As I write this I am sitting at home, in Roseburg, still completely unsure if the last four months of my life actually happened or if it was all a dream. I don't know, when you come home you expect some sort of grand welcome and you expect the world to have stopped or changed drastically. Honestly everything just feels the same.
My last two weeks in Spain passed by in a series of lasts: My last trip up the hill to the Alhambra, my last time running along the river, my last sunny afternoon spent in Garcia Lorca Park, my last night hanging out with my Spanish friends and dancing at Camborio, the last tapa, the last churros con chocolate, the last lunch with my host family...
When you study abroad no one really warns you how darn hard it is to come home. I mean, you look forward to seeing family and friends but it's not the same. Granada became home and I have so many friends and great people and places I left behind. I really do want to see them again in Granada but no matter how much I promise it's always really difficult to know if you ever will really go back. And if you do, will it be the same? Foreign study is like taking a slice of your life and physically moving it and putting it in a different location. So, it makes sense that when you return, you do leave a little bit of yourself behind. I just didn't expect the tears or the profound sadness that would come along with leaving.
Now that I am home, I am happy to be here and looking forward to Christmas and going back to Willamette. But I also am scared I will lose what I learned from Granada. Of course, I am referring to my Spanish but also to the way of life I lived for the past several months. The "no pasa nada" mentality of not taking anything too seriously and of not getting stressed out is something I definitely want to take back with me. But I guess the most important lesson I learned from my time in Granada is to value connections with people above all and to remember that regardless of cultural differences, people are people everywhere.
So if I could sum up the experience in a sentence? The most exhilarating and dynamic period of my life in which I have no regrets and only great memories. Now time to bring a bit of Spain back to the US.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Marruecos
Well I know it´s been a bit since I have written but finally I have something interesting to talk about. I just got back from a world-wind 5 day trip to Morocco which was quite the experience to say the least. I mean, the contrasts between it and Spain are startling, especially considering the distance (or lack of it) between the two. Basically I went without having any specific plans - just a good guide book and an idea of where I wanted to go, with my friend from my school. I am sure my parents don´t want to hear this, but I had a much better time flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants as it were then if I had planned it. I think Morocco does that to you: life is just more chaotic there and rightly so.
Anyway on Friday we took the fast ferry from Algeciras, Spain to Tangiers and arrived in the dark. I had heard stories about Tangiers and have to admit was a little nervous arriving. My book said the hostel was a close walk to the ferry terminal and despite being hassled by a cab driver who told us we would be robbed, we walked off on our own. I´m glad we did - it would have been a waste of money to go with him. As we walked though, the first thing I noticed was the lack of women on the streets. I mean there were a few but they were always accompanied by men and almost all covered, at least with a headscarf. We continued on our way and realized we didn´t know where we were going so finally we asked a waiter outside of a nearby restaurant. Instead of just directing us, he offered to show us the way which made me a little nervous but luckily we decided to trust him because it took several dark and windy streets to reach our hostel which was nice and comfortable enough although I am happy to be back in a country where there are actual toilets and toilet paper. The next morning we wandered around Tangiers for a bit searching for a restaurant. The theme of our trip was to be this: every café we walked by was just filled with men. All sitting at tables smoking and all sitting in chairs facing out the same direction out into the street. This made me a bit uncomfortable to say the least but nothing I couldn´t handle.
Next we hopped a train to Fez, which was a 5 hour ride. We had our own compartment that we shared with a very nice Moroccan family. The daughter could speak Spanish and between her and the mom sharing her bananas and apples and even a sandwhich with us, I felt right at home. It was interesting to watch the Moroccan countryside speed by in a blur of agricultural villages where donkeys seemed to be the main modes of transportation and to actually see the green of grassy fields. Of course, by the time we got to Fez, it was a lot more dry and we were definitely in a big city. Again we just decided to go to the hostel recommened by my guidebook and luckily the owner spoke English (I was getting worred since all the signs were either in French or Arabic). Fez is chaotic and traditional and modern all at the same time. It was just as common to see women in jeans and heels as to see them fully covered or men in robes as men in Armani. The medina is absolutely crazy with 900 unmarked streets and everything from donkeys to Converse shoes to vegetables to turtles on sale. We met an artisan who invited us into his shop and gave us mint tea while he explained the different kinds of carpets and berber symbols to us. I definitely ate my fair share of delicious cous-cous and tajine (vegetable soup) and the mint tea I had with every meal was out of this world. At one point we hiked up to some ruins overlooking the city and just looked down at the madness of it all. Hearing the hundreds of calls to prayer over the loudspeakers of the hundreds of mosques as the sun shone over the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in the distance was surreal to say the least.
On Monday morning we hopped a bus to Chef Chaouen, a mountainside village in the Rif Range famous for its tourism. The bus ride was comfortable enough if you ignored the pit toilets at the station or the women getting sick behind me every 10 minutes or so. I really enjoyed seeing the countryside and I also feel like I actually got to see real Morocco - a country dependent on its agriculture, where there are a large number of people who live in startling poverty. However, everyone I met was extremeley nice and open and interested in getting to know Americans, even if they were just trying to sell me something. I feel like that is something a lot of "more developed" countries have lost: the personal day-to-day contact that reminds us of our shared humanity.
That being said, Chef Chaouen was super touristy but still beautiful. The city is painted white with varying shades of blue in the heart of the Rif mountains. It was a relaxing change of pace after Fez although I can´t help but think if you only came to Chef Chaouen, you would really be missing the real Morocco. After this, on Tuesday morning we hopped on a rather ram-shackled looking bus which sped us towards Ceuta, the Spanish owned city of Morocco. The closer we got to the border, the more resorts seemed to spring up alongside the coastline, almost making me forget I was still in Morocco. At least until I saw mosques and signs in arabic and heard the call to prayer. After crossing the border on foot, I immediately felt like I had been transported to another world.I guess I would say it was one more materialistic at that. All in all, I really enjoyed Morocco, perhaps because at times I felt uncomfortable or a little uneasy.I am glad it was my last major trip because it was so different. For a country and people who have so little, I felt like I was given a lot....
Anyway on Friday we took the fast ferry from Algeciras, Spain to Tangiers and arrived in the dark. I had heard stories about Tangiers and have to admit was a little nervous arriving. My book said the hostel was a close walk to the ferry terminal and despite being hassled by a cab driver who told us we would be robbed, we walked off on our own. I´m glad we did - it would have been a waste of money to go with him. As we walked though, the first thing I noticed was the lack of women on the streets. I mean there were a few but they were always accompanied by men and almost all covered, at least with a headscarf. We continued on our way and realized we didn´t know where we were going so finally we asked a waiter outside of a nearby restaurant. Instead of just directing us, he offered to show us the way which made me a little nervous but luckily we decided to trust him because it took several dark and windy streets to reach our hostel which was nice and comfortable enough although I am happy to be back in a country where there are actual toilets and toilet paper. The next morning we wandered around Tangiers for a bit searching for a restaurant. The theme of our trip was to be this: every café we walked by was just filled with men. All sitting at tables smoking and all sitting in chairs facing out the same direction out into the street. This made me a bit uncomfortable to say the least but nothing I couldn´t handle.
Next we hopped a train to Fez, which was a 5 hour ride. We had our own compartment that we shared with a very nice Moroccan family. The daughter could speak Spanish and between her and the mom sharing her bananas and apples and even a sandwhich with us, I felt right at home. It was interesting to watch the Moroccan countryside speed by in a blur of agricultural villages where donkeys seemed to be the main modes of transportation and to actually see the green of grassy fields. Of course, by the time we got to Fez, it was a lot more dry and we were definitely in a big city. Again we just decided to go to the hostel recommened by my guidebook and luckily the owner spoke English (I was getting worred since all the signs were either in French or Arabic). Fez is chaotic and traditional and modern all at the same time. It was just as common to see women in jeans and heels as to see them fully covered or men in robes as men in Armani. The medina is absolutely crazy with 900 unmarked streets and everything from donkeys to Converse shoes to vegetables to turtles on sale. We met an artisan who invited us into his shop and gave us mint tea while he explained the different kinds of carpets and berber symbols to us. I definitely ate my fair share of delicious cous-cous and tajine (vegetable soup) and the mint tea I had with every meal was out of this world. At one point we hiked up to some ruins overlooking the city and just looked down at the madness of it all. Hearing the hundreds of calls to prayer over the loudspeakers of the hundreds of mosques as the sun shone over the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in the distance was surreal to say the least.
On Monday morning we hopped a bus to Chef Chaouen, a mountainside village in the Rif Range famous for its tourism. The bus ride was comfortable enough if you ignored the pit toilets at the station or the women getting sick behind me every 10 minutes or so. I really enjoyed seeing the countryside and I also feel like I actually got to see real Morocco - a country dependent on its agriculture, where there are a large number of people who live in startling poverty. However, everyone I met was extremeley nice and open and interested in getting to know Americans, even if they were just trying to sell me something. I feel like that is something a lot of "more developed" countries have lost: the personal day-to-day contact that reminds us of our shared humanity.
That being said, Chef Chaouen was super touristy but still beautiful. The city is painted white with varying shades of blue in the heart of the Rif mountains. It was a relaxing change of pace after Fez although I can´t help but think if you only came to Chef Chaouen, you would really be missing the real Morocco. After this, on Tuesday morning we hopped on a rather ram-shackled looking bus which sped us towards Ceuta, the Spanish owned city of Morocco. The closer we got to the border, the more resorts seemed to spring up alongside the coastline, almost making me forget I was still in Morocco. At least until I saw mosques and signs in arabic and heard the call to prayer. After crossing the border on foot, I immediately felt like I had been transported to another world.I guess I would say it was one more materialistic at that. All in all, I really enjoyed Morocco, perhaps because at times I felt uncomfortable or a little uneasy.I am glad it was my last major trip because it was so different. For a country and people who have so little, I felt like I was given a lot....
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
La Otra Cuidad de Las Luces
If you talk to anyone who has come to vacation in Spain, their first sentence usually is some variation of the following: " You´re going to Spain? Oh you have to go to Barcelona, it is one of my favorite cities ever!" So with my expectations high, I hopped on a late-night plane to see if what everyone said was true.
Of course, walking down Las Ramblas at 1 AM was probably not the best welcome to the city. Trying to avoid the groups of men selling beer cans and all of the club promoters while looking at a map and for directions to our hostel was a bit of a challenge, but soon we passed through the narrow and dark streets of the Gothic Quarter of the city to our small but nice hostel.
We slept in a little the next morning and then headed out to explore the city by day. In the light, the long pedestrian walkway of Las Ramblas had taken on a completely different personality. It was full of people selling everything from chicken and guinea pigs to flowers to paintings to massages. And of course, I have to mention the human art. All along the walkway were people dressed up as anything you could imagine, trying to get your attention and your coins. For example there was a man painted all in white sitting on a toilet or a person completely covered in fruit and dressed as a fruit stand. On our way up Las Ramblas, we stopped by the famous La Boquería market which if full of fresh seafood, meat, cheese, olives, spices, fruit, vegetables, basically all the goodies you could want.
Finally we managed to escape the madness of Plaza Catalunya and started our walk down tree-lined streets to visit Gaudí´s modern masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. I have to say Barcelona reminds me of Paris architecturally speaking and definitely has a different feel than Madrid. Anyway when we got to La Sagrada Familia I was stunned. I mean it´s still under construction so there were cranes and tarps everywhere but the spires full of carvings to resemble trees and the brightly colored fruit-balls on the top alongside statues representing Jesus were a rather strange combination. But I have to say of all of the Cathedrals I´ve seen and all of the churches, it´s my favorite perhaps because it´s so eccentric and light-hearted.
Then we hopped on the metro to visit Gaudi´s park Guell. The park is bomb!!! There´s no other word to describe it. The longest park bench in the world, covered with mosaics rings a huge dirt plaza overlooking the city, the Mediterranean Ocean and the park itself including a house that looks like it should be out of Hansel and Gretel and a forest made completely of mosaic columns. The sun was shining, everyone was out enjoying the park and for once, I could sit and actually let it sink in that I was in Europe. Incredible.
Anyway that night we went out to a discoteca that turned out to be a long metro ride away plus a 40 minute walk. It was fun but at one point my friends and I left the dance floor to get some fresh air and when we came back everyone our age had suddenly disappeared and I swear that the youngest people there were two 28 year olds from Brazil that we met. So our night out in Barcelona wasn´t all that great but oh well, we discovered a very cool tiki bar that lit our drinks on fire at least.
The next day we spent shopping and wandering around by the waterfront and yes, I´m ashamed to admit it, eating at Hard Rock Cafe. I needed that 10 euro hamburger and 6 euro milkshake after all of that traveling. After filling ourselves up with chocolate crepes on the pier, we went to the neighborhood of Montjuic to watch a fountain show. But it wasn´t just any old fountain show. Oh no. The fountain had lights and a water flow that were choreographed to music and sat at the foot of the beautiful museum of modern art surrounded by cascading waterfalls. And did I mention it was free? Needless to say, we sat around being mesmorized by that for quite a while. I think that was my favorite part of Barcelona in the end. Then it was off to an Irish pub to watch the famous Fútbol Club Barça take on Bilbao. Although Barça is the best team in the league, they ended up tying the game. Oh well, I am still definitely getting into this fútbol thing!
So, my opinion of Barcelona? Okay, well it´s huge, people kept responding to me in English when I spoke Spanish, there were a lot more ummm, for lack of a better word, crazies around, and for the first time in Spain I didn´t always feel 100% safe or secure. However, it is beautiful, has a ton to do and awesome Gaudí architecture and I made sure to drink out of the lucky fountain to make sure I would return to the city someday. Still, it definitely made me appreciate how luck I am to study in Granada. ¡ Hasta el proxímo.....
Of course, walking down Las Ramblas at 1 AM was probably not the best welcome to the city. Trying to avoid the groups of men selling beer cans and all of the club promoters while looking at a map and for directions to our hostel was a bit of a challenge, but soon we passed through the narrow and dark streets of the Gothic Quarter of the city to our small but nice hostel.
We slept in a little the next morning and then headed out to explore the city by day. In the light, the long pedestrian walkway of Las Ramblas had taken on a completely different personality. It was full of people selling everything from chicken and guinea pigs to flowers to paintings to massages. And of course, I have to mention the human art. All along the walkway were people dressed up as anything you could imagine, trying to get your attention and your coins. For example there was a man painted all in white sitting on a toilet or a person completely covered in fruit and dressed as a fruit stand. On our way up Las Ramblas, we stopped by the famous La Boquería market which if full of fresh seafood, meat, cheese, olives, spices, fruit, vegetables, basically all the goodies you could want.
Finally we managed to escape the madness of Plaza Catalunya and started our walk down tree-lined streets to visit Gaudí´s modern masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. I have to say Barcelona reminds me of Paris architecturally speaking and definitely has a different feel than Madrid. Anyway when we got to La Sagrada Familia I was stunned. I mean it´s still under construction so there were cranes and tarps everywhere but the spires full of carvings to resemble trees and the brightly colored fruit-balls on the top alongside statues representing Jesus were a rather strange combination. But I have to say of all of the Cathedrals I´ve seen and all of the churches, it´s my favorite perhaps because it´s so eccentric and light-hearted.
Then we hopped on the metro to visit Gaudi´s park Guell. The park is bomb!!! There´s no other word to describe it. The longest park bench in the world, covered with mosaics rings a huge dirt plaza overlooking the city, the Mediterranean Ocean and the park itself including a house that looks like it should be out of Hansel and Gretel and a forest made completely of mosaic columns. The sun was shining, everyone was out enjoying the park and for once, I could sit and actually let it sink in that I was in Europe. Incredible.
Anyway that night we went out to a discoteca that turned out to be a long metro ride away plus a 40 minute walk. It was fun but at one point my friends and I left the dance floor to get some fresh air and when we came back everyone our age had suddenly disappeared and I swear that the youngest people there were two 28 year olds from Brazil that we met. So our night out in Barcelona wasn´t all that great but oh well, we discovered a very cool tiki bar that lit our drinks on fire at least.
The next day we spent shopping and wandering around by the waterfront and yes, I´m ashamed to admit it, eating at Hard Rock Cafe. I needed that 10 euro hamburger and 6 euro milkshake after all of that traveling. After filling ourselves up with chocolate crepes on the pier, we went to the neighborhood of Montjuic to watch a fountain show. But it wasn´t just any old fountain show. Oh no. The fountain had lights and a water flow that were choreographed to music and sat at the foot of the beautiful museum of modern art surrounded by cascading waterfalls. And did I mention it was free? Needless to say, we sat around being mesmorized by that for quite a while. I think that was my favorite part of Barcelona in the end. Then it was off to an Irish pub to watch the famous Fútbol Club Barça take on Bilbao. Although Barça is the best team in the league, they ended up tying the game. Oh well, I am still definitely getting into this fútbol thing!
So, my opinion of Barcelona? Okay, well it´s huge, people kept responding to me in English when I spoke Spanish, there were a lot more ummm, for lack of a better word, crazies around, and for the first time in Spain I didn´t always feel 100% safe or secure. However, it is beautiful, has a ton to do and awesome Gaudí architecture and I made sure to drink out of the lucky fountain to make sure I would return to the city someday. Still, it definitely made me appreciate how luck I am to study in Granada. ¡ Hasta el proxímo.....
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Los Medicos y Otras Observaciones
So I spent a wonderful weekend in Sevilla which is as beautiful, warm and sunny (Spain just refuses to celebrate the fall) and so full of history it is ridiculously overwhelming!! The only problem with all of this wonderful traveling is that I have a sinus infection. And it can´t just be any usual sinus infection but in fact is the most painful one I have ever experienced.
Because of my travel plans, I caved in and went to the doctor with my program director yesterday. I know I have spoken about how cheap healthcare is in Spain but let me just reiterate the numbers for you. An office visit: 40 euros. Four medications, including an antibiotic: 26 euros. Another interesting thing is that when you arrive in a doctor´s office, you have to find out who the last person in line in front of you is in the waiting room. No one calls out your name -- you just have to keep an eye on the door. Anyway I was in the room for all of about 2 minutes while the doctor felt my sinuses and prescribed a mountain of cures. I am definitely feeling a lot better now though.
Other than this little bump in my daily schedule, things have been moving along quite well. Other than sleep and homework, life has been going by as usual: nights spent at bars eating tapas or churros y chocolate, days spent window shopping and hanging out with the host family. I spent a rather crowded and smokey night watching France beat Ireland in a heated World Cup qualifier. Although I was there with several Frenchies, I was definitely cheering for Ireland. I mean, at least I can cheer for them in my own language! I am also leaving for a weekend in Barcelona tonight and I am very excited about seeing all of Gaudí´s works and the "Paris of Spain". I will definitely let you know how that goes, especially since I am going to Morocco next weekend and so I should be trying to keep up on my posting a bit.
Once again, another short post. I just don´t seem to have the time to write anything that interesting anymore!! Too much fun to be had out and about!
Because of my travel plans, I caved in and went to the doctor with my program director yesterday. I know I have spoken about how cheap healthcare is in Spain but let me just reiterate the numbers for you. An office visit: 40 euros. Four medications, including an antibiotic: 26 euros. Another interesting thing is that when you arrive in a doctor´s office, you have to find out who the last person in line in front of you is in the waiting room. No one calls out your name -- you just have to keep an eye on the door. Anyway I was in the room for all of about 2 minutes while the doctor felt my sinuses and prescribed a mountain of cures. I am definitely feeling a lot better now though.
Other than this little bump in my daily schedule, things have been moving along quite well. Other than sleep and homework, life has been going by as usual: nights spent at bars eating tapas or churros y chocolate, days spent window shopping and hanging out with the host family. I spent a rather crowded and smokey night watching France beat Ireland in a heated World Cup qualifier. Although I was there with several Frenchies, I was definitely cheering for Ireland. I mean, at least I can cheer for them in my own language! I am also leaving for a weekend in Barcelona tonight and I am very excited about seeing all of Gaudí´s works and the "Paris of Spain". I will definitely let you know how that goes, especially since I am going to Morocco next weekend and so I should be trying to keep up on my posting a bit.
Once again, another short post. I just don´t seem to have the time to write anything that interesting anymore!! Too much fun to be had out and about!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Es que no quiero salir
A month and a week. That is all that remains of my time here in Granada. And I am very sad about it. I know, less than two months ago I was complaining about life here and how much I miss home, but now I truly feel like I have made a connection with the city and the country and the prospect of returning home to the same routine and real life is daunting. Plus I know that change in constant and what I will be coming back to will be different, as will I.
My friend Olivia came to visit me here this last week and playing tourist with her just made my appreciation of Granada grow. And it made me realize just how amazing my host family and my friends and even the city itself are. We spent some time in the Mediterranean town of Málaga which was fun but returning home to show Olivia the sites was a wake-up call. I got to see the city through a newcomer´s eyes again and I also got to return to some of my favorite places. We spent a lot of time at various bars or cafés, just people watching and talking, or wandering the streets and stumbling upon tiny plazas and local markets. I am almost regretting my decision to go to Bacelona for a weekend because that is a weekend I am not in Granada. And as far as my Morocco trip goes, I am still debating when I could possibly tear myself away from here.
It was at this point that I realized I can´t imagine leaving Spanish life behind. First of all I had two exams this week and for once, I didn´t spend hours studying and I didn´t stress about them as I would have at home. Instead, I did what I felt like doing, which including going out for tapas or churros with my friends because time is getting too short here. Okay so maybe my grades won´t turn out that well but I have much fonder memories now than I would have had I sat around poring over my notes. I say "yes" here so much more than I do back home and every single day is an adventure. Plus when you are abroad, so much of your mentality is about meeting new people and trying new things and I hate to say it, but getting back into that Willamette bubble just takes that away from you. I have seriously contemplated staying here for the full year but you and I both know I can´t... not only do I think my parents would shoot me dead but I guess I can´t avoid real life forever, and graduation requirements and jobs and internships and the future are still staring me in the face.
So I know this post may have turned into a stream-of-consciousness ramble but I feel better for having put it all out there, especially given some of my previous posts. Where I used to tear up thinking about all I am missing out on back home, I get misty-eyed thinking of all I will be leaving behind. I guess this just means I will have to make the most of my time left here but I am sure that no matter what, there will always be that feeling that there is so much more I could be doing. Any way I need to stop now. Thanks for listening.
My friend Olivia came to visit me here this last week and playing tourist with her just made my appreciation of Granada grow. And it made me realize just how amazing my host family and my friends and even the city itself are. We spent some time in the Mediterranean town of Málaga which was fun but returning home to show Olivia the sites was a wake-up call. I got to see the city through a newcomer´s eyes again and I also got to return to some of my favorite places. We spent a lot of time at various bars or cafés, just people watching and talking, or wandering the streets and stumbling upon tiny plazas and local markets. I am almost regretting my decision to go to Bacelona for a weekend because that is a weekend I am not in Granada. And as far as my Morocco trip goes, I am still debating when I could possibly tear myself away from here.
It was at this point that I realized I can´t imagine leaving Spanish life behind. First of all I had two exams this week and for once, I didn´t spend hours studying and I didn´t stress about them as I would have at home. Instead, I did what I felt like doing, which including going out for tapas or churros with my friends because time is getting too short here. Okay so maybe my grades won´t turn out that well but I have much fonder memories now than I would have had I sat around poring over my notes. I say "yes" here so much more than I do back home and every single day is an adventure. Plus when you are abroad, so much of your mentality is about meeting new people and trying new things and I hate to say it, but getting back into that Willamette bubble just takes that away from you. I have seriously contemplated staying here for the full year but you and I both know I can´t... not only do I think my parents would shoot me dead but I guess I can´t avoid real life forever, and graduation requirements and jobs and internships and the future are still staring me in the face.
So I know this post may have turned into a stream-of-consciousness ramble but I feel better for having put it all out there, especially given some of my previous posts. Where I used to tear up thinking about all I am missing out on back home, I get misty-eyed thinking of all I will be leaving behind. I guess this just means I will have to make the most of my time left here but I am sure that no matter what, there will always be that feeling that there is so much more I could be doing. Any way I need to stop now. Thanks for listening.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Madrid
If Granada is like Santa Fe, Madrid is, well, New York. It is huge, bustling, and full of things to do and see. Yet at the same time, it still has that Spanish charm that I seem to just find everywhere. I mean every corner you turn, there is some plaza or other or an incredibly beautiful building predating anything I have seen in the US.
So we started off our visit in Madrid in the museum of modern art, known as the Reina Sofia. I hate to say it, but I have never laughed so hard at any artwork before. I guess I just can´t appreciate things like the ´untitled box for standing in´ or a completely white exhibit room that is actually an exhibit in itself. The Picasso´s, Dalí´s and Miró´s were interesting enough but just not really my cup of tea. In reality, they just weirded me out a bit. However, next on our list was the Museo de Prado which is basically just second to the Louvre in Europe. Now this museum is incredible - it has works by Velzquez, El Greco, Goya, Ribera, Rembrandt and more. It is amazing how lifelike some of the pictures are and you could spend whole days just getting lost in the building. The problem was that I was rather tired and though I hate to admit it, I was feeling overwhelmed with all of the art after only 2 mere hours. So, like any American tourist, I went to Starbucks to get some sustenance.
Our next stop was The Escorial which is the huge and rather austere palace from the reign of King Felipe II. The library was impressive, as was the maseleoum were all of Spain´s kings and queens since Felipe´s time are buried along with other members of the royal family. I think I probably saw about 2000 coffins that day, which was fitting as it was halloween. To continue in that same vein, we drove up the the Valle de Los Caidos where Franco is buried. It is an incredible monument and I was very conflicted regarding my feelings towards it. First of all, it is where 50,000 nationalist soldiers are buried and Franco built it as a testament to the strength of Spain under his rule. However, the monument itself is incredible, carved straight into the mountain with the second largest basilica in the world. The cross that towers overhead is much taller than the Eiffel Tower and the whole thing overlooks a massive valley and can be seen from miles away. However, when I would stop to think about how many people died in the civil war and how much suffering came about from it, I was not particularly fond of the monument. But I can still appreciate it. If you ask any Spaniard, they seem to express the same feelings. After all, their conflict was much more recent than our civil war and there are still many remains today.
Anyway, all seriousness aside, I was excited to celebrate halloween in Madrid. People actually do dress up and it is a rather popular holiday for young people. So we met up with a friend who lived in Madrid that we had met earlier and went out to a delicious dinner before meeting up with some other Spaniards, Mexicans, Venezuelans, and Costa Ricans to go dancing. It was rather fun but before long, all of us Americans were ready to head back and go to sleep. Of course, no one could believe that we would want to go home at 4:30 in the morning as the night was just getting started in Madrid. One day, I am sure I am just going to see the sun rise. In fact, the next morning when I woke up at 8 to get breakfast, there were many people walking along the streets still in costume, just heading home for the day.
I spent a glorious afternoon in the Parque de Retiro in Madrid which is basically equivalent to Central Park. The sun was shining, it was warm, the park was full of trees with autumn leaves, and everyone was out, either taking a walk, paddling a boat on the lake, watching the street performers, or just sitting in the grass. I have to say I really miss grass and decidious trees here in Granada, so it was so nice to actually feel like it was fall. If there is only one thing the Europeans do right -which I know they actually do a lot of things right- it´s that there are parks everywhere.
The next two excursions we took were to Segovia to see the impressive and more than a thousand year old roman acqueduct, and then to Toledo to visit the medieval city where Don Quixote was born. Both were charming and full of fall sunshine. In Segovia, I visited the royal palace which is supposedly the model for the castle in ´Snow White.´ During both excursions though, I was feeling a bit tired and sick so I probably didn´t appreciate them as much as a should have. But I have to say, after visiting Madrid, I am finding that it will be harder and harder for me to leave here. Don´t get me wrong, I can´t wait to see all of you, but I am finally settling into Spanish life and I know that there are many aspects of it that I will miss, much more than I originally thought.
So we started off our visit in Madrid in the museum of modern art, known as the Reina Sofia. I hate to say it, but I have never laughed so hard at any artwork before. I guess I just can´t appreciate things like the ´untitled box for standing in´ or a completely white exhibit room that is actually an exhibit in itself. The Picasso´s, Dalí´s and Miró´s were interesting enough but just not really my cup of tea. In reality, they just weirded me out a bit. However, next on our list was the Museo de Prado which is basically just second to the Louvre in Europe. Now this museum is incredible - it has works by Velzquez, El Greco, Goya, Ribera, Rembrandt and more. It is amazing how lifelike some of the pictures are and you could spend whole days just getting lost in the building. The problem was that I was rather tired and though I hate to admit it, I was feeling overwhelmed with all of the art after only 2 mere hours. So, like any American tourist, I went to Starbucks to get some sustenance.
Our next stop was The Escorial which is the huge and rather austere palace from the reign of King Felipe II. The library was impressive, as was the maseleoum were all of Spain´s kings and queens since Felipe´s time are buried along with other members of the royal family. I think I probably saw about 2000 coffins that day, which was fitting as it was halloween. To continue in that same vein, we drove up the the Valle de Los Caidos where Franco is buried. It is an incredible monument and I was very conflicted regarding my feelings towards it. First of all, it is where 50,000 nationalist soldiers are buried and Franco built it as a testament to the strength of Spain under his rule. However, the monument itself is incredible, carved straight into the mountain with the second largest basilica in the world. The cross that towers overhead is much taller than the Eiffel Tower and the whole thing overlooks a massive valley and can be seen from miles away. However, when I would stop to think about how many people died in the civil war and how much suffering came about from it, I was not particularly fond of the monument. But I can still appreciate it. If you ask any Spaniard, they seem to express the same feelings. After all, their conflict was much more recent than our civil war and there are still many remains today.
Anyway, all seriousness aside, I was excited to celebrate halloween in Madrid. People actually do dress up and it is a rather popular holiday for young people. So we met up with a friend who lived in Madrid that we had met earlier and went out to a delicious dinner before meeting up with some other Spaniards, Mexicans, Venezuelans, and Costa Ricans to go dancing. It was rather fun but before long, all of us Americans were ready to head back and go to sleep. Of course, no one could believe that we would want to go home at 4:30 in the morning as the night was just getting started in Madrid. One day, I am sure I am just going to see the sun rise. In fact, the next morning when I woke up at 8 to get breakfast, there were many people walking along the streets still in costume, just heading home for the day.
I spent a glorious afternoon in the Parque de Retiro in Madrid which is basically equivalent to Central Park. The sun was shining, it was warm, the park was full of trees with autumn leaves, and everyone was out, either taking a walk, paddling a boat on the lake, watching the street performers, or just sitting in the grass. I have to say I really miss grass and decidious trees here in Granada, so it was so nice to actually feel like it was fall. If there is only one thing the Europeans do right -which I know they actually do a lot of things right- it´s that there are parks everywhere.
The next two excursions we took were to Segovia to see the impressive and more than a thousand year old roman acqueduct, and then to Toledo to visit the medieval city where Don Quixote was born. Both were charming and full of fall sunshine. In Segovia, I visited the royal palace which is supposedly the model for the castle in ´Snow White.´ During both excursions though, I was feeling a bit tired and sick so I probably didn´t appreciate them as much as a should have. But I have to say, after visiting Madrid, I am finding that it will be harder and harder for me to leave here. Don´t get me wrong, I can´t wait to see all of you, but I am finally settling into Spanish life and I know that there are many aspects of it that I will miss, much more than I originally thought.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Menos que un mitad
So my life continues without my computer and so does the long Indian summer we´ve been having here. Not only is it tshirt and shorts weather but the sun is out full force. I can´t believe it! So much for that red peacoat I just bought.
My experience is more than halfway over and I have to say I´m excited for the next two months but also looking forward to coming home (though not to the rain and clouds). The only problem is that it is just now that I seem to be making more international friends and it is also just starting now that I will be busy almost every weekend. Our program is going to Madrid for five days starting tomorrow, then my friend Olivia is coming to visit and we are going to Malaga (right in the midst of midterms too!), then our program goes to Sevilla, then I have plane tickets to Barcelona, and then I plan on going to Morocco. Whew... I am disappointed that going to Portugal doesn´t seem to be like much of an option now but I guess I can´t go everywhere. There´s just not enough time! It´s frustrating though because there´s still so much to do and see but I am also feeling a lot lazier about traveling. Mainly that I never want to see the inside of the Granada bus station ever again.
My classes are going fine although rather disappointing in that I feel I am not learning anything new about the economy or much about translation. It was frustrating today because my econ professor showed us a video by Glen Beck when we were talking about immigration. Of course, I can´t stand Glen Beck but then the professor went on to say he should be censored and that he doesn´t understand why nudity is so taboo in the US while anyone can basically say anything when it comes to political rhetoric. I tried to explain to him about free speech laws in the US but he just kept saying ¨we have free speech in Spain but no one here would be allowed to say the Mexican president is lazy and stupid.¨ Then he went on to say that someone´s cultural level should be determined by how much school they went to. For example, he says in Spain the ¨cultural level¨is close to 30% meaning that 30% of people are university educated. We tried to tell him that culture and education have nothing to do with one another per se but he just kept negating our viewpoint. Needless to say it was a frustrating experience, especially since we could only speak in Spanish.
Well that´s all for now - I have to head home for lunch soon. I will let you know how Madrid goes though! ¡Hasta hora!
My experience is more than halfway over and I have to say I´m excited for the next two months but also looking forward to coming home (though not to the rain and clouds). The only problem is that it is just now that I seem to be making more international friends and it is also just starting now that I will be busy almost every weekend. Our program is going to Madrid for five days starting tomorrow, then my friend Olivia is coming to visit and we are going to Malaga (right in the midst of midterms too!), then our program goes to Sevilla, then I have plane tickets to Barcelona, and then I plan on going to Morocco. Whew... I am disappointed that going to Portugal doesn´t seem to be like much of an option now but I guess I can´t go everywhere. There´s just not enough time! It´s frustrating though because there´s still so much to do and see but I am also feeling a lot lazier about traveling. Mainly that I never want to see the inside of the Granada bus station ever again.
My classes are going fine although rather disappointing in that I feel I am not learning anything new about the economy or much about translation. It was frustrating today because my econ professor showed us a video by Glen Beck when we were talking about immigration. Of course, I can´t stand Glen Beck but then the professor went on to say he should be censored and that he doesn´t understand why nudity is so taboo in the US while anyone can basically say anything when it comes to political rhetoric. I tried to explain to him about free speech laws in the US but he just kept saying ¨we have free speech in Spain but no one here would be allowed to say the Mexican president is lazy and stupid.¨ Then he went on to say that someone´s cultural level should be determined by how much school they went to. For example, he says in Spain the ¨cultural level¨is close to 30% meaning that 30% of people are university educated. We tried to tell him that culture and education have nothing to do with one another per se but he just kept negating our viewpoint. Needless to say it was a frustrating experience, especially since we could only speak in Spanish.
Well that´s all for now - I have to head home for lunch soon. I will let you know how Madrid goes though! ¡Hasta hora!
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