President's itinerary was a trip down memory lane for me

The recent visit of President Xi Jinping to Europe and Latin America brought a wave of nostalgia for me because three of the nations on his itinerary - Spain, Argentina and Panama - have played a significant role in my life.

While I originally fell in love with Hispanic culture on a summer study trip to Mexico after my freshman year in college, the next summer I went to Spain. At this point I had two years of language instruction under my belt. I was feeling a little more confident, and I was bewitched by the ancient buildings and incredible variety and beauty of the country.

Shortly after landing in Spain, and jet-lagged, we were taken to Toledo, a walled city with a history of more than 2,000 years. It was the main venue of the court of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and made me feel like I had been transported back in time.