Catching up
I’ve fallen behind. But as I found out today, my own mom doesn’t even read this so who knows who does.
I went to Barcelona this past weekend. It was SO MUCH FUN. The trip started out by us getting lost, of course. And it was only me and one other girl. So we asked directions from this guy, his wife, and their mother. Finally they just offered us a ride and since we’re smart Americans, we accepted. So we got to our hotel and found out that they had to split us up. So now we’re smart Americans sleeping by ourselves in a room full of guys and girls. Luckily they were all really nice. The guys in my room were actually deaf. But anyway. We spent all day Saturday walking around Barcelona and seeing all the sites. It was fantastic. (pictures on facebook). Saturday we went to this Montserrat Mountain were they had built this huge church to house “La Virgin de Monsterrat.” It was really pretty but didn’t have much significance to me. We left that night and arrived in Madrid at about midnight. The last bus to Segovia left at 11. SOOOO we spent the night in the airport (remember, we’re smart Americans.) The first bus to Segovia left at 6:30 am and we made it back just in time for class. It was probably the best weekend yet and definitely my favorite city. The only downside is that they do no speak spanish in Barcelona, the speak catalan. Because they don’t consider themselves part of Spain. It was soooo hard to communicate, but we managed.
Monday Jen and I went exploring throughout the city of Segovia, parts we hadn’t been to before. I’m so obsessed it’s so pretty.
Tuesday I finally got to go to the castle!!!! (pictures to come.)
Because we are all so stressed with homework and stuff Jen and I have made a pact that we will do at least one fun thing a day…like exploring and seeing the castle. It’s already made this week so much better.
This weekend is our long weekend to travel so we only have one more school day!! We are going to the southern part of Spain to a city called Malaga, which conveniently has the prettiest beach in Spain. :] can’t wait!
7-9-12 till 7-11-12
Monday
This was the best day. Every day, as I’ve said earlier, we have a huge family lunch. Well I can tell I’m starting to understand the humor instead of just trying to understand the words. Monday I was crying because I was laughing so hard. Lunch started out by lecturing Jose (our senora’s grandson) because, we think, he was dating a liar. And liars are no good. So then his dad Tonio was talking about how movies are lies and they’re all just fantasies. Which brought up Sylvia’s problem because she was watching an inappropriate movie the night before. So then she got in trouble. She is so hysterically dramatic I love it. After getting yelled at she throws up her arms and yells “Dejame en paz.” (literal translation-leave me in peace. or, leave me alone.) Everytime someone tried to say something else she’d yell “Dejame en paz!” I started laughing so hard cause I love when she gets in trouble (she’s just so dramatic!) So then of course she starts yelling at me for laughing at her, causing me to laugh even harder until I started crying. Then everyone was laughing at me cause I’m sitting at the table balling my eyes out. Tonio told me that Sylvia cries too and I said “Oh, I know.” (she cried during that movie we watched) Everyone was cracking up. Also, we had chicken nuggets. We obviously knew what they were but our senora tried to teach us the word “Nugget.” Tonio yelled out “It’s their word!!” Maybe you had to be there but it was so so funny.
That night we had just gotten home and Sylvia runs in, empties the liter bottle of water, and fills it with sangria for her and her friends. Oh my goodness I was dying. I love that girl.
Tuesday
Tuesday we went to Salamanca and Ávila. Pictures are on my facebook. I loved it, it was a lot calmer than Madrid. Salamanca has the first University in Spain. It was gorgeous, I seriously thought I was in Hogwarts. Ávila was absolutely beautiful. The surrounding walls are huge and magnificent..I’d go back.
Wednesday
We had a big test in one of my classes this morning so most of Wednesday was spent studying. I wish classes didn’t exist.
7-6-12 till 7-8-12
Friday marked the end of our first week of classes. So of course we spent it doing homework. But We did spend the night “tapas hopping” instead of bar hopping. Here they give you free tapas with every beverage you order. It’s amazing. And it just so happens that our favorite bar has the best tapas. :]
Saturday we took an excursion to Madrid. We got to see the plaza mayor, puerta del sol, Prado Museum, and more. It was really fun but it was so big and busy it was kind of stressful. We stayed the night there and we were trying to find our hostel but we walked in the entire wrong direction. We had to stop and ask for directions it was awful..we looked like a bunch of gringos.
We came back early Sunday and spent the rest of the day doing homework. I had two quizzes, a paper, and a presentation due this morning :[ But our teacher did ask how much time we spent doing homework and she was so apologetic when we told her so I’m hoping it’s going to get better.
Also, I am completely obsessed with mi masero. (waiter). I go to the same cafe every morning and he gives me and my friend Emily free coffee. And today he was asking all about the United States and how it’s the best place in the world. It’s his dream to go to Hollywood and see the Walk of Fame and all the stars. He said he watches tv and sees Tupac. I died when he told me that. Ugh I love him.
Thursday 7-5-12
Well, yesterday I went to the museum of modern art here in Segovia because it was free and I’m very cultured. Then we went to a cafe to do homework. and more homework. and then some homework. I think all of us here are getting really annoyed with the amount of homework we have. If I wanted to sit in a cafe and do homework all day I would’ve stayed in America.
Don’t get me wrong I’m obsessed with being over here, but it’s so stupid that I’m reading about the culture of Spain when i can be out there experiencing it. Just my ranting for the day.
That’s all. I don’t have much time to write today. Love you all.
Also, “Call Me Maybe” just came on in the cafe. It’s fate.
Wednesday 7-4-12
I want to celebrate the fourth of July with fireworks when I get home. Just saying.
Yesterday was boring in comparison to every other day. Classes, lunch with our senora and her family, and a two hour siesta :] (I didn’t mean to actually sleep for two hours but it happens.)
After my siesta we had a guest speaker come talk to us about the Monarchy and Municipality in Medieval Spain. It was a blast.
Then we planned our weekend, and we decided not to go to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. Because we had to go to Madrid for an excursion (rough life, right?), and we have classes Monday, we would of had to go to and from Pamplona in the same day. It just wasn’t practical :[ So I’m just going to spend the night in Madrid and do some more exploring.
Then was time for dinner and homework. I also watched a movie with our senora’s granddaughter called “Tres metros sobre el cielo.” It was all in spanish and really hard to understand but I loved it. I actually could comprehend the majority of it! A couple times I had to ask Sylvia what they said and she would repeat it slower for me. It was great practice.
And that’s all for yesterday!
Oh I forgot, I found a new favorite cafe!! It’s right by the centro in the plaza mayor and the WIFI reaches there. The waiter is so nice and yesterday he gave me my coffee for free.
Also, one thing about Spain, there are like no blondes here. I stick out like a sore thumb. It’s so weird.
Mi Hermana Kristen
This post is all about my sister Kristen because she complained that it wasn’t all about her. I know she’s used to that…but she only gets one post.
Tuesday (7-3-12)
I posted Monday below because I didn’t have internet yesterday. In case you couldn’t tell, I’ll be posting the activities from the day before every morning when I have internet access.
Yesterday we went to Toledo, a city about two hours south of here. It was so pretty. We had this tour guide who got on the bus with us and we drove around the city while sh talked to us. I wasn’t a big fan. I’d rather get out and walk than sit in a bus and take bad pictures. Plus she kept moving the mic and nobody could hear what she was saying to us anyway. But we finally got off the bus and went to this huge cathedral. It was the prettiest place I’ve ever seen in my life. It was gigantic. But again, we had to listen to our guide talk the whole time. I love looking at buildings and museums, but only when I can walk around by myself and read everything by myself. Maybe I have a problem with authority but I hate being herded around a museum. Next we went to a smaller church which wasn’t that exciting and also a synagogue. What was so unique about Toledo is that a long time ago, there were three different religions that coexisted there, which is why there are so many different types of places and churches.
After the synagogue we were finally allowed to eat lunch and explore the city by ourselves. A group of girls and I went shopping for the first time since I’ve been here. It was so much fun and i got to know them a lot better. I really like the people I’m here with, it’s been a blast so far.
I slept the entire way back. And once we got back we went to the bar right next to the centro because we found out the the centre’s wifi reaches the bar. We researched buses and trains for the trip to Pamplona for the running of the bulls. Of course we couldn’t agree on anything so we haven’t made plans yet but I think we’re gonna do it today. We better because I’m way to excited about it.
Dinner was alright..not my favorite. We had spaghetti and something else I was afraid to ask about. Then we spent the rest of the night doing homework. I tried to get our senora’s granddaughter to do it for me but she wouldn’t. :[ I think because of the excursion and the excitement of being here, everyone kind of forgot we had school too. You should see all of us this morning, dragging our butts around because we were up late doing homework. Worth it. Thank God for siesta.
I’m loving Spain so far and I can already feel an improvement in my Spanish. I just want this month to go as slow as possible but I don’t think that’s possible.
Monday (7-2-12)
Monday was such a full day I’m so exhausted. As I said earlier it was the first day of classes. I have class from 8:50-12:20. After class I can use the internet from the centro (where we have classes.) I wait for my roommate to finish her classes; she has class from 10:40-2:10. So I uploaded some picture, updated my blog, and then went and had some café with other students in the plaza mayor. The plaza mayor is just a big plaza, most of the time with government buildings surrounding it, that every city in Spain has. It’s where we watched the Euro championship.
After classes my roommate Jen and I went to our house and had lunch with our senora, her daughter, her daughter’s husband, and their kids. Oh my goodness they reminded me of our family…everyone talking over each other and talking way too fast to understand. They had to repeat themselves many times. Oh and we had this white rice with fried eggs and some type of tomato salsa. It was absolutely fantastic.
After lunch was siesta. :] but only like a ten minute siesta which was depressing but we had plans and had to get up. We met up with our friend Joe (Jose) and went hiking! We went down by the castle, walked along a river, then up a 3543 million foot mountain. It was so tiring but so so beautiful!! Of course, I forgot my camera so I couldn’t take any pictures but I think Jen and Jose are going to force me to go up the hill again so we can take pictures.
Next was time to return to our favorite bar for another glass of Sangria. ONLY ONE GLASS, MOM. Isn’t that supposed to be healthy?
We walked around Segovia some more and returned for dinner. Oh by the way, they eat lunch at 2:30ish here and dinner at 10:00 at night. Reminds me of the Rudisills. :] We had the best soup of my life and some kind of tortilla/ham/egg thing. It wasn’t my favorite, too much egg, but I’d eat it again.
I think that’s it. Jen and I are getting ready for bed because we have to get up so early. Tomorrow we are going to Toledo for the day. So I might not have Internet access at all tomorrow, but I’ll post this eventually. I don’t really know what I’m supposed to be writing on here so if there’s anything else you want to know about the trip just ask me. Unless you’re one of my uncles. Don’t ask.
Also, it’s really really hard to right this in English. I have to keep erasing Spanish words so you can understand. That’s a good sign right?
Hasta Luego!
If you want to skype me…
I have free internet from 12:30-2:10 my time which is 6:30-8:10 ET. So if you want to see my beautiful face, you’ll have to get up early cause there’s no way I’m paying for internet. :] love you all!
Bienvenido a España!!!
im using this to blog my adventures through the great country of Spain so that my family and friends can see what im up to, but also so that i dont forget anything. enjoy! :]
Yesterday was filled with traveling. We finally arrived in Madrid at 9:55am and caught a bus to Segovia. As soon as we got to Segovia we met our Senoras. I love my Senora. She lives alone but her daughter and grandkids are over all the time. She made us a lunch of salad, french fries, fish, and chicken. (yes mom, she tricked me into eating fish. and i loved it.) It was so delicious. The we took a much needed siesta. I know you aren’t supposed to go to bed because it messes with your internal clock but siesta is an every day thing here so I just had to. And it was the best nap of my life. After our nap we met up with the rest of the students and got a short little tour of Segovia. I’m in love it is so beautiful and peaceful. There is a huge aqueduct in Segovia and it is 2432x more awesome than any picture I’ve seen of it. It’s so impressive that something like that, with no mortar, can withstand since the roman empire. And the streets are so small you’re literally walking around and someone will yell out “COCHE!” (car) and everyone runs to the side of the street. It’s great. Plus the weather is PERFECT.
After the tour we went to a little bar and I had the best Sangria that I’ve ever had in my entire life. (not that I’ve had a bunch). But really. Mom and Tina-it’s better than that place in Little Italy. Then our senora made us a sack dinner that we took with us to the plaza mayor to watch Spain play Italy in the EURO championship. Spain won!! It was insane. Every time Spain scored a goal the crowd went absolutely wild. I mean people we throwing their drinks up in the air, their food, you name it, it was in the air. It seriously looked like sprinklers going off. And then of course after the game crowds were running down the street screaming and chanting…horns were honking. They were celebrating to say the least.
After the end of the game we were all so jetlagged we went home and I went straight to bed. And that’s yesterday!
This morning started out with breakfast with our senora and classes. The classes will be ok it’s just so distracting to look out at the plaza mayor and see everyone walking about. I don’t want to be in class I’m in Spain!!! But oh well. Today we’re just exploring Segovia and possibly going to the castle!!! And tomorrow we’re headed to Toledo! So excited. :]
