Jose Rizal finished his medical course in the University of Santo Tomas.

Then
he decided to complete his studies in Spain due to the radical prejudice
of Dominican Professors against Filipino Students. Aside from this
ostensible reason,
he had a
Secret Mission
, which was more important than finishing his studies.
Rizals Secret Mission

The secret mission of Rizal is to observe keenly the life and

culture,languages and customs, industries and commerce, and government
laws of European nation in order to prepare himself in the mighty task of
liberating hisfellow-men.His mission was approved by his older brother
Paciano, Rizal leave withoutpermission and blessing from his parents.
Secret Departure for Spain
The departure of Rizal was kept secret to avoid the detection by theSpanish
authorities and the friars, even his own parents. Only selected personknows
the secret departure of Rizal, including his brother Paciano and the
AteneoJesuit fathers. The Jesuit priests gave him letters of
recommendation to themembers of their Society in Barcelona. On May3,
1882, Rizal departed on board theSpanish steamer
Salvadora
bound for Singapore.
Singapore
During the voyage, Rizal observed the he is the only Filipino on the ship.The
ship captain, Donato Lecha, from Asturias, Spain, befriend him. On May
9,1882, the Ship docked at Singapore. Rizal landed, registered at the Hotel
de la Paz,and spent two days for sightseeing; there he saw the statue of Sir
Thomas StanfordRaffles (founder of Singapore).
From Singapore to Colombo
Rizal transferred to ship
Djemnah
, and he left to Europe on May 11. It wasa French vessel therefore French
mostly spoken on board. On May 17, Djemnahreach Point Galle, a seacoast
town in southern Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).The following day, Djemnah resume
the voyage, after a few hours of sailing, they reach Colombo, the capital of
Ceylon on the same day.
First Trip through Suez Canal
From Colombo, Djemnah continued the voyage crossing the Indian Oceanto
the Cape of Guardafui, Africa, and then a stopover on Aden. From Aden
Djemnahproceeded to the city of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of the Suez
Canal. It took fivedays to traverse the Suez Canal.At Port Said, the
Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal, Rizal landedand he was
fascinated to hear the multi-racial inhabitants speaking a babel of tongues.
Naples and Marseilles
From Port Said, the Djemnah proceeded on its way to Europe. On June
11,Rizal reached Naples. On the night of June 12, the steamer docked at the
Frenchharbor of Marsielles. He stayed two and a half day in Marsielles, he
visited the
famous Chateau dlf, wh
ere Dantes, hero of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Barcelona
On the afternoon of May 15, Rizal left Marseilles by train; he crossed
thePyrences and stopped for a day at Port Bou. After the passport
inspection at PortBou, he contribute his journey, and he reached Barcelona
on June 16, 1882.
Rizals first impression of Barcelona was unfavorable; he found out that the
people were open-hearted, hospitable, and courageous. The Filipinos in
Barcelona,some of whom even his schoolmates on the Ateneo, welcome Rizal.
Amor Patria
Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay entitled Amor
Patria
(Love of Country)
,
his first article written on Spanishs soil. He sent the article to Basilio
Teodoro
Moran, publisher of Diaryong Tagalog, under his pen-name Laong Laan. Amor
Patriaappeared on the newspaper on August 20, 1882, with tagalong version
translatedby M.H.Del Pilar.Rizal wrote again for Diaryong Tagalog; Los Viajes
(Travels), Revisita deMadrid (Review of Madrid), unfortunately Diaryong
Tagalog had ceased publicationfor lack of funds.
Manila Moves to Madrid
Sad news, on September 15, 1882, Rizal received a letter from
Paciano,according to the letter, Philippines was ravaging by epidemic.
Another sad newsfrom Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio, intimate friend), Leonora
Rivera was began to beunhappy because of the absence of Rizal.In one of his
letters (dated May 26, 1882) Paciano adviced Rizal to finish hismedical
course in Madrid, therefore, Rizal establish himself to Madrid.
Life in Madrid
On November 3, 1882, Rizal enrolled in Universidad Central de
Madrid(Central University of Madrid) in two courses

Medical and Philosophy and Letters.Rizal is thirst for knowledge; he studied
a lot in Madrid and on his leisure times arereading and writing, sometimes he
is attending the reunions of Filipino Students.

Romance with Consuela Ortiga y Perez

Rizal, being a lonely young man in a foreign country, he was attracted by
Consuelos beauty. On August 22, 1883 he expresses his admiration; he made
apoem entitled A La Seiorita C.O. y P.. The Romance didnt blossom
because of
two reasons- Engage to Leonora Rivera- Eduardo de Lete (his friend) is
madly in love with Consuelo.
They Ask me For Verses
Rizal joined the Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle). Uponthe
request of the members, Rizal wrote a poem entitled, Mi Piden Versos, he
declaimed it during New Years Eve, December 31, 1882

Rizal as Lover of Books

A favorite past time of Rizal in Madrid was reading. Rizal economized onhis
living expenses, he purchase books from a second-
hand book store. Rizals wasdeeply affected by Uncle Toms Cabin and the
Wandering Jew.
Rizals First Visit to Paris (1883)

His first summer vacation to Paris, France, June 17 to August 20, 1883
andhe live at cheap hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in Latin Quarter. Like all
tourist, Rizalwas amazed on the beautiful sceneries of Paris. Rizal is an
unordinary touristbecause he was observing the life and culture of French;
he was spending time onmuseums.
Rizal as a Mason
In Spain Rizal came close to with Masons including Miguel Morayta,Francisco
Pi y Margal, Manuel Bacerra, Emilio Junoy, and Juan Ruiz Zorilla. Rizal
wasimpressed by the Spanish Masons, and he joined Masonic lodge called
Acacia inMadrid. Later he transferred to Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid), were
he became aMaster Mason on November 15, 1890, he was awarded the
diploma of MasterMason on February 15, 1892.
Financial Worries
After Rizals departure to Spain, the things turned worse in Calamba
. Dueto hard time in Calamba, the monthly allowances of Rizal in Madrid were
late inarrival and there were times they were never arrived. On June 24,
1884 , a touchingincident
to Rizals life; he was empty stomach that day but he still attended to his
classes and events