for us. To many, the show is just a show, but to me, the show is filled with characters on a journey finding something worth fighting for. I have always believed that the destination should always be the motivation; however, there is nothing like the journey there. If you do watch the show, you can agree that you don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
Death is certain (not just in life, but even in GoT), and it’s our duty in life to live each moment like it is our last. We aren't Jon Snow, no one can bring us back to life. One can say that these two GoT fans see the value in life and took an opportunity life placed in front of them. I'm just your typical die-hard Game of Thrones fan grasping anything life throws at me. I am even willing to be homeless for a day if that mean it’s part of my journey to my destination.
