Although the goodbyes started last Thursday with my friends leaving, it wasn't until today that it hit me. I'm actually leaving Sevilla. I stopped by CIEE to say goodbye to whatever staff was around. As I was closing the door, it finally sunk in that it was probably the last time I would see the palacio for a while. I think one of the things that struck me the most about CIEE was how small it felt. There were a decent number of students, in that I still saw people I didn't recognize by the end, but the staff knew our names, how we were doing, etc. They were invested in our experiences here in Sevilla, and wanted to make sure we had everything we needed. Yeah, there are some things that weren't run well, but that's more a fault of the program overall than the individual staff members. Going back to UW-Madison will feel weird, where you can easily become a number again instead of an individual face. Being here has made me want to return to campus and create those relationships with professors where they know your work and who you are.
I gave my senora and her grandkids some gifts today. I bought my senora flowers, along with the bath products that my mom had brought over when she visited. The kids received a slinky, an Eric Carle book, glow bracelets, some candy, and a Hello Kitty necklace (for Laura), among other things. They loved the gifts! I was glad to provide them with a few things that will (hopefully) last a while, and that they enjoy playing with. I'm going to miss Laura- I asked for a picture with her, and she hopped up into my lap and wrapped her arms around me.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Marriage stories!
My senora told me the story of how she and her husband met. When she was 16 years old, her friend was dating a guy (Pipan, or something like that). They broke up, and then he wanted to get back together with her. She said yes, but she didn't want to go out with him by herself, so she invited my senora along. So Pipan found a friend to go with too (Antonio). Antonio said that he would only help out his friend this once. That was April 12th of that year. After Semana Santa, Pipan invited Antonio to another outing with the girls. He said "No, but I am going to marry that girl." Seven years later, they married.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Goodbye?
Last night was the Acto de Despedida, aka goodbye party. Surprisingly less classy than I thought it was going to be, we all showed up, fancily dressed, to be escorted into a room with a few tables (standing height) scattered around. Let the awkwardness begin. Waiters tried to make their way through the crowds with tapas and drinks, although they only got a few feet into the room before their trays were empty. It's an odd feeling, knowing that it is the last time that you are going to see 95% of these people. Making small talk no longer seems necessary, as spending time with your true friends is more important. Kate, Chiarra, and I escaped upstairs for a bit to chat and avoid the insane noise level. The staff made a half-hearted attempt at a presentation, but the room was poorly set up, and not many people could hear them. The students wouldn't stop talking, so only about 3 rows of people got to appreciate the sentiments being shared. Teacher of the year was announced, which confused us, because we had never voted. We decided to ditch the craziness and get our own tapas and drinks, which then caused us to have to begin the round of "good byes". I worked my way through the room, awkwardly deciding if "this person" was worth saying goodbye to or not. We made it outside, where I finally found Angel. I thanked him for everything, telling him how much I enjoyed his classes. He told me that "I will do great things in my life", that I am a great writer, and that I am a joya (gem). His comments really struck me, because that was the first time in a while that a professor/teacher has acknowledged my abilities (both academically and personally), and I know that he didn't just say it casually. I really appreciated him offering up that encouragement. Kate, Chiarra, and I gave besitos to a few more staff members, and then we headed on our way.
We went to a tapas place that I had been to a couple times, and ordered Tinto de Verano, and patatas bravas and other favorite tapas dishes. It was a great time of jokes and memories and thoughts about the semester. The perfect end to our time abroad.
I am still here in Sevilla until Thursday, which I am thankful for, in that it gives me time to pack and enjoy the city for a few more days without the pressure of exams (after Monday), but without my friends here, it feels odd. It's not as easy as meeting up with someone for coffee, or grabbing ice cream, or sitting by the river. We are back to the world of Skype, text messages, and hoping for visits across the country.
But I did not mean this entry to be so melancholy. My senora has great things planned for me this weekend (including visiting her son's house in the campo), and I am happy to have time to enjoy the beauty that is Sevilla. And I am so excited to be heading back to my friends and family in a few short days. I can't wait to drive my car, shop at Kohls, have normal temperatures outside, and celebrate my birthday (among other things).
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Nearing the End
Ayyy! I fail at updating my blog. Sorry!
So, I am now rounding the corner, heading into the home stretch of the semester. Finals start on Wednesday, and the craziness of "end of semester" is amplified by the fact that everyone is going home soon. Me, I'm going home May 19th! I am very excited to see everyone back home, seeing as I've been a bit homesick, knowing my friends are graduating and moving away, but I am also going to miss Sevilla a lot. My senora and I have had some great conversations and memories over the past few days, including her trying to teach me sevillanas, a variation of flamenco dancing. She told me the other day that she has had many many students over the years, some she doesn't remember, but I am one that she will. I only hope that's a good thing :P
The rest of Semana Santa (where my last blog left off) was uneventful. Lots of rain, so no processions went out. We did end up seeing one on Friday, before it ran into the cathedral to avoid the impending downpour. After a quick week of classes, it was off to Barcelona! Barcelona was a relaxing trip, which was nice. Not as much to "go see" versus "explore the city," so we took our time. Went to the beach for a day, which was beautiful and relaxing. We even cooked dinner in our hostel, which was a lot of fun! It was nice to have control over what we were eating, for once. Lots of broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and green beans went into that meal!
In Barcelona, this architect named Gaudi created all of these awesome looking buildings. We toured the Sagrada Familia cathedral, which was breathtaking. The mathematics and physics, mixed in with the passion behind it, made it incredible. But that's my nerd side talking. Overall, I felt incredibly peaceful there.
Back in Sevilla, it was time for Feria. Basically a week long celebration, full of sevillanas dancing, drinking, and flamenco dresses. There is no entrance fee, so you can come and go as you please. There are all of these casetas, or little tent/shacks, that are either public or private. The private ones require an invitation to enter. Most casetas have music playing, along with food and drinks to buy. On the streets, there are people on horseback, and there are horse drawn carriages as well. There is a midway area, with rides and carnival games, too. It makes you feel as if you're transported back to the US. The combination of the midway plus the traditional looking casetas is quite the experience.
Well, with only 13 days left until my return to the US, I need to focus on homework for a bit.
See you soon!
So, I am now rounding the corner, heading into the home stretch of the semester. Finals start on Wednesday, and the craziness of "end of semester" is amplified by the fact that everyone is going home soon. Me, I'm going home May 19th! I am very excited to see everyone back home, seeing as I've been a bit homesick, knowing my friends are graduating and moving away, but I am also going to miss Sevilla a lot. My senora and I have had some great conversations and memories over the past few days, including her trying to teach me sevillanas, a variation of flamenco dancing. She told me the other day that she has had many many students over the years, some she doesn't remember, but I am one that she will. I only hope that's a good thing :P
The rest of Semana Santa (where my last blog left off) was uneventful. Lots of rain, so no processions went out. We did end up seeing one on Friday, before it ran into the cathedral to avoid the impending downpour. After a quick week of classes, it was off to Barcelona! Barcelona was a relaxing trip, which was nice. Not as much to "go see" versus "explore the city," so we took our time. Went to the beach for a day, which was beautiful and relaxing. We even cooked dinner in our hostel, which was a lot of fun! It was nice to have control over what we were eating, for once. Lots of broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and green beans went into that meal!
In Barcelona, this architect named Gaudi created all of these awesome looking buildings. We toured the Sagrada Familia cathedral, which was breathtaking. The mathematics and physics, mixed in with the passion behind it, made it incredible. But that's my nerd side talking. Overall, I felt incredibly peaceful there.
Back in Sevilla, it was time for Feria. Basically a week long celebration, full of sevillanas dancing, drinking, and flamenco dresses. There is no entrance fee, so you can come and go as you please. There are all of these casetas, or little tent/shacks, that are either public or private. The private ones require an invitation to enter. Most casetas have music playing, along with food and drinks to buy. On the streets, there are people on horseback, and there are horse drawn carriages as well. There is a midway area, with rides and carnival games, too. It makes you feel as if you're transported back to the US. The combination of the midway plus the traditional looking casetas is quite the experience.
Well, with only 13 days left until my return to the US, I need to focus on homework for a bit.
See you soon!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Semana Santa and Paris
After a (very quick) 4 day week of class, it was off to Paris! Kate, Chiarra, and I boarded a Transavia flight to Paris on Thursday night. We arrived around 11pm, and took a taxi to our hostel. The next morning, we created a plan. We decided on Versailles for that day. We navigated the Metro to Versailles, where we wandered through the palace, before moving to the gardens. Despite the slight chill in the air, the gardens were absolutely beautiful. I'm sure when everything is in bloom in a few weeks, they will be even prettier. That afternoon, we wandered around the Latin Quarter, checking out bookshops and restaurants. We discovered this GREAT crepe stand, with the most flavorful crepes, filled with anything from apple to Nutella to liqueur.
The next day, we tried to visit the Eiffel tower, but by the time we got over there, the line looked about 4 hours long. We walked around town, and then visited Notre Dame. The cathedral was incredible- it is quite similar in style to that of Sevilla, since they are both Gothic, but the interior was set up as a square, with long rows of high ceilings and columns. The stained glass windows were beautiful, as well.
The next day, we wandered around a street market in the morning, and bought bread, cheese, and strawberries for our lunch. We visited a cheese shop, where the worker, in broken English, explained the different types and offered us a sample or two. We bought Brie and a hard cheese called Comte. With our picnic lunch, we walked over to the gardens by the Louvre, where we created our "table." After lunch, we hit the Louvre, seeing the Mona Lisa, the winged victory statue, and many other incredible statues. I have decided that I like the Louvre's statue collection the best, although the Prado's paintings were more to my taste. Probably because they were more of the artists that I've studied in class. That night, we decided to have our "real" French meal, complete with wine and escargot. Yup, that's right. I ate snails... Not as bad as I thought they'd be, but I have no desire to repeat the experience. I had a salmon dish, that was exquisitely prepared. Tender, flaky, wonderful flavor. A great meal, for a (relatively) decent price.
The next day, we awoke early in the morning, and got in line for the Eiffel tower at 8:45ish. The tower opened at 9:30, and we were only about 100 people back in line. The line moved quickly once the tower opened, and soon we were at the top! After enjoying the view, we wandered back to our crepe stand, and then bought the fixings for another picnic lunch, which we enjoyed in the Luxembourg gardens. I left my friends there, and went to catch my flight home. They went off to Marseille for a few more days of France.
I am now back in Sevilla, thankful for the time I have here to relax and get homework done. I have been trying to cross one thing off my to-do list each day, which is working well, except for the fact that I am doing the easier assignments first. oops :)
Semana Santa is in full swing, and the streets are crowded with people. Unfortunately, the rain has stopped many of the processions from "going out," because of the priceless nature of the pasos (floats with the Virgen or Jesus on them). I was lucky enough to see a procession yesterday, and it was quite the experience. I stood on a street right by my senora's apartment, and the procession took over 2 hours to pass by! They stopped every few minutes or so, because the pasos were being carried by people! There were around 20-30 men underneath each paso platform, lifting the paso and carrying it along its route. The pasos were surrounded by people dressed up as Nazarenes (who unfortunately bear an uncanny resemblance to the KKK). The Nazarenes ranged from little kids to older adults. The kids frequently had mothers walking by their sides, handing out bocadillos and juice boxes. Much more relaxed than I imagined them being. Bands of drums and trumpets marked time, and played accompaniment to the spectacle. First a band, then Nazarenes (with red candles), then Nazarenes (with wooden crosses), then the Christ paso. Then another band, Nazarenes (with white candles), then the Virgen paso. Then another band. After that band, came the vendors! 5 or 6 people followed the procession, carrying bunches of balloons, like you'd see at a state fair. Quite the contrast between the Virgen and Dora the Explorer...
Tonight is the madrugada, which means there will be pasos all night if the weather permits. Hopefully it does, as I'd love to see a candlelit procession.
The next day, we tried to visit the Eiffel tower, but by the time we got over there, the line looked about 4 hours long. We walked around town, and then visited Notre Dame. The cathedral was incredible- it is quite similar in style to that of Sevilla, since they are both Gothic, but the interior was set up as a square, with long rows of high ceilings and columns. The stained glass windows were beautiful, as well.
The next day, we wandered around a street market in the morning, and bought bread, cheese, and strawberries for our lunch. We visited a cheese shop, where the worker, in broken English, explained the different types and offered us a sample or two. We bought Brie and a hard cheese called Comte. With our picnic lunch, we walked over to the gardens by the Louvre, where we created our "table." After lunch, we hit the Louvre, seeing the Mona Lisa, the winged victory statue, and many other incredible statues. I have decided that I like the Louvre's statue collection the best, although the Prado's paintings were more to my taste. Probably because they were more of the artists that I've studied in class. That night, we decided to have our "real" French meal, complete with wine and escargot. Yup, that's right. I ate snails... Not as bad as I thought they'd be, but I have no desire to repeat the experience. I had a salmon dish, that was exquisitely prepared. Tender, flaky, wonderful flavor. A great meal, for a (relatively) decent price.
The next day, we awoke early in the morning, and got in line for the Eiffel tower at 8:45ish. The tower opened at 9:30, and we were only about 100 people back in line. The line moved quickly once the tower opened, and soon we were at the top! After enjoying the view, we wandered back to our crepe stand, and then bought the fixings for another picnic lunch, which we enjoyed in the Luxembourg gardens. I left my friends there, and went to catch my flight home. They went off to Marseille for a few more days of France.
I am now back in Sevilla, thankful for the time I have here to relax and get homework done. I have been trying to cross one thing off my to-do list each day, which is working well, except for the fact that I am doing the easier assignments first. oops :)
Semana Santa is in full swing, and the streets are crowded with people. Unfortunately, the rain has stopped many of the processions from "going out," because of the priceless nature of the pasos (floats with the Virgen or Jesus on them). I was lucky enough to see a procession yesterday, and it was quite the experience. I stood on a street right by my senora's apartment, and the procession took over 2 hours to pass by! They stopped every few minutes or so, because the pasos were being carried by people! There were around 20-30 men underneath each paso platform, lifting the paso and carrying it along its route. The pasos were surrounded by people dressed up as Nazarenes (who unfortunately bear an uncanny resemblance to the KKK). The Nazarenes ranged from little kids to older adults. The kids frequently had mothers walking by their sides, handing out bocadillos and juice boxes. Much more relaxed than I imagined them being. Bands of drums and trumpets marked time, and played accompaniment to the spectacle. First a band, then Nazarenes (with red candles), then Nazarenes (with wooden crosses), then the Christ paso. Then another band, Nazarenes (with white candles), then the Virgen paso. Then another band. After that band, came the vendors! 5 or 6 people followed the procession, carrying bunches of balloons, like you'd see at a state fair. Quite the contrast between the Virgen and Dora the Explorer...
Tonight is the madrugada, which means there will be pasos all night if the weather permits. Hopefully it does, as I'd love to see a candlelit procession.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Madrid
I have an interview for a volunteer position at a counseling center! It's over skype, on Wednesday, and I'm a little (okay, a lot) nervous, but also excited.
This weekend, my interest group went to Madrid. We woke up before the sun on Friday, took the Ave (the high speed train), and then toured the city. We started out at the Thyssen museum, which had a lot of great baroque and renaissance paintings. Angel was our guide, and he didn't mind my questions about why painters did something a certain way or how renaissance was different in different countries. We then moved to the Prado, where we stood in awe in front of Las Meninas by Velazquez, Goya's portrait of Carlos IV's family, and many other masterpieces. It was incredibly cool to see the paintings in person that we've studied for years in Spanish classes! I also saw many paintings that we talked about in my mythology class, which was good review for the exam! haha.
That night, we went to Avenue Q, the musical. It was really cool to see how they translated the songs into Spanish, preserving meaning, rhythm, and rhyme in a totally different language. Although the cast left something to be desired, the production was funny and kept our attention.
We woke up at 5am to our roommate coming back, hobbling through the door on crutches! Although it's her story to tell, I will share that she sprained her ankle by missing the last few stairs of an entrance to a bar.
The next morning, we were a bit tired, but excited to see more of the city. We went to the Museo del Traje, which turned out to be an interesting museum about Spanish fashion through the ages. After the museum, we went off in search of a supermarket. We purchased loaves of bread and slices of cheese, and went to sit in a park. After a somewhat confusing search, we discovered a hill filled with little daisies, the way grass looks with dandelions in the US. We ate our lunch there, enjoying the beautiful weather, then went to meet up with our group. We then visited the Reina Sofia museum, which is contemporary art. Although it's not my favorite, it was cool to see Guernica by Picasso and various paintings by Dali. We then wandered around a park for a while before grabbing dinner at a Thai restaurant! I totally spazzed out because I was so excited to get Asian food, especially white rice that was steamed, not cooked with olive oil!
This morning (Sunday), I was feeling a little under the weather, so I unfortunately missed out on seeing the Rastro, a market. Our group went to the Caixa Forum, which turned out to be another museum! (Yup, that's right... 5 in 3 days). It had all of these experimental films and also a photography exhibit, which was very cool. There was one film that had 4 "screens", and the artist had coordinated the images to all tell a story with a soundtrack. Very cool.
We then went to the train station, where, after a bit of confusion and rushing due to having one group ticket when we were at different entrances, we boarded the Ave back home.
What a whirlwind tour of the city!
This weekend, my interest group went to Madrid. We woke up before the sun on Friday, took the Ave (the high speed train), and then toured the city. We started out at the Thyssen museum, which had a lot of great baroque and renaissance paintings. Angel was our guide, and he didn't mind my questions about why painters did something a certain way or how renaissance was different in different countries. We then moved to the Prado, where we stood in awe in front of Las Meninas by Velazquez, Goya's portrait of Carlos IV's family, and many other masterpieces. It was incredibly cool to see the paintings in person that we've studied for years in Spanish classes! I also saw many paintings that we talked about in my mythology class, which was good review for the exam! haha.
That night, we went to Avenue Q, the musical. It was really cool to see how they translated the songs into Spanish, preserving meaning, rhythm, and rhyme in a totally different language. Although the cast left something to be desired, the production was funny and kept our attention.
We woke up at 5am to our roommate coming back, hobbling through the door on crutches! Although it's her story to tell, I will share that she sprained her ankle by missing the last few stairs of an entrance to a bar.
The next morning, we were a bit tired, but excited to see more of the city. We went to the Museo del Traje, which turned out to be an interesting museum about Spanish fashion through the ages. After the museum, we went off in search of a supermarket. We purchased loaves of bread and slices of cheese, and went to sit in a park. After a somewhat confusing search, we discovered a hill filled with little daisies, the way grass looks with dandelions in the US. We ate our lunch there, enjoying the beautiful weather, then went to meet up with our group. We then visited the Reina Sofia museum, which is contemporary art. Although it's not my favorite, it was cool to see Guernica by Picasso and various paintings by Dali. We then wandered around a park for a while before grabbing dinner at a Thai restaurant! I totally spazzed out because I was so excited to get Asian food, especially white rice that was steamed, not cooked with olive oil!
This morning (Sunday), I was feeling a little under the weather, so I unfortunately missed out on seeing the Rastro, a market. Our group went to the Caixa Forum, which turned out to be another museum! (Yup, that's right... 5 in 3 days). It had all of these experimental films and also a photography exhibit, which was very cool. There was one film that had 4 "screens", and the artist had coordinated the images to all tell a story with a soundtrack. Very cool.
We then went to the train station, where, after a bit of confusion and rushing due to having one group ticket when we were at different entrances, we boarded the Ave back home.
What a whirlwind tour of the city!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Springtime is here!
I have survived my last midterm! We had to write about two passages from poetry we've read this semester. It was a lot of information to remember to include, so I hope she sees the effort we put into the exams and takes that into account.
I found out why my senora sleeps in a separate bed from her husband. She is always warm, and he is always cold. So during the night, he would keep scooting closer and closer to her, and she would keep shifting farther away. Well, after falling off of the bed twice, she said "enough is enough" and they got two twin beds instead. I asked her if that was typical for Spain, and she looked at me, and said "I am not the example. You cannot use my as a model for anthropology, to study the Spanish culture." I won't be making that mistake again :)
Laura turned eight last week. I wanted to see if they were celebrating her birthday, so I subtly asked how they normally celebrate birthdays in Spain. Instead of finding out about Laura's, I found out that my senora's birthday was never celebrated. They only celebrated her brother's, which she said was common in Spanish families: to only celebrate certain children's birthdays. She also said that she was born on March 29th, but all of the official paperwork says March 31st because her father was out of town, and didn't fill out the paperwork until he got there on the 31st. Three or four days later, I finally found out that they are indeed celebrating Laura's birthday with a trip to the campo (country) on Sunday, and I am invited! I am excited to spend time with the family and get to know them better.
In the midst of classes and life here in Spain, I am trying to figure out my summer schedule and fall plans. I have applied to a couple research labs and counseling centers, in hopes of acquiring psych field experience to reaffirm my career choice, as well as improve my grad school apps. Prayers are most welcome :)
I think I have figured out my fall schedule, and if everything works out, it will be pretty sweet. I'll post it once it's finalized. However, I will say that I will be continuing Italian, and maybe taking a Logic class. (Yes, I know I'm a nerd).
The weather has been wonderfully warm this past week. We have temperatures around the 70s, and they are supposed to get up to the 80s by the weekend! In my free time, I am reading on our roof, or sitting at cafes with friends.
I found out why my senora sleeps in a separate bed from her husband. She is always warm, and he is always cold. So during the night, he would keep scooting closer and closer to her, and she would keep shifting farther away. Well, after falling off of the bed twice, she said "enough is enough" and they got two twin beds instead. I asked her if that was typical for Spain, and she looked at me, and said "I am not the example. You cannot use my as a model for anthropology, to study the Spanish culture." I won't be making that mistake again :)
Laura turned eight last week. I wanted to see if they were celebrating her birthday, so I subtly asked how they normally celebrate birthdays in Spain. Instead of finding out about Laura's, I found out that my senora's birthday was never celebrated. They only celebrated her brother's, which she said was common in Spanish families: to only celebrate certain children's birthdays. She also said that she was born on March 29th, but all of the official paperwork says March 31st because her father was out of town, and didn't fill out the paperwork until he got there on the 31st. Three or four days later, I finally found out that they are indeed celebrating Laura's birthday with a trip to the campo (country) on Sunday, and I am invited! I am excited to spend time with the family and get to know them better.
In the midst of classes and life here in Spain, I am trying to figure out my summer schedule and fall plans. I have applied to a couple research labs and counseling centers, in hopes of acquiring psych field experience to reaffirm my career choice, as well as improve my grad school apps. Prayers are most welcome :)
I think I have figured out my fall schedule, and if everything works out, it will be pretty sweet. I'll post it once it's finalized. However, I will say that I will be continuing Italian, and maybe taking a Logic class. (Yes, I know I'm a nerd).
The weather has been wonderfully warm this past week. We have temperatures around the 70s, and they are supposed to get up to the 80s by the weekend! In my free time, I am reading on our roof, or sitting at cafes with friends.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Weekend Fun
Well, this has been quite the adventurous week, or so. I had some wonderful visitors this weekend, aka my parents. I was so excited to see them and show them around the town that I've been living in. We toured the Cathedral, and wandered through Sevilla's streets. On Saturday, we took a day trip to Jerez (a town known for horses and sherry wine) and then to a beach called La Barrosa. It was absolutely beautiful. The weather was a perfect 70-something degrees, and the sun reflected off of the water. We walked along the beach, looking at sea shells and watching the surfers. Thankfully, the beach wasn't super crowded because it's less tourist-y than other beaches. We tried to find ice cream, but kept getting pointed in different directions! Apparently the Spanish don't know their directions very well... we finally found an ice cream shop, but it was super expensive! It was worth it, though, and it was a great end to the day.
On Sunday, we went to Aracena, which is a town almost to the Portugal border. It has this marvelous cave, filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and pools of water. We took a tour through it, and it was just incredible to see the formations that have grown over the past thousands of years. It really was quite spectacular. We shot a few photos, although we weren't supposed to.
I have to say, navigating Seville in a car is an experience that I never want to repeat again. With the curvy, one-way streets, and narrow roads, it took us a while to make our way in and out of the city. We found ourselves in "Taxi/TUSSAM only lanes," or stuck turning down a series of streets because there was no "out." It was quite the adventure, providing some good laughs.
Although I was sad to see my parents leave on Monday, I am thankful for the time we had together, and I know it will only be two short months before I see them again (hopefully in Italy).
I am currently working on figuring out places to volunteer this summer that will get me field experience for psychology. I just sent in my application for the Canopy Center in Madison, which seems like it will be a perfect fit for summer and fall.
Pictures to come- I have an essay to work on for my Cine class, and an exam in Poetry next Wednesday.
On Sunday, we went to Aracena, which is a town almost to the Portugal border. It has this marvelous cave, filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and pools of water. We took a tour through it, and it was just incredible to see the formations that have grown over the past thousands of years. It really was quite spectacular. We shot a few photos, although we weren't supposed to.
I have to say, navigating Seville in a car is an experience that I never want to repeat again. With the curvy, one-way streets, and narrow roads, it took us a while to make our way in and out of the city. We found ourselves in "Taxi/TUSSAM only lanes," or stuck turning down a series of streets because there was no "out." It was quite the adventure, providing some good laughs.
Although I was sad to see my parents leave on Monday, I am thankful for the time we had together, and I know it will only be two short months before I see them again (hopefully in Italy).
I am currently working on figuring out places to volunteer this summer that will get me field experience for psychology. I just sent in my application for the Canopy Center in Madison, which seems like it will be a perfect fit for summer and fall.
Pictures to come- I have an essay to work on for my Cine class, and an exam in Poetry next Wednesday.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Lost and Found
The missing kitty sock was found! Apparently, it just wasn't dry. For 5 days. Not quite sure I understand that one, but I'll let it slide. :)
Here are some pics from my time wandering around Sevilla. I discovered ways that neighborhoods and areas connect, that I knew existed, but wasn't quite sure how they worked.
Midterms were this week, and were painful like normal. However, I lucked out, and had only one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. Tuesday was Contemporary Lit, and much like the class, the exam was a joke. We had 4 questions to pick from, and had to answer one of them, writing only a page on the topic. The Cine exam today was long, but straightforward. We were shown five scenes from the movies we watched, and had to answer two questions about the clips and their social/historical context.
I am thankful midterms are over (except for my Cursos class, which is on the 30th), and for the great weekend I'm going to have, with some visitors ;)
I also went out on Saturday night with my friend Chiarra. One of the English teachers (Chris) at the school I volunteer at invited me over to his place for a small party, and we had a blast. He knows a lot of international people, and it was really cool to meet people from France, Scotland, and more. Some are here on 3 month internships, as part of an exchange program, and some live in Sevilla like Chris does.
I currently have a very cute seven year old doing homework next to me, and asking me about English words, so I'll write more later. Hope you're all having a good week!
Here are some pics from my time wandering around Sevilla. I discovered ways that neighborhoods and areas connect, that I knew existed, but wasn't quite sure how they worked.
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| When I passed by the orange trees, all of the oranges were on the ground! I later passed by two workers, shaking the trees to make all of the oranges fall. |
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| I have a passion for catching random people in action, doing cute things. |
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| I walked past a hotel with its doors open, and saw this. Que raro. |
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| Reminds me of the woman from Mary Poppins. |
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| On the Puente de Triana, there are all of these padlocks scattered in the railings. The inspiration came from an Italian author, who talked about it as a sign of love. |
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| This bird gave itself a bath for a good 10 minutes. Must have been enjoying the warm weather. |
Midterms were this week, and were painful like normal. However, I lucked out, and had only one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. Tuesday was Contemporary Lit, and much like the class, the exam was a joke. We had 4 questions to pick from, and had to answer one of them, writing only a page on the topic. The Cine exam today was long, but straightforward. We were shown five scenes from the movies we watched, and had to answer two questions about the clips and their social/historical context.
I am thankful midterms are over (except for my Cursos class, which is on the 30th), and for the great weekend I'm going to have, with some visitors ;)
I also went out on Saturday night with my friend Chiarra. One of the English teachers (Chris) at the school I volunteer at invited me over to his place for a small party, and we had a blast. He knows a lot of international people, and it was really cool to meet people from France, Scotland, and more. Some are here on 3 month internships, as part of an exchange program, and some live in Sevilla like Chris does.
I currently have a very cute seven year old doing homework next to me, and asking me about English words, so I'll write more later. Hope you're all having a good week!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Things I've learned from my señora
So, over the past few days, I have had some interesting conversations with my señora.
-We have had quite the procession of kids through the house this week, as her son Antonio's kids are visiting from Brussels (where they live with their mom because Antonio works all over the continent/world). Lukas managed to hit his eye with something, resulting in a doctor visit, so my señora had to go out to their house in the campo (countryside) to say goodbye to the kids before they leave tomorrow. As I was leaving for a walk, she proceeded to tell me how family becomes a "heavy burden", and by the time you realize it, you're mayor (getting up there in age). I asked if there aren't enough advantages to make up for it, and she said that there are certainly advantages, but it still gets tiresome. I feel bad for her, because it seems like she does a lot of work for her kids, and they don't necessarily appreciate it (well, Antonio doesn't, I don't think). Anyway. It was still an interesting perspective, given that Spanish society is incredibly focused on family and helping each other.
-We were having a conversation about if I'm interested in anyone romantically (awkward in and of itself), when I mentioned a long time friend who drinks too much. She then proceeded to tell me how a man who drinks will not be "a good husband, a good father, a good partner, OR good in bed." At this, I let a smile escape, because I definitely did not expect that to come out of the mouth of my seemingly conservative, 60-something señora. She looked at me and said "I'm serious."
-She also told me about when her son Pedro was 11 years old, he spent 31 days in the hospital because he had this rare disease that made his skin susceptible to any infection or germ it came across. Something about the skin turning purple/yellow, and him being really vulnerable to infection. She said that he was the first kid with this disease that the doctors were successful in saving. He was written about in medical journals, etc. How cool is that?
-Her son Antonio's kids are Emma and Lukas, and they are 3 and 7 years old (respectively). They are both completely blonde, fair skinned kids, so I asked about the mother's heritage. She said that the mother is moreno (dark skin/hair/eyes), but that Antonio and Pedro used to be blonde as a kids. They definitely don't look it now, although they aren't as dark as other Spaniards I've seen. After Pedro's illness, his skin grew darker and his hair grew back in brown.
On an unrelated note, I have discovered that the television has this fancy button that toggles between Spanish-dubbed and English audio. Law and Order:SVU just isn't the same without Olivia Benson's true voice.
I have also discovered that apparently her washing machine eats socks. I am currently missing a blue, kitty sock. :(
I wandered around Sevilla for three hours yesterday, taking random pictures. I'll post those after getting some studying done.
-We have had quite the procession of kids through the house this week, as her son Antonio's kids are visiting from Brussels (where they live with their mom because Antonio works all over the continent/world). Lukas managed to hit his eye with something, resulting in a doctor visit, so my señora had to go out to their house in the campo (countryside) to say goodbye to the kids before they leave tomorrow. As I was leaving for a walk, she proceeded to tell me how family becomes a "heavy burden", and by the time you realize it, you're mayor (getting up there in age). I asked if there aren't enough advantages to make up for it, and she said that there are certainly advantages, but it still gets tiresome. I feel bad for her, because it seems like she does a lot of work for her kids, and they don't necessarily appreciate it (well, Antonio doesn't, I don't think). Anyway. It was still an interesting perspective, given that Spanish society is incredibly focused on family and helping each other.
-We were having a conversation about if I'm interested in anyone romantically (awkward in and of itself), when I mentioned a long time friend who drinks too much. She then proceeded to tell me how a man who drinks will not be "a good husband, a good father, a good partner, OR good in bed." At this, I let a smile escape, because I definitely did not expect that to come out of the mouth of my seemingly conservative, 60-something señora. She looked at me and said "I'm serious."
-She also told me about when her son Pedro was 11 years old, he spent 31 days in the hospital because he had this rare disease that made his skin susceptible to any infection or germ it came across. Something about the skin turning purple/yellow, and him being really vulnerable to infection. She said that he was the first kid with this disease that the doctors were successful in saving. He was written about in medical journals, etc. How cool is that?
-Her son Antonio's kids are Emma and Lukas, and they are 3 and 7 years old (respectively). They are both completely blonde, fair skinned kids, so I asked about the mother's heritage. She said that the mother is moreno (dark skin/hair/eyes), but that Antonio and Pedro used to be blonde as a kids. They definitely don't look it now, although they aren't as dark as other Spaniards I've seen. After Pedro's illness, his skin grew darker and his hair grew back in brown.
On an unrelated note, I have discovered that the television has this fancy button that toggles between Spanish-dubbed and English audio. Law and Order:SVU just isn't the same without Olivia Benson's true voice.
I have also discovered that apparently her washing machine eats socks. I am currently missing a blue, kitty sock. :(
I wandered around Sevilla for three hours yesterday, taking random pictures. I'll post those after getting some studying done.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Lost in Translation
So, I was talking to my intercambio tonight, and we had quite the conversation. We saw a fire truck pass by, and he asked me what it's called. I replied "fire truck." He then asked me what a "firework" is. I explained that it's the big things in the sky for celebrations. He immediately had an understanding look on his face. "Have you heard of the song Firework by Katy Perry?" I laughed and said I had. He said that he had thought a "firework" was what firefighters drive (aka. fire = flames, work = job). I went on to explain that the people who drive the firetruck are firefighters. I'm sure the song makes more sense to him now. ;)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
London
Sorry for the lack of posts! The week before my London trip passed by incredibly rapidly in a flurry of homework, packing, and other preparations. Thursday finally came around, and Kate and I hopped a bus to the Sevilla airport. After an uneventful flight to Londres, we joined the customs line around 12am. There was only 1 line for non EU (European Union) passport holders, and only two customs workers. Apparently customs in London is very tight, and it took a long time to get through the line. We were about 5 people from the front, when both workers ended up taking more time with their current visitors. When we finally got through the line, it was almost 1am and we had missed our bus. Fortunately, we were able to take the bus at 1:30 without paying extra, and arrived at our hostel exhausted. After sleeping a few hours, our other hostel roommates were up and moving around 8am, so therefore, we were too. The hostel provided breakfast of toast and cornflakes, which was enough to tide us over until lunch each day. We took our own walking tour of the city. As we were headed towards St. Paul's Cathedral, we discovered this quaint little candy shoppe. We stopped inside, and despite the slightly high prices, bought a few treats.
I had hoped this hedgehog would be filled with some kind of truffle or mousse. Alas, it was not. However, the chocolate was incredibly smooth and tasty.
After the shoppe, we came upon St. Paul's Cathedral.
It was absolutely incredible. Kate did not want to pay for entrance, so she wandered around town while I took a peek inside. I could probably have spent hours there, gazing at the beautiful decorations. You could take a spiral staircase to the top of the dome (over 500 stairs!). There were stops along the way, and I visited the first and second level. At the first level, the "Whispering Gallery", you could look over the rail at the altar below you, and you could hear everything you said. At the second level, you gained a view of London from above.
After St. Paul's, we crossed the river, using the "London Bridge."
Right across the river, we discovered a marketplace! There were rows and rows of food stalls, offering everything from hummus to tea to pastas to cheese.
After indulging in a few samples, kindly offered by stall owners who had to have known we weren't planning on purchasing anything, we headed on our way to the Globe Theatre.
Now, the original Globe Theatre was built in Shakespeare's time, and lasted only a few years before burning down. It was rebuilt, and once again destroyed. The current Globe Theatre was built in the 1900s, so although it lacks the age of other London monuments, it is equally important. They tried to replicate the design as closely as possible, besides a few security adjustments.
The company is currently rehearsing a production of Macbeth, aimed at school groups, so we got to watch the tail end of rehearsal before they broke for lunch. Lots of fake blood and guts! There was also a museum that accompanied the theatre, and we wandered through the exhibits of costumes, props, and historical information about the theatre.
Later that day, we visited the Tate Modern, where we saw many interesting art pieces. There was a surrealism exhibit, which was incredibly cool. They had a few Dali paintings, among many other artists. In another exhibit, there was this art piece.
It had scrolling phrases, some witty, others cynical. There were quite a few, as we watched for a while and didn't see them repeat.
Being in London, of course we had to take a picture with the famous phone booths.
We also visited the Tower of London, which is home of the Crown Jewels, along with exhibits on the armories and armor from history.
While in that area, we took pictures by the Tower Bridge, although we didn't cross it.
(Look at me all bundled up. We left Sevilla when it was sunny and 70 degrees, and traveled to London, where it was rainy and 50)
Wandering through London was definitely an experience. At night, we walked down Oxford Street, which is home of some high end shops, and ended up in Picadilly Circle. The lights made it absolutely beautiful.
We also managed to snag cheap (ish) tickets to We Will Rock You, the musical based on Queen songs. Although the plot was dreadful (to be expected with a show based on songs), the vocal talents of the actors was incredible. Their harmonies and voices came together to give Queen the tribute they deserve. Me being me, I snuck a picture of the set during the curtain call, to capture the image of the band on towers in the wings, just visible to the audience.
One afternoon, looking for something different to do, we checked out Camden neighborhood. It was so much fun! It's this artsy, funky area with tons of markets and random shops. We wandered for hours, checking out vendors and making some purchases ;)
On Sunday, we watched the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, which was cool, but it was very crowded. It was an interesting mix of people around, though. I heard French, Italian, German, Spanish, and English, to name a few languages.
Being a nerd like myself, I remembered us passing King's Cross Station, and I thought of Harry Potter! So of course we had to go check it out. We got to Platforms 9-11, and needed a ticket to get through. We sheepishly went up to a guard and said "I have a question..." He instantly replied, "left, left, and left again." We looked at him quizzically, and he asked "Harry Potter?" We nodded. So we found the "Platform 9 3/4" sign. The area was under construction, but we still got our pictures with our trolleys!
So, I brought back a cold with me from London. The pharmacist gave me more meds, so hopefully it will be out of my system within a few days.
This week was spent working on my mythology project with my group, which has been loads of fun. We met on Wednesday to finish it up, and ended up chatting for an hour or so. It was nice to spend time with them and get to know them better, and feel included in their group.
This weekend is my chance to catch up on homework, as we have midterms in a week and a half! I can't believe how fast time has flown.
Well, I'm off to get some more work done.
Adios!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Meeting friends!
So, as I mentioned in my last post, my mythology class will double up for a week while another professor is on a leave. So, we are going to be doing a group project during that week (consisting of taking a myth, examining it from different perspectives, and presenting it). At first, I was like "oh no. I can't do a group project, I don't know anyone in the class." So, feeling like a middle schooler on her first day in a new school, I approached this girl who looked friendly (whatever that means), and timidly asked, "I don't have a group. Can I be part of yours?" And she said "yes! My name's Rocio". The next day, I came to class, and she waved me over and introduced me to her friends! As much as I dislike group projects, I am excited for the opportunity to get to know other students in my class.
I volunteered at the colegio today, to help with the English class. I had a conversation with Joaquin, who is a beginner, and then with Victoria and ______ (can't remember...), who are more advanced. I also sat in on instructor Chris's class, which was a lot of fun. He's been teaching English in Sevilla for the past 4 years, because he loved studying abroad here so much! I also met Claudia, another instructor, that's been here since September.
Went to Granada this past weekend. Pics to come, when I am caught up on homework.
I'm going to London this weekend! We have Monday off, because it's the Dia de Andalucia, so my friend Kate and I are flying out on Thursday night, and coming back Monday night. I'm excited to see the city, including the Globe Theatre, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and hopefully a show or two as well. We are staying in a hostel, which makes my mom nervous, but I am excited for the experience, and to (hopefully) meet other travelers.
Today was a long day (was gone from 9am to 8:30pm), so I'm going to do some homework and head to bed.
G'night all!
I volunteered at the colegio today, to help with the English class. I had a conversation with Joaquin, who is a beginner, and then with Victoria and ______ (can't remember...), who are more advanced. I also sat in on instructor Chris's class, which was a lot of fun. He's been teaching English in Sevilla for the past 4 years, because he loved studying abroad here so much! I also met Claudia, another instructor, that's been here since September.
Went to Granada this past weekend. Pics to come, when I am caught up on homework.
I'm going to London this weekend! We have Monday off, because it's the Dia de Andalucia, so my friend Kate and I are flying out on Thursday night, and coming back Monday night. I'm excited to see the city, including the Globe Theatre, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and hopefully a show or two as well. We are staying in a hostel, which makes my mom nervous, but I am excited for the experience, and to (hopefully) meet other travelers.
Today was a long day (was gone from 9am to 8:30pm), so I'm going to do some homework and head to bed.
G'night all!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Food and Education
I have successfully learned how to eat an orange with a knife and fork.
I have not successfully learned how to eat fried fish that still has a spine in the middle... You have to take off the sides, eat whatever is on top of the spine, and then somehow, not clumsily, peel off the spine to get to the fish underneath. I think it's just beyond my food skills.
I started volunteering at a school yesterday! They have English classes as an "extra-curricular" from 4-6, and the students are split up by age. They take whatever "level" test they are ready for in May, when a British instructor comes and administers the oral exams. The entire exam is oral, so they just need to have a grasp of understanding/speaking English, not writing. As a volunteer, I will be talking one-on-one with the students to encourage them to say more than "yes" or "no," and to help them think of answers to possible questions the examiner will ask. Yesterday I met the instructors of the classes. One is from Wisconsin! His name is Chris, and he's from Lake Geneva. He totally knew where Hartland was, too. I am excited to be volunteering somewhere (apparently, it's not very common for Spanish people to volunteer) and working with kids again.
The educational system in Spain is quite different from the US. From what I understand, right now, there is a grado and a licenciatura in each field. The grado is 2 years, and the licenciatura is 3 years. After 5 years, they come out with the equivalent of our Bachelor's degree.
I am taking a Classic Mythology class with Spanish students. What I just explained comes into play, because the students are basically all in the same classes, at the same times. They move through the program together, with little say of which classes they take each semester, until they get to the optional classes at a higher level. So most of the students in my class are also in Medieval Christian Art together, etc.
This leads to a problem when their Art professor is taking a week off of class. Basically, my Mythology class is doubling up for a week (having class both during the Art time slot and the Mythology time slot), and then we won't have class for a week while they Art professor makes up for missing that week. All of this would be fine and dandy; however, I have class M/W during the Art time slot. I shave yet to figure out which class I will be skipping those days... I have a couple weeks, though, to decide.
I have also started looking for summer internship/job opportunities, which is incredibly difficult while abroad, and when I won't be back in the country until at least June 2 or 3. Anyone with suggestions? I am hoping to get field experience in Psychology for applying to grad schools, as well as affirming my career path.
Well, it's getting late by me (11:30pm), so I am going to head to bed.
Hasta luego!
I have not successfully learned how to eat fried fish that still has a spine in the middle... You have to take off the sides, eat whatever is on top of the spine, and then somehow, not clumsily, peel off the spine to get to the fish underneath. I think it's just beyond my food skills.
I started volunteering at a school yesterday! They have English classes as an "extra-curricular" from 4-6, and the students are split up by age. They take whatever "level" test they are ready for in May, when a British instructor comes and administers the oral exams. The entire exam is oral, so they just need to have a grasp of understanding/speaking English, not writing. As a volunteer, I will be talking one-on-one with the students to encourage them to say more than "yes" or "no," and to help them think of answers to possible questions the examiner will ask. Yesterday I met the instructors of the classes. One is from Wisconsin! His name is Chris, and he's from Lake Geneva. He totally knew where Hartland was, too. I am excited to be volunteering somewhere (apparently, it's not very common for Spanish people to volunteer) and working with kids again.
The educational system in Spain is quite different from the US. From what I understand, right now, there is a grado and a licenciatura in each field. The grado is 2 years, and the licenciatura is 3 years. After 5 years, they come out with the equivalent of our Bachelor's degree.
I am taking a Classic Mythology class with Spanish students. What I just explained comes into play, because the students are basically all in the same classes, at the same times. They move through the program together, with little say of which classes they take each semester, until they get to the optional classes at a higher level. So most of the students in my class are also in Medieval Christian Art together, etc.
This leads to a problem when their Art professor is taking a week off of class. Basically, my Mythology class is doubling up for a week (having class both during the Art time slot and the Mythology time slot), and then we won't have class for a week while they Art professor makes up for missing that week. All of this would be fine and dandy; however, I have class M/W during the Art time slot. I shave yet to figure out which class I will be skipping those days... I have a couple weeks, though, to decide.
I have also started looking for summer internship/job opportunities, which is incredibly difficult while abroad, and when I won't be back in the country until at least June 2 or 3. Anyone with suggestions? I am hoping to get field experience in Psychology for applying to grad schools, as well as affirming my career path.
Well, it's getting late by me (11:30pm), so I am going to head to bed.
Hasta luego!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Classes, Weather, and Food!
Sorry for not having written for a while! Been keeping busy with classes and friends.
Our 2 week intensive session ended on Friday with a bang, courtesy of an exam and paper. The class seems to have gone well, and we'll find out our grades next week. Our professor, Angel, was amazing. He had an incredible wealth of knowledge about history and culture, and was incredibly kind and friendly too. (And a great sense of style). He treated us as adults, and challenged us to improve our language skills while encouraging participation in conversations about culture. I'm pretty sure every person in our class had fallen in love with him by the end, boys and girls alike, although we continually debated whether the girls or boys had a better chance with him. :)
This week is the first week of university classes, and we are tasked with attending classes to determine which we want to take. After changing classes again, I think I have ended up with: Contemporary Poetry, Spanish Cinema, Contemporary Literature, and Classic Mythology. The Spanish Cinema class is with Angel, which Jessica and I are very excited about. I'm not quite sure about the Contemp. Lit professor, however, because she spoke very simple Spanish, as if we couldn't understand her. I am excited about reading Unamuno, Garcia Lorca, and other 20th century authors, though! It will definitely be a challenge being in classes with students who are less... prepared linguistically for classes in Spanish, especially coming from the intense, fast-paced class with Angel.
This past weekend, my friends from the residencia and I tried a nearby Italian restaurant. The food was great. Jessica and I split a margherita pizza and spinach-filled tortellini. After failing at finding churros at 10pm on a Sunday, we resorted to McDonalds, and got ice cream for dessert.
Keeping with the food topic, I have definitely gotten more used to Spanish cuisine. I have been trying many many many types of fish and seafood. My senora made their version of a potato salad, which is basically potatoes smothered in mayonnaise. Tasted great, but I'm sure it was as unhealthy as can be. Speaking of which, one meal was fried potatoes, empanadillas (fried "pockets" of tuna and tomato sauce), and fried fish. Holy fried! They have their own personal deep frier, like what you see at McDonalds for french fries.
Laura and Pablo, the grandchildren, came over yesterday after school, while their mom was at work. Laura ended up doing homework in my room with me, because "the TV was too loud and she couldn't concentrate." She's learning English, so she asks me how to pronounce words. We also played a game, although I'm not quite sure what the rules were, what the objective was, or if we won... :P
Saturday was a shopping day! We wandered around Calle Tetuan, and I bought boots and a sweater dress. The boots are mid-calf length, black, and have buckles. The stores are in a period of rebajas, which is basically their end of season sales. Everything is discounted up to 50% off for January through February! You can find some great deals, although you'll never find deals of 70% off like the US has.
The weather is warming up, which is fantastic. You can walk around at lunch time without a jacket! Nights in the house are cold, though, because the tile floors keep everything insulated and chilly.
Pics of last weekend's trip to Cordoba soon.
I got a letter from Lauren today, one of my 7th graders, which made my day! Speaking of which, if anyone feels compelled to use snail mail, I love receiving letters, and I will write back! My address is:
Alyssa Pon-Franklin
CIEE Study Center in Seville
Calle Munoz y Pabon, 9
41004, Sevilla SPAIN
Adios for now!
~Alyssa
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sightseeing Galore!
We went out again the following night, and although we didn't find Bicicleteria, we did find a modern bar with a fun atmosphere.
When we were walking around on Monday, we saw this demonstration. People were protesting the privatization of some service sectors. They had gathered on the tramvia tracks and weren't letting it past.
The columns were part of a temple dedicated to Hercules, the mythical founder of Sevilla. Two other columns from that temple ended up at the Alameda de Hercules, with Renaissance statues of Hercules and Julius Caesar (the founder of Sevilla).
Also on Monday, we visited the Palace of the Countess of Lebrija. She basically bought all of these mosaics from Italica and had them moved to her house. Her house was full of Roman mosaics, artifacts, statues, and other items from throughout history.
It's incredible that all of this is part of her private collection.
Upstairs cost an extra 3 Euro, so we didn't get to explore fully. The craftsmanship put into this palacio is incredible.
On Tuesday, some fellow classmates and I ventured across town to the Iglesia de la Macarena. The entire church was elaborately decorated, with frescoes on the ceilings and walls, and intricate displays. This picture is of the main altar, which was dedicated to the Virgen Maria de la Esperanza (Virgin Mary of Hope).
This wall is next to the Iglesia. It was started by the Romans, and then added to by the Muslims.
That day with our class,we visited the mezquita (mosque) of Salvador.
Wednesday, we visited the Alcazar of Sevilla. It was built in the 12th century by the Muslims. In the 14th century, it was destroyed and rebuilt by the Christians, although they used the mudejar style (copying the Muslims). This picture is of a patio in the remaining Muslim part. The water ran from inside the building to outside, allowing for purification/cleansing.
When we were walking around on Monday, we saw this demonstration. People were protesting the privatization of some service sectors. They had gathered on the tramvia tracks and weren't letting it past.
Our 2 week intensive classes started on Monday. I was placed into the advanced class: Cultural History of Spain. Each day we spend 1 1/2 hours in the classroom, and then venture out into Sevilla to see some of the places we learn about. On Monday, we saw these 3 columns that date back to the Roman period.
The columns were part of a temple dedicated to Hercules, the mythical founder of Sevilla. Two other columns from that temple ended up at the Alameda de Hercules, with Renaissance statues of Hercules and Julius Caesar (the founder of Sevilla).
Also on Monday, we visited the Palace of the Countess of Lebrija. She basically bought all of these mosaics from Italica and had them moved to her house. Her house was full of Roman mosaics, artifacts, statues, and other items from throughout history.
It's incredible that all of this is part of her private collection.
Upstairs cost an extra 3 Euro, so we didn't get to explore fully. The craftsmanship put into this palacio is incredible.
On Tuesday, some fellow classmates and I ventured across town to the Iglesia de la Macarena. The entire church was elaborately decorated, with frescoes on the ceilings and walls, and intricate displays. This picture is of the main altar, which was dedicated to the Virgen Maria de la Esperanza (Virgin Mary of Hope).
This wall is next to the Iglesia. It was started by the Romans, and then added to by the Muslims.
That day with our class,we visited the mezquita (mosque) of Salvador.
Wednesday, we visited the Alcazar of Sevilla. It was built in the 12th century by the Muslims. In the 14th century, it was destroyed and rebuilt by the Christians, although they used the mudejar style (copying the Muslims). This picture is of a patio in the remaining Muslim part. The water ran from inside the building to outside, allowing for purification/cleansing.
This picture is of a patio in the Christian side. Note the combination of the Muslim arches and the Roman-style arches on the 2nd floor.
These baths were built for the mistress, per her request.
This picture is of the Cathedral and Giralda. The Giralda was originally built as a minaret by the Muslims. The top was reconstructed by the Christians in the 14th century, and then reconstructed again in the 16th century after the Cathedral was built.
This picture is of the Cathedral. It was built in a Gothic style in the 15th century.
Included in the tour of the Cathedral was a trip to the top of the Giralda. After 34 ramps, this is the view we were rewarded with.
Another great view from the top of the tower.
We are off to Cordoba for the day tomorrow, then are planning on celebrating Jessica's birthday. Hoping for great weather tomorrow, instead of the on/off rain of this week.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Italica
Yesterday, we all piled onto coach buses to tour Italica. Approximately 20 minutes outside of Sevilla, Italica is an ancient Roman city. It dates back to the 2nd century, and is known as the birthplace of Trajano (Trajan- Roman emperor) and Adriano's (Hadrian- another Roman emperor) family. The city was much larger than it is today, but at some point in recent history, the area's inhabitants tired of the many floods from the river, and re-located their city to on top of part of Italica. So much of the city is no longer visible, but the part that is gives us a glimpse into life during that time.
Many of the houses had very intricate, detailed mosaics like this one. This depicts Neptune fighting animals, with a border of pygmies fighting cranes.
This is an overview of some of the ruins. Many of the houses belonged to important people, which is indicated by their size.
The large houses usually had 2 shops "in" them, one on either side of the front door. This picture is of an oven in one of those shops.
We also saw the amphitheatre where they had gladiator fights and such. This picture shows the trench that was covered with wood, and had a ramp/pulleys used to pull the cages of animals onto the fighting space.
Overall view of part of the amphitheatre. It used to have 2 other, higher sections, but after it was abandoned, people started taking the rock to build other cities. Thankfully, the river flooded this area, protecting the rest of the rock from being taken.
And, of course, every set of ruins has to have its token cat wandering around.
Went out with a few friends last night. We started at this bar with cushy walls (similar to vinyl padded restaurant booths) and 80s music. We then moved on to a club called Utopia, where we met a lot of the 25+ crowd. Not that many students there. I called it a night around 2, and grabbed a taxi back home.
We're adventuring out again tonight, hopefully to find a club called Bicicleteria.
Many of the houses had very intricate, detailed mosaics like this one. This depicts Neptune fighting animals, with a border of pygmies fighting cranes.
This is an overview of some of the ruins. Many of the houses belonged to important people, which is indicated by their size.
The large houses usually had 2 shops "in" them, one on either side of the front door. This picture is of an oven in one of those shops.
We also saw the amphitheatre where they had gladiator fights and such. This picture shows the trench that was covered with wood, and had a ramp/pulleys used to pull the cages of animals onto the fighting space.
Overall view of part of the amphitheatre. It used to have 2 other, higher sections, but after it was abandoned, people started taking the rock to build other cities. Thankfully, the river flooded this area, protecting the rest of the rock from being taken.
And, of course, every set of ruins has to have its token cat wandering around.
Went out with a few friends last night. We started at this bar with cushy walls (similar to vinyl padded restaurant booths) and 80s music. We then moved on to a club called Utopia, where we met a lot of the 25+ crowd. Not that many students there. I called it a night around 2, and grabbed a taxi back home.
We're adventuring out again tonight, hopefully to find a club called Bicicleteria.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Home Stay!
Yesterday morning we all moved in to our host families' homes. As I mentioned previously, I am living with a woman named Encarnacion and her husband Antonio in their apartment. The couple is in their mid-60's and has 2 sons. One son lives across the patio with his 2 children. I met the children today, and they are adorable! Laura is 7, and Pablo is around 3, I believe. Laura was very talkative. When I met her, she asked me what my name was, and then disappeared. When she came back, she presented me with this picture she had drawn.
She continued to tell me all about her school and her friends, and ask me questions. I was reading on my Kindle later, and she came over and sat on the arm of my chair and told me about her DS and pointed out English words she recognized on the Kindle. I think the grandkids must come over after school every day while their parents are at work.
My señora showed me where the program study center (called Palacio) is and where to buy cheap (well, cheap for Sevilla) shampoo/etc.
Meals have been good. It takes a little getting used to, because they don't have as much variety as we do, but they are vegetarians too, which makes it easier.
Encarnacion said that she has been housing students since her son was her grandkids' age, so for many years now. She used to have multiple at a time, too, but doesn't anymore. She also loves history, and tells me about the city and its past at every spare minute. She grew up in a small town outside of Sevilla.
We received the time table for classes today, and we register on Saturday. I'm hoping to get a good mix of classes that will be interesting and count for my major, without overwhelming me with classwork. We also have the opportunity to volunteer at local places if we wish, and I'd love to volunteer at a school or something similar.
Tomorrow we are going on an adventure to Italica, an ancient city. Pictures to come!
~Alyssa
She continued to tell me all about her school and her friends, and ask me questions. I was reading on my Kindle later, and she came over and sat on the arm of my chair and told me about her DS and pointed out English words she recognized on the Kindle. I think the grandkids must come over after school every day while their parents are at work.
My señora showed me where the program study center (called Palacio) is and where to buy cheap (well, cheap for Sevilla) shampoo/etc.
Meals have been good. It takes a little getting used to, because they don't have as much variety as we do, but they are vegetarians too, which makes it easier.
Encarnacion said that she has been housing students since her son was her grandkids' age, so for many years now. She used to have multiple at a time, too, but doesn't anymore. She also loves history, and tells me about the city and its past at every spare minute. She grew up in a small town outside of Sevilla.
We received the time table for classes today, and we register on Saturday. I'm hoping to get a good mix of classes that will be interesting and count for my major, without overwhelming me with classwork. We also have the opportunity to volunteer at local places if we wish, and I'd love to volunteer at a school or something similar.
Tomorrow we are going on an adventure to Italica, an ancient city. Pictures to come!
~Alyssa
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Learning About the City
So yesterday started out with a series of orientation sessions about housing, academics, and cell phones. I learned about my host family. I will be living with a woman named Encarnacion and her husband Antonio, although I don't know their ages yet. I'm living in the centro of town, a few blocks away from the Cathedral. I meet my host family in about an hour. (scary, but exciting!).
We then toured the city and went out for tapas for lunch. We ordered large porciones to share with our table, as opposed to individual tapas. I tried this salmorejo, which is a chilled tomato and bread soup. Mine came without the meat.
We also ordered a dish of some kind of octopus, which was better than I thought it would be. Kinda chewy.
We ordered papas bravas, which are basically fried potatoes (wedges, fries, depends on location) with a sauce (mixture of red & white, not sure of ingredients).
After touring the city, we came back to the hotel (took the "tram"), where most of us crashed for a bit. I had my oral interview with one of the professors to confirm placement in our 2 week intensive language or history course.
After the interviews, we went back out into the city for dinner and a flamenco show. Dinner was wonderful. We ordered tapas, and everyone ordered 2 or 3 different dishes to try. I got a cheese plate (which was old Swiss, I think) and a grilled white fish. The white fish portion was huge for a tapas size. The texture was perfect, though, although it could have used a little flavoring. I was happy to have something not fried, though. We left that meal completely satisfied and ready to enjoy the show.
The flamenco show took place in this tiny courtyard that had a tarp connecting the buildings as a "roof". The show was great. It was not as flashy as some were expecting, but it was authentic flamenco (not tourist-y).
It was very impressive how quickly they could move their feet and create different sounds and rhythms.
Today, we meet our host families and have lunch with them, and then go to more orientation sessions and such. Lots of information being thrown at us, but it's all info we need to know.
Hoping to buy a cell phone today, and maybe shampoo/etc.
Adios,
~Alyssa
We then toured the city and went out for tapas for lunch. We ordered large porciones to share with our table, as opposed to individual tapas. I tried this salmorejo, which is a chilled tomato and bread soup. Mine came without the meat.
We also ordered a dish of some kind of octopus, which was better than I thought it would be. Kinda chewy.
We ordered papas bravas, which are basically fried potatoes (wedges, fries, depends on location) with a sauce (mixture of red & white, not sure of ingredients).
After touring the city, we came back to the hotel (took the "tram"), where most of us crashed for a bit. I had my oral interview with one of the professors to confirm placement in our 2 week intensive language or history course.
After the interviews, we went back out into the city for dinner and a flamenco show. Dinner was wonderful. We ordered tapas, and everyone ordered 2 or 3 different dishes to try. I got a cheese plate (which was old Swiss, I think) and a grilled white fish. The white fish portion was huge for a tapas size. The texture was perfect, though, although it could have used a little flavoring. I was happy to have something not fried, though. We left that meal completely satisfied and ready to enjoy the show.
The flamenco show took place in this tiny courtyard that had a tarp connecting the buildings as a "roof". The show was great. It was not as flashy as some were expecting, but it was authentic flamenco (not tourist-y).
Today, we meet our host families and have lunch with them, and then go to more orientation sessions and such. Lots of information being thrown at us, but it's all info we need to know.
Hoping to buy a cell phone today, and maybe shampoo/etc.
Adios,
~Alyssa
Monday, January 17, 2011
Arrival!
I have arrived safely in Sevilla, although not uneventfully.
At O'Hare, going through security, apparently I looked suspicious, as I was pulled aside and sent through the full body scan. Sigh. After getting all re-put together, I went to my gate, where I met three girls who are studying abroad in Barcelona this semester, which helped pass the time before our flight to JFK.
JFK was fine. We flew uneventfully to Madrid.
Upon reaching Madrid, I discovered 5 other students in the Sevilla program, and we somewhat successfully navigated the ridiculous layout of the airport to find our terminal. Upon reaching our terminal, we saw that we didn't have a gate listed yet for our flight, so we went to a coffee shop to waste some of the 5 hours we had before our flight. Some of the girls payed upwards of 3 euros for a glass of orange juice! Que caro!
After we had been waiting around for quite some time, we asked the Information kiosk guy about our flight. He informed us that it had been delayed because of the fog, but he didn't have any more details than that. We wandered around the airport more, found a McDonalds (with a "uno por uno" menu), came back to the info guy and asked for an update when the gate still wasn't listed. He still had no information, and it was pretty close to the time we were supposed to be boarding. We camped out in front of the giant departure screens, and found a large group of other Sevilla participants. All of a sudden, one of the screens refreshed, and our flight had disappeared! I once again asked the info guy, who informed us that our flight had been canceled. We all traipsed over to the Iberia customer service line, and after waiting for a good hour because the line was so long, we reached the desk. Thankfully, all of us were put on "standby" for the next flight, which was only a couple hours away.
So we got to the gate as soon as it was posted, and all of us got in line to try to get a seat for the flight. This girl Holley and I were first in line, and received seats right away. Some of the other students were told "probably, but wait a minute." Almost everyone made it on board that flight, and after sitting IN the plane, at the gate, and then on the runway, for a good hour and a half, we finally took off around 5pm. It was great to finally be able to sleep, after spending 10 hours in an airport.
We arrived in Sevilla to discover that half of our luggage had not arrived, due to the quick change of flights. So after sorting that mess out (they'll be delivered in the morning), we took a program bus and arrived at the hotel, exhausted. After yet another line (for check-in), we had a wonderful buffet meal (gorgeous, delicious fruit for dessert!).
We start orientation first thing in the morning, with info sessions, tours of Sevilla, and oral interviews. It'll be a busy, exhausting day, especially because most of us are jet lagged. However, the hotel is beautiful and quite nice, so it'll be a good night's sleep.
More updates later this week. For now, it's bed time. :)
At O'Hare, going through security, apparently I looked suspicious, as I was pulled aside and sent through the full body scan. Sigh. After getting all re-put together, I went to my gate, where I met three girls who are studying abroad in Barcelona this semester, which helped pass the time before our flight to JFK.
JFK was fine. We flew uneventfully to Madrid.
Upon reaching Madrid, I discovered 5 other students in the Sevilla program, and we somewhat successfully navigated the ridiculous layout of the airport to find our terminal. Upon reaching our terminal, we saw that we didn't have a gate listed yet for our flight, so we went to a coffee shop to waste some of the 5 hours we had before our flight. Some of the girls payed upwards of 3 euros for a glass of orange juice! Que caro!
After we had been waiting around for quite some time, we asked the Information kiosk guy about our flight. He informed us that it had been delayed because of the fog, but he didn't have any more details than that. We wandered around the airport more, found a McDonalds (with a "uno por uno" menu), came back to the info guy and asked for an update when the gate still wasn't listed. He still had no information, and it was pretty close to the time we were supposed to be boarding. We camped out in front of the giant departure screens, and found a large group of other Sevilla participants. All of a sudden, one of the screens refreshed, and our flight had disappeared! I once again asked the info guy, who informed us that our flight had been canceled. We all traipsed over to the Iberia customer service line, and after waiting for a good hour because the line was so long, we reached the desk. Thankfully, all of us were put on "standby" for the next flight, which was only a couple hours away.
So we got to the gate as soon as it was posted, and all of us got in line to try to get a seat for the flight. This girl Holley and I were first in line, and received seats right away. Some of the other students were told "probably, but wait a minute." Almost everyone made it on board that flight, and after sitting IN the plane, at the gate, and then on the runway, for a good hour and a half, we finally took off around 5pm. It was great to finally be able to sleep, after spending 10 hours in an airport.
We arrived in Sevilla to discover that half of our luggage had not arrived, due to the quick change of flights. So after sorting that mess out (they'll be delivered in the morning), we took a program bus and arrived at the hotel, exhausted. After yet another line (for check-in), we had a wonderful buffet meal (gorgeous, delicious fruit for dessert!).
We start orientation first thing in the morning, with info sessions, tours of Sevilla, and oral interviews. It'll be a busy, exhausting day, especially because most of us are jet lagged. However, the hotel is beautiful and quite nice, so it'll be a good night's sleep.
More updates later this week. For now, it's bed time. :)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Preparing to Fly
Hola!
Since I'm spending a semester in Sevilla, Spain, I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon and start a blog about my adventures and travels.
I depart the good old USA on Sunday, flying out of O'Hare, and landing in Sevilla around 1pm the next day. All of the last minute details are falling into place, although I have more packing left than I care to admit (sorry Mom!).
I am filled with excitement and anticipation for what is to come. I cannot wait to experience the culture of the region, and become immersed in the beautiful language that Spanish is. I realize communication will at times be frustrating, but I am excited to increase my language skills and develop a greater vocabulary. I am also looking forward to the historical aspect of living in Europe. Although history is admittedly not my favorite subject, I find it fascinating to experience firsthand the architecture and art of a city or country.
I'll try to update regularly about my experiences within Sevilla, as well as my travels and adventures.
Adios for now,
~Alyssa
Since I'm spending a semester in Sevilla, Spain, I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon and start a blog about my adventures and travels.
I depart the good old USA on Sunday, flying out of O'Hare, and landing in Sevilla around 1pm the next day. All of the last minute details are falling into place, although I have more packing left than I care to admit (sorry Mom!).
I am filled with excitement and anticipation for what is to come. I cannot wait to experience the culture of the region, and become immersed in the beautiful language that Spanish is. I realize communication will at times be frustrating, but I am excited to increase my language skills and develop a greater vocabulary. I am also looking forward to the historical aspect of living in Europe. Although history is admittedly not my favorite subject, I find it fascinating to experience firsthand the architecture and art of a city or country.
I'll try to update regularly about my experiences within Sevilla, as well as my travels and adventures.
Adios for now,
~Alyssa
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