We had a WONDERFUL visit to Sevilla during the first week of April! Lauren met us at the airport and it was sooooooo great to see her and give her a huge hug!
After nearly 30 weary hours of traveling, we were very happy to be in one place for a while. A huge highlight was the WAY COOL ZIPPY WHITE BMW we got to drive all over Spain!!! It was a fantastic motoring car, which purred on the highways and Dad got to remember how do drive a manual transmission: “being ‘one’ with the car!”
Lauren showed us all the sights in gorgeous Sevilla: meeting her host family was great, and visiting their lovely apartment in the Triana district, on Calle Pages Del Corro. Many of the streets are only wide enough for only 1 European sized car to get through! Easter weekend in Sevilla with all of the parades and floats, the Alcazar, the City Centre, the Cathedral, eating by the river, Lauren showing us her Universidad, having gelato and crepes on the busy street, Road trips included: Portugal, Gibraltar, Granada and Jerez to sample sherry and see the Andalusian horses and olive orchards. We saw both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Seas and the countryside is simply beautiful.
We dined on the delicious Andalusian fare, tapas nearly every evening…LATE! A special evening included taking Lauren’s friends out to dinner, and the EASTER BUNNY came to the table! American chocolate doesn’t compare to the delicious European chocolate, but I think they enjoyed something from America and I don’t think the Easter Bunny comes to Spain!!! Kelli, Becky, Caroline and Lauren showed us what to order and we had a super time: THANK YOU LADIES!!! We can see that this semester in Spain agrees with you!!! AND, we even went to a flamenco bar which opened at midnight and closed at 2:00 a.m., which is MUCH later than we ever stay awake…but the city of Sevilla was still going strong at 2:00 a.m.!!!
Anyway, now we’re home and back to our regular lives and routines, and this trip is a delightful memory. WE LOVED SPAIN, and especially seeing Lauren and Sevilla!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
River Reflections.....
Sitting in the sun by the river yesterday, I was reflecting and discovered the following things:
1. I haven't written a blog in forever...oops!
2. There will be a "Mom Blog" to follow this.
3. Birthdays in foreign countries are exciting--YAY 21!
4. I'm going home 3 weeks from today.
5. Morocco, Semana Santa, the parents being here, Rome, Portugal, Malaga, London, Feria, Granada.
6. Homework is NO fun whatsoever.
7. I have some of the best friends in the whole wide world.
8. I miss my Homaha, but can't yet imagine leaving sevilla.
9. "Hippie" clothes are becoming more and more prevalent in my wardrobe--I LOVE it!
10. I'd better get to writing!
So-Morocco was absolutely FABULOUS! From the nice people, to the lush green rolling hills, the country defied all my expectations. And now back in Spain, I definitely wouldn't consider myself an expert haggler, but I can get by! The whole trip was unforgettable, but right now, I think the best memory was riding into the Sahara desert on camels! My first camel's name was Marilyn, because she was blonde. She wasn't really a stinker, but Barbara Ann, who took me back to the hotel the next day was absolutely disgusting. They throw up their cud to have something to chew on during the long ride...and it reeks. Also, James Dean, the camel behind me liked to come up next to me so I could scratch his ears...kind of like a cat! But the close vicinity meant that I could smell HIS cud as well as Barbara's. Not pleasant, but it was such a great experience!
Semana Santa was a sight to behold. So different from any Easter or Holy Week celebration that we have in the United States. The Nazerenos dress something like KKK members...definitely an interesting sight to behold. According to Wikipedia, a great discovery sorce...,
"Those members who wish to do so wear these penitential robes with conical hats, or capirotes, used to conceal the face of the wearer (these robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States). These "Nazarenos" carry processional candles, may walk the city streets barefoot, and may carry shackles and chains in their feet as penance. A brass band may accompany the group, playing funereal religious hymns or "saetas" written for the occasion."
Very interesting. And really cool. Sometimes it makes me sad that we have nothing like this at home. Sure, we have Easter Egg hunts, but we don't have parades that the entire community gets involved in, or a special dessert that is only made during Lent and Holy Week. I know families have their own traditions but I think that there would be so much more feeling and emotion put into the holiday if everyone was involved. I realize that Spain is an extremely Catholic country...and that makes it a lot easier!
Having the parents here was definitely the highlight of my semester. Being able to take them to all my favorite places and show them around the city that I've come to love was SO much fun. And the experience of being in a stick-shift car driving through all the roundabouts in southern Spain with the fam was definitely that, an experience. This semester I have definitely realized that Lauren Taylor Anderson does in fact suffer from motion sickness...very easily. Bring on the Dramamine.
I'm sure there will be much more about the week with M, D, and A in the MomBlog! All-in-all, it definitely cured the homesickness that had started to grow, I don't think I'd realized how much until I first saw M & D in the airport and started crying!
Rome-I fell in love with it! The city had so much history and thanks to the two coins I threw in the Trevy Fountain, I know I will return. The three days we spent were definitely not enough. Cee and I chose to take tours around the main sights, and thank goodness we did! We could have been wandering around the ruins of Rome with no idea what was going on (...Rick Steves didn't come with us). I think one of the best parts of the trip was the amazing people we met. Some from Waco, TX, Wales, UK, Tennesse, and Australia! I think that has been one of the most interesting experiences I've had this semester, not only meeting the locals, but getting to know the other people who are traveling around, studying abroad, and enjoying Europe in the slow lane, taking time to relax and get to know stranger who become friends!
After we returned from Rome, we had one week of school and then it was off to Lagos, Portugal for the weekend. The beaches there were great and we even got to go see the place that was once thought to be the end of the world, at the tip corner of Portugal, the westernmost point of all Europe-minus the Canary Islands, etc... The weekend was pretty rainy, but we still took advantage of our time at the beach--even in the rain! The real adventure was getting home. We were supposed to take a bus, but instead, we took a train, a taxi, a bus, and another train...and arrived back in Sevilla 9 hours later, as opposed to a 5 hour bus ride...but once again, it was a good time and we met a bunch of people from England who were stuck in Portugal/Spain because of the Volcano.
The volcano...since we don't really follow the news here, I didn't hear about it until the next day! Oops! Can I say that I'm looking forward to watching the 10pm news when I get home!?
After the Lagos expedition, Kelli and I woke up early on Tuesday, the next day, to take a train to Malaga to meet her grandfather who was sailing in on a cruise ship. We had lunch with them and saw some of the sights of Malaga. It was really fun and her granddad reminded me of my own PopPop! K and I had some extra time before our train left, so we went to an street market and started talking to two guys from Morocco. It's crazy the kind of people you meet when you open your eyes and heart to changes and new experiences!
London was next on the trip, a two day excursion to see our friend Stephanie as well as the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Love Never Dies. Well, seeing Stephanie was amazing, but K and I both agree that Andrew has had MUCH better musicals. With good-ish music, it was memorable, but with the crazy twisted plot and complete personality changes of some main characters, we were very disappointed. Oh, did I say that Heathrow opened their airspace 9ish hours before our flight left!? Yay!
Feria, or the April Fair in Sevilla is where we spent the weekend. It was definitely a sight to behold. Most of the women wore traditional flamenco dresses, while all the men wore suits and ties. There was dancing and I admit, I was able to try and learn (ish) the first section of the Sevilliano style Flamenco. I even saw Ms.Massó there! My homeroom teacher from highschool is from Spain and we were able to meet up. My friends and I partied in her caseta until the wee hours! And my friend Katie came down from Madrid for the weekend! It was so fun to show her around my city, especially during this exciting time of year.
Needless to say, after that week, yes, Lagos to Feria was ONE week, all I did was sleep and school on Monday. Tuesday...well, Tuesday was my BIRTHDAY! Becky's parents took us out to dinner on the 27th, a very special night! A test on Wednesday put some serious celebrating on hold, but we saved it for Thursday. Tapas, 'botellon-ing' by the river, and a bar were in order for the evening, a club was on the list, but by the time we were leaving the bar, I was half asleep already! We finished out the evening with churros.
On Friday, two days ago, I took the train with the UPO choir to Granada, where we performed with a choir from Granada. Heels were a bad decision for the concert, but I sang much better than I thought I would! K and Becky came to Granada to behold the sight, and made it so special! On Saturday morning, we rushed to through the Alhambra but I don't think we were able to give it the attention it deserved. Oh well, Dad and I have already made a pact to return and spend the day there!
Now it is Sunday, I'm out of money, and have accepted the fact that I will have to return home soon! The homework is almost over, exams are on the way, and I'm actually excited to see Omaha again. More than just seeing it, I'm excited to spend the entire summer there this year! On the other hand, I don't really know how I will be reacting to not walking everywhere, having food at normal hours, or being able to completely understand what everyone is saying. I'm a little scared at how it will all turn out. But if I've learned anything this semester, it's to go with the flow, change will come..whether good or bad and you've got to fly with it!
More to come soon...and I actually mean that this time!
Love, hugs, and besos (kisses) from Sevilla,
Lauren
1. I haven't written a blog in forever...oops!
2. There will be a "Mom Blog" to follow this.
3. Birthdays in foreign countries are exciting--YAY 21!
4. I'm going home 3 weeks from today.
5. Morocco, Semana Santa, the parents being here, Rome, Portugal, Malaga, London, Feria, Granada.
6. Homework is NO fun whatsoever.
7. I have some of the best friends in the whole wide world.
8. I miss my Homaha, but can't yet imagine leaving sevilla.
9. "Hippie" clothes are becoming more and more prevalent in my wardrobe--I LOVE it!
10. I'd better get to writing!
So-Morocco was absolutely FABULOUS! From the nice people, to the lush green rolling hills, the country defied all my expectations. And now back in Spain, I definitely wouldn't consider myself an expert haggler, but I can get by! The whole trip was unforgettable, but right now, I think the best memory was riding into the Sahara desert on camels! My first camel's name was Marilyn, because she was blonde. She wasn't really a stinker, but Barbara Ann, who took me back to the hotel the next day was absolutely disgusting. They throw up their cud to have something to chew on during the long ride...and it reeks. Also, James Dean, the camel behind me liked to come up next to me so I could scratch his ears...kind of like a cat! But the close vicinity meant that I could smell HIS cud as well as Barbara's. Not pleasant, but it was such a great experience!
Semana Santa was a sight to behold. So different from any Easter or Holy Week celebration that we have in the United States. The Nazerenos dress something like KKK members...definitely an interesting sight to behold. According to Wikipedia, a great discovery sorce...,
"Those members who wish to do so wear these penitential robes with conical hats, or capirotes, used to conceal the face of the wearer (these robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States). These "Nazarenos" carry processional candles, may walk the city streets barefoot, and may carry shackles and chains in their feet as penance. A brass band may accompany the group, playing funereal religious hymns or "saetas" written for the occasion."
Very interesting. And really cool. Sometimes it makes me sad that we have nothing like this at home. Sure, we have Easter Egg hunts, but we don't have parades that the entire community gets involved in, or a special dessert that is only made during Lent and Holy Week. I know families have their own traditions but I think that there would be so much more feeling and emotion put into the holiday if everyone was involved. I realize that Spain is an extremely Catholic country...and that makes it a lot easier!
Having the parents here was definitely the highlight of my semester. Being able to take them to all my favorite places and show them around the city that I've come to love was SO much fun. And the experience of being in a stick-shift car driving through all the roundabouts in southern Spain with the fam was definitely that, an experience. This semester I have definitely realized that Lauren Taylor Anderson does in fact suffer from motion sickness...very easily. Bring on the Dramamine.
I'm sure there will be much more about the week with M, D, and A in the MomBlog! All-in-all, it definitely cured the homesickness that had started to grow, I don't think I'd realized how much until I first saw M & D in the airport and started crying!
Rome-I fell in love with it! The city had so much history and thanks to the two coins I threw in the Trevy Fountain, I know I will return. The three days we spent were definitely not enough. Cee and I chose to take tours around the main sights, and thank goodness we did! We could have been wandering around the ruins of Rome with no idea what was going on (...Rick Steves didn't come with us). I think one of the best parts of the trip was the amazing people we met. Some from Waco, TX, Wales, UK, Tennesse, and Australia! I think that has been one of the most interesting experiences I've had this semester, not only meeting the locals, but getting to know the other people who are traveling around, studying abroad, and enjoying Europe in the slow lane, taking time to relax and get to know stranger who become friends!
After we returned from Rome, we had one week of school and then it was off to Lagos, Portugal for the weekend. The beaches there were great and we even got to go see the place that was once thought to be the end of the world, at the tip corner of Portugal, the westernmost point of all Europe-minus the Canary Islands, etc... The weekend was pretty rainy, but we still took advantage of our time at the beach--even in the rain! The real adventure was getting home. We were supposed to take a bus, but instead, we took a train, a taxi, a bus, and another train...and arrived back in Sevilla 9 hours later, as opposed to a 5 hour bus ride...but once again, it was a good time and we met a bunch of people from England who were stuck in Portugal/Spain because of the Volcano.
The volcano...since we don't really follow the news here, I didn't hear about it until the next day! Oops! Can I say that I'm looking forward to watching the 10pm news when I get home!?
After the Lagos expedition, Kelli and I woke up early on Tuesday, the next day, to take a train to Malaga to meet her grandfather who was sailing in on a cruise ship. We had lunch with them and saw some of the sights of Malaga. It was really fun and her granddad reminded me of my own PopPop! K and I had some extra time before our train left, so we went to an street market and started talking to two guys from Morocco. It's crazy the kind of people you meet when you open your eyes and heart to changes and new experiences!
London was next on the trip, a two day excursion to see our friend Stephanie as well as the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Love Never Dies. Well, seeing Stephanie was amazing, but K and I both agree that Andrew has had MUCH better musicals. With good-ish music, it was memorable, but with the crazy twisted plot and complete personality changes of some main characters, we were very disappointed. Oh, did I say that Heathrow opened their airspace 9ish hours before our flight left!? Yay!
Feria, or the April Fair in Sevilla is where we spent the weekend. It was definitely a sight to behold. Most of the women wore traditional flamenco dresses, while all the men wore suits and ties. There was dancing and I admit, I was able to try and learn (ish) the first section of the Sevilliano style Flamenco. I even saw Ms.Massó there! My homeroom teacher from highschool is from Spain and we were able to meet up. My friends and I partied in her caseta until the wee hours! And my friend Katie came down from Madrid for the weekend! It was so fun to show her around my city, especially during this exciting time of year.
Needless to say, after that week, yes, Lagos to Feria was ONE week, all I did was sleep and school on Monday. Tuesday...well, Tuesday was my BIRTHDAY! Becky's parents took us out to dinner on the 27th, a very special night! A test on Wednesday put some serious celebrating on hold, but we saved it for Thursday. Tapas, 'botellon-ing' by the river, and a bar were in order for the evening, a club was on the list, but by the time we were leaving the bar, I was half asleep already! We finished out the evening with churros.
On Friday, two days ago, I took the train with the UPO choir to Granada, where we performed with a choir from Granada. Heels were a bad decision for the concert, but I sang much better than I thought I would! K and Becky came to Granada to behold the sight, and made it so special! On Saturday morning, we rushed to through the Alhambra but I don't think we were able to give it the attention it deserved. Oh well, Dad and I have already made a pact to return and spend the day there!
Now it is Sunday, I'm out of money, and have accepted the fact that I will have to return home soon! The homework is almost over, exams are on the way, and I'm actually excited to see Omaha again. More than just seeing it, I'm excited to spend the entire summer there this year! On the other hand, I don't really know how I will be reacting to not walking everywhere, having food at normal hours, or being able to completely understand what everyone is saying. I'm a little scared at how it will all turn out. But if I've learned anything this semester, it's to go with the flow, change will come..whether good or bad and you've got to fly with it!
More to come soon...and I actually mean that this time!
Love, hugs, and besos (kisses) from Sevilla,
Lauren
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Adventures in the North
Well, I have just returned from our amazing trip to Madrid/Toledo/Avila/Segovia. One thing to say...SO MUCH FUN. Actually, I have many more things to say and they are to follow shortly. Before I get into the weekend of wind, I´d like to share a little story.
Well, everyone here has a media naranja, a better half so to speak...everywhere you turn there are couples holding hands, kissing on the metro, on the street, or really anywhere they can. It´s very different from the USA, where I feel it´s a little taboo to show PDA (public displays of affection), and mind you, I´m not too keen on it myself, but the Spanish certainly don´t feel this way. But back to my story...since there are so many couples, it makes sense that there are a lot of babies. Ummm...Spanish babies are sooooo cute!!! Becky, Cee, Kelli and I got to talking about motherhood etc, and Caroline says, "Lauren, that is the one thing you are not allowed to bring back from Spain with you." Needless to say, it is now an ongoing joke. No babies for us on this trip!
A couple days after this conversation, Becky, Kelli, and I were on the Metro and next to me was Celia, SUCH a precious 1.5 year old. As soon as Celia and her mom left the Metro, Becky pats me on the shoulder and says, "I think we can make an exception for that one." --Another addition to the continuous joke! But not to worry family and friends, I will NOT be returning home with a baby.
Changing topics....
We left Thursday morning on the train for Madrid, might I add that I absolutely love trains? We arrived in Toledo around 12:30, dropped our backpacks off at the hotel (we were upgraded from the hostel for free!) We began the climb up the hill to Toledo--which is one of the most hilly cities I think I´ve ever been to. We began the tour at the museum there, they boasted to having 10 El Greco paintings...we only found about 5, but it was still pretty cool. From there, we stopped to get some of their world famous Marzipan, which I loved (true to form) but no one else liked. What else is new? The cathedral in Toledo came next. It was breathtaking. It boasted 14 El Greco paintings and definitely lived up and exceeded any and all of my expectations. I have never really been moved by paintings, but looking at The Disrobing of Christ by El Greco made me cry. It was so vivid, and when you look at Christ´s eyes, it looked like the canvas was wet with His tears. Absolutely fantastic. From there we went to a smaller church that holds El Greco´s most famous work, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is exactly where he painted it to be. Which in and of itself is amazing!
In Madrid, we of course went to the Royal Palace and then the Prado, but we went later in the day and didn´t have the time to give that it deserved, so we hit the main points like Las Meninas(The Maids of Honor) by Velazquaz which some people say is quite possibly the best painting in the world and Saturn Devouring his Son by Goya. A museum we went to earlier that day was the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which covered so many works and a huge span of time. It was very cool, quite possibly one of my favorite museums!
As I´m writing this, I´m realizing that we saw a LOT of art on this trip!
Madrid wasn´t nearly as cosmopolitan and like NYC as I´d heard. You definitely feel the effect of globalization, but I thought it very clean and pleasant! And to top it off, I got to see Katie, one of my friends from camp this summer, which was so much fun--we all went out to tapas!
We went to Avila the next day, which we could have gone without. The most well preserved walled city in Europe had a very cool wall, but timing was not in our favor. We tried to go see Saint Teresa´s finger, strange, yes, but the museum was closed. To top off that day, it was raining and more windy than I´ve ever experienced. We lost some good men that day (umbrellas) and were very wet. From Avila, where we ate yemas too, basically sugared egg yolks--interesting, we took the train to El Escorial/Valley of the Fallen. When we got there, the sun had poked it´s head out and was attempting to dry up three weeks of rain. Well, the taxi man said the Valley was closed for renovations and by the time we got to El Escorial (head of the Spanish Inquisition), it was closed.
However, while standing behind the rope, staring at the grandeur we could have enjoyed, we watched a couple sneak under the rope and nonchantly head to the entrance. Amazed that someone wasn´t chasing after them, we saw another couple people sneak up there. Kelli and Becky were next and determined not to be left behind, I checked the guards, who were busy chatting, and ducked under to follow. We got to the main basilica and my stomach was clenched in knots. I´m not a daring person, I follow the rules, so I was starting to panic. Just when I was about to drag them out with me, we turned around to find Cara, Maddie, and Christina standing nonchantly behind us admiring the view. They told us that they´d just asked to come in...as it turns out, the Basilica was open until mass later that night...my stomach immediately unclenched. But hey, I did do something daring...until I found out it was completely within my rights to go in there! When leaving, it was raining again...true to form.
Before heading to Segovia on Sunday, we stopped by the Museum Reuna Sofia to see the Guernica by Pablo Picasso, a gruesome story, but a fantastic painting. It is also one of the most documented paintings in history, Picasso had all his sketches and drafts saved. I also didn´t realize how huge it is...it´s like a mural!
We took the bus to Segovia, soaking in the sun on the way. First, we saw the aquaduct, still intact since Roman times, and it has absolutely no mortar holding it together. We marveled at that for awhile, bought a 10euro disposable camera (mine had a near-fatal accident with OJ in Avila), and heard our stomachs rumbling. We weren´t planning on anything special, but we ended up having a three course lunch. So delicious and very filling!
Also in Segovia was Spain´s last Gothic Cathedral, we passed by it though because we were trying to get to the Disney-like castle at the other end of the city. I think I´ve found my new home. Of course, I´ll have to install central heating and add a lot of furniture and carpets, but I think it´ll do the job nicely. There´s even a tower. 152 of the steepest steps I´ve ever climbed took us to the top and a beautiful 360 degree view of the city and surrounding countryside. It was still quite windy, and up there, even more so, but the cold air felt great after that horrible climb with 30lbs on our backs! I could definitely get used to it!
I think I can easily say that this is one of my favorite places in the world. After our lake and Brunnen, Switzerland.
Getting home to Sevilla was a little more difficult than we had anticipated, to say the least. We returned to the bus station in Madrid to buy our tickets home and were told all the buses were sold out until 10am Monday morning. Not good...we had homework! We ran, and I mean literally ran through metro stops to the train station across town and found a 75 person line to buy tickets for a train that left in 30 minutes. Not cool...so we unhappily headed back to where some friends were to pick up my cell phone I had lent them, it was dead, and then off to the bus stop to buy tickets for the 10 am bus. From the station, we trudged outside to find it was raining. But some good news! The hostel was 5 minutes up the road! LIES. We walked 10 minutes, soaked at this point, even with an umbrella, stopped at a 4 star hotel (yeah right) to ask where the hostel was. He said another 10 minutes up the hill there were 5 or so to choose from. Goody. We headed out back into the rain, which was coming down at a very steady pace at this point, and finally found a suitable priced place...25 minutes and another broken umbrella later. Guess where we ended up? Hint: we had come full circle in our travels. Yep, that´s right, we were right across the plaza from the Museum Sofia Reina we had visited that morning. Funny? Wasn´t then, but I can´t help but to smile now!
But the thing is, we ended up with a roof over our head and got back to Sevilla safely, which is all that matters.
Wow, I have vented quite a bit today, lo siento lectores (I´m sorry readers).
I miss you oodles! Infinite hugs and kisses from Sevilla,
Lauren
Well, everyone here has a media naranja, a better half so to speak...everywhere you turn there are couples holding hands, kissing on the metro, on the street, or really anywhere they can. It´s very different from the USA, where I feel it´s a little taboo to show PDA (public displays of affection), and mind you, I´m not too keen on it myself, but the Spanish certainly don´t feel this way. But back to my story...since there are so many couples, it makes sense that there are a lot of babies. Ummm...Spanish babies are sooooo cute!!! Becky, Cee, Kelli and I got to talking about motherhood etc, and Caroline says, "Lauren, that is the one thing you are not allowed to bring back from Spain with you." Needless to say, it is now an ongoing joke. No babies for us on this trip!
A couple days after this conversation, Becky, Kelli, and I were on the Metro and next to me was Celia, SUCH a precious 1.5 year old. As soon as Celia and her mom left the Metro, Becky pats me on the shoulder and says, "I think we can make an exception for that one." --Another addition to the continuous joke! But not to worry family and friends, I will NOT be returning home with a baby.
Changing topics....
We left Thursday morning on the train for Madrid, might I add that I absolutely love trains? We arrived in Toledo around 12:30, dropped our backpacks off at the hotel (we were upgraded from the hostel for free!) We began the climb up the hill to Toledo--which is one of the most hilly cities I think I´ve ever been to. We began the tour at the museum there, they boasted to having 10 El Greco paintings...we only found about 5, but it was still pretty cool. From there, we stopped to get some of their world famous Marzipan, which I loved (true to form) but no one else liked. What else is new? The cathedral in Toledo came next. It was breathtaking. It boasted 14 El Greco paintings and definitely lived up and exceeded any and all of my expectations. I have never really been moved by paintings, but looking at The Disrobing of Christ by El Greco made me cry. It was so vivid, and when you look at Christ´s eyes, it looked like the canvas was wet with His tears. Absolutely fantastic. From there we went to a smaller church that holds El Greco´s most famous work, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is exactly where he painted it to be. Which in and of itself is amazing!
In Madrid, we of course went to the Royal Palace and then the Prado, but we went later in the day and didn´t have the time to give that it deserved, so we hit the main points like Las Meninas(The Maids of Honor) by Velazquaz which some people say is quite possibly the best painting in the world and Saturn Devouring his Son by Goya. A museum we went to earlier that day was the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which covered so many works and a huge span of time. It was very cool, quite possibly one of my favorite museums!
As I´m writing this, I´m realizing that we saw a LOT of art on this trip!
Madrid wasn´t nearly as cosmopolitan and like NYC as I´d heard. You definitely feel the effect of globalization, but I thought it very clean and pleasant! And to top it off, I got to see Katie, one of my friends from camp this summer, which was so much fun--we all went out to tapas!
We went to Avila the next day, which we could have gone without. The most well preserved walled city in Europe had a very cool wall, but timing was not in our favor. We tried to go see Saint Teresa´s finger, strange, yes, but the museum was closed. To top off that day, it was raining and more windy than I´ve ever experienced. We lost some good men that day (umbrellas) and were very wet. From Avila, where we ate yemas too, basically sugared egg yolks--interesting, we took the train to El Escorial/Valley of the Fallen. When we got there, the sun had poked it´s head out and was attempting to dry up three weeks of rain. Well, the taxi man said the Valley was closed for renovations and by the time we got to El Escorial (head of the Spanish Inquisition), it was closed.
However, while standing behind the rope, staring at the grandeur we could have enjoyed, we watched a couple sneak under the rope and nonchantly head to the entrance. Amazed that someone wasn´t chasing after them, we saw another couple people sneak up there. Kelli and Becky were next and determined not to be left behind, I checked the guards, who were busy chatting, and ducked under to follow. We got to the main basilica and my stomach was clenched in knots. I´m not a daring person, I follow the rules, so I was starting to panic. Just when I was about to drag them out with me, we turned around to find Cara, Maddie, and Christina standing nonchantly behind us admiring the view. They told us that they´d just asked to come in...as it turns out, the Basilica was open until mass later that night...my stomach immediately unclenched. But hey, I did do something daring...until I found out it was completely within my rights to go in there! When leaving, it was raining again...true to form.
Before heading to Segovia on Sunday, we stopped by the Museum Reuna Sofia to see the Guernica by Pablo Picasso, a gruesome story, but a fantastic painting. It is also one of the most documented paintings in history, Picasso had all his sketches and drafts saved. I also didn´t realize how huge it is...it´s like a mural!
We took the bus to Segovia, soaking in the sun on the way. First, we saw the aquaduct, still intact since Roman times, and it has absolutely no mortar holding it together. We marveled at that for awhile, bought a 10euro disposable camera (mine had a near-fatal accident with OJ in Avila), and heard our stomachs rumbling. We weren´t planning on anything special, but we ended up having a three course lunch. So delicious and very filling!
Also in Segovia was Spain´s last Gothic Cathedral, we passed by it though because we were trying to get to the Disney-like castle at the other end of the city. I think I´ve found my new home. Of course, I´ll have to install central heating and add a lot of furniture and carpets, but I think it´ll do the job nicely. There´s even a tower. 152 of the steepest steps I´ve ever climbed took us to the top and a beautiful 360 degree view of the city and surrounding countryside. It was still quite windy, and up there, even more so, but the cold air felt great after that horrible climb with 30lbs on our backs! I could definitely get used to it!
I think I can easily say that this is one of my favorite places in the world. After our lake and Brunnen, Switzerland.
Getting home to Sevilla was a little more difficult than we had anticipated, to say the least. We returned to the bus station in Madrid to buy our tickets home and were told all the buses were sold out until 10am Monday morning. Not good...we had homework! We ran, and I mean literally ran through metro stops to the train station across town and found a 75 person line to buy tickets for a train that left in 30 minutes. Not cool...so we unhappily headed back to where some friends were to pick up my cell phone I had lent them, it was dead, and then off to the bus stop to buy tickets for the 10 am bus. From the station, we trudged outside to find it was raining. But some good news! The hostel was 5 minutes up the road! LIES. We walked 10 minutes, soaked at this point, even with an umbrella, stopped at a 4 star hotel (yeah right) to ask where the hostel was. He said another 10 minutes up the hill there were 5 or so to choose from. Goody. We headed out back into the rain, which was coming down at a very steady pace at this point, and finally found a suitable priced place...25 minutes and another broken umbrella later. Guess where we ended up? Hint: we had come full circle in our travels. Yep, that´s right, we were right across the plaza from the Museum Sofia Reina we had visited that morning. Funny? Wasn´t then, but I can´t help but to smile now!
But the thing is, we ended up with a roof over our head and got back to Sevilla safely, which is all that matters.
Wow, I have vented quite a bit today, lo siento lectores (I´m sorry readers).
I miss you oodles! Infinite hugs and kisses from Sevilla,
Lauren
Monday, February 22, 2010
Being sick in Spain...not fun.
So, long time, no post. I´m soooooooo sorry about that!
Hmmm...what have I been up to?
Well, for starters, this past weekend, we were supposed to take a day trip to Gibralter, but alas, Spanish colds got in the way and we were forced to reschedule. In the meantime, we spent Saturday recouperating and Sunday studying, all in all, a relaxing weekend filled with rain and a couple of hours of sunshine. Speaking of rain, it has become our constant companion, at least for the next week! Urugh! What happened to the sunshine Andalucia boasts?! Well, I guess the whole world is experiencing strange weather...like the freak snow the States have become accustomed to--I hear it´s supposed to snow again in Fort Worth and that Omaha will get a couple more inches!
Also, I am glad to report that along with my cold disappearing, I have regained full use of my ankle. Which is good, since I´m planning on a 5 day trip to Madrid and surrounding cities this coming weekend. We leave Thursday morning and end up in Toledo, where we´ll be spending the day and night. Then it´s off to Madrid, which will be our home base for the rest of the trip. From Madrid, we´re taking daytrips to Avila via the Valley of the Fallen (including a cool cave-cathedral/museum Popop and Yadie told me about) and the castle that was the headquarters of the inquisition in this area. Also, we´re going to Segovia to see the Roman aquaduct! Yay! It´ll be quite a whirlwind trip, but I think it´ll be great! Can´t wait--I´ll let you know all about it when we return.
Also, last night, I received the ´go ahead´ from the parents for the Morocco trip! So Kelli, Becky, and I are going to book that after school today!
Speaking of, school is going well, I think I´m finally getting the hang of it/getting back into the ´studying´ mode. (Wow, it´s taken me long enough!) My work includes a LOT of reading, but I think I´ve got a good system down...I read through it, underlining the words I don´t know. Then I look up the words, insert them into the story, and re-read it! Yes, it is very time consuming, but I figure by reading it twice I should get the ´gist of it! If not, then it´s off to the internet to see if there´s something big that I missed. And that, my friends, is the strategy I´m working off of!
I just finished The People Of The Book by Geraldine Brooks. It was a fantastic book. A majority of it takes place in Andalucia--specifically Sevilla!!! They describe the castle, which I have been to and could picture the exact rooms they were working in and exploring. I have now moved onto my next vampire book, surprise, surprise! (Thank you, Tricia, for fueling this obsession of mine.)
On an agravating note, I feel like I´ve hit a wall with my Spanish. It´s still getting easy for me to just try to say what I want to say, but now, I´m realizing that my grammer needs a lot of work. I guess it´s an improvement that I´m actually realizing I´m not saying things correctly, but it´s so FRUSTRATING!! I´m trying to speak more with my friends, and all the reading I´m doing for my classes is helping, but I´ve definitely slowed to a crawl in terms of learning (or so it seems).
Well, more to come soon! And this time, it will be within the week (instead of three weeks later).
I miss you all! Have fun in Florida! Te Quiero!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Lauren
Hmmm...what have I been up to?
Well, for starters, this past weekend, we were supposed to take a day trip to Gibralter, but alas, Spanish colds got in the way and we were forced to reschedule. In the meantime, we spent Saturday recouperating and Sunday studying, all in all, a relaxing weekend filled with rain and a couple of hours of sunshine. Speaking of rain, it has become our constant companion, at least for the next week! Urugh! What happened to the sunshine Andalucia boasts?! Well, I guess the whole world is experiencing strange weather...like the freak snow the States have become accustomed to--I hear it´s supposed to snow again in Fort Worth and that Omaha will get a couple more inches!
Also, I am glad to report that along with my cold disappearing, I have regained full use of my ankle. Which is good, since I´m planning on a 5 day trip to Madrid and surrounding cities this coming weekend. We leave Thursday morning and end up in Toledo, where we´ll be spending the day and night. Then it´s off to Madrid, which will be our home base for the rest of the trip. From Madrid, we´re taking daytrips to Avila via the Valley of the Fallen (including a cool cave-cathedral/museum Popop and Yadie told me about) and the castle that was the headquarters of the inquisition in this area. Also, we´re going to Segovia to see the Roman aquaduct! Yay! It´ll be quite a whirlwind trip, but I think it´ll be great! Can´t wait--I´ll let you know all about it when we return.
Also, last night, I received the ´go ahead´ from the parents for the Morocco trip! So Kelli, Becky, and I are going to book that after school today!
Speaking of, school is going well, I think I´m finally getting the hang of it/getting back into the ´studying´ mode. (Wow, it´s taken me long enough!) My work includes a LOT of reading, but I think I´ve got a good system down...I read through it, underlining the words I don´t know. Then I look up the words, insert them into the story, and re-read it! Yes, it is very time consuming, but I figure by reading it twice I should get the ´gist of it! If not, then it´s off to the internet to see if there´s something big that I missed. And that, my friends, is the strategy I´m working off of!
I just finished The People Of The Book by Geraldine Brooks. It was a fantastic book. A majority of it takes place in Andalucia--specifically Sevilla!!! They describe the castle, which I have been to and could picture the exact rooms they were working in and exploring. I have now moved onto my next vampire book, surprise, surprise! (Thank you, Tricia, for fueling this obsession of mine.)
On an agravating note, I feel like I´ve hit a wall with my Spanish. It´s still getting easy for me to just try to say what I want to say, but now, I´m realizing that my grammer needs a lot of work. I guess it´s an improvement that I´m actually realizing I´m not saying things correctly, but it´s so FRUSTRATING!! I´m trying to speak more with my friends, and all the reading I´m doing for my classes is helping, but I´ve definitely slowed to a crawl in terms of learning (or so it seems).
Well, more to come soon! And this time, it will be within the week (instead of three weeks later).
I miss you all! Have fun in Florida! Te Quiero!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Lauren
Friday, February 5, 2010
Did you know..............
1. People say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and therefore, I will be copying elements (new sidebars) from my friend Katie´s blog...thank you Katie, even though you don´t know I´m doing this :) Love you!
2. The Cathedral in Seville is the third largest (in area) in the world. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_church_buildings_in_the_world , the first largest is St. Peters Basilica, which I hope to see while in Europe this semester, and the second is Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil. Evidently, according to the same website, the Cathedral in Seville is fourth when measuring in volume. And I´ve been there!!!
3. There are 9,000 students studying at UPO, 300 or so are ´extranjeros´, or exchange students. Cool, huh? Also, we have an entire building dedicated to table tennis, which is one of three recognized tournament pavillions in the world. There´s one in Japan and one in Canada, I think.
4. Yesterday, I joined the choir at UPO. After emailing the conductor and everything, I almost backed out at the last minute. I´d say I´m a fairly independant person and meeting new people/being in new situations usually doesn´t bother me, however, I got anxious yestereday. It was at this moment when I need someone to tell me I´ll be fine and to just go already! Luckily, Becky and Charlotte were there, and they reminded me that this is one of the best ways to make Spanish friends. And I did! While winding my way around UPO, searching for building 41, I asked multiple (4) people how to get where I was supposed to be...but the problem was, no one seemed to know where or what building 41 was! As it turned out, it was up a hill, behind an empty building, and semi-underconstruction. We met in a flamenco studio and there were maybe 15 people there...6 of us were American! It was fun, Anna finally showed me where the building was and she ended up being an Alto too! So between my broken Spanish mumblings, I managed to make a friend. The morale of this story was, I just needed to jump in and not hesitate, and it turned out great!
Last night we went to La Carboneria, where we saw a woman dancing Flamenco the first week we were here. We went back hoping to find that same experience again. Alas, there was only a mediocre singer and a fantastic guitar player, BUT, we did end up re-meeting a guy we met at the beginning of the trip. He came with a class of Psychology students to talk with us and help get us acclimated to Spain. Lots of fun and the night ended with a Churro...but mine was more like a waffle covered with melting chocolate...it was a decadent delight!
And then again for breakfast...a waffle doused with chocolate! Then it was off to Italica, some Roman ruins outside of Sevilla. They were amazing! Just as we entered the Amphitheater/colosseum area, the sun came out and it has now turned into a beautiful day!
On a sidenote, I´ve been noticing that my English is having some problems. I originally spelled Cathedral, Catedral, how it´s spelled in Spanish...and I´ve found that when I write words that end in-tion, such as celebration, I spell them with a -cion, celebración...oops! I consulted one of the professors who guided the Italica trip this morning and he said that that is a good thing! It´s a sign that I´m transitioning to a Spanish mindset and that the real turning point when learning a language is when you dream in that language. Hmmmm...I never remember any of my dreams, but I alwasy talk in my sleep. Maybe the turning point for me will be when I´m sleep talking in Spanish! I´d better buy a recorder : )
I´m off to lunch, but more to come soon!
Infinite x´s and o´s!!! Te Quiero, I love you!
Lauren
2. The Cathedral in Seville is the third largest (in area) in the world. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_church_buildings_in_the_world , the first largest is St. Peters Basilica, which I hope to see while in Europe this semester, and the second is Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil. Evidently, according to the same website, the Cathedral in Seville is fourth when measuring in volume. And I´ve been there!!!
3. There are 9,000 students studying at UPO, 300 or so are ´extranjeros´, or exchange students. Cool, huh? Also, we have an entire building dedicated to table tennis, which is one of three recognized tournament pavillions in the world. There´s one in Japan and one in Canada, I think.
4. Yesterday, I joined the choir at UPO. After emailing the conductor and everything, I almost backed out at the last minute. I´d say I´m a fairly independant person and meeting new people/being in new situations usually doesn´t bother me, however, I got anxious yestereday. It was at this moment when I need someone to tell me I´ll be fine and to just go already! Luckily, Becky and Charlotte were there, and they reminded me that this is one of the best ways to make Spanish friends. And I did! While winding my way around UPO, searching for building 41, I asked multiple (4) people how to get where I was supposed to be...but the problem was, no one seemed to know where or what building 41 was! As it turned out, it was up a hill, behind an empty building, and semi-underconstruction. We met in a flamenco studio and there were maybe 15 people there...6 of us were American! It was fun, Anna finally showed me where the building was and she ended up being an Alto too! So between my broken Spanish mumblings, I managed to make a friend. The morale of this story was, I just needed to jump in and not hesitate, and it turned out great!
Last night we went to La Carboneria, where we saw a woman dancing Flamenco the first week we were here. We went back hoping to find that same experience again. Alas, there was only a mediocre singer and a fantastic guitar player, BUT, we did end up re-meeting a guy we met at the beginning of the trip. He came with a class of Psychology students to talk with us and help get us acclimated to Spain. Lots of fun and the night ended with a Churro...but mine was more like a waffle covered with melting chocolate...it was a decadent delight!
And then again for breakfast...a waffle doused with chocolate! Then it was off to Italica, some Roman ruins outside of Sevilla. They were amazing! Just as we entered the Amphitheater/colosseum area, the sun came out and it has now turned into a beautiful day!
On a sidenote, I´ve been noticing that my English is having some problems. I originally spelled Cathedral, Catedral, how it´s spelled in Spanish...and I´ve found that when I write words that end in-tion, such as celebration, I spell them with a -cion, celebración...oops! I consulted one of the professors who guided the Italica trip this morning and he said that that is a good thing! It´s a sign that I´m transitioning to a Spanish mindset and that the real turning point when learning a language is when you dream in that language. Hmmmm...I never remember any of my dreams, but I alwasy talk in my sleep. Maybe the turning point for me will be when I´m sleep talking in Spanish! I´d better buy a recorder : )
I´m off to lunch, but more to come soon!
Infinite x´s and o´s!!! Te Quiero, I love you!
Lauren
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Things every world traveler should know...
1. Never, ever, under ANY circumstance wear boots or shoes of any kind that are not completely worn in for a full day of walking. If this suggestion is overlooked, it may result in quarter sized blisters which I don't need to tell you, are extremely painful. If you try to render the situation by walking on the side of your foot, your foot will swell and you'll have a bad day. Guaranteed.
Yes, I did learn this from experience. No, I do not wish to repeat it.
2. Everyone in Europe smokes. Yes, it is intolerable for the first few days, after awhile, however, one becomes almost immune to the smell...not something I would recommend. The first night we went out, I came back to the hotel smelling, no, reeking of smoke. It was similar to the smell of someone's house/room/apartment when they don't clean very often, yet still smoke inside, only it was stuck to me. It was horrible.
However, now, after being her for almost a week, the only time I notice it is when I walk through a smoke cloud, or directly after I get out of the shower.
3. Know your host family's names...A continuation from the last post, yes, our sister's name is Maria!
4. If you're an American, you can forget about trying to blend in. From the volume of our voices, to our over use of eye contact, to our NorthFace-everything, our white tennis shoes, and surprisingly, our politeness, they know us from a mile away! Sad, but very true. I guess I will be a tourist for the rest of my life :)
Those are enough of the lesson for now...
We went to see the Cathedral in Sevilla yesterday. It is so beautiful. We hiked to the top of the bell tower, which is supposedly the tallest point in the city, and from there, you can see the entire city. I had no idea Sevilla was this big! To get to the top of the tower, we didn't take stairs, there weren't any; it was a ramp the whole way. I was thinking, well, at least a very ambitious person in a wheelchair can see the sights this view has to offer...but then I was corrected by George, one of the guys from TCU, saying they made it that way so someone could ride up it on his horse. How cool would it be to race up a cobblestone tower on a horse! But then it dawned on me, with some help from Kelli, that maybe it was created that way so someone could get to the top quickly to sound an alarm...
Also, we had our cafe, or a coffee break at the Alfonso XIII, the five star hotel in Sevilla. It is breathtaking and the hot chocolate was delicious...like hot pudding, rich and creamy! Perfect for the extremely cold weather we're experiencing right now!
I am still getting used to using my Spanish, and still am forgetting some of the words, but with our first day of school today, I'm hoping that being even more exposed to it will force me to "use my words" and begin to be comfortable. My Senora, Carmen, is very patient and willing to help me along, which is nice. Everyone else is the same way, they want you to learn their language and are so happy you are trying and showing an effort.
I think that's one big difference between Spain and America. If we see someone struggling with English at home, some people will be friendly and helpful and happy they're attempting to learn English, however, others are snobby and think, gosh, it isn't that hard, why don't they try harder? Well newsflash. Learning a new language is VERY difficult. Well, enough venting for one post...another topic, shall we?
Last night we were watching tv with our Spanish family and we saw a commercial for LOST, one of my very favorite tv shows...and I got really sad, I'm not sure if I'll be able to follow it in Spanish, but by golly I'm going to try! We watched a Spanish Telenovela, a soap, and then CSI: Miami. The Telenovela I could follow a little bit, but when it was over and they switched to CSI, I couldn't understand a word. I realized that I was watching the people's lips, but they were saying things in English, but I was hearing Spanish...it was confusing. Needless to say, I chose that time to head to bed and read!
Speaking of reading, I've already finished one of the many books I brought with me.
Until next time,
Infinite X's and O's
LTA
Yes, I did learn this from experience. No, I do not wish to repeat it.
2. Everyone in Europe smokes. Yes, it is intolerable for the first few days, after awhile, however, one becomes almost immune to the smell...not something I would recommend. The first night we went out, I came back to the hotel smelling, no, reeking of smoke. It was similar to the smell of someone's house/room/apartment when they don't clean very often, yet still smoke inside, only it was stuck to me. It was horrible.
However, now, after being her for almost a week, the only time I notice it is when I walk through a smoke cloud, or directly after I get out of the shower.
3. Know your host family's names...A continuation from the last post, yes, our sister's name is Maria!
4. If you're an American, you can forget about trying to blend in. From the volume of our voices, to our over use of eye contact, to our NorthFace-everything, our white tennis shoes, and surprisingly, our politeness, they know us from a mile away! Sad, but very true. I guess I will be a tourist for the rest of my life :)
Those are enough of the lesson for now...
We went to see the Cathedral in Sevilla yesterday. It is so beautiful. We hiked to the top of the bell tower, which is supposedly the tallest point in the city, and from there, you can see the entire city. I had no idea Sevilla was this big! To get to the top of the tower, we didn't take stairs, there weren't any; it was a ramp the whole way. I was thinking, well, at least a very ambitious person in a wheelchair can see the sights this view has to offer...but then I was corrected by George, one of the guys from TCU, saying they made it that way so someone could ride up it on his horse. How cool would it be to race up a cobblestone tower on a horse! But then it dawned on me, with some help from Kelli, that maybe it was created that way so someone could get to the top quickly to sound an alarm...
Also, we had our cafe, or a coffee break at the Alfonso XIII, the five star hotel in Sevilla. It is breathtaking and the hot chocolate was delicious...like hot pudding, rich and creamy! Perfect for the extremely cold weather we're experiencing right now!
I am still getting used to using my Spanish, and still am forgetting some of the words, but with our first day of school today, I'm hoping that being even more exposed to it will force me to "use my words" and begin to be comfortable. My Senora, Carmen, is very patient and willing to help me along, which is nice. Everyone else is the same way, they want you to learn their language and are so happy you are trying and showing an effort.
I think that's one big difference between Spain and America. If we see someone struggling with English at home, some people will be friendly and helpful and happy they're attempting to learn English, however, others are snobby and think, gosh, it isn't that hard, why don't they try harder? Well newsflash. Learning a new language is VERY difficult. Well, enough venting for one post...another topic, shall we?
Last night we were watching tv with our Spanish family and we saw a commercial for LOST, one of my very favorite tv shows...and I got really sad, I'm not sure if I'll be able to follow it in Spanish, but by golly I'm going to try! We watched a Spanish Telenovela, a soap, and then CSI: Miami. The Telenovela I could follow a little bit, but when it was over and they switched to CSI, I couldn't understand a word. I realized that I was watching the people's lips, but they were saying things in English, but I was hearing Spanish...it was confusing. Needless to say, I chose that time to head to bed and read!
Speaking of reading, I've already finished one of the many books I brought with me.
Until next time,
Infinite X's and O's
LTA
Sunday, January 24, 2010
First Couple Days en Sevilla!!!
Hello to all! Yes, indeed, I have arrived safely in Sevilla. It feels good to be here, now that the jet lag has finally worn off. Let me tell you, the Spanish have life figured out. Siesta is the BEST concept ever! A good, relaxing three hours in the afternoon where they eat lunch, which is usually the largest meal of the day, when they spend the most time with their families, take a nap (which I have definitely taken advantage of) or they might watch a telenovela--a cheesy Spanish soap! And all the shops are closed except the bars and some pastry shops.
As for the speaking-in-Spanish part of this experience, I have to say, I´m not very good at it. I´m definitely becoming more comfortable being uncomfortable and way out of my comfort zone, however, it is very different here! The Spanish are very willing to repeat their questions once, even three times...by that time, I´ve found it´s best to make up an answer...they may look at you strange because it was probably no where near the answer they were looking for, but at least you aren´t there saying que? que? huh? Luckily, Kelli, my roommate and bff is almost fluent and much more comfortable speaking to the locals, so she has bailed me out of a couple confusing conversations. But not to worry, I plan to be my talkative self in no time!
It is very daunting being here and trying new things all the time. Last night at dinner, for one of the appetizers (tapas), we actually had duck patte. I was told this after I had already tasted it. I´d come to my own conclusion that it must be some sort of cheese. Nope. Duck patte. It was good though!---And my parents will appreciate this one: for lunch yesterday, we had tuna. No, not like the stuff out of the can that you can smell for days, but a pretty fresh slice of the fish. It wasn´t disgusting but that´s all I have to say about it though!!!
Earlier today (Sunday), we met our host families. Kelli and I are staying with Carmen, Manuelo and their daughter...Maria I think? I met her briefly...I´ll let you know on a post soon whether or not that´s her name! They seem pretty nice, we haven´t really been able to chat with them very much, they went out while we were eating and Kelli and I went to the cyber cafe, where I am now, before they came back. Strange? We thought so too.
Oh well! Sevilla is beautiful today! The sun finally came out after a very rainy Saturday and a cloudy morning. Everyone here walks everywhere, so while on our way to this cafe (which isn´t really a cafe...more like a room with computers, phones, and a big desk where they sell everything but the kitchen sink), we saw many people milling around, talking, strolling, just enjoying each other and the fine weather. This is such an amazing city. I have yet to feel unsafe--of course I´m always aware of who and what is around me, but I have yet to get the pulling behind my stomach I always feel when something is off!
The schedule here is going to take some getting used to! We have breakfast at a normal time, between 8 and 10 am, lunch around 2pm and dinner beginning at 9pm. Last night, we finished at 11:45pm and headed out to this really cool bar where I saw my first flamenco dancer! It was in a big room which looked like a gathering room of a medieval lodge, a guitarist, a singer and a flamenco dancer! SO much fun--we all made a pact to go back many times this semester! And another plus, it´s mostly locals (as far as we could tell) not very many Americans, so we´re getting the ¨the real Sevilla experience¨!
Well, I think that´s enough rambling for this post, more to come soon! I think we´re off to find some gelato--not Carmelo though, sounds like a good flavor, doesn´t it? Definitely was disgusting.
Tomorrow we go to UPO, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, where we´ll be taking a placement exam to determine which classes we should/shouldn´t be enrolled in...wish me luck!
I love and miss you all and can´t wait to hear from you!
God Bless!
As for the speaking-in-Spanish part of this experience, I have to say, I´m not very good at it. I´m definitely becoming more comfortable being uncomfortable and way out of my comfort zone, however, it is very different here! The Spanish are very willing to repeat their questions once, even three times...by that time, I´ve found it´s best to make up an answer...they may look at you strange because it was probably no where near the answer they were looking for, but at least you aren´t there saying que? que? huh? Luckily, Kelli, my roommate and bff is almost fluent and much more comfortable speaking to the locals, so she has bailed me out of a couple confusing conversations. But not to worry, I plan to be my talkative self in no time!
It is very daunting being here and trying new things all the time. Last night at dinner, for one of the appetizers (tapas), we actually had duck patte. I was told this after I had already tasted it. I´d come to my own conclusion that it must be some sort of cheese. Nope. Duck patte. It was good though!---And my parents will appreciate this one: for lunch yesterday, we had tuna. No, not like the stuff out of the can that you can smell for days, but a pretty fresh slice of the fish. It wasn´t disgusting but that´s all I have to say about it though!!!
Earlier today (Sunday), we met our host families. Kelli and I are staying with Carmen, Manuelo and their daughter...Maria I think? I met her briefly...I´ll let you know on a post soon whether or not that´s her name! They seem pretty nice, we haven´t really been able to chat with them very much, they went out while we were eating and Kelli and I went to the cyber cafe, where I am now, before they came back. Strange? We thought so too.
Oh well! Sevilla is beautiful today! The sun finally came out after a very rainy Saturday and a cloudy morning. Everyone here walks everywhere, so while on our way to this cafe (which isn´t really a cafe...more like a room with computers, phones, and a big desk where they sell everything but the kitchen sink), we saw many people milling around, talking, strolling, just enjoying each other and the fine weather. This is such an amazing city. I have yet to feel unsafe--of course I´m always aware of who and what is around me, but I have yet to get the pulling behind my stomach I always feel when something is off!
The schedule here is going to take some getting used to! We have breakfast at a normal time, between 8 and 10 am, lunch around 2pm and dinner beginning at 9pm. Last night, we finished at 11:45pm and headed out to this really cool bar where I saw my first flamenco dancer! It was in a big room which looked like a gathering room of a medieval lodge, a guitarist, a singer and a flamenco dancer! SO much fun--we all made a pact to go back many times this semester! And another plus, it´s mostly locals (as far as we could tell) not very many Americans, so we´re getting the ¨the real Sevilla experience¨!
Well, I think that´s enough rambling for this post, more to come soon! I think we´re off to find some gelato--not Carmelo though, sounds like a good flavor, doesn´t it? Definitely was disgusting.
Tomorrow we go to UPO, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, where we´ll be taking a placement exam to determine which classes we should/shouldn´t be enrolled in...wish me luck!
I love and miss you all and can´t wait to hear from you!
God Bless!
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