¡Hola todos!
I am writing from a hostel in Santiago de Compostela in the province of Galicia in Northwestern Spain. It is absolutely beautiful here! It is so so green. Galicia reminds me of Iowa a bit :) Today it hasn´t stopped raining for a moment and our feet haven´t been dry the entire day but it is wonderful!!!
Yesterday we were up at 3am to catch out RyanAir flight. On Friday, we visited the main attraction of Santiago - this enormous cathedral build in the 11th century. (I will post pics when I return to Alicante). Then we walked along the Camino de Santiago, which is the main way taken to get to Santiago in the medieval times. Santiago is one of the top three pilgrimage sites for Christians - among Rome and Jerusalem. One of the reasons is James, one of Jesus´ twelve disciples, is said to remain here. He was beheaded in Jersulam in 44AD and then brought back to Santiago, which is the site where he did a lot of his work. It was so crazy to be in a place where one of the twelve disciples worked and is said to be buried. I mean, this man walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, ate dinner with Jesus, and learned about the Word of God by the Son of God, himself! ¡Que guay!
Today we went to a market and saw some other sites. But I need to go because I have two minutes left on the computer. But I will update with more info and pictures later!
Un beso,
Sarah
Part II
Saturday poured rain! It was kinda fun though. It rained so hard that we put plastic bags around our feet inside out boots to keep them somewhat dry. I don´t know if my boots will ever recover haha. The market was amazing. Everything is so fresh. Actually, some of the seafood was still alive, believe it or not. Galicia is known for amazing seafood. We bought mejillones and cooked them later that night at the hostel! Yummy! For lunch on saturday we had kebaps which were absolutely amazing which is why we went back the next day. On Sunday, it didn´t rain that much so we went to this beautiful park that had a fantastic view of the Cathedral from afar. It was perfect. The whole trip was perfect and totally worth it. Sunday night we slept in the airport which was an interesting experience...
Anyways this week is going to be crazy (again) and this weekend is Sevilla!
Stay tuned for more updates! And check out the pictures! This cathedral will blow your mind!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Welcome to España
Bienvenidos a España...
Today I experienced the craziness and sometimes obsurdness of Spain. More so than the time I went to the same government building five times to try to get a student discount card. Let me first say that for the past week I had been working on this 2000 word paper in Spanish about the differences between Aznar and Zapatero. It was quite difficult seeing as it was completely in Spanish and much longer than any of the other things I have had to write in Spanish class. Anyways so the day started out normal until after I met with intercambio dos. After I went back to the computer lab to work on my presentation for government (a different assignment than the 2000 word paper). I went to pull out my USB drive... and yup, you guessed it... not there. So I calmly went back to the last computer I had used it at (earlier that day). Nope not there either... So I went to the lost and found and tried to explain USB flash drive or pendisk in Spanish only to find out that it is the same - pendisk. Haha. I think the guy was amused with my pathetic attempt to describe what I had lost. Anyways it had not been turned in and he told me that it probably wouldn´t because it is an expensive object than many people would love to keep. I could have completely freaked out and let it ruin my day or week. But that morning after I had completed my 2000 word paper in Spanish I had printed it off. Thank the Lord - and that I did. It was kinda a bummer that all my sources were lost and that the beginnings of my presentation were lost. But things could be so much worse - for instance I could not have printed off my paper and had to start all over... or more seriously... I could have the swine flu or something :)
So I decided to head back to Alicante and go by another USB and just face the music. On the way home the bus took an unexpected left... I´m sitting there thinking WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON??? WHERE IS THIS DUDE TAKING ME?!?! Finally he got back on course... must have just taken a shortcut because of the traffic. However then he takes another turn back towards the university and I am just sitting there. So I start to look around and I am the ONLY PERSON on the bus! So I press the ¨I need to get off the bus¨ button and the driver turns around, sees me, and acts all surprised. He asks me (in Spanish) ¨why didn´t you get off?¨ and I ask right back ¨Why did you just turn around?¨ He acted like not going the full route was a normal occurrence and I should have just read his mind that he was going to do a 180 on me. Anyways I got off at the next stop and walked to a store that sells USBs ... I laughed the whole way there... What an experience. What a Spanish experience...
Well now I am going to retype my paper and find my sources on the web. Hopefully I don´t lose this USB!
Un beso,
Sarah
Today I experienced the craziness and sometimes obsurdness of Spain. More so than the time I went to the same government building five times to try to get a student discount card. Let me first say that for the past week I had been working on this 2000 word paper in Spanish about the differences between Aznar and Zapatero. It was quite difficult seeing as it was completely in Spanish and much longer than any of the other things I have had to write in Spanish class. Anyways so the day started out normal until after I met with intercambio dos. After I went back to the computer lab to work on my presentation for government (a different assignment than the 2000 word paper). I went to pull out my USB drive... and yup, you guessed it... not there. So I calmly went back to the last computer I had used it at (earlier that day). Nope not there either... So I went to the lost and found and tried to explain USB flash drive or pendisk in Spanish only to find out that it is the same - pendisk. Haha. I think the guy was amused with my pathetic attempt to describe what I had lost. Anyways it had not been turned in and he told me that it probably wouldn´t because it is an expensive object than many people would love to keep. I could have completely freaked out and let it ruin my day or week. But that morning after I had completed my 2000 word paper in Spanish I had printed it off. Thank the Lord - and that I did. It was kinda a bummer that all my sources were lost and that the beginnings of my presentation were lost. But things could be so much worse - for instance I could not have printed off my paper and had to start all over... or more seriously... I could have the swine flu or something :)
So I decided to head back to Alicante and go by another USB and just face the music. On the way home the bus took an unexpected left... I´m sitting there thinking WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON??? WHERE IS THIS DUDE TAKING ME?!?! Finally he got back on course... must have just taken a shortcut because of the traffic. However then he takes another turn back towards the university and I am just sitting there. So I start to look around and I am the ONLY PERSON on the bus! So I press the ¨I need to get off the bus¨ button and the driver turns around, sees me, and acts all surprised. He asks me (in Spanish) ¨why didn´t you get off?¨ and I ask right back ¨Why did you just turn around?¨ He acted like not going the full route was a normal occurrence and I should have just read his mind that he was going to do a 180 on me. Anyways I got off at the next stop and walked to a store that sells USBs ... I laughed the whole way there... What an experience. What a Spanish experience...
Well now I am going to retype my paper and find my sources on the web. Hopefully I don´t lose this USB!
Un beso,
Sarah
Sunday, February 21, 2010
If It´s Breathtakingly Beautiful Then It Must Be GRANADA
WOW!
That is all I have to say about Granada. WOW! I just got back to Alicante literally 2 hours ago and the first thing I had to do was update this blog and upload my pictures because I just cannot wait to share this experience with you! So here goes:
Granada is located in the region of Andalucia in southern Spain. It was also the last Muslim kingdom to be conquered by Isabel and Ferdinand during the Reconquest in 1492. So the city is full of Muslim-Moorish influences as well as Christian, after they took over. The main attraction in Granada is by far the Alhambra. The Alhambra was so called because of its reddish walls as you will see in the pictures. It was constructed in the 13th century (or 12th I can´t quite remember). Boabdil was the last Moorish king and in 1492 he surrendered to Ferdinand within the very walls of Alhambra. Also when Isabel gave Columbus the ¨okay¨ to go sail the ocean blue, they were in the Alhambra. Very historic. However, the Alhambra went through a period where it was practically forgotten. In the 1800s Washington Irving had a stay at the Alhambra for about six months and there he wrote Tales of the Alhambra. And now the Alhambra sees millions of visitors a year!
Anyways before we left we were all really worried about the weather. It was supposed to be ¨freezing cold¨ and snowing-raining. However, it was beautiful weather! Still a little chilly but I definitely can´t complain (I know you all are in the States literally freezing!). The Lord really blessed our weekend weather! When we got there in the afternoon on Friday we took a little walking tour around Granada and went to La Plaza Nueva where there is a perfect view of Alhambra from afar. Took tons and tons and tons of pictures!! Later that night, we went back to take some nighttime photos. During the walk a few of us bought dates, which were delicious. On the way back to the hotel, we walked through the ¨tea¨ district - where there were tons of tea shops and places to smoke hookah. We also wandered around an area called Little India and looked at tons of small shops with jewelry, tapestries etc. Because of Granada´s rich Muslim history, there is a lot of Muslim influence in the buildings and the people there.
Friday night a few of us wanted to watch flamenco so we went to a restaurant where you could order dinner and watch flamenco. What an experience! There was a man who played the guitar and a woman who sang - she had the most unique voice. The two flamenco dances were amazing! I had never seen flamenco and to be right there while eating dinner was quite an experience! After we went to a tea place to drink tea and smoke hookah. The tea was absolutely amazing! I bought some the next day to take home to the States!
Saturday was the big day - the Alhambra day. We spent at least 4 hours touring the Alhambra. There is a fortress, palaces, summer home/lodge, and magnificent gardens. Granada has a great location because it has access to water all the time - from its rivers and the sierra nevada mountains. Therefore, the Alhambra has many, many fountains all over the grounds. Honestly, I am unable to describe what I saw there and how cool it was... and my pictures definitely will not do it justice. But it was the coolest experience yet! (And that says a lot!) But everything was decorated so beautifully and everything has intricate carvings. There is tile everywhere and carved wood and domed windows everywhere... The tower has a great view of all of Granada and the sierra nevadas as you will see if you check out the photos.
Anyways, after the Alhambra visit we explored Granada some more and even caught the end of a Catholic wedding in one of the main Cathedrals in Granada. As foreign tourists, we felt it was our duty to stand outside with the rest of the guests and wait for the groom and bride to come out, so there are pictures of that! But it was so interesting because all the guests were dressed very fashionably and like they were going to prom!! After that we went back to the hotel to hang out and relax... and Carly, Melissa, and I thought it would be fun to put on a little ¨show¨. So Melissa drew faces on Carly and I´s chins (to make our chins look like heads... with our mouths... you know? kinda difficult to explain but there are videos to prove this). Anyways so Melissa recorded Carly and I´s chins singing and having hilarious conversations! Some of the others came and watched too. We were laughing so hard we had tears running down our faces! After the ¨show¨ we went to a restaurant where we had beer and tapas. Tapas actually orginated in Granada so everywhere you go if you order an alocholic beverage they give you a FREE tapas! An amazing deal so we decided to jump at that chance! It was a blast to hang out, socialize, and eat great food while sharing stories about our lives and experiences! Then, of course, we got helado (ice cream) - what a way to end a fantastic weekend at Granada!
It is so difficult to even grasp how bless I am. I am so thankful for these amazing opportunities and experiences. Also for the amazing friends I have made! Talking with other students about our host families has also made me realize that I am so blessed by the family I was put with. Many people have had some bad experiences and difficult situations and I am just so lucky to not have had to deal with that! Anyways it is time to go have lunch with the fam... kinda missed them while I was gone :)
Un beso,
Sarah
That is all I have to say about Granada. WOW! I just got back to Alicante literally 2 hours ago and the first thing I had to do was update this blog and upload my pictures because I just cannot wait to share this experience with you! So here goes:
Granada is located in the region of Andalucia in southern Spain. It was also the last Muslim kingdom to be conquered by Isabel and Ferdinand during the Reconquest in 1492. So the city is full of Muslim-Moorish influences as well as Christian, after they took over. The main attraction in Granada is by far the Alhambra. The Alhambra was so called because of its reddish walls as you will see in the pictures. It was constructed in the 13th century (or 12th I can´t quite remember). Boabdil was the last Moorish king and in 1492 he surrendered to Ferdinand within the very walls of Alhambra. Also when Isabel gave Columbus the ¨okay¨ to go sail the ocean blue, they were in the Alhambra. Very historic. However, the Alhambra went through a period where it was practically forgotten. In the 1800s Washington Irving had a stay at the Alhambra for about six months and there he wrote Tales of the Alhambra. And now the Alhambra sees millions of visitors a year!
Anyways before we left we were all really worried about the weather. It was supposed to be ¨freezing cold¨ and snowing-raining. However, it was beautiful weather! Still a little chilly but I definitely can´t complain (I know you all are in the States literally freezing!). The Lord really blessed our weekend weather! When we got there in the afternoon on Friday we took a little walking tour around Granada and went to La Plaza Nueva where there is a perfect view of Alhambra from afar. Took tons and tons and tons of pictures!! Later that night, we went back to take some nighttime photos. During the walk a few of us bought dates, which were delicious. On the way back to the hotel, we walked through the ¨tea¨ district - where there were tons of tea shops and places to smoke hookah. We also wandered around an area called Little India and looked at tons of small shops with jewelry, tapestries etc. Because of Granada´s rich Muslim history, there is a lot of Muslim influence in the buildings and the people there.
Friday night a few of us wanted to watch flamenco so we went to a restaurant where you could order dinner and watch flamenco. What an experience! There was a man who played the guitar and a woman who sang - she had the most unique voice. The two flamenco dances were amazing! I had never seen flamenco and to be right there while eating dinner was quite an experience! After we went to a tea place to drink tea and smoke hookah. The tea was absolutely amazing! I bought some the next day to take home to the States!
Saturday was the big day - the Alhambra day. We spent at least 4 hours touring the Alhambra. There is a fortress, palaces, summer home/lodge, and magnificent gardens. Granada has a great location because it has access to water all the time - from its rivers and the sierra nevada mountains. Therefore, the Alhambra has many, many fountains all over the grounds. Honestly, I am unable to describe what I saw there and how cool it was... and my pictures definitely will not do it justice. But it was the coolest experience yet! (And that says a lot!) But everything was decorated so beautifully and everything has intricate carvings. There is tile everywhere and carved wood and domed windows everywhere... The tower has a great view of all of Granada and the sierra nevadas as you will see if you check out the photos.
Anyways, after the Alhambra visit we explored Granada some more and even caught the end of a Catholic wedding in one of the main Cathedrals in Granada. As foreign tourists, we felt it was our duty to stand outside with the rest of the guests and wait for the groom and bride to come out, so there are pictures of that! But it was so interesting because all the guests were dressed very fashionably and like they were going to prom!! After that we went back to the hotel to hang out and relax... and Carly, Melissa, and I thought it would be fun to put on a little ¨show¨. So Melissa drew faces on Carly and I´s chins (to make our chins look like heads... with our mouths... you know? kinda difficult to explain but there are videos to prove this). Anyways so Melissa recorded Carly and I´s chins singing and having hilarious conversations! Some of the others came and watched too. We were laughing so hard we had tears running down our faces! After the ¨show¨ we went to a restaurant where we had beer and tapas. Tapas actually orginated in Granada so everywhere you go if you order an alocholic beverage they give you a FREE tapas! An amazing deal so we decided to jump at that chance! It was a blast to hang out, socialize, and eat great food while sharing stories about our lives and experiences! Then, of course, we got helado (ice cream) - what a way to end a fantastic weekend at Granada!
It is so difficult to even grasp how bless I am. I am so thankful for these amazing opportunities and experiences. Also for the amazing friends I have made! Talking with other students about our host families has also made me realize that I am so blessed by the family I was put with. Many people have had some bad experiences and difficult situations and I am just so lucky to not have had to deal with that! Anyways it is time to go have lunch with the fam... kinda missed them while I was gone :)
Un beso,
Sarah
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