By Caitie Benell

Fireworks exploded in the streets as people ran through with flags held high, singing songs and celebrating all night long. A parade in Madrid, and parties all week long brought Spain to life just because of one victory.

Fireworks exploded in the streets as people ran through with flags held high, singing songs and celebrating all night long. A parade in Madrid, and parties all week long brought Spain to life just because of one victory.

Many Harvard-Westlake students were in Spain during the Spanish National soccer team’s exciting success at the World Cup. Some were a part of the Oxbridge summer program and others on vacation.

“The real celebration lasted all night and Spain was crazy for at least another week,” Hunter Stanley ’13 said.

Spain’s celebrations became so extreme that students enrolled in the Oxbridge program had to stay inside their residence for the night. Because of all the excitement and people out in the streets, the administrators of Oxbridge didn’t want any of their students to get injured or lost. However, just below their windows, they heard singing, honking horns and screaming.

“Me and my friends opened up our windows and started cheering with random people driving down the street,” Mikaila Mitchell ’13 said. The students were able to resume their normal activities the next day, but parties still raged on for the entire week.

“It just seemed like the whole city was excited and that even though the people weren’t all one, the city just felt more alive.” Jake Feiler ’13 said.

Before Spain emerged as champions, people dressed up in jerseys and wore Spain’s colors to watch the game, which had been all anyone could talk about.

“Spain celebrated for at least a week, but even after that there were posters and Spanish flags up all over the city congratulating them,” Jake Feiler ’13 said.