Hola. I've been so busy lately, it's been hard to find time to update. But here I am. ;o) Let's see, last week we started classes at the UVa program. I'm taking 5 classes: Grammar, Literary Analysis, Spanish Lit. I, Spanish Lit. II, and Spanish Culture & Civilization. So far things are going okay - I like my Culture & Civ. class because it's really interesting to learn about Spain while IN in Spain. I've never intensely studied the history of another country besides the United States, so I'm excited for this class. I think the one that will give me the most trouble is my Literature I class - it's medieval literature. So think Shakespeare in Spanish. I'm hoping it'll get easier with time, but right now it's proving to be very difficult.
Last weekend we had Thursday off because it was a city holiday. So, 4 day weekend in Europe, of course you travel! We went to Granada and Cordoba, which are both cities in the south of Spain. Granada is closer to the coast and Cordoba more inland. We left Wednesday at 1 AM on a train, which we rode for nearly 8 hours. It was uncomfortable and hard to sleep, but cheaper than booking a hostel for a night. When we got to Granada it was raining and cold. It made me appreciate the Valencia weather I was missing. I also know I'm spoiled right now because it's like single digits at home?? Anyways, we walked around the city and checked into our hostel. This was an interesting experience - I have never stayed in a hostel before and I've heard some negative things about them, but I can honestly say I had a pretty good experience. There were 7 of us girls and 8 beds in our room, so we met another girl who was moving to Granada and looking for apartments. The beds were bigger than the one I have in my room here & clean. The only downside was having to pay to use a towel when you showered.
We ate our lunches in the kitchen of the hostel before venturing out. All of our host moms packed us lunches before we left. They gave us "bocadillos" which are basically sandwiches on good fresh bread. That's one great thing about Spain - they always have tasty fresh bread with every meal.
Then we saw the sights of the city, which include: La Alhambra, the Cathedral, and the place where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel were buried. La Alhambra is the last Muslim stronghold in Spain and was built in the 800's. It was basically a huge mass of land made of gardens & palaces. The details on the walls were so intricate. It was amazing to see - no one makes it like that anymore. It was also neat to see where the King & Queen of Spain who sent Christopher Columbus to America, were buried. It made me realize that compared to Europe, the USA doesn't have much of a history. We're just a baby and can't walk around and point out monuments from the 800's. It was really cool to see.
Later the next day, we took a bus to Cordoba and checked into our hostel there. Now the first hostel was nice, but this hostel was even better - I was surprised to have my expectations exceeded. There was just something about the city (maybe the fact that it wasn't raining ;o)) but I liked it better than Granada. Here we saw the Mezquita - which is a mosque that was built back in the 800 - 900's by the Muslims when they occupied Spain. After the Christian Reconquistion they tore a big whole in the middle and built a Cathedral. Now I was surprised to see that you couldn't really tell that they had ripped out the middle of the building. It was very precisely done & it was amazing to see.
On the way home we took an overnight train again. This is a train that makes multiple stops, so after an hour past when we were supposed to get off, I got worried. I thought maybe we had been early to our stop and we missed it. It turned out we were an hour behind schedule, but no one really tells the passengers. I was glad to make it back at 6:30 AM on Sunday.
Overall, it was a fun & educational trip. It's nice to see other parts of Spain, but it really makes me appreciate Valencia because personally I still like it the best!
Adios. Kristin
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Cullera y Mas...
Well the last couple of days have been interesting trying to get adjusted & finding my way around the city. I think it will take some time - I feel like such a tourist always walking around with a map. People look at us kinda funny, but it's easy to get turned around here - I so need my map.
Yesterday my school sponsored an excursion to Cullera, Spain. It's a city to the south of Valencia and is right on the beach. It was pretty gorgeous there - definitely too cold to go swimming or hang out on the beach, but it was fun to walk around. We got to climb up part of this mountain to see the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Castillo. It was so pretty inside - all the artwork! It was so cool to see the beach & the mountains all in one landscape.
On the way home, the bus dropped us off quite a ways from home, so we had to figure out where we were and walk. Amanda and I were walking down this street and heard these loud noises & saw smoke. I thought it was a gun shot & was expecting someone to drop dead on the ground. We were both so scared we like stopped in our tracks and stared at each other. This woman walked by and starting laughing at us. Turns out someone was lighting fireworks off in the middle of the street. Needless to say, I felt ridiculous, but we took a different street just in case. haha.
Later that evening, we were on our way to this place that the school was holding an evening function, but we didn't know where it was. We found it on the map & my host sister suggested taking the bus there, so she gave us the area it ran in & the number. Now, I've ridden the bus once since I've been here (I find it's cheaper to walk :o)). So I don't know the numbers or where they run or what buses come back towards home. Nonetheless we took her advice and got on this bus, the problem was we didn't know where to get off. So we were standing there discussing it & the bus driver turns around and asks where we were trying to go. It must have been pretty obvious we didn't know the city! So Amanda tells him the street, but he didn't know where that was - so he pulled the bus over and asks everyone on the bus if they know where Carrer de Corona is. This one young college student explains it & then the bus driver tells us he can't take us that far. He offers to tell us where we need to get off & then the spanish college student offers to walk us to the place. We finally found it! I thought it was so nice of that guy to help us out; people in spain can be so hospitable!
Today is our free day, so I think we are going to tour some museums because they are free on Sundays. That should be exciting! I also found a church right across the street from my apartment, so I'm going to go to mass later tonight. It'll definitely be interesting to hear it in a different language. I've never gone to mass where they spoke anything but English.
Adios. Kristin
Yesterday my school sponsored an excursion to Cullera, Spain. It's a city to the south of Valencia and is right on the beach. It was pretty gorgeous there - definitely too cold to go swimming or hang out on the beach, but it was fun to walk around. We got to climb up part of this mountain to see the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Castillo. It was so pretty inside - all the artwork! It was so cool to see the beach & the mountains all in one landscape.
On the way home, the bus dropped us off quite a ways from home, so we had to figure out where we were and walk. Amanda and I were walking down this street and heard these loud noises & saw smoke. I thought it was a gun shot & was expecting someone to drop dead on the ground. We were both so scared we like stopped in our tracks and stared at each other. This woman walked by and starting laughing at us. Turns out someone was lighting fireworks off in the middle of the street. Needless to say, I felt ridiculous, but we took a different street just in case. haha.
Later that evening, we were on our way to this place that the school was holding an evening function, but we didn't know where it was. We found it on the map & my host sister suggested taking the bus there, so she gave us the area it ran in & the number. Now, I've ridden the bus once since I've been here (I find it's cheaper to walk :o)). So I don't know the numbers or where they run or what buses come back towards home. Nonetheless we took her advice and got on this bus, the problem was we didn't know where to get off. So we were standing there discussing it & the bus driver turns around and asks where we were trying to go. It must have been pretty obvious we didn't know the city! So Amanda tells him the street, but he didn't know where that was - so he pulled the bus over and asks everyone on the bus if they know where Carrer de Corona is. This one young college student explains it & then the bus driver tells us he can't take us that far. He offers to tell us where we need to get off & then the spanish college student offers to walk us to the place. We finally found it! I thought it was so nice of that guy to help us out; people in spain can be so hospitable!
Today is our free day, so I think we are going to tour some museums because they are free on Sundays. That should be exciting! I also found a church right across the street from my apartment, so I'm going to go to mass later tonight. It'll definitely be interesting to hear it in a different language. I've never gone to mass where they spoke anything but English.
Adios. Kristin
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Esta Aqui!
Well I finally made here! After like 2 days of traveling & multiple delayed flights. Traveling can take a lot out of you - I think I had like 3 hours of sleep in 36 hours,and then there was the time change, so needless to say I was pretty exhausted. Rachel & I took a taxi from the airport to our houses, and the taxi driver was making fun of our accent. I thought that was funny because we were always taught Mexican spanish and here in Spain they almost have what sounds like a lisp. So he was trying to coach us to speak the way they do.
The taxi driver dropped me off on our street & rang the bell for me, so the door was unlocked. I walked into the lobby with all my bags and then I didn't know what to do. There were 7 floors & I knew I was in apartment 11, but I had no idea what floor that was on. So I stood there for awhile & luckily my housemate Amanda came down the stairs. She helped me with my bags and such. My house mom wasn't here because she works from 5-9.
When she came home she made dinner which was chicken, an egg & potato - french fry things. It was very good! This morning for breakfast she asked if I wanted milk, so I thought sure. Then she stuck it in the microwave. I wasn't thinking that it would be hot milk! Then she gave me some chocolate to mix in - so it was more like hot chocolate. That was better, but I guess I didn't know they don't drink cold milk like we do at home. She said I also could have orange, but I would have to use the machine to freshly squeeze it, so I guess I'll have to learn how to do that.
We had orientation this morning too, so I got to meet a bunch of people that are studying at the school. That was fun. Later today we have to sign contracts saying we wont speak English in the building! That'll definitely be an interesting experience.
Well that's all for now!
Adios. Kristin
The taxi driver dropped me off on our street & rang the bell for me, so the door was unlocked. I walked into the lobby with all my bags and then I didn't know what to do. There were 7 floors & I knew I was in apartment 11, but I had no idea what floor that was on. So I stood there for awhile & luckily my housemate Amanda came down the stairs. She helped me with my bags and such. My house mom wasn't here because she works from 5-9.
When she came home she made dinner which was chicken, an egg & potato - french fry things. It was very good! This morning for breakfast she asked if I wanted milk, so I thought sure. Then she stuck it in the microwave. I wasn't thinking that it would be hot milk! Then she gave me some chocolate to mix in - so it was more like hot chocolate. That was better, but I guess I didn't know they don't drink cold milk like we do at home. She said I also could have orange, but I would have to use the machine to freshly squeeze it, so I guess I'll have to learn how to do that.
We had orientation this morning too, so I got to meet a bunch of people that are studying at the school. That was fun. Later today we have to sign contracts saying we wont speak English in the building! That'll definitely be an interesting experience.
Well that's all for now!
Adios. Kristin
Sunday, January 4, 2009
And the Countdown Begins...
It's really hard to believe that it's January 4th already & I leave in almost a week. It seems so surreal and I don't think it will totally hit me until I'm boarding the plane to leave the country. Honestly, I had a really hard time making the decision to study abroad, and I still am having a hard time imagining leaving my home, family and friends for 4 months. I know in the long run it will have far more benefits though, so that's why despite my anxieties, I am excited to embark on this journey!
I got my host family information and I'm living with a divorced woman & her daughter. I also have a housemate from U of Iowa. I received an email from my host mom & she seems excited about this, so I'm hoping it'll all work out for the best. That's all for now!
Adios.
I got my host family information and I'm living with a divorced woman & her daughter. I also have a housemate from U of Iowa. I received an email from my host mom & she seems excited about this, so I'm hoping it'll all work out for the best. That's all for now!
Adios.
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