Los viajes: Grecia y Italia

As I’m writing this I’m in the plane on the way back across the ocean to the U.S. It’s hard to believe that I’ll be back in the U.S. in just a few hours! Leaving was definitely bittersweet. I am excited to see everyone at home, but it was really hard to leave Segovia. I didn’t even realize how much it had come to feel like home until I had to leave it.

            So to sum up my last couple weeks in Spain…

Two weeks ago was Spring Break, and we went to Greece for 4 days. I loved it! We stayed in this cute little family owned hotel that was 5 minute walk from the beach. It was warm and sunny and there were flowers everywhere. Greek people have a very chill attitude towards life, so it was very refreshing to get away and rest for several days. We spent the first 2 days on the beach and walking around the little area where we were staying. There was a grocery store several blocks away, so we walked there and bought some food. The second night we were there we decided to take a taxi to downtown Chania to find some Greek food for dinner. We found this restaurant that was recommended to us by the son of this cool pottery workshop/store that we wandered into. The restaurant was really nice and the Greek food that I tried was delicious. There were 3 guys sitting next to us at dinner and after we were finished they came over and started talking to us. They were nice and it turns out they were from Bologna, Italy which was where Annie, Jenn, & I were going next, which was really random. (I’ll come back to this later…)

The next day we decided to rent bikes and bike through this gorge. However, 20 min. into the ride when we still hadn’t even reached the beginning of the gorge (which was going to be a long ride uphill), we changed our minds and biked to Chania instead. We walked along the port and went in a few stores. 

The port 

The next day we went back to Chania and did some shopping and then got on the plane to Bologna. It just so happened that the guys we met in the restaurant that night were on the same flight as us and one of them sat next to Jenn. He offered to show us around Bologna the next day and we decided to take him up on his offer. The next day we slept late and then went into downtown Bologna. We walked around the old part and saw Bologna University (the oldest in the world), leaning towers, and other old buildings. That night we met up with the guy we had met in Greece and he showed us some more historical places in Bologna, sharing the history of them with us, which was interesting. One of the neatest buildings we saw was the church of San Luca on top of a hill and there are 666 arches that create a pathway leading up to the church. It was dark, so we couldn’t go in the church, but it was beautiful from the outside.

We also went to this unique bar where people bring in their own food from outside. The bar only sells wine and beer and people bring in food and then share it with other people who are there. For example, one person might bring bread and another meat and they then trade. This creates a cool sense of community and brings people together.

After that we went to an authentic Italian restaurant and tried tortellini, tortalloni, lasagna, and spaghetti (which Italians call something different, but I can’t remember the name). It was seriously the best pasta I’ve ever had. After that we went and had gelato, which was also amazing.

The next day we hung around the hotel for the day and then caught our flight back home, which was uneventful until we reached Madrid. After we arrive at the airport in Madrid we have to take the metro to the bus station to then take a bus back to Segovia. When the metro came it was really crowded, but we managed to squeeze on. However, because of how crowded it was we were all wedged in really awkwardly (with all of our luggage!) and we weren’t right next to each other. I was a little nervous because people were pressed up really close to me and I couldn’t see my purse of my backpack, but I figured everything would be ok. However, a few minutes into the ride I felt something tug on my purse, so I grabbed it and pulled it in front of me and started checking to make sure everything was still there. I couldn’t find my wallet and I was just starting to panic when it fell at my feet. I grabbed it and opened it and all my cash was gone, but my cards were still there. I reached across and grabbed Jenn and said “My money’s gone! I think someone took it!” Jenn couldn’t hear me very well so she just gave me a confused look. At this moment the train arrived at the next station and a ton of people got off and I moved over next to Jenn and  now really starting to panic, said “Someone took my money!” Jenn and Annie grabbed their purses and both of their wallets were gone too. We were all 3 in shock. It was especially crazy because Jenn had her purse zipped and in front of her the entire time and someone managed to get it out and then zip it back up.

When we got to the bus station Jenn and Annie called to cancel their cards while I went and talked to the bus station workers to figure out where the police station was. We went to the police station and they were really nice and helpful, but we ended up not filing a report because we didn’t have time because we had to catch a bus back to Segovia. So, the next morning Jenn and I went to the police station in Segovia and filed a report, but we haven’t heard anything. I was really frustrated that we let it happen especially since we had been warned so many times about pickpockets. I really wish I could see how they did it though, because it was really smooth and well-organized. Everyone we’ve talked to has said that there was most definitely more than one person involved.

Although it was a stressful experience and a bad way to end our spring break trip it makes a good story. We spent the rest of spring break hanging around Segovia and getting ready for our last week of school (and finals!) I took my last final of my college career on Thursday, which is really hard to believe.

Well, sorry this was so long. Spain has been and adventure and it’s hard to believe that I’m almost home! It still hasn’t really sunk in. 

Keep Calm and Carry On

So, keeping up with my blog has definitely gotten pushed to the backburner lately. We’re on spring break right now, and I got back a couple nights ago from a week in Greece & Italy. Traveling around Europe has been fun, but I've actually found that I miss Spain when I’m visiting other European countries.

Last month 4 girls and I went to London for the weekend. Even though it was rainy and cold most of the time (typical London weather) it was still a lot of fun, and I loved getting to see so many famous places. Almost every stop on the metro was a name that I’d heard of before. Riding the metro (or “tube” as they call it in England) was an experience in itself. It was fairly easy to navigate, but it was always really crowded. One day we were waiting to take the metro and when it came it was more crowded than usual. The doors opened but there really wasn’t space to get on. However, one of the girls with us, Jenn, squeezed on, but before any of the rest of us could follow, the doors closed. We started frantically pushing the button and banging on the door, but it was too late. Jenn yelled, “What stop?” and as the train pulled away Susie answered “Waterloo…” hoping that Jenn had heard. We caught the next train and when we arrived at Waterloo station, Jenn was waiting for us. But, it was a funny experience. 

Here are some of the highlights from our trip: 

One of my favorite parts was getting to ride in the London Eye. It’s a huge Ferris wheel where we got an awesome view of London.

London Eye 

 Big Ben 

Abbey Road (where the Beatles took their famous photo) 

Oh, and we also randomly got off on the Baker St. stop on the metro and there was a Sherlock Holmes statue outside. I’m a big fan, so I was super excited about that.

Some of the other landmarks I got to see were Westminster Abbey, the Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace. We wanted to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, but we didn't know that they only do it every other day and Sunday was not one of those days. But it was still fun to see the palace and the gardens. 

Then a couple of weekends ago I got to go to Álcala to visit a friend from Bryan for the weekend. On Saturday we drove to a camp in the country to help out with an English camp for the day. I spent most of the day having conversations with people who are learning English, and I also helped lead a session for the children. This weekend I started to realize how at home I feel in Spain and how much I’m going to miss it when I return to the U.S.

Lynnette and I at English camp. (It was Hawaiian themed). 

Oh, and the title of my post? It’s a British quote from World War II that we saw everywhere in London. I’ve adopted it as my "saying" with all the craziness we encounter while travelling around Europe haha. 

Well, I think this is enough for now, but I'll post about Greece and Italy in a few days. I can't believe that in 8 days I'll be back in the U.S! It definitely hasn't sunk in yet. 

Salamanca, soccer, & art

Sorry it’s been a while again since I’ve written. Nothing too exciting has happened this last week and I’ve been crazy busy. I had 2 midterm exams (because we’re halfway through the semester) a presentation, a quiz, plus all the regular daily assignments we have for our classes. I started the week thinking it was going to be AWFUL, but it actually turned out to be a pretty good week J 

Last Friday we went on a group excursion to Salamanca. Salamanca's a college town, so there were lot's of students there that gave it an energetic feel. My favorite part of the visit was getting to tour the University of Salamanca. It’s the oldest university in Spain and the 3^rd oldest in the world! Walking through the stone halls of the original part, it was hard to believe that people actually went to school there!

Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

Last Sunday I went to a Real Madrid soccer game! I’ve always liked soccer, but I’ve never really followed it (mostly because it’s not that big in the U.S.) But here, it’s a huge deal! It was so much fun. Everyone got really into the game and Madrid won 5-0. It was definitely a cultural experience and I’m so glad I went.

            For the last couple weeks they have been redoing the street outside of our apartment. Here, it is quite the ordeal, since all the streets are cobblestone. They literally dig up all the old stones and then lay new ones. It’s amazing how much trouble they go to in order to keep their streets the way they’ve always been. However, what’s not amazing is the fact that we can wake up any given morning and not have water (because they’ve cut it off; sometimes for several hours) and that due to the high amount of traffic on the street they like to work on it at 2 a.m. (which includes using a jackhammer)...life is certainly never boring here.

The street outside of our apartment

          Another neat experience I’ve had is in having conversation partners. All the students from my program were matched up with students taking English in one of the schools here, and we meet regularly to practice speaking in Spanish and English. This weekend, Annie (one of my friends) and I went with one of our conversation partner and some of his friends to play padel, which is a game similar to racquetball. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but it was a lot of fun to get to experience playing a Spanish sport J

         Yesterday, I went with 2 other girls to Madrid and we went to the Prado, which is huge art museum in Spain. I’m taking an art class here and it was so cool to see paintings that we had studied (or are going to study). We saw paintings by El Greco, Velazquez, and Goya, among others. There is so much in the Prado that we weren’t even able to look at everything!

        Well, that’s all for now! It’s hard to believe that I’m over half way done. The time has flown by… 

p.s. I’m going to London in just a few days! 

Barcelona

Sorry it’s taken me so long to write a new blog post. Last weekend we went to Barcelona, since we were out of class Monday and Tuesday for Carnaval, and I’ve spent the last several days recovering and catching up on homework. During Carnaval, everyone dresses up in costumes and there are parades and parties for the several days leading up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Barcelona was amazing! It’s definitely my favorite city that I’ve been to so far. It’s an artsy city with such a neat mix of old and new.  Plus, the weather was really nice. 

Streets of Barcelona 

A lot of interesting things happened in our weekend there, including a lot of firsts. Our flight there left at 6 a.m. so we spent the night in the airport the night before so we wouldn’t miss it (a first for me). When we arrived, we took a taxi to our hostel (another first for me-I’d never been in a taxi before). Our hostel was more on the outskirts of the city, so we had to take the metro to get into the downtown area of Barcelona, but that was fine because there was a metro station about a block from our hostel. Staying in a hostel was also a first for me. Ours was a really nice one though, so it was a good experience.

On Saturday afternoon we went to see the Sagrada Familia, which is a famous unfinished cathedral by the architect Gaudi. (He died while he was in the middle of building it) It was the most interesting church I’ve ever been in. There were beautiful stained glass windows and a lot of the structures in the church held some kind of symbolism. I’m so glad I got to see it!  

Stained glass window

Outside of the cathedral 

On Saturday night, one of the other girls, Annie, and I went to a discotheque. It was so much fun. People here love to dance (and they literally dance all night long!) We went home at 4:30 a.m. and they were still going strong J

On Sunday, we slept late and then took the metro back into the downtown to try to find a Picasso museum. When we got off the metro, we saw a café, so we decided to stop and grab something to eat first. We sat down and I set my purse down on the floor by my chair. We were all talking when this man tapped me on the shoulder and said “your bag.” I turned to look and this lady at the table next to me had picked up my bag and was trying to hide it in her skirt. I jumped up and snatched it back from her. I expected her to pull back, but she just let it go. It was crazy! If that man hadn’t noticed, I wouldn't have even realized it was gone until it was too late. Needless to say, I didn’t set my purse down again anymore the rest of the trip.

We found the Picasso museum, which ended up being free on Sunday afternoons. After learning about him in school, it was neat to see actual Picasso paintings.

On Monday we checked out of our hostel and then went back downtown to find Parc Güell, which is a park also designed by Gaudi. It was a beautiful day and it was fun to walk through the park. There was also an awesome view of the city of Barcelona.

That night we went to see the Mediterranean Sea before catching a train to the airport.

The girls I went to Barcelona with (Jenn, Annie, & Tressa)

We had taken the train earlier that day, so we were pretty sure we knew what we were doing. We bought our tickets, got on, and got settled in. Then the man came through checking tickets.  He took mine, looked at it and said “To the airport?” I said “yes,” and he said, “this train doesn’t go to the airport” At first we thought he was joking, but he then motioned me over and showed me where the train was going on the map. He said “it’s nonstop” and we realized he was serious. He grabbed his phone and walked off, while we were all trying not to panic. A few minutes later he came back with some other people (who had also gotten on the wrong train) and called us all over to the door. He told us that we needed to take another train back to the station and then get on the correct one to the airport. All of a sudden the train stops and he pries open the doors with his hands and we got off at this station in the middle of nowhere. Once we realized that we weren’t going to miss our flight, we realized how funny the situation was: a train had just made an emergency stop for us to get off!

Well, sorry this was so long! Barcelona was a really interesting city; it was a crazy, memorable experience. 

Two weeks.

I’ve been in Spain for over two weeks now! This is the longest amount of time I’ve been out of the U.S. It’s hard to believe. Part of me feels like I’ve been here forever, and the other part still doesn’t feel settled in.

La comida…

 Probably one of the biggest surprises/adjustments to life in Spain has been the food.  Breakfast usually consists of coffee and either a cookie or muffin. Although one morning our señora made us chocolate sandwiches: 2 pieces of white bread with some kind of melted chocolate in between. I was not a fan, and I’m very relieved that those haven’t made an appearance again…

Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and we eat it anywhere from 2-4 p.m. After lunch we have “siesta” time. We’re supposed to sleep, but usually my roommate and I just end up doing homework…although I have taken a few naps. But I love siesta time. It’s so neat that everything closes and every one goes home to eat with their family and rest. Just another example of how the concept of time is different here than in the U.S…

After siesta we go back to classes at 5 p.m. After classes we usually go out somewhere until dinner time. They don’t eat dinner here until 9 or 10 p.m. Dinner is supposed to be a small meal, but our señora always gives us so much food! Oh, and there’s always bread. We literally have bread with every. single. meal.   

Toledo

Last Friday we went on an excursion to Toledo. It's  really old city that had some pretty buildings to look at. One of my favorite parts of the trip was getting to go in an old cathedral. It's evidently the second largest cathedral in Spain. It was gorgeous! 

Festival of St. Agueda 

This past Sunday, several of us woke up early to go to a festival in the village of Zamarramala outside of Segovia. It’s called the festival of St. Agueda and during it the women of the village have power for a day. They elect a woman mayor and get to tell all the men what to do J The festival celebrates when the Moors had control of the City of Segovia, and some of the women from the village of Zamarramala went out and danced to distract the Moors, and allowed the men to attack them and take back the city of Segovia. 

Anyway, we woke up early and it was snowing outside! I put on several layers of clothing and got ready to make the 30 minute walk up to the village. The view of the city of Segovia on our way there was beautiful!

When we arrived, there were women dancing down the street, a band and lots of vendors selling food. It was freezing, but it didn’t matter. This festival was such a cultural experience. Up until now most of the places we’ve visited have been very “touristy,” but this was an authentic Spanish celebration, and it was so cool to be a part of it. 

Women dancing down the street. 

The weather here has been freezing! It has snowed almost every day for the last week. I think I'm kind of getting used to the cold, but I'm still SO ready for some warm weather! 

My roommate Jenn & I like to sit against the heater under the desk. Our room is freezing! 

¿Vale?

I think that “vale” is the most used word here in Spain. I always thought it meant “do you understand?” or “do you agree?” but here they use it for everything. Walking down the street I hear “vale, vale,vale” over and over again. I think it’s used as a filler such as “like” or “um” in English... J

I’m slowly beginning to pick up on the everyday language too. I’m getting used to hearing Spanish all the time, so it’s becoming more natural. However, I still have trouble when I’m trying to explain something or have a conversation with someone. There are so many words I don’t know!

Last Friday we went to Madrid! There were so many things to see and do there; we literally walked for miles! While Madrid was exciting, I actually think I prefer Segovia, because it’s much easier to find our way around and walk everywhere here.

One of the highlights of our visit to Madrid was getting to go on top of a building (I can’t remember the name of it) and look out over the whole city of Madrid. 

Another highlight was getting to tour a palace that was built in the 1700’s. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but it was incredible! The current king and queen live in a smaller palace (which was something else new that I learned: Spain still has a king & queen! Like England, they are a constitutional monarchy. I felt kind of dumb that I didn’t know that before haha…).  But, past kings & queens of Spain lived in the palace.

Living in Spain has definitely been an adjustment. There are so many things that are different here than in the U.S., such as the concept of time. People here move slowly and there never seems to be a rush to do anything. When we go to cafés, I order coffee but don’t pay for it right away. Everyone just pays sometime before they leave. When we’re ready to leave, I go up to the counter and ask “¿Me cobras?” which means, “can I pay you now?” and then the barista asks what I had and I pay for it. 

Also, the stores and restaurants don’t really have set hours. When we ask places what time they close, we get an answer like “Probably 12 or 1…” 

Oh, and for the past 2 days we didn’t have any hot water. I’m still not sure what happened, but all of a sudden last night we had it again (which was very nice considering it was snowing when we woke up this morning…) 

Well, this is getting pretty long, so next time I’ll write about food/meals…which are also VERY different from at home…¡Hasta luego! 

I'm in Spain!

 I arrived in Madrid yesterday morning around 8 a.m. and met the group. We took a bus to Segovia and met our host families and got settled in. Segovia is such a charming city. It definitely has an old European feel to it; all the streets are narrow and paved with cobblestone and they wind in between the buildings, which are several stories tall. Actually, most everything here is small/narrow: the apartments, our bedroom, the doors, the cafés, the stores, and the sidewalks.

We spent yesterday walking around and getting acquainted with the city. In the center of the old part of Segovia are the remains of a Roman Aqueduct. It is so impressive to think that something built 2000 years ago is still standing!

 If you walk under the aqueduct, there is a shopping area. Here the streets are lined with stores selling different things. For example, farmacias sell medicine, bandages, etc. Panaderias sell bread. Perfumarias sell perfume, hair products, etc. Papelerias sell paper, pens, and other school supplies. There are also stores that sell shoes, clothes, stamps, electronics, socks, cell-phones, candy, and almost anything else you can think of. But rather than it all being in one store (like Wal-mart or Target in the U.S.), you have to go to a different store for each type of item. It’s convenient that these stores are right next to each other along the street, so we just walk from one to the next.

Last night after dinner (which we ate around 9 p.m.; Spaniards eat really late), several of us watched the Real Madrid v. Barcelona soccer game on TV. Unlike in the U.S., people here are VERY into soccer. It reminded me of how people in the south are about football J

This morning we went and got our class schedules and then several of us girls went and got cell phones together because you get a better deal if you buy several at one time. The cell phones here are pay as you go, rather than by contract. Also, you only pay for minutes/texts if you’re the one who makes the call or sends the text; it doesn’t cost anything to receive them. 

Tomorrow we’re going on our first group excursion to Madrid!