España Wins!

Tuesday, July 29
1:14am

Hola!

Viva España! We beat Portugal tonight 1-0. Portugal is the third best team in the world. I believe Spain is the second best. A few friends and I found a local bar, had some tapas, and enjoyed the game. Spain had plenty of shots on goal during the game, however only one fell in. The team looked good, though. They play Paraguay on Saturday at 8:30pm (1:30pm your time).

Tonight Melanie, Julia, and I went to the theater for the midnight showing of the Twilight Eclipse movie… Too bad the theater was closed and the movie cannot show here until it premiers in the US. At least we know the bus system a bit better now, right?

I am thoroughly enjoying my classes this semester. I am learning about the government system in Spain, geography, and important festivals here. We also have a 5 page, 1.5 spaced paper (not double space, sad day) the last day of class. Each person has a different topic. My topic is tourism. I believe I can write from many different points of view and speak with the local restaurants and bars, my host family, teachers at the school, and even a travel agent - I think I know someone who could help me. J

In Commercial Spanish, I feel that it is a different version of a conversation class. The teacher is approachable but corrects us when we mispronounce words or use them incorrectly. In English we may say, you need to see the Sears Tower when you are in Chicago. However, in Spanish, need is only used when it is vital. You would say something like, you ought to see the Sears Tower, or I recommend highly you see it.

Heading to bed!
Buenas Noches

Kristina

First Day of School - 2nd part

12:23pm
Monday, July 28

First day of classes in second month

Hola chicos!

Today was my first day of class in the second part of the program. In Civilization we are learning about the history and culture of Spain from the findings of Homo sapiens at the cave of Altamira to today. The class consists of much information packed into 16 days of class. Also I am taking a Spanish commercial class in which I learn the lingo of the business world. Many commercial words came from the English language and are thus very similar. Marketing = Marketing and Administración = Administration

We took the public bus for the first time to and from school. Since we have 22 people in our group, compared to 60, we no longer have the private bus. It takes about 40 minutes to get to school now, in comparison to 30 before. I enjoyed using the bus, and we actually met a few people from Ohio as well by exploring the public transportation.

Today I had a Spanish conversation partner. Due to the private donation to the program, we have conversation partners available for anyone who is interested in talking to natives for two hours in the afternoon. They are about 25 years old and live an hour from here. One of the girls I spoke with today loves Paris. She told me a few things that I have to do when I visit, such as take a boat tour from the Eiffel tower that will give me a view of the city in addition to Notre Dame. We are going to visit the city of our conversation partners this week to see another part of Spain and understand their culture. Today we just met at a local café.

After the conversation partners, I went for my second run here. I cannot explain my feelings of contentment once I ran. It is extremely hot here from 3 to 5 (noon heat in the US). I was a bit nervous about the heat, however, we I ran about 8:30pm, the skies became overcast and a short rain came. Ten minutes later, the temperature dropped 5 degrees Celsius. It was the perfect weather to run, as many other people had the same idea. I ran for about 35 minutes in the park close by. It is a beautiful scene with mountains to the left and children playing to the right.

Due to all of our walking, my feet need a pedicure pronto. I am on the look out for a ped-egg in Spain.. wish me luck! I think I’m going to wear tennis shoes for a few days.

Tomorrow at 8:30pm (1:30pm your time), Spain plays Portugal in the World Cup. The US lost against Ghana this weekend, so you should now show your support to Spain ☺. I look forward to watching the game and donning my new Spain apparel singing “A por ellos, ole” – all for them, oye – this is the theme song for the team.

Also, here the large birthday is 18. At this birthday you can drive, smoke, and drink. It is all in one birthday. Wahoo!

Heading to bed with a full day tomorrow.

Buenas noches,
Kristina

Photos of Trip (cont'd from post below)

Gardens of the Palace in Segovia



Body of water Columbus traveled to reach the Americas



Christopher Columbus' body in Cathedral of Seville

Seville & Cordoba

Sunday, June 27
6:37pm

Photos

- Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba

- Panorama view of Cordoba

- Our Hotel in Cordoba

- La Mancha - Don Quixote


Andulucía Viaje (Andalusia trip)

Hola chicos!

Just returned “home” from a weekend in Andalusia, a territory in southern Spain. We visited Sevilla (Seville) and Cordoba. These two cities fulfill the stereotypes of Spain. Sevilla is home to the most famous bull-fighting ring in Spain, if not the world, in addition to being the heart of Flamenco dancing. We saw authentic, non-touristy Flamenco dancing in Cordoba, the famous mezquita (Mosque on outer rim, cathedral in the center). I will attach a video to the blog for you to see this amazing phenomena.

We left on Friday morning at 8:00am and had a 6-hour drive to Seville. We stopped at the city of La Mancha on our way, which is popular due to the book by Cervantes, Don Quixote. After we arrived in Seville, we placed our belongings in our 4 star hotel and toured the city. Las Sirpientes (not sure on spelling here) is a world famous street of shopping. We browsed, had some gelato, and enjoyed the narrow streets of the town. I fell in love with Seville and hope to return one day. I took a picture in front of the famous bull-fighting stadium and crossed over the river Columbus sailed to find the Americas.

The next morning we visited the renowned Cathedral in Seville. Christopher Columbus and his son are buried here. In addition, the cathedral is home to the largest alter in the world! After the tour we did a bit of shopping where I finally bought some guy gifts and had a great lunch at a local restaurant.

Many places have a “menu del día” or menu of the day. This includes a drink, bread, an appetizer, main plate, and dessert or coffee. We ordered vino blanco (white wine), paella, chicken, and café con leche (coffee with milk). After eating bread and rice, we began feeling a bit funny. We had only one glass of wine, but it was strong! I told my host family tonight at dinner that I had a glass of wine that was too strong . Mi padre quickly corrected me saying there is no such thing as a wine that is too strong and that this was just a sign of a good wine. I couldn’t help but laugh! If every wine were this potent, many people would save money on their bill.

We then hopped on our 70-person bus with no bathrooms to travel to Cordoba. Cordoba has much of the same atmosphere as Seville but without all the tourists. Since hotels that can hold 60 people are hard to come by, we descended to a 2 or 3 star hotel here. Our room had an interesting stint, a flat screen TV with no way to change the channel, and a roof view. We were lucky in that the air condition worked extremely well and we never had to use our hand-painted fans to find comfort.

NOTE: Hotels in Europe are extremely energy efficient. After 5 minutes of failing to be able to turn on a ceiling light or lamp, we realized our hotel key had to be placed in a holder next to the door in order for electricity to function. This brilliant idea, yet sometimes inconvenient, keeps lights and AC off when guests not present in the room. In addition, in order to use the hair dryer I held down a button the whole time. I guess they had a challenge with people keeping the hair dryer going on at night… Nonetheless, I appreciate the economic consciousness of Europe, and as I adjust to this culture, I want more to have a vacation home here… Maybe one day a second casa 8 hours away will be feasible.

Last night we attended a Flamenco dancing event. We are gracious for the private donation to this program where we were able to take the group to this event, free of charge to us. It took place in a courtyard outdoors with about 150 white fabric covered chairs placed everywhere. Waiters served you drinks as we marveled at the art of this sensual artistic dance. The women’s costumes consisted of long curve fitting dresses with ruffles at the bottom and tap dancing shoes. Men wore dress pants and a button up. At the second half of the show, a guy with long curly hair came on stage to dance. He only became more attractive as the show progressed, as anyone who can dance can woo my heart… J. In addition, not only were the dancers magnificent, the guitar players can move their hands and create sounds I have never heard before. Singers accompanied them with songs resembling what I would imagine as a morning song for those in worship. You can also think of Lion King with the whole, awoooooo akebahh. I hope this provides some auditory example.

This morning we visited the famous Mezquita (mosque) of Cordoba. The mosque, built in the ninth century, is one of the world’s must see sites with vivid expression of both the Muslim and Catholic cultures. During the Inquisition, when the Church slowly took over Spain, the mosque was to be changed into a cathedral. In order to keep the history and magnificence of the mudéjar (Muslim) style and significance, the outer of the mosque remain untouched and the cathedral was built only in the center. The wall facing the Mecca still stands in great condition on the far side of the building. The Muslims built horizontally and thus the building has a large land area. Catholics built vertically and so the center of the building is taller with high, decorative ceilings and gold covered sculptures.

After the visit to the Mezquita, we walked across a bridge that provided a panorama view of the city’s architecture. Cordoba is a beautiful city with a laid back lifestyle. Restaurant service is leisurely and enjoyment of life is top priority. While we waited for our food, that never came, we noticed women and men of all ages dressed as if they were about to attend a high school prom. Long dresses, hair styles from the beauty shop, and tuxes with tales lined the streets. When we asked our waiter the occasion, as we all felt very under dressed in our outfits from H&M, we found out this is the proper dress for weddings. Can you imagine going to the beauty parlor and buying a $100 dress for every wedding you attended… If I take up this tradition in the US, whenever I do get married, the attendance list and thus price of the wedding may reduce significantly... Mom & Dad would like this, right?

We arrived home today around 5:00pm. I went to church at the local cathedral and then uploaded pictures from the trip to Facebook. Heading to bed and going to catch up on some sleep. We do not have AC and the room is quite toasty… I do hope I can buy a fan very soon and that my family will not mind if I run it all night. Before I left home, the AC was out. I believe this prepared me for Spain, unexpectedly.

New classes begin tomorrow. I am taking Spanish Civilization and Spanish Commerce. I expect that commerce will introduce me to the business side of Spain and Civ will provide a background on my new culture. 38 out of 60 people in the group leave tomorrow morning for the states. The group will reduce in size, but I am looking forward to a close group and another awesome month in Europe.

Hasta luego amigos!
Thank you for following me on this journey. I love sharing my experiences with you.

Kristina

Thyssen Museum

7:54pm

Museo de Thyssen

Hola! Today we visited the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. It is located very close to the Prado and Reina Sofia. This museum began as a private collection and has been passed down for two generations. The Thyssen family is part of the bourgeois and have a collection of art envied by many.

We saw original paintings from Pollock, Monet, Dalí, Van Gogh, and many more I cannot remember. The museum houses art that spans many different centuries and from all parts of the world, including North America. The wife of Thyssen played a large part in the opening of the museum to the public with her sizeable collection added to the compilation.

On another note, we take final exams to complete our first semester of classes on Thursday. I will have finished Arts & Museums and Advanced Grammar. New classes begin on Monday. We have about 50 students in our group and about half of them are leaving for the states on Monday to return home. It will be different with less people here but also give us time to do more (free) group activities!

Family has been wonderful. The girls finished school and are now home more often. The other day they were watching the popular show, “Glee”, in Spanish. When Melanie and I come home late, our padre waited for us with dinner on the table. He wants to know that we are safe.

At the beginning of summer in Spain, rebajas begins. Rebajas are huge sales in almost every store. Rebajas run through the month of July. I bought a nice purse that will hold notebooks and perfect to take to interviews for only 6 euros and a black shirt with lace at the top for only 5 euros. I need to hold myself back a bit as I have a trip to Paris planned very soon!

I am finishing my studying
Hasta luego,
Kristina

Spain - Honduras Partido

3:17am
Futbol game

Last night Spain played Honduras and won 2-0! A group of three friends and I traveled to Madrid to see the game in the stadium. It reminded me of Tuscaloosa on game day, but on steroids. Filled with mostly young students ages 15 to 22, everyone donned their red and yellow, face painted, and flags either hanging over their backs similar to batman or raised high with pride. I will try to place a video up to give you an example of this event.

When we arrived, the gates to enter where backed up as we wiggled our way through the line of police checking bolsas (purses) to throw out alcohol. People were drinking out of large coke bottles and smoking everywhere. The large screen was placed on a stage resembling a concert with flags marketing popular companies on the side.

Before the game, everyone jumped up and down singing a repetitive tune and continued this tune after every goal.

After the first goal, we left the stadium and found a nicer bar to watch the game. When we walked by the bar, we thought it was too nice for us, as we had painted faces and Spain scarves. Nonetheless, the waiter, Jesus, told us we may not be dressed in a suit but we were pretty, so we should come in. We watched Spain in its first victory in the World Cup along side many businessmen in suits and Jesus who practiced his English with me. They invited us back for the US game on Wednesday.

We arrived home late last night and caught the final bus back. I am extremely tired; however, it is hard to make time to sleep when there are so many things I want to do!

Hasta luego amigos!
Kristina

Barcelona

21 de Junio
5:24pm

Buenos tardes!

He volvido de Barcelona. I have returned from Barcelona!
The weekend in Barcelona was the best weekend I have had since being in Spain.

We arrived in Barcelona at 10:30pm by airplane on Thursday. Once we took the aerobus into the city, we were not familiar with the transportation to arrive at our hostel. The bus from the airport took us to the incorrect stop and we walked across the populated street called Las Ramblas. This street is known to be a bit peligroso (dangerous) due to the large amounts of robberies. We were a bit nervous but followed the advice of mi madre and walked with an attitude. We found our way to the metro stop and met two girls on our train who were staying in our same hostel. They showed us the way.

When we arrived at our hostel, we thought we made a huge mistake in staying here, as we had never stayed in a place with bunk beds, lockers, and people smoking in the common room. After we got over the initial shock of the hostel, we went to the common room. Within five minutes, a nice guy from Virginia asked us to join him and his friends for a game. We met his friend, a guy from Germany, and a lady backpacking across Europe solo. Melanie told me the night unfolded very similar to the movie “Hostel” with the guys showing us a store near our place; however, they did not abduct us.Nonetheless, by the time we left the hostel, we felt very comfortable with the accommodations and enjoyed the community atmosphere. I met people from Germany, England, Brazil, China, New Zealand, and many cities in the US while in the hostel for only three nights. It is fascinating learning about other people’s culture.

Thursday night we ate at the Hard Rock Café in Barcelona. I didn’t think I missed American food until I had two heads (literally) of romaine lettuce with chicken that tasted better than chocolate cake.. I love Spain, but it will be nice to have cold milk and food that stays in the fridge a bit more often when I return to the States. J

The hostel provided breakfast for us every morning, which consisted of instant coffee, three types of cereals, and bread. During the rest of the day they had an open kitchen where many people would gather and cook meals. We cooked pasta on Friday night in order to save some money.

On Friday, we visited the Sagrada Familia, the unfinished cathedral by the modernist and innovative artist, Antonio Gaudi. Gaudi died in a train accident and his plans for the cathedral were also destroyed; therefore, it was under construction when we visited it and will be completed by 2026. Gaudi is famous for many of his art creations in Barcelona.

After the Sagrada Familia, we visited the beaches of Barcelona to watch the USA game. The beaches were immaculate, a bit windy, and filled with those both clothed and nude - a different atmosphere for me. Yet, it is normal to see women without tops in Europe and no one but tourists are caught looking in awe or disgust. Also on the beach, there were many al fresco style restaurants with flat screen TVs. We sat down next to a few girls from Texas and a group of guys in their mid 20’s who graduated from Notre Dame in order to watch the game.

After the US tied 2-2, we explored the shoreline. The sand was coarser than the gulf beaches; however, the water was blue, oil free, and chilly. We did not overcome the initial chill and resided on the shore when a man selling henna tattoos approached us. I bartered for a butterfly tattoo on my ankle from 7 to 2 euro. People sell everything everywhere from tattoos to beer. The man gave me the tattoo on the beach only feet from the shore. When we were sitting down watching the game, a lady began massaging my shoulder trying to sell me a massage. People with roses and sunglasses visited our table numerous times trying to obtain money from excited tourists.

After the beach, we headed back to the hostel for our homemade dinner. The guys we met from ND called us later that night to see if we were interested in seeing the town with them and a girl they met the day before. One of my good friends, Julia, and I acted on a whim and a bit irresponsible by trusting these guys we met earlier that day. Nonetheless, we met them at a bar later in the night along with a charismatic and extremely intelligent 21-year-old girl named Irene. She knows 7 languages and is studying Physics. I can only hope to be as accomplished as her one day.

The night ended up being one to remember as Julia and I saw the non-tourist nightlife in Barcelona, interacted with locals, and made some new friends. At a few bars in Spain, when you order a drink, you mix it yourself. Thus, you can put as little or as much alcohol in the drink as you would like. A bit dangerous for some, yet no one complains they don’t get their moneys worth. After the bar, meeting Irene’s friends, and eyes a bit glazed over by the smoke, we headed to a local discoteca.

At the disco, people supposedly break their glass drink bottles on the wall or floor in Spain and there were small pieces of glass near our feet. We were fortunate to keep all our toes J. As many of you know, dancing is something I could do all night no matter my energy level. We danced until 6:30am!! I am still trying to catch up on sleep. However, we were able to take the metro back home as it stopped running at 1am and began again at 5am. The night turned out to be one of my best nights since being in Spain and one I will remember for years to come. I love the discos in Spain and hope to find at least one in the states, but will not get my hopes up…

The next day we visited the Picasso Museum. Each room told a different story of his life in chronological order. Picasso’s style was not always the cubism-Guernica-outlandish style that initially comes to mind. He once painted flowers and people! I enjoyed most the room on Picasso’s version of the Velazquez painting, Las Mecenas where you see his rendition of the same image depicted in a less realistic form.

A friend of mine, Kelly, and I walked the streets of Las Ramblas after lunch and visited the street vendors’ booths. We kept our hands on our purses and later found out that one of our friends had her iPhone stolen here. The streets were crowed with shoppers, street performers, and vendors.

Later Saturday night we watched the magic fountain in front of the Barcelona capital. The fountain was coordinated to music and is similar to the fountain in Vegas. I will attempt to attach the video of the fountain for you to see. On the same street as the fountain, there was a Harley-Davidson Barcelona event. Seeing people dressed in leather, helmets on and speaking Spanish was an oxymoron for me. However, bikes here must be just as popular as in the states. Included in this event was a very good Bon Jovi cover band. All the songs were in English but the singer spoke in between songs in Spanish. It constantly amazes me the English influences here in music and fashion. (there is the show Glee in Spanish here – songs in English, words in Spanish!)

We left on Sunday morning and arrived back home safely. What a trip to remember! I hope to return to Barcelona one day to see more work from Guadi and explore what the city has to offer. The city is beautiful, has an extremely efficient metro, and shopping galore! Adios!

Kristina

Reina Sofia Museum

8:24am

Buenos Dias!

The World Cup is underway in Spain and the whole country puts aside their Real Madrid vs. Barcelona animosity to support one team. As I walked the streets of Madrid yesterday during the game, every TV available from the McDonalds to the train station was surrounded with at least five (5) rows of people, eyes glued, anticipating every move. Sadly, Spain did not win. The loss is similar to the feeling Alabama had when we lost to Louisiana Monroe. Our padre joked that we were not having dinner last night due to the upset.

After the game ended, our group went to the Reina Sofia Museum. This museum, located across the street from the popular Atocha train station in Madrid, is home to paintings from Picasso, Dalí, and some modern paintings and sculptures. The museum allowed us to use our cameras “sin flash” (without flash). I was able to get a picture with the Guernica, one of Picasso’s most famous paintings. I have all my photos from the Museum posted on my Facebook and will try to place one on here.

On another note, I ran the streets and parks of my new city yesterday. I made time to exercise about 40 minutes; however, I am out of shape and am sore today like I was after the half-marathon. Now that I have found a route I am comfortable with running and where I feel safe, I plan to reinstate cardio exercise in my life. Everyone here walks there dogs. Many people go to these parks; however, I only saw 2 other runners. Many people do not keep their dog on a leash. The dogs surprisingly do not leave their owners side, even the large rottweilers next to our house...

The other night Melanie and I met up with friends at a local bar after one of the fútbol games. Many of our closest friends left soon thereafter to grab a very late dinner; however, we met up with two guys in our group who were there with some of their Spanish friends. Melanie and I talked with these new “friends” for an hour and a half. What great conversation partners! I could not understand everything they said due to the large amount of slang used by the younger generation, very similar to the US. Nonetheless, we enjoyed meeting some locals and enjoyed a different side of nightlife here.

My family is wonderful as always! The girls (our hermanas – sisters) are going to let Mel and I listen to some of their Spanish music. We want to learn some popular songs here other than Shakira and Juanes. Yesterday, our padre gave us two roses from the bush in the front yard before we headed off to school. Also, we are able to communicate much better with our family and can understand them much better with every passing day.

Hasta luego!
Kristina

Segovia / La Granja

5:01pm

Buenas tardes!
In today’s blog:
- Trip to Segovia and La Granja yesterday
- El Rastro flee market
- Family & Spain

SEGOVIA / LA GRANJA

Yesterday we took a trip to Segovia, popular for the Aqueduct and the Alcazar. The Aqueduct was built around 2000 years ago in order to transport water from one side of the city to another. The structure is fancier than necessary in order to represent power. No cement was used to build the structure, and the rocks are held in place by pressure. The Alcazar, on the other hand, was both a royal palace and a castle for Kings prior to the end of the Reformation in 1492. Segovia was a Catholic city fighting against the Jews and Muslims to make Spain a Catholic country. The name “Alcazar is a combination of the words castle and palace. Ferdinand and Isabel lived here when they sent Christopher Columbus to discover the Americas.

We then visited La Granja, a hunting camp for the king with a royal palace and a breathtaking garden. The gardens consist of a half dozen fountains that naturally go off around 5:30pm each day if there has been sufficient rainfall. Tourists fill the gardens and travel from one fountain to another as the water travels from one fountain to another.
Watching water spray over 100 feet in the air amidst the mythological sculptures centered in the fountain was a phenomenal sight. My camera conveniently died before this visit. Melanie has some pictures I may sneak to show you the beauty of the palace.

The style of the Alcazar in Segovia and La Granja is mudejar. Mudejar means Muslim. The palaces were built by Christians, taken over by Muslims, and then overtaken again. Materials from each reign were recycled and each castle maintains a decorum consiting of both Catholic and Muslim styles.


EL RASTRO

We left for Madrid today around 8:30am to visit the largest flee market in the world, El Rastro. We arrived before the crowds and left once it became unbearable. We had one hand on our purses at all times as El Rastro is notorious for people taking your wallet. No one from our group encountered a pickpocketeer; however, one of our friends had her wallet stolen as she looked at rings.

El Rastro includes a large collection of jewelry, scarves, bolsas (purses), and fútbol paraphernalia. We all bought gifts and took in the enormity of the market. Afterwards, we visited the local H&M and had tapas at a restaurant where our waiter wooed Melanie with a red rose.


FAMILY / SPAIN
According to our family, Melanie and I say thank you much more than is usual for Spain. The culture here is similar to the northern US. Southern hospitality in Spain stands out. I am attempting to say thank you less frequently; however, I then feel a bit rude…

Yesterday when we returned from our trip, the USA vs. England fútbol game was playing. We quickly joined our family in the living room as we watched the game complete with cerveza and papas fritas (beer and chips). One of our sisters had a guy friend over and he helped us learn the Spanish fútbol lingo. New words:

Vamos – come on
Falta – Foul
Goal – goal

Melanie and I are fortunate to feel that we are a member of the family and always enjoy conversations with them on everything from directions, fútbol, and the economy.

When we arrived home from El Rastro today, the older two brothers came to visit. They live in a nearby city and came to play in a fútbol game earlier today. We enjoyed their visit, but I am still getting used to kissing someone on either side of their face when I meet them in lei of a handshake.

Quick fact: In Spain, there are always hand dryers in public restrooms. These dryers are rarely strong and my pants are mastering the towel function.

Went to church at the local Cathedral today. For all the Catholics reading this blog:
- For communion, you go up to the alter when you are ready – a bit of mass chaos in my opinion
- During mass, people walk around if they feel like it. A bit distracting
- At end of Mass, we sang the Hail Mary

Hasta mañana!
Kristina

El Escorial

1. Panteon - Kings bodies kept
2. El Escorial
3. Mel and I in front of the entrance

8:45pm

The World Cup begins today and the U.S. plays tomorrow. Many people donned jerseys and red shirts to celebrate.

Today we visited El Escorial, a “conservative” palace designed by King Charles V. It is similar to a Camp David for the king of Spain. Charles V was a very religious and diplomatic king. He wanted a place with fewer decorations that included a place to pray. He created the monastery at El Escoral for monks to pray daily for the souls of those passed away, especially the souls of the Royal Family. He constructed the palace in a mountainous area above Madrid where no one held residence.

Today, there is a town surrounding the palace, which acts as a retirement community for many people in Spain with wealth. It reminds me of the North Carolina of the US. The houses are beautiful, with most having a red textured ceiling reminding me of a Mediterranean style.

El Escorial is also a school, which began for children of the nobility. When we arrived we encountered numerous children in light blue and khaki Catholic school uniforms at recess in the patio area of the castle. I was a bit envious of the views of the city and mountains these children have daily.

Mountains surrounded the castle and it is truly a masterpiece in itself that a building of this size was created. When the palace was constructed, artists from Italy were hired to complete the decorations. The Italian influence in art from the masterpieces at El Escorial shape the history of Spanish art for centuries to follow.

The family quarters are now a museum with works from famous artists of the century such as el Greco and Velazquez. The king’s bedroom and office space are located to where the king could work and attend Mass by opening his window to the garden area.

The ceiling and walls of other rooms in the castle cannot be described to explain its beauty. Huge murals adorn hallways of the castle and ceilings painted of mythological features make me wonder about the beauty of Versailles.

Two of the highlights of El Escorial is the enormous library with 52 sections of books, most of which are handwritten. I will try to attach a picture above. In addition, the palace is home to the most phenomenal Basilica I have ever visitied. There are 42 alters in the Basilica and most have pieces of art hanging over them. However, the main focus in the wall behind the alter with an ornate mural of photos depicting the life of Maria y Jesús. The gold crucifix is placed above the story.

The last room I will tell you about is the room is called the Panteon, in which all the kings’ bodies are kept. I was in the company of Charles V, Felipe II, Felipe III, etc; today! The room is circular with caskets adorning the walls. The kings’ bodies lie to the left of the alter with their mother’s bodies to the right. The room is made of the finest materials with gold decorations and marble flooring.

The rooms near to the Panteon hold the bodies of other members of the royal family. (see first picture above)

El Escorial is truly an oasis and one of the most important sites in Spain. Today it remains a school, monastery, basilica, and museum. It is the most beautiful place I have visited thus far on my journey.

After our visit to El Escorial we planned to visit Valle de Los Caídos located in the mountains. However, it was closed for “renovations”. However, our teacher believes it closed for political reasons, as it is a symbol of the “party” who won the Spanish Civil War.

In the following blog, there is information about the nightlife of Spain and my family.

Hasta mañana (talk to you tomorrow!)

Nightlife

Hola!!

The nightlife of Spain is part of its culture. We began last night going to a tapas bar (drinks and appetizers). With every drink we ordered, we received a free tapa. Afterwards, we met friends at one the Irish pubs and then headed to a very popular discoteca, especially for Americans, called “Can-Can.” The crowd consisted of students from the US and a few locals who new they could catch a dance with an American girl.

I danced with a guy from Virginia and then a local Spaniard. The Spaniards line up around the dance floor and I didn’t realize that one dance would leave to such an amount of wooing. I truthfully wanted to say that I had danced with a local. He was very cognizant of my desire for space and we held our hands out and moved our feet and hips while two feet apart to pop songs that were popular in the US five (5) years ago. I was an oxymoron at this instant. I did return to my friends dancing together soon after.

Additionally, I am really enjoying time with my family here. Spending time with them is when I learn most about the culture and practice the language. We do not have AC or wireless internet. We always turn off lights and the computer when not in use. Electricity is expensive and it is not wasted. Some families do not even let students keep the fan on all night.

The milk here is kept in the cupboard until the carton is opened. I am getting used to drinking it at room temperature with my cereal in the morning. The cereal I eat here is extremely healthy. The family has lots of chocolate cereal, however, since my family never would buy chocolate cereal for me when I was a child, I don’t crave it now. My cereal is a combination of oats, nuts, flakes, and only a small bit of mini chocolate chips. It definitely keeps me full until our late lunch at 2:30 or 3:00pm.

I am comfortable with the currency here now and shopping in local stores. I do not mind asking someone a question about where something is located or how much it costs. If I always understand their answer is a different situation.. I am finding it very easy to spend money but I am truly enjoying the Spanish accessories and buying gifts for family and friends.

Hasta luego! We go to Segovia tomorrow.
Kristina

Weekend!

Hola!

I am at McDonalds in Spain. They have wonderful cafe con leche and it comes with a free doughnut. We are going to all meet up for dinner at a great restaurant and then see what the town has to offer.

We head to El Escorial in Madrid tomorrow. I will give you definitions of what it is and how trip goes very soon.

Picture is of my friends and me in front of Corte de Ingles (large shopping center)

Buenas noches,
Kristina

Prado Museum

10:28pm

Hola!

While in Spain, I feel like the most touristy person here as I take pictures at every ornate, important looking building but at the same time am beginning to feel more a part of the city that I now have a bus pass and a hand painted fan.

Yesterday a group of us went to see Alice in Wonderland at the local cine (movie theatre). It costs about 5 euros with my student discount. Popcorn only costs 3 euros for a large, which we all split. My appetite has grown with the amount of food our family feeds us, but not to the large popcorn extent, yet. I will try to attach a picture of the marketing sign for the movie “The Last Song” in Spain.

At dinner tonight my family tried to feed me two hamburgers after they packed me three sandwiches for lunch. One of my bocadillos (sandwiches) went to a lady begging for money on the train. Nonetheless, there was no way I could eat anymore. Our sisters have exams this week and have been at the library until about 9:30pm each night. Only three days left for them – I really want to start a countdown in the kitchen and make them something when they finish. However, every recipe here uses the metric system.

McDonalds here serves beer and McFlurrys come with a sauce (caramel, chocolate, white chocolate) and a choice of four candies. They have actual apple pies and chocolate brownies.

We went to the Prado Museum today. I am gaining a huge appreciation for art. I believe it is due to the combination of studying the painting or style in class and then seeing it tangibly. The Prado is on the same level of prestige as the Louvre in Paris. We had a tour today that lasted only an hour and a half. I am planning to revisit the museum and take some more time to view the art. I love Velazquez, especially his most famous painting, Las Meninas. I will try to attach a picture of this painting from the internet because we could not use cameras inside.

I have a test in Arts and Museums class tomorrow and have had a cup of strong Spanish coffee to keep me going.

Talk to you soon!!
Kristina

Update

June 8
5:45pm

Hola!

Half way done with school this week and almost half way done with first set of classes. I cannot believe how quickly time flies when in Spain.

It rains very infrequently here during June and July. We have not had a wet day yet, which I am not complaining about at all! The weather has been a bit warmer but has cooled off today and will continue into tomorrow. I would tell you the degree but it’s in Celsius, so I’m clueless.

The World Cup begins on the 11th and I hear about it more every day. A part of me wants Spain to win so I can be a part of the celebration; however, my loyalty will stick to the US.

A group of us are going to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D tonight, in Spanish! I am very excited to see what I understand. Our sister thinks it is “precious.” Afterwards, we are setting sail for American food at one of the local Domino’s. Who knew Domino’s was international. I did learn though that Domino’s is a Pepsi company here and a Coke company in the US from my roommate who has a strong loyalty to the Coke brand.

Classes are wonderful and we head to Madrid this week to see the Prado Museum. It is the most famous museum in Madrid as it stands 4 stories high and is home to thousands of paintings.

Buenas tardes (good afternoon!)
Kristina

Corpus Christi Procession

11:25pm (Sunday)

Hola!

Today is the celebration of Corpus Christi in the Catholic Church. In Spain, to celebrate these special days, there are processions in the streets. A large group of us attended Mass this afternoon and watched the parade that followed.

Mass was held in the Cathedral here, which is beautiful and has gothic style ceilings and something resembling gold fences at the front and back of the church. All the children who received First Communion this year attended as well. It was standing room only!

The First Communion dresses here are more detailed than those in the US. They have to be extremely expensive. The girls looked absolutely beautiful. The boys wore outfits similar to military uniforms with badges and cuffs. It was almost an oxymoron because I didn’t think someone that young should be wearing an outfit that appeared so prestigious.

The Mass here is very similar the one in the US; however, I only know how to say the “Our Father” and “Amen” in Spanish. I guess if they ever to use Latin I’ll be ok there as well. I hope to find a book on the Mass in Spanish very soon.

After communion, guess what, almost half the congregation left. Not much changes in Europe. It was kind of comical that this “tradition” continues here as well.

The processional that followed Mass was very moving and foreign to me. The bishop said Mass and was led out of the Church under an piece of fabric held up on all four corners. He held the Body of Christ. It was then placed on this huge float of gold and flowers. I will try to attach a picture to show you how ornate it was. I was extremely impressed.

The procession lasted for three (3) hours and the streets were flooded with people. I believe that 80% of the population here in Catholic. Therefore, the Church has Mass at every hour on Sunday! No excuse for not going…

After Mass we went to McDonalds to use free wi-fi and have a good ole American snack. I had ice cream for one Euro (I guess it is on the dollar menu of Spain)

My family had tortilla Española for us tonight, which I enjoyed very much. It looks like very thick cornbread but is made of tortillas, eggs, one onion, and a little bit of milk. Ever since I’ve been sick, I have been more timid about eating new food. The food tonight was safe and worry free. Earlier, we ate lunch on the family’s back porch. It was a beautiful day.

We do not receive much rain at all during June and July. My rain jacket took up precious space in my suitcase…

Hasta luego amigos!

Grocery Store with My Family

11:00pm

Buenas tardes!

Picture is of my parents and I!

This afternoon, when I was feeling better, I went to the grocery store with mis padres (my parents). We drove there. They have two cars: a small Toyota for the madre when she goes to work during the week and a slightly larger 4 seater when the family goes somewhere together. We took the bigger of the two to the grocery store.

They keep their cars in the garage under the house. It is a very skinny garage and has a width of only one car. Therefore, if you want to use the car farthest from the front, you have to move the first car out of the garage first.

When we arrived at the grocery store, we parked in a parking garage and got a grocery cart by placing one Euro in the top part of the cart when you place your hands. This unlocks the cart from the one in front of it. Your euro is returned to you when you return the cart to the correct position and reconnect it to the cart in front. A very smart idea that the US could adopt and prevent a cart from being in your desirable parking spot!

After we had our cart, we took a flat escalator into the area where the grocery store is located. I felt like I entered the Galleria or Eastdale Mall. There were shoe stores, Claire’s, restaurants, and the grocery store inside. The grocery store resembled a super Target because it had everything from carne (beef) to batteries to furniture. I enjoyed experiencing this with my family. They remind me very much of my mom as they always compare prices to buy the best deal.

I have been here almost a week now. I understand the culture very well. We always turn off lights and the computer when they are not in use. I am also beginning to learn the vosotros form (you plural form) because Spain is one of the only places that uses this form. In school we never practiced this so it has been a new experience for me.

Also, I know this sounds crazy, but I am addicted to the internet and my e-mail. It is different not being able to use the internet whenever I would like but I also think it is good for me to be more independent of technology.

Tomorrow I am going to a procession for Corpus Cristi held at the local Cathedral. I can’t wait to tell you about my experiences.

Also, check out Mom’s blog on Japan – it’s pretty awesome!

Madrid - Royal Palace

4:02pm

Hola!

Yesterday I did not write because I was in bed all afternoon with a 24 hour bug. I believe it was something I ate.

Before I got sick, yesterday morning we went to Madrid. We took a private bus and had a tour of the city. There are only stoplights at small intersections when pedestrians are crossing. Large intersections have roundabouts. They are similar to the one is East Chase in front of La Jolla restaurant, for those familiar with Montgomery. Roundabouts seem to be efficient, except for yesterday someone almost hit our bus because they were impatient.

In the middle of these roundabouts, especially in Madrid, there are beautiful sculptures and fountains. I have a few pictures of these on my Facebook.

The architecture here is absolutely phenomenal and like nothing I have seen before. We went to the Royal Palace in Madrid and took a tour. They did not let us take pictures but I will try to explain how intricate and detailed it was.

The Palace was designed to look very similar to the one in Versailles with every ceiling painted. It reminded me much of the Sistine Chapel. Crown molding was everywhere and most of it gold. The walls are covered in velvet with silk thread detailing during the winter and paintings during the summer.

The royal family does not live at this palace anymore but official visitors are guests here frequently.

After the palace, I did not feel very well at all and my roommate Melanie had been sick earlier that morning. I felt that we had the same thing and our teacher paid for us to have a taxi back to our house (30 minutes away). I got home and our family was concerned. They are always trying to feed us; I guess food fixes everything.

We just wanted to go to bed. The mom made us a drink that had a cough syrup consistency that helped our stomach. I have no idea what I was drinking but it did help my stomach feel better. I began to feel a bit overwhelmed last night and just wanted to talk to someone in English. I ended up calling Granny crying. I don’t know why I was so emotional but I can only think it is normal to feel overwhelmed during the first week in a new continent.

This morning I am much better but I did not go on our group trip to Toledo. I stayed in bed until 2:00pm! I have now showered and feel much better.

Tomorrow I am hoping to visit the Cathedral here.

Adios amigos!

Madrid for first time

3:58pm

Hola!

Warning: This is a longer post than usual. Please read whatever you would like – this will hopefully make it easier if you do not have a lot of time.

It is split up into 3 sections:
1. First time in Madrid
2. Today – Corte de Ingles
3. How is Spain different?


1. MADRID

We went to Madrid for the first time yesterday in order to learn how to use the train (RENFRE) and the metro. The RENFRE takes you to Madrid and the metro gets you around the city (similar to the Marta in Atlanta). We have to be very careful about pick pocketers on the subway because everyone is very close and the metro is notorious for people taking your money without you knowing. There were many of us on the train together and we had our whole arm wrapped around our purses. We were cautious (Ten cuidado) but also looked very much like tourists.

The metro is underground. When I walked up into the Puerto de Sol (center of Madrid) I felt like I came to a whole new world bustling with people laughing, kissing, taking pictures, eating ice cream, and tons of street performers. It reminded me very much like New York City but more crowded. The Puerto de Sol is a big circle with many streets going off of it. Think of the sun that you drew in art class when you were younger. The big circle is for the center and then lines going in all directions as rays. The lines were the different major avenues and streets in the city with the Puerta de Sol as the circle.

When in Madrid, we went to a tapas restaurant and had churros. This was my first time to have churros. They taste like a benguits (donuts in NOLA, spelling?) but they are very long and resemble very thick straws. They brought us out a coffee cup filled with rich, hot chocolate that we dipped the churros in - my brothers would love these!

We also visited the Plaza Mayor. It is a huge square surrounded by apartments, restaurants and shops. You feel that you are in a huge room without a roof. Antonio Banderas supposedly has an apartment here. They are extremely expensive.


2. TODAY – CORTE DE INGLES

There is a large store called Cortes de Ingles in many parts of Spain. It is like having a Macy’s and Super Target connected. It is a very popular part of town with many shops and restaurants.

Today is a holiday due to the Catholic Corpus Cristi holiday. My Spanish sisters did not go to school and our madre did not have to work today. We did have school but the cafeteria was not open. I did not get my coffee (con leche) – bummer. However, we we arrived at home we had a huge lunch - very large pan of Paella.

Our family feeds us like we are 200 lbs. I hope they don’t think that in America everyone eats this much. They always offer us seconds. It is like the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” I thought my family was bad at “offering” people more food. They are nothing compared to my Spanish parents.

For example, they make us sandwiches (bocadillos) when we go on a “field trip.” Tomorrow we are going to Madrid and they made us lunch. I just wanted a PB&J because I have not have a simple meal yet. I told the padre, who always makes the food, that I would make it. When I was done, the madre said, oh you need more. I told them that one PB&J is good for me. No - she made me make 3 sandwiches. Plus she gave me fruit and a dessert. Needless to say, I should not be hungry in Madrid tomorrow and may even be feeding the homeless with leftovers.

This morning our padre made us crepes for breakfast (el desayuno). I think of them as very sweet pancakes. Of course we also had chocolate syrup to go on top of them. Additionally, we had our annual serving of homemade orange juice.


3. HOW SPAIN IS DIFFERENT

They make coffee on the stove here. There is always coffee available on the counter. It seems they make it only every few days. If I want some, I get it from a silver canister, heat it up, then add milk. Today we ran out, and I had it fresh off the stove. It was extremely good today. Coffee here does not need a lot of sugar, and will wake you up like a cold shower.

In Spain, people show affection in public much more than they do in the US. People kissing, holding each other’s bodies (not hands), and staring into the others eyes in the middle of the grocery store or street is completely normal.

The style of clothing in Spain is much different than the US in some ways. Think of pants that sag extremely low and have huge pockets. Now shrink the pants so they actually fit in the legs and still sag, but the pockets remain very low. Now imagine me wearing something like this – I don’t think I could pull if off…

Magazines come with prizes – mine today came with a free bathing suit. Yes, I wrote it correctly. The magazine cost 3.95 euros including the freebie. There is only one size and I don’t think it will fit me. It is a bandeau top with a string bottom in a dark colored paisley print. Very cute! If it does not fit me, I am going to give it to my Spanish sisters who are extremely small. (I don’t know how they are small because we eat all the time)

When we ate tapas at a place today, we left a small tip. The waiter told us that he could not take it. We saved a bit of money but this is very different than what I am used to.

Tax must be included in the price of items or non-existent because when I pay for something, it is the same price as it is on the tag. This is wonderful and always makes my day.

Laundry always hangs on balconies to dry

My phone here is in Spanish to help me practice. I am learning words like save, call, and edit very well J.

Talk to you soon!

P.S. I have noticed I am talking a lot about food. I also have many wonderful friends here and we enjoy time together! The blog is focusing on many things that are different for me, and culture and food are the most noticeable. Enjoy!

June 2 - before Madrid

June 2, 2010
1:26pm

Hola from school!

Today has been great except I did not sleep a lot last night because I had to do homework for my Arts & Museums class that I did not begin until midnight. Whoops.

In this class we just watched a video about homo sapiens and the first forms of art in prehistoric times (undocumented history). It is very interesting to see how they expressed themselves and created original art with the materials they have. They painted animals in caves out of only two colors, red and black. The animals on the walls did not correlate with the animals that they hunted. Animals were popular because at that time, some cultures believe animals were gods.

In the caves, there were also many impressions of hands. People would place their hands on the walls of caves and blow crushed berries over there hands were an imprint is thus left. The class makes me very interested in art history. As an accounting major, I do not have many classes like this anymore.

During our break, I went to the cafeteria and bought a café con leche (coffee and milk). It cost 1 euro. There is a vending machine for cigarettes and some students smoke in the cafeteria. There are ash trays on every table. My hair now smells like smoke (I feel like I just returned from a bar… ugh).

In Spain, they write numbers differently:
US: 1,234.50
Spain: 1.234,50
(the decimals and commas are switched)

Last night at dinner we were talking to our host family about what type of sandwich we would like for our travels tonight. Sandwiches are called bocadillos. El padre began talking about sardines, as he always goes through the cabinet and fridge for us to see if we want more food. I told him I like many things but sardines are not one of them. My brothers and dad like them, pero yo me gusta nada. (I don’t like at all)

The food has been very good and not very difficult for me to adjust. I am eating much more rich food here because lunch is like dinner and dinner is pretty heavy as well. For lunch, we usually have a soup for the first course. Yesterday it was a white chili. The salad is in a big plate in the middle of the table and we use our forks to eat it as we want (no salad plate). Then we have a type of meat such as chicken, pork, or fish. After lunch and dinner, the padre always cuts up fruit and gives it to whoever would like it. He usually cuts at least one pear and apple. He always removes the peeling which reminds me of my grandmother.

Telephone numbers are different here as well. There are 9 numbers written 555 555 555.

Adios!

Shopping in la Plaza Cervantes

11:36pm

Hola!

Today was my second day of classes and they are going very well except it is hard to stay in one class for 2.5 hours. The teachers give us a 10 minute break in the middle of class which makes it easier.

Last night I had some coffee before bed, which usually does not bother me. However, here the coffee is stronger and they drink it with half coffee half milk (similar to coffee in New Orleans when you go to Café du Monde). Therefore, the coffee kept me up and I was very tired today. After lunch, I took a 3 hour siesta.

After my nap we went to la Plaza Cervantes and I bought some gifts for friends, a new ring, and some inexpensive sunglasses. Dinner is at 9:30 and we arrived a bit after that. The family was sitting down at dinner. We apologized for being a bit late and they said there is never a need to apologize.

Many people eat ice cream as they walk around. Here the mothers birth the babies and once the children reach a certain age, the fathers stay with the children. There is equal responsibility for each parent to raise children.

I have a wonderful family. The two girls are taking exams this week and next because in España they only have one big exam at the end of the year. School gets out for them about 2:30 and they then come home for lunch.

The food has been very good. A friend of mine is uploading all of her pictures on Flikr. There are many pictures of the food we eat and the buildings around town. I think you will enjoy it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunfeathers

There are many storks here – yes the bird that we thought brought families babies when we were younger. They tell the children that the storks bring the babies from Italy.

Melanie and I are talking with friends on Skype and I need to do homework before I go to bed.

We are going to Madrid tomorrow and we are learning how to use the public transportation into the city.

Hasta luego!