Hello again friends, as predicted I just got back from Granada and I have tons of good things to say. First of all, we started our regular session classes today, so I had my first three classes, Spanish phonetics, Contemporary Spanish Literature and also Spanish Film. They all seem like they'll be really interesting and not too hard so I'm pretty happy about that. Also, tonight I had my first meeting for my interest group which is human rights and we go on a four day trip to Morocco and it looks beyond cool. We go to three different cities and a village in the mountains and we also get to ride camels, which was my only question haha. Its gonna be 130 euros but that really isn't bad at all for three nights and four days which includes everything. Warning: this entry is epic-ly long and probably more than you care to know. Just a heads up.
Now for Granada...where do I begin?! I guess I should start off by saying it was definitely the best weekend I've had since I've been here. On Friday the day before we left for Granada, some friends and I went out for what was supposed to be only a few hours but I didn't end up going to sleep until 3:30 and I had to get up at 7 to get to the bus. Thankfully I didn't miss it or anything, but I couldn't sleep on the three hour bus ride there, so I was pretty tired when we finally got there. But when we got there, I never wanted to shut my eyes again. One of the coolest parts was when we were still on the bus and getting into the mountains...the views were unbelieveable. As the bus climbed up the mountain you could see over the edge at the whole town below with snow capped mountains as the backdrop. Don't worry, I got pictures :)
We stayed in a nice hotel and it was four people to a room and I roomed with my friends Amber, Janelle, and Sarah—(Sarah and Amber both go to Madison and Janelle goes to Penn State...fyi haha.) and we hung out in the hotel room for the painful hour before lunch. I don't know if it was the mountain air or the lack of sleep but we were all in hysterics about everything and just laughing to the point of crying about the bidets and shitty sheets and drafty (open) window and everything else...it reminded me of being with friends at home and just having one of those days where you can't stop laughing, so much fun. At lunch it was the same way and people thought we were on drugs. They had these ice creams in single serving containers and it was a buffet so we all just loaded up on the ice cream and made a tower of empty packets. Maybe you had to be there but we were crying with laughter when the guy came to clear our table.
Anyways! After lunch we went for our tour of La Alhambra, which is the most famous thing in Granada and definitely one of the most famous things in Spain. We got really lucky because the group that went the weekend before us had rain the whole weekend and we had beautiful weather for the most part. Back to the Alhambra. It was nothing short of amazing. (I really need to get new adjectives to describe things here but there isn't any other way to describe it!). We walked through the first part which is a garden called the Generalife (not pronounced how it looks for all you Ameerricins out there), which was added later on or something...I really need to brush up on my history, I was a little absorbed in the beauty of the whole thing and didn't listen as intently as I should have. The garden was pretty and had great views of the city below, but it would have been so much cooler to see it in the spring time with all the flowers. My friends and I really want to make an effort to go back at some point before we leave. After the garden, we entered La Alhambra, which is the last Muslim palace in Spain that wasn't completely destroyed during the Reconquista when Isabel and Fernando forced everyone to become catholic or peace out or get killed. The arquitecture and detail and pure beauty of it all was just indescribable. The most noticeable part of the palace was the element of water...it was always everywhere you looked; fountains, pools, little river things, really beautiful. At the end of the three hour tour we went through the military part of it where the ruins of the military barracks were and we climbed this tower and on top of it you could see evvvveryyythhiinnngg for miles and miles. It sounds so cheesy but standing up there and seeing the city, the mountains, the palace, with the sun on my face just brought my heart into my throat and gave me that feeling like...this is my life, after dreaming of it for years, I made it. I know I sound like such a loser but if you saw it, you would feel the same way.
Also while we were at the Alhambra there were tons of kitties around and one of them let me pet it but the others ran away from me. I chased them down any chance I got though. Oh and Kim, I think I found your female soulmate because my friend Danielle said it is her dream to “punt a cat”, in those exact words. I thought you would enjoy that hahaha.
After La Alhambra, we went to a Teteria, which is a tea shop. Also something about Granada is that, just like the Alhambra, it is heavily Muslim-influenced and very hippy-like so there are tons of hookah bars and tea shops and cool African looking things all around haha. We were all zombies drinking our tea in the dimly lit place, but it was really cool nonetheless. And I got some sweet pictures, artistic of course. Haha another thing is they had like an American soundtrack going that was playing Titanic music, The Last of the Mohigans, and Boondock Saints. I thought it was kind of funny...“like god damnit...the Americans are here, get out the American mixtape.”
After that we walked around a little bit to all of the cool shops. I didn't buy anything except postcards because I kept telling myself they would have the same stuff in Morocco for cheaper and more “authentic”, but now I kind of wish I had.
So, mom, I hear you are editing and printing these off for Omi, so here starts a segment you may want to omit completely. Also, after reading through this next segment, it's kind of an obnoxious play by play that isn't even that interesting, so for those of you with little time or interest, you may want to skip it haha.
So! Being from Wisconsin, (and Penn State), we were all used to the whole pre-gaming deal before we go out so we don't have to pay for drinks when we got out. Some may call it alcoholism, we call it economical. So before we went out we all (the roommates mentioned above), drank and got ready. Remember, nothing in Spain starts until like midnight, so we were chillin for awhile. When we left around 11:30, we stopped at the desk and asked them where we should go. We had planned on going to Granada Diez which is the big club there, but they told us to go to this other place and called us a taxi. Well the taxi ride was like 15 euro (split between four but still!) and we are crossing the highway like thinking...where the eff are we going....? We finally end up at this club that's in a mall, and no one is there and you have to pay 10 euro to get in, so we got another taxi which took us to Granada Diez, but we hit up a couple bars before going in because, like I've said before, no one goes to the discotecas until like 2am. Oh, I forgot to mention we brought some booze with us in a water bottle, (again think economical! And Carli—there were lots of trips to the bathroom, quite reminiscent of our rendezvous at Crave....:)), which will explain future events. The discoteca was a bllllasssstttt. They played great music all night and me and my friends just danced our hearts out. All of my novios (boyfriends) were there too (none of them know they are my novios, they are all guides and I just stalk them from far away), but I didn't really talk to any of them except Antonio who now definitely thinks I am a wack-ass-crazy effing American lol, but that's a story for another day...We danced until like 5am, I have no idea where the time went, it is all a blur of dance and sweat and lights and music. Fantastico!!! I have lots of pictures from that night too though, which were fun to look at the next morning. They were one of very few good things about the next morning in fact....so around 5:30 we were so tired and so we go to collect our coats from the coat check, and I can't find my ticket to claim my coat. I try to explain to the girls behind the counter that I can't find it and they tell me I have to wait until 7 when they close, to get it. We have to be up at 8:30. Even my spanish friends tried to get it for me and couldn't. But around 6:30 I tried to make myself cry and talked to them again and finally got it.
So we got back to the hotel at like 6:45-7. you can imagine my face at 8:30 when the alarm went off. I put on the clothes nearest to me and my glasses and went to breakfast. I wanted to die all day longggg. I don't even think it was the hangover as much as the sleep. Remember the night before I slept for three hours, so in 48 hours I had 6 hours of sleep at best. I have never felt worse in my LIFE! I didn't even realize until we were half way home on the bus that I had never even changed out of the shirt I was wearing the night before. Good times.
So on Sunday we walked through a well known neighborhood in Granada that I think is called Albacin? I don't have my papers with me now so I'll have to look it up. But it is a really old quaint neighborhood, which was really pretty but it reminded me a lot of Sevilla. We stopped at this one place that has (another) amazing view, and the sun was shining and this hippy Spaniard was strumming While My Guitar Gently Weeps by the Beatles on his acoustic guitar...*sigh*:) After that we walked to a church/museum where the tombs (and remains) of Isabel and Fernando (the catholic king and queen who gave Colombus permission to go to America, and a lot of other stuff that basically changed the history of the world), and Juana la Loca and her husband Phillipe and their son Enrique, lay. We saw their actual coffins below the church floor. It sounds weird but that was definitely one of the coolest parts of this experience so far. To see the place where two of the most important people to the history of the world once lived and walked and died...I can't even describe it. Every time we go to any of these historical places I think about all the people who once walked where I'm walking and were here...I think about the idea of time a lot, but when I'm somewhere really ancient like that church or la Alhambra or the ruins in Italica...its like a collision of the past and the present, a really eerie feeling, but so interesting at the same time.
Even though I suffered miserably the whole day due to lack of sleep, I still enjoyed (almost) every minute of it. The bus ride home of course I passed out hard for, and felt a tiny bit better afterwards, but I still slept 11 hours on Sunday night and took a 2 hour nap on Monday (today) and plan to sleep for hours and hours tonight. Hopefully I'll regain my personality by tomorrow.
Future plans...me and my friend Amber were planning on going to Madrid this weekend coming up, but now I think we are going to Gibralter for the day of the 14th and play with monkeys. It is snowing in Madrid right now so I think I can hold off on that for a different weekend! I bought postcards in Granada and I'm hoping to send them tomorrow or some time soon. Be on the look out! Well that entry should fill you for awhile, hopefully I'll have pictures up soon, they just take forever and a day to upload so I need a lot of time on the computer, which I never have. Keep checkin the 'book! As always, love you guys, miss you to death, don't forget about me!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Lleuve a Cántaros!
Lleuve Cántaros!
This is the spanish version of “it's raining cats and dogs”, though literally its saying that it seems like someone is dumping a vase of water on you. There's your Spanish for the day. Right now, it definetely does feel like someone is pouring water on Sevilla. I don't think there has been one day here when it hasn't rained at least a little bit. Some days (like today) it will be really good weather for awhile and then it will rain, then good weather for a few hours, then rain. Or pour as the case was this evening. I was just at an internet cafe I found close to my house (yay!), and I walked outside with my broken umbrella and by the time I got home my jeans were completely soaked, as well as the rest of me. Haha. Awesome. More of Sevilla...
We are approaching three weeks abroad, and so far, still no severe homesickness. I do miss not talking to my family on a regular basis (or ever!), and not being able to text people random stories during my day or when I'm bored in class, and when I see people on Skype, I really miss them, but at the same time, being able to see familiar faces makes it seem like they aren't so far away. Wow that was a huge run on sentence. When I do get a little depressed I just keep reminding myself that this is my dream and when I look back on it in a few months, I will regret every minute I spent sulking around. And when people tell me about the horribly cold weather and monotonous school days...I am definetely not jealous :)
The other day I went running for the first time since i've been here, along the river. If I haven't mentioned before, Sevilla is seperated by the Guadalavir (spelling??) River. It felt good to run even though people looked at me funny. My house and my school are on opposite sides of the river, but it is a really pretty walk, (even though it is 30-40 minutes when you are bookin' it). Speaking of walking my booty everywhere, today I had to use the last hole on my belt, so hopefully things keep going that way and I don't gain the dreaded study abroad poundage that I've heard about.
Something I really DO miss is American TV....ahhhh the days of Sex and the City re-runs and the Office are long behind me. They do show some American shows here but they are all in Spanish and at the end of the day my brain is just too tired to try and listen, though I'm sure I'll resort to them in no time. Back at school before bed I always watched the TBS and CW versions of Sex and the City, so it makes me feel more at home when I watch it before bed here. I have about 10 episodes on my ipod, so I know them all pretty much by heart now. I've also watched the Sex and the City Movie, Dodgeball, and Dane Cook...so I've pretty much exhausted all my resources very early on haha.
Things are still going great with Pepita. She makes great food!! I don't remember if I've talked about the food before but I really like it. I especially like the salads she makes me. They have all kinds of veggies like tomatoes, artichoke hearts, carrots, peppers, avocadoes, onion, corn, and fruit sometimes like oranges and pineapple. And for dressing they put on just olive oil and vinegar with a little salt. SO tasty!!! I also love tortillas españolas. They are kind of like omelettes but its just spinach it a thick egg tortilla thing. Its hard to explain but its delicious. She'll put those on my bocadillos (sandwiches when I need lunch on the go), with a little bit of cheese. Mmmm. Yesterday she also made this lentil soup which now that I think of it reminded me EXACTLY of the rosemary lentil soup at Sunroom!! Man, I'm getting so hungry. She also buys me mangoes since I love them so much. She's the bomb. Except, its a good thing I didn't get new underwear before I left because I now have three more pairs of whitie tighties since she bleached a few pairs of my previously pink ones haha. Luckily I don't like them that much.
Now onto the most exciting thing...school! This week we finish up our “intensive grammar session”, which was one class a day for three hours. I think I had it pretty easy compared to a lot of people. We did a lot of out of the classroom stuff like going to an art museum, observing “sevillana”culture in a place of our choosing (me and my friends chose a cafe), and tomorrow we are going to a museum on Flamenco dance. It has been difficult sitting through three hours of grammar, but I am excited to have three credits for two weeks of class. And lucky for me I think I got into all the classes I wanted for the regular session! Which means I will have a block of two classes a day Monday-Thursday starting at 11 I think, so I'll also be able to eat lunch at mi casa, instead of on the go. So I think my final classes are Phonetics, Spanish Film, Contemporary Spanish Literature, and 3 Cultures of Spain. It was a painnnnn to get that all figured out, so hopefully they will all transfer how I want them to.
Today I went on a visit to the Reales Alcazares, which is where the royal family stays, and has stayed for centuries, when they come to Sevilla. It was amaazzzzzing! There are tons of gardens and fountains and pools and incredible architecture of all kinds, ranging from Gothic to Muslim to Contemporary and more that I've already forgotten. Each new king in power changed some part of it. I hope to be able to put pictures up soon! This weekend I am going to Granada, which I've heard is one of the most beautiful places in Spain, so I will wait until then to add pictures. Obviously when I put them up I am only doing the bare minimum, I know its kind of annoying to look through “Sevilla 1-14”. But of course I'll have tons more to show when I come back.
Now for travel updates...as I said I'm going to Granada this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. For those of you that are unfamiliar, look up La Alhambra, that is what it is most famous for and I've heard its breathtaking. The weekend of the14th I'm still trying to travel somewhere, and of course I'd love to go to the city of love itself, Paris, but I'd also like to visit France when it is a bit warmer. Other possibilities are London, Barcelona, or Prague. I have a friend living in Prague right now and he says its crazy cheap there so it is a definete possibility! Going to other cities in Spain, (like Barecelona or Madrid), isn't as cheap as you would think. Going to another country can many times be cheaper. The weekend of February 21st, I'm going to Cadiz for Carnaval which I'm suuuuper pumped about. Cadiz is on the very south coast of Spain and we also go there with the school but Carnaval is the festival they are famous for and I don't want to miss it. It will be craaazzzy! So far I have no travel plans in March, I'm trying to keep it open in case anyone (mostly my family—i know the rest of you are broke college students), wants to visit me! But if you think you might, please let me know so I don't make any plans. In April, though I haven't signed up for it yet, I will be going to Lagos, Portugal which is on the coast and the travel group I'm going with gets us a hotel that is right on a bluff overlooking the ocean and surfing and sangria cruises and all kinds of stuff for only 149 euros for three days. I am constantly dreaming of being on those beaches...Also in April I am going to Morroccos with the Human Rights interest group I am in over the weekend of the 17th. Wow I am reading this over and I just write run on sentences that make it sound like i'm running out of breath haha my bad.
Tonight, providing it doesn't start pouring again and my friends still want to go, we're going to an International Party at a few of the discotecas here. I guess its a place to meet up with your intercambios, which if I haven't mentioned before, are Spanish people who want to practice English while you practice Spaish. So that should be interesting...I'm sure I will have another long entry once I return from Granada so stay tuned!! Besos, abrazos, y mucho amor! (kisses, hugs, and lots of love!)
This is the spanish version of “it's raining cats and dogs”, though literally its saying that it seems like someone is dumping a vase of water on you. There's your Spanish for the day. Right now, it definetely does feel like someone is pouring water on Sevilla. I don't think there has been one day here when it hasn't rained at least a little bit. Some days (like today) it will be really good weather for awhile and then it will rain, then good weather for a few hours, then rain. Or pour as the case was this evening. I was just at an internet cafe I found close to my house (yay!), and I walked outside with my broken umbrella and by the time I got home my jeans were completely soaked, as well as the rest of me. Haha. Awesome. More of Sevilla...
We are approaching three weeks abroad, and so far, still no severe homesickness. I do miss not talking to my family on a regular basis (or ever!), and not being able to text people random stories during my day or when I'm bored in class, and when I see people on Skype, I really miss them, but at the same time, being able to see familiar faces makes it seem like they aren't so far away. Wow that was a huge run on sentence. When I do get a little depressed I just keep reminding myself that this is my dream and when I look back on it in a few months, I will regret every minute I spent sulking around. And when people tell me about the horribly cold weather and monotonous school days...I am definetely not jealous :)
The other day I went running for the first time since i've been here, along the river. If I haven't mentioned before, Sevilla is seperated by the Guadalavir (spelling??) River. It felt good to run even though people looked at me funny. My house and my school are on opposite sides of the river, but it is a really pretty walk, (even though it is 30-40 minutes when you are bookin' it). Speaking of walking my booty everywhere, today I had to use the last hole on my belt, so hopefully things keep going that way and I don't gain the dreaded study abroad poundage that I've heard about.
Something I really DO miss is American TV....ahhhh the days of Sex and the City re-runs and the Office are long behind me. They do show some American shows here but they are all in Spanish and at the end of the day my brain is just too tired to try and listen, though I'm sure I'll resort to them in no time. Back at school before bed I always watched the TBS and CW versions of Sex and the City, so it makes me feel more at home when I watch it before bed here. I have about 10 episodes on my ipod, so I know them all pretty much by heart now. I've also watched the Sex and the City Movie, Dodgeball, and Dane Cook...so I've pretty much exhausted all my resources very early on haha.
Things are still going great with Pepita. She makes great food!! I don't remember if I've talked about the food before but I really like it. I especially like the salads she makes me. They have all kinds of veggies like tomatoes, artichoke hearts, carrots, peppers, avocadoes, onion, corn, and fruit sometimes like oranges and pineapple. And for dressing they put on just olive oil and vinegar with a little salt. SO tasty!!! I also love tortillas españolas. They are kind of like omelettes but its just spinach it a thick egg tortilla thing. Its hard to explain but its delicious. She'll put those on my bocadillos (sandwiches when I need lunch on the go), with a little bit of cheese. Mmmm. Yesterday she also made this lentil soup which now that I think of it reminded me EXACTLY of the rosemary lentil soup at Sunroom!! Man, I'm getting so hungry. She also buys me mangoes since I love them so much. She's the bomb. Except, its a good thing I didn't get new underwear before I left because I now have three more pairs of whitie tighties since she bleached a few pairs of my previously pink ones haha. Luckily I don't like them that much.
Now onto the most exciting thing...school! This week we finish up our “intensive grammar session”, which was one class a day for three hours. I think I had it pretty easy compared to a lot of people. We did a lot of out of the classroom stuff like going to an art museum, observing “sevillana”culture in a place of our choosing (me and my friends chose a cafe), and tomorrow we are going to a museum on Flamenco dance. It has been difficult sitting through three hours of grammar, but I am excited to have three credits for two weeks of class. And lucky for me I think I got into all the classes I wanted for the regular session! Which means I will have a block of two classes a day Monday-Thursday starting at 11 I think, so I'll also be able to eat lunch at mi casa, instead of on the go. So I think my final classes are Phonetics, Spanish Film, Contemporary Spanish Literature, and 3 Cultures of Spain. It was a painnnnn to get that all figured out, so hopefully they will all transfer how I want them to.
Today I went on a visit to the Reales Alcazares, which is where the royal family stays, and has stayed for centuries, when they come to Sevilla. It was amaazzzzzing! There are tons of gardens and fountains and pools and incredible architecture of all kinds, ranging from Gothic to Muslim to Contemporary and more that I've already forgotten. Each new king in power changed some part of it. I hope to be able to put pictures up soon! This weekend I am going to Granada, which I've heard is one of the most beautiful places in Spain, so I will wait until then to add pictures. Obviously when I put them up I am only doing the bare minimum, I know its kind of annoying to look through “Sevilla 1-14”. But of course I'll have tons more to show when I come back.
Now for travel updates...as I said I'm going to Granada this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. For those of you that are unfamiliar, look up La Alhambra, that is what it is most famous for and I've heard its breathtaking. The weekend of the14th I'm still trying to travel somewhere, and of course I'd love to go to the city of love itself, Paris, but I'd also like to visit France when it is a bit warmer. Other possibilities are London, Barcelona, or Prague. I have a friend living in Prague right now and he says its crazy cheap there so it is a definete possibility! Going to other cities in Spain, (like Barecelona or Madrid), isn't as cheap as you would think. Going to another country can many times be cheaper. The weekend of February 21st, I'm going to Cadiz for Carnaval which I'm suuuuper pumped about. Cadiz is on the very south coast of Spain and we also go there with the school but Carnaval is the festival they are famous for and I don't want to miss it. It will be craaazzzy! So far I have no travel plans in March, I'm trying to keep it open in case anyone (mostly my family—i know the rest of you are broke college students), wants to visit me! But if you think you might, please let me know so I don't make any plans. In April, though I haven't signed up for it yet, I will be going to Lagos, Portugal which is on the coast and the travel group I'm going with gets us a hotel that is right on a bluff overlooking the ocean and surfing and sangria cruises and all kinds of stuff for only 149 euros for three days. I am constantly dreaming of being on those beaches...Also in April I am going to Morroccos with the Human Rights interest group I am in over the weekend of the 17th. Wow I am reading this over and I just write run on sentences that make it sound like i'm running out of breath haha my bad.
Tonight, providing it doesn't start pouring again and my friends still want to go, we're going to an International Party at a few of the discotecas here. I guess its a place to meet up with your intercambios, which if I haven't mentioned before, are Spanish people who want to practice English while you practice Spaish. So that should be interesting...I'm sure I will have another long entry once I return from Granada so stay tuned!! Besos, abrazos, y mucho amor! (kisses, hugs, and lots of love!)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
joder!!
Warning: this entry is kind of boring, but skip to the end for a classic Emily moment.
Well, I guess it's a good thing I don't have internet at home, because otherwise I'd probably never write in this (I'm writing this on Word in my spare time), or the other journal i'm (trying) to keep. Right now i'm just waiting on friends to get done with dinner so we can go out. Yes, it is wednesday (or at least it was when I wrote this), and yes, you should be jealous. Its hard to get used to the whole Spanish schedule. Eating at 10, not going out until midnight...In Wisconsin, if we aren't out of the house by ten we usually put in our retainers and call it a night. But I don't have any classes until three so its like...why not? Speaking of, my spanish class i'm taking right now is kiiiind of a joke, but I guess I need the practice. Our grade is only based on our assignments for the next two weeks and our midterm this friday and 'final' next friday. After these weeks I'll start my real classes of which, at this point will be, Spanish Phonetics, Spanish Contemporary Film, Contemporary Spanish Lit, and 3 Cultures of Spain. I know I'm probably totally boring you guys with the details but what can I say, I have no roommate to talk to, no internet, and I've already changed my clothes 18 times.
In other news...I guess I have completely committed myself to seafood while I'm here. My stomach is doing ooookay, but sometimes I feel a sick. Tonight and last night Pepita and I had salmon and blue cheese sandwiches, which were pretty good, though I don't really like raw salmon or blue cheese. Other than that though..... Also last night, Pepita told me to come and see her work. I don't know if i've mentioned this before but she makes all kinds of clothes but specializes in wedding dresses. (I've already decided that when I find a hot Spaniard to marry while I'm here, I'll have her make my dress). So I followed her into the room and she showed me around asked me if I knew something about “Sevillanas”, which apparently is a kind of dance. And she just started shakin it around the room to some flamenco music, it was hilarious. Mind you, she looks like she's a little younger than my grandma so you can imagine her moves :) it was actually really cool to watch her dance, (Lu- free spirit), though I once again felt culturally out of place.
The morning after....here's a story all my friends can appreciate, and I'm sure you're surprised it didn't come sooner. So I've spoken before about the cobblestone streets, and how beautiful they are, but how much they hurt my feet. Especially when I wear heeled boots (or any heels for that matter). But on top of that, it is quite a chore to gracefully walk on them in heels. Key word: gracefully. I think we can see where this is going...last night I was walking with my friend Amber to Bandalai and thank god it wasn't a weekend night when the streets are packed but my heels must've caught in a crack or something because they stuck in the ground while the rest of me went flying forward. Just ate it hard right into the ground, ripped my pants, scraped and bruised both knees, both hands, and the majority of my pride as well. Though it was unlike any fall I've had before, (hard to believe cuz I've had so many), if I had to compare it to one, I'd say it was similar to the garbage can fall of 2006 (Carli will remember this well), because of the flying part of it. Good stuff. Aside from that, the night went fairly well.
Well, that's pretty much all the details for now, I have a ¨midterm¨ tomorrow in my intensive grammar class so I´ll be studying tonight :)) bsss!!
Well, I guess it's a good thing I don't have internet at home, because otherwise I'd probably never write in this (I'm writing this on Word in my spare time), or the other journal i'm (trying) to keep. Right now i'm just waiting on friends to get done with dinner so we can go out. Yes, it is wednesday (or at least it was when I wrote this), and yes, you should be jealous. Its hard to get used to the whole Spanish schedule. Eating at 10, not going out until midnight...In Wisconsin, if we aren't out of the house by ten we usually put in our retainers and call it a night. But I don't have any classes until three so its like...why not? Speaking of, my spanish class i'm taking right now is kiiiind of a joke, but I guess I need the practice. Our grade is only based on our assignments for the next two weeks and our midterm this friday and 'final' next friday. After these weeks I'll start my real classes of which, at this point will be, Spanish Phonetics, Spanish Contemporary Film, Contemporary Spanish Lit, and 3 Cultures of Spain. I know I'm probably totally boring you guys with the details but what can I say, I have no roommate to talk to, no internet, and I've already changed my clothes 18 times.
In other news...I guess I have completely committed myself to seafood while I'm here. My stomach is doing ooookay, but sometimes I feel a sick. Tonight and last night Pepita and I had salmon and blue cheese sandwiches, which were pretty good, though I don't really like raw salmon or blue cheese. Other than that though..... Also last night, Pepita told me to come and see her work. I don't know if i've mentioned this before but she makes all kinds of clothes but specializes in wedding dresses. (I've already decided that when I find a hot Spaniard to marry while I'm here, I'll have her make my dress). So I followed her into the room and she showed me around asked me if I knew something about “Sevillanas”, which apparently is a kind of dance. And she just started shakin it around the room to some flamenco music, it was hilarious. Mind you, she looks like she's a little younger than my grandma so you can imagine her moves :) it was actually really cool to watch her dance, (Lu- free spirit), though I once again felt culturally out of place.
The morning after....here's a story all my friends can appreciate, and I'm sure you're surprised it didn't come sooner. So I've spoken before about the cobblestone streets, and how beautiful they are, but how much they hurt my feet. Especially when I wear heeled boots (or any heels for that matter). But on top of that, it is quite a chore to gracefully walk on them in heels. Key word: gracefully. I think we can see where this is going...last night I was walking with my friend Amber to Bandalai and thank god it wasn't a weekend night when the streets are packed but my heels must've caught in a crack or something because they stuck in the ground while the rest of me went flying forward. Just ate it hard right into the ground, ripped my pants, scraped and bruised both knees, both hands, and the majority of my pride as well. Though it was unlike any fall I've had before, (hard to believe cuz I've had so many), if I had to compare it to one, I'd say it was similar to the garbage can fall of 2006 (Carli will remember this well), because of the flying part of it. Good stuff. Aside from that, the night went fairly well.
Well, that's pretty much all the details for now, I have a ¨midterm¨ tomorrow in my intensive grammar class so I´ll be studying tonight :)) bsss!!
Monday, January 26, 2009
poquito mas de españa..
hello again friends, right now i am in the computer lab at my school, and of course, as always, rushed for time, so this will be short!
everything is going very well, the rain finally subsided, we had had a few days of it which i guess is very rare but today it was beautiful as always. I also started my intensive grammar session today, ughhhh. i forgot i came here to go to school! it only lasts two weeks, so i have my midterm this coming friday...awesome. i don´t think it will be tooooo bad, although i´m not looking forward to this interview project we have to do with universidad de sevilla students. i try my hardest all day not to look like a dumbass and this is going to put me right out in the open, but oh well haha. (jaja en españa!) this weekend we went to an awesome club called ´catedral´, its nothing like anything i´ve seen in the states, there´s big white beds all over, really cool lighting and stuff, its hard to explain unless you´re there! we had a lot of fun though, claro. i didn´t go to sleep until 7 in the morning though, the spainards are notorious for staying out verrrry late. i don´t mind, until the next day that is. we will be going to granada, spain the weekend of february 7th, which should be really cool. some of my friends checked out trips to places like lagos, portugal, caraval in cadiz, horseback riding somewhere, france, italy and other places in europe, and the prices aren´t bad at all. Today i also signed up to be in a Human Rights interest group that goes to Morrocco for 4 days, which should be amazing. other than that, i´m still loving it, but always thinking of home. its going to be difficult to find time to skype during these first two weeks of this class because we have to do a lot of out of class activities and i still haven´t gotten the internet to work at my house. but afterwards, i promise i will do my best to get to a cafe, and it shouldn´t be hard on days i have classes. love ya´lllllll.....
everything is going very well, the rain finally subsided, we had had a few days of it which i guess is very rare but today it was beautiful as always. I also started my intensive grammar session today, ughhhh. i forgot i came here to go to school! it only lasts two weeks, so i have my midterm this coming friday...awesome. i don´t think it will be tooooo bad, although i´m not looking forward to this interview project we have to do with universidad de sevilla students. i try my hardest all day not to look like a dumbass and this is going to put me right out in the open, but oh well haha. (jaja en españa!) this weekend we went to an awesome club called ´catedral´, its nothing like anything i´ve seen in the states, there´s big white beds all over, really cool lighting and stuff, its hard to explain unless you´re there! we had a lot of fun though, claro. i didn´t go to sleep until 7 in the morning though, the spainards are notorious for staying out verrrry late. i don´t mind, until the next day that is. we will be going to granada, spain the weekend of february 7th, which should be really cool. some of my friends checked out trips to places like lagos, portugal, caraval in cadiz, horseback riding somewhere, france, italy and other places in europe, and the prices aren´t bad at all. Today i also signed up to be in a Human Rights interest group that goes to Morrocco for 4 days, which should be amazing. other than that, i´m still loving it, but always thinking of home. its going to be difficult to find time to skype during these first two weeks of this class because we have to do a lot of out of class activities and i still haven´t gotten the internet to work at my house. but afterwards, i promise i will do my best to get to a cafe, and it shouldn´t be hard on days i have classes. love ya´lllllll.....
Saturday, January 24, 2009
¨la mejor manera para aprender otra lengua es con otra lengua¨¨
¨the best way to learn another language, is with another tongue...¨ bienvenidos a sevilla!! i learned this quote yesterday and i think i can get used to this spain thing.... :)
Sorry I haven't been able to write yet, it has been a crazy few days, almost a week!First of all, I want to say that I have trouble finding internet, (though I think my senora is getting it soon), so I've been recording my travels on my computer until I can put it up, so this first post will probably be really long, over a few days. Seems like it has been so long since I left home. Traveling was not too much of a problem at all, a long flight but that was expected.A lot of people with CIEE were on all my flights, and I've met a lot of really cool people from all over, but the schools with the most people are Madison and Penn State, though i´ve met some sevillanos and even a french girl last night.
I have already run into some problems with eating meat, and I ate fish for the first time in 8 years! It wasn't very good but it didn't make me sick or anything so I think I will probably eat some more fish while I'm here.Although I've had many misunderstandings already with the Spainards, I am understanding them much better than I thought I would.People had told me it sounds like another language, and I don't think so at all, I'm even trying to adopt the Spanish lisp, which will definetely annoy people when I get back.
The staff here is great, very helpful, and some very cute....by the way, Anna, if you're reading this is Antonio Maclino the one you were talking about? Because I am trying to stalk him very nonchalantly as we speak haha....I haven't really experienced the night life here yet but I HOPE to tonight, though I have said that for the past few days and it hasn't happened yet.CIEE has us on a pretty tight schedule and my legs have never walked so much in boots on cobblestone streets before...quite painful, so I'm always extremely tired when it comes time to go out.But last night we went out for tapas and a flamenco show with our groups, and it was so much fun.Sevilla is beeeeaauuutiful, I can't really begin to explain it.Very old and colorful and quaint, with narrow cobblestone streets and a charm that can't be described.I know I'm in the “honeymoon” phase of culture shock right now, or so the handbook tells me, but I think I will always be in love with the city, no matter how frustrated it makes me.
Now today we finally met our homestays and left the hotel which was verrrryy nerve-racking, but I am happy to be leaving the hotel and organizing my things.I live with just one woman, Josefa, but she told me to call her Pepita. Though I know it is only the first day, I think I will like her a lot.She has no problem cooking vegetarian and likes to eat really healthy, which of course I love.She also told me if I want anything I should just ask her and she'll buy it.And mom, she is very motherly and I am to call her and let her know when I will be home, or if I will be.I think she'll take good care of me.I also don´t have a roomate, which is kind of a bummer because i have no one to help me stumble through spanish and find my way around, but a lot of people live in triana, so its been fine so far. oh and my address is Triana, Seville, Spain (triana is the borough/neighborhood, i don´t know if you need it), San Vincente de Paul 24, 2C (2C is the apartment number). So write to me!!! and my cellphone number is 667060418, in case you want to text me or something, but you have to add some numbers to it to do that, i´m not sure which ones....
Another day, more crazy stories. Last night we went out to dinner again with the group and got sangria and tinto (me encantan!)and then went to this bomb ass club that I think was called Bandalai or something, it was like arabic....so pretty!! The guides are awesome, its cool to talk to actual Spanish people, even though they are being paid to be our friends, and probably are so annoyed with us.But the club was great. Mucha cerveza, mucho vino, mucho dinero.I know I told you this already anna but I finally introduced myself to Antonio and he went crazy when I told him we were friends.“Mi Anna! Mi Anna!” and I said, 'no, ella es MI Anna!”...so I guess we'll have to share you. We stayed at the discoteca until 3:30, which apparently is pretty early because some people didn't get back until 7 in the morning....not sure if I'll ever adopt that spanish habit.I woke up at 11 and wanted to die.
Today was the most difficult day I've had yet.It was raining and one of my friends borrowed my flats last night and I didn't want to wear my heel boots because my legs already feel like they are going to fall off, so I wore my sandals.No one in Spain wears sandals.Especially not when its raining.And everyone has an umbrella.So as if I don't feel like a huge outsider already, here I am with sandals, no umbrella, with my stupid map that tells me NOTHING, looking like a blind wet rat trying to find my way to my meetings.On top of all that my sandals had no grip whatsoever so I was slipping like crazy.I was AN HOUR late for my meetings and on the verge of tears.This city is damn near impossible to navigate. The street signs are on the buildings, sometimes there are no street signs, or sometimes the name of the street is not on the map, and all the streets look the same, all the plazas look the same.....AH! So frustrating, you can't imagine.
An interesting thing about Spain is that you can't really tell who is Spanish. Sometimes I think that I know they are American if they have blond hair or something but then they start talking really fast Spanish.Another good thing is that because of that, I fit in pretty well I think because some people have thought I was Spanish.As long as I don't look like I did today, that is.But in general, they are beautiful people, there are a lot of extremely good looking guys...bum bum bummm.....unfortunately Anna stole the heart of the most beautiful one, THANKS ;)Also, another thing about the guys...I haven't really noticed the “piropos” or catcalls that people talk about, or maybe I just don't understand what they are saying, but even at the club last night, it was nothing like american clubs where nasties just start humping you from behind, Spanish guys talk to you and don't even really try to dance with you....or maybe its just me, totally possible. Or maybe they think i'm spanish and arent interested, or maybe i'm just making excuses for my lack of attractiveness. Either way.Another observation, most of them do not speak Engish well, or at all.Which although frustrating at times, is actually really good because I get a lot of practice. In Mexico they all talk to you in English and you can't really practice as much. They are also really really friendly.I'm already in love with the “besitos”, the two little kisses they give when they meet each other. Especially when the besitos come from Antonio...
Anyways...the program is really good and really well organized but there is SO much to do and always somewhere I need to be, and I feel like its not going to slow down ever, but hopefully it does. Yesterday we went to Italica which is a city about 10 minutes from here that the Romans took over a long time ago and has some pretty cool ruins, especially the arena which is the fourth biggest in the world. i will put pictures up just as soon as i can! Last night was our first friday in spain and i take back what i said about the catcalls....haha. there were SO many people out!! we went to a bar called Rebotica for huge 5 euro mojitos (which were killer), and it was ridiculously packed. Tonight we´re gonna go to La Catedral which apparently is a sweet discoteca, so i´m very excited. Last night i met my second spanish lover haha. I don´t think i could ever have a spanish boyfriend though because i kept saying ¨no entiendo!¨ and ¨como? otra vez?¨ (i don´t understand! what? once more?) but they are quite cute so i might have to deal with the language barrier ;) I love Spain but I desperately want to hear about American adventures too so please update me on your lives via facebook message or email. I'm always itching for juicyness. I miss all of you guys so much, please write to me on facebook or a letter or anything to tell me about life, i don´t care how boring it is! sorry for the lonnnnggg post, hopefully i´ll be able to do this more often :) and think about coming to visit, there are a lot of really nice hostals! love you, miss you, and enjoy the cold....i think its around 65 today and sunny....ahhh me encanta sevilla!
Sorry I haven't been able to write yet, it has been a crazy few days, almost a week!First of all, I want to say that I have trouble finding internet, (though I think my senora is getting it soon), so I've been recording my travels on my computer until I can put it up, so this first post will probably be really long, over a few days. Seems like it has been so long since I left home. Traveling was not too much of a problem at all, a long flight but that was expected.A lot of people with CIEE were on all my flights, and I've met a lot of really cool people from all over, but the schools with the most people are Madison and Penn State, though i´ve met some sevillanos and even a french girl last night.
I have already run into some problems with eating meat, and I ate fish for the first time in 8 years! It wasn't very good but it didn't make me sick or anything so I think I will probably eat some more fish while I'm here.Although I've had many misunderstandings already with the Spainards, I am understanding them much better than I thought I would.People had told me it sounds like another language, and I don't think so at all, I'm even trying to adopt the Spanish lisp, which will definetely annoy people when I get back.
The staff here is great, very helpful, and some very cute....by the way, Anna, if you're reading this is Antonio Maclino the one you were talking about? Because I am trying to stalk him very nonchalantly as we speak haha....I haven't really experienced the night life here yet but I HOPE to tonight, though I have said that for the past few days and it hasn't happened yet.CIEE has us on a pretty tight schedule and my legs have never walked so much in boots on cobblestone streets before...quite painful, so I'm always extremely tired when it comes time to go out.But last night we went out for tapas and a flamenco show with our groups, and it was so much fun.Sevilla is beeeeaauuutiful, I can't really begin to explain it.Very old and colorful and quaint, with narrow cobblestone streets and a charm that can't be described.I know I'm in the “honeymoon” phase of culture shock right now, or so the handbook tells me, but I think I will always be in love with the city, no matter how frustrated it makes me.
Now today we finally met our homestays and left the hotel which was verrrryy nerve-racking, but I am happy to be leaving the hotel and organizing my things.I live with just one woman, Josefa, but she told me to call her Pepita. Though I know it is only the first day, I think I will like her a lot.She has no problem cooking vegetarian and likes to eat really healthy, which of course I love.She also told me if I want anything I should just ask her and she'll buy it.And mom, she is very motherly and I am to call her and let her know when I will be home, or if I will be.I think she'll take good care of me.I also don´t have a roomate, which is kind of a bummer because i have no one to help me stumble through spanish and find my way around, but a lot of people live in triana, so its been fine so far. oh and my address is Triana, Seville, Spain (triana is the borough/neighborhood, i don´t know if you need it), San Vincente de Paul 24, 2C (2C is the apartment number). So write to me!!! and my cellphone number is 667060418, in case you want to text me or something, but you have to add some numbers to it to do that, i´m not sure which ones....
Another day, more crazy stories. Last night we went out to dinner again with the group and got sangria and tinto (me encantan!)and then went to this bomb ass club that I think was called Bandalai or something, it was like arabic....so pretty!! The guides are awesome, its cool to talk to actual Spanish people, even though they are being paid to be our friends, and probably are so annoyed with us.But the club was great. Mucha cerveza, mucho vino, mucho dinero.I know I told you this already anna but I finally introduced myself to Antonio and he went crazy when I told him we were friends.“Mi Anna! Mi Anna!” and I said, 'no, ella es MI Anna!”...so I guess we'll have to share you. We stayed at the discoteca until 3:30, which apparently is pretty early because some people didn't get back until 7 in the morning....not sure if I'll ever adopt that spanish habit.I woke up at 11 and wanted to die.
Today was the most difficult day I've had yet.It was raining and one of my friends borrowed my flats last night and I didn't want to wear my heel boots because my legs already feel like they are going to fall off, so I wore my sandals.No one in Spain wears sandals.Especially not when its raining.And everyone has an umbrella.So as if I don't feel like a huge outsider already, here I am with sandals, no umbrella, with my stupid map that tells me NOTHING, looking like a blind wet rat trying to find my way to my meetings.On top of all that my sandals had no grip whatsoever so I was slipping like crazy.I was AN HOUR late for my meetings and on the verge of tears.This city is damn near impossible to navigate. The street signs are on the buildings, sometimes there are no street signs, or sometimes the name of the street is not on the map, and all the streets look the same, all the plazas look the same.....AH! So frustrating, you can't imagine.
An interesting thing about Spain is that you can't really tell who is Spanish. Sometimes I think that I know they are American if they have blond hair or something but then they start talking really fast Spanish.Another good thing is that because of that, I fit in pretty well I think because some people have thought I was Spanish.As long as I don't look like I did today, that is.But in general, they are beautiful people, there are a lot of extremely good looking guys...bum bum bummm.....unfortunately Anna stole the heart of the most beautiful one, THANKS ;)Also, another thing about the guys...I haven't really noticed the “piropos” or catcalls that people talk about, or maybe I just don't understand what they are saying, but even at the club last night, it was nothing like american clubs where nasties just start humping you from behind, Spanish guys talk to you and don't even really try to dance with you....or maybe its just me, totally possible. Or maybe they think i'm spanish and arent interested, or maybe i'm just making excuses for my lack of attractiveness. Either way.Another observation, most of them do not speak Engish well, or at all.Which although frustrating at times, is actually really good because I get a lot of practice. In Mexico they all talk to you in English and you can't really practice as much. They are also really really friendly.I'm already in love with the “besitos”, the two little kisses they give when they meet each other. Especially when the besitos come from Antonio...
Anyways...the program is really good and really well organized but there is SO much to do and always somewhere I need to be, and I feel like its not going to slow down ever, but hopefully it does. Yesterday we went to Italica which is a city about 10 minutes from here that the Romans took over a long time ago and has some pretty cool ruins, especially the arena which is the fourth biggest in the world. i will put pictures up just as soon as i can! Last night was our first friday in spain and i take back what i said about the catcalls....haha. there were SO many people out!! we went to a bar called Rebotica for huge 5 euro mojitos (which were killer), and it was ridiculously packed. Tonight we´re gonna go to La Catedral which apparently is a sweet discoteca, so i´m very excited. Last night i met my second spanish lover haha. I don´t think i could ever have a spanish boyfriend though because i kept saying ¨no entiendo!¨ and ¨como? otra vez?¨ (i don´t understand! what? once more?) but they are quite cute so i might have to deal with the language barrier ;) I love Spain but I desperately want to hear about American adventures too so please update me on your lives via facebook message or email. I'm always itching for juicyness. I miss all of you guys so much, please write to me on facebook or a letter or anything to tell me about life, i don´t care how boring it is! sorry for the lonnnnggg post, hopefully i´ll be able to do this more often :) and think about coming to visit, there are a lot of really nice hostals! love you, miss you, and enjoy the cold....i think its around 65 today and sunny....ahhh me encanta sevilla!
Friday, January 16, 2009
a few last american thoughts...
so, basically if you're reading this, you're either really bored, or miss me terribly already--or both. either way, bienvenidos! i'm gonna be keeping this online journal thing as a way to keep in touch with as many people as possible, and it will also force me to write my travels down somewhere, so i can read about them later and cry. anyways....it's getting down to the final hours of being at home and i want to enjoy it, and don't want to bore anyone who's reading this anymore than i already have. and if anyone has skype (kim, carli, and anna--get it now!) my screename is brighteyes85jm and if i find internet we can talk or video chat fo free. oh, and i have a cellphone, i'll get the number and put it on here asap. stay tuned, i'll be in spain sometime on sunday, and i'll try to keep this updated with my cultural fuck ups as much as possible. besos!
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