And just like that, it's over...!
This Spring went by lightening fast. I can't believe that in a couple hours I will be leaving this place I've called home for the last 2 1/2 months... I still have to clean, pack, and prepare for my Greece trip.
This last week was bittersweetness in it's purest form. There's many things I miss about home, but sooo much I will miss from here. I have pet peeves back home that I'm dreading, but happy to leave what bugs me about this place. I can't WAIT to see my friends/family back home, but I am sad to be leaving the people I've grown close to here. I'm going to be grateful for schedules and a liitle routine, but I will miss the adventurousness of spur of the moment decisions. My life is full of these opposing pairs right now and all I can say is "que sera sera." But I don't think my "adventure days" are over yet (especilly since I'm going to Greece tmrw!)
After birthday celebrations, goodbyes with our professors, tons of shopping, tons of eating, and a little bit of dancing and studying, I can officially say that my quarter abroad is over! I'm a senior in college now, and I'm going on vacation in 8 hours!
I most likely won't be able to update this til after Greece, but be praying for safety and other things throughout my final trip. <3
Hasta luego,
Danielle
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
San Sebastian- My last Spanish Saturday
Wow, so I was completely unaware that I would squeeze in a trip to Basque Country during my time here, but I did! Visited San Sebastian in "Pais Vasco," the North Eastern part of Spain (which also extends a bit into France). It's very distinct in its culture and history and they speak a unique language called "Euskara" that isn't related to any other language on the planet and its origins are not known anymore. (Ex: Pozten naiz zu ezagutzeaz" = "Nice to meet you") They have some of the most beautiful countryside and best food in the entire Iberian peninsula and I can't believe I almost didn't go!
Molly, Judy, and I took the 12:30 night bus which landed us in San Sebastian around 6 am. After the long night on the train, we got a quick caffeine fix, then walked along the entire shore of the main beach, known as "La Conche" for it is shaped like a seashell. The place reminded me of a mix between Newport and some sort of rich beach vacation spot. We wore nicer dresses for the trip so we could at least pretend we were well-off and spending a day at our favorite resort...! lol. 
It was breathtakingly beautiful all throughout the day, but especially so at such an early and calm hour. We headed up to the viewpoint on a hill near the coast and could see the entire coastline of the city! We headed to the Old Town afterward and ate pintxos galore!! "Pintxos" (peen-chos) are like tapas but with much more variety and served in a unique way. The bars/restaurants have them all out on the counters and you pick and choose like an hours'd'ourvs buffet, then you tell them how many you had and which ones. We stuffed ourselves silly (I even tried the seafood: scallops, shrimp, and merluz!) and then went shopping around cathedrals, churches, and the river in the Old Town. 
During the afternoon Judy and I went into cuteness overload when a man with two fluffy white maltese puppies let us hold and take pictures of them! That, along with the futbol festival we came across, made the afternoon one cool random thing after another. Then we went to the beachfront bar and then down to the water to take pictures in the (surprisingly warm!) Atlantic Ocean. We had such a fun and freeing time swimming and playing in the waves, then we went to La Perla Spa right there on the beach for sea-mud wraps! It was so relaxing and we felt so spoiled after our treat... such girls! We headed back to Old Town for one last round of pintxos and ice cream before catching the 6 pm bus back to Madrid. The weather was on our side every part of the day: cloudy and perfect for photos in the morning, warm but overcast for shopping, sunny when we swam and played on the sand, and the first droplets of rain started as we boarded the bus for home! A full and fun 12 hours perfectly spent with my girls Molly and Judy!!
I am so glad I met and got to know these chicas on my trip from living and travelling and exploring together. We had so much fun going places, even when it was accompanied by bad luck (I blame Molly!)! Although I appreciate solo travelling and can be independent for many things, it wouldn't be the same if I didn't get to share my experiences (the ups and downs) with truly great people. These "on a whim" trips to unexpected gems have been bursts of bright color in my already colorful experience here in Spain!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Once upon a time...
A girl named Danielle was itching for adventure and running out of time to explore new lands. One day, she stumbled upon a magical land called "PORTUGAL." Little did she know she had found one of the most unique and beautiful corners in the whole world!
So, the other week I realized I'm almost done with my time abroad!! Portugal had been on my mind since it's so close and relatively cheap, so semi-last minute I booked a flight and a week later packed my bad and headed off not really knowing what I would find. The hostel I booked in Lisbon had amazing ratings and now I know why... it's the best place I've ever stayed at, including hotels! (photo: the view from MY room!)
The place was a Portuguese "mansion" that was converted into a hostel, it was perfect as a solo traveller. The staff treated me like a friend visiting their house for a weekend rather than a temporary guest and I met so many interesting and fun people! My first evening I met 2 girls from New York who have been living in heaven in Lisbon for the week and had a lot of insight for me. We got a fancy seafood dinner at a nearby restaurant (yes, I ate fish and yes, I liked it!) and I crashed early, preparing for my big day ahead.
Friday morning I headed out on a roadtrip with a local named Ricardo, 2 Aussies, a Brazilian, and another Cali native. I was the only girl, but definitely kept up with the boys!
"We Hate Tourism Tours" was started similar to how my dad started his business, so I liked the idea the moment I heard about it. Bruno, the founder, was working st the hostel and in meeting travelers he realized that they didn't know what to see when they came to Lisbon or only did the touristy things. He started taking people around to see his favorite things, then his friend and mechanic Ricardo helped him fix up more vehicles, and viola, the tour company was started!
So, Ricardo took us around in their bright yellow bus to show us the best of the Lisbon area from a local's perspective.
First we went to Sintra, a historic place with many castles and (enchanted) forests. We had the local tradition of Ginja, a cherry liquor which you drink from a tiny chocolate cup that you eat with it! In Sinta we mainly saw the Palacio de Pena, a huge colorful and funky castle on the top of the main hill of the Lisbon area. It overlooks everything, from the Moorish castles and ruins to the big city to the ocean. It was like being in a wooded fairy land, despite the heat, and I'm so glad we got so much time there! After that we got a simple lunch and ate it at the most Western Point of all Europe, Cabo de Roca. It was the most spectacular views of the Atlantic for miles and miles as well as the coastlines, so awe-inspiring yet I had no idea it existed! 
We went to the pristine sand dune beach of Guincho where locals relax, and then explored the rocky areas. We went to Cascais for the best Gelati in the area, but didn't stay too long. We finished with Belem to see a few of the impressive monuments and a monastery. They were nice, but we were REALLY there for the infamous pastries at Pasteis de Belem! These things are world famous and have been around since 1837! Normally it's packed with people out the door but we actually sat down to enjoy it. My mouth will never be the same...! After that, our trip was over and we got back to Lisbon. There was so much more to the day in between the events that it felt like such a full and complete experience. The people were fun and we joked around a lot, plus everyone had the same desire for a "backdoor" kind of experience of the place. It was nice to be around like-minded people and not do the tourist trap thing.
That night, I met up with my new Australian friends plus some German people from my hostel and we just enjoyed the warm and breezy city at night! In one of the major plazas there was music playing and performers, as well as spectacular night views!
Saturday my New York girlfriends and I went to Cascais to lay out on the beach. It was the cutest little cove area with gentle waves, clear water, and a small harbor. I later walked around to explore the shopping, then went back to Lisbon for a bit. There was a big-deal European soccer championship on TV so while everyone in the city was watching it, we went to a delicious dinner then back to the hostel to hang out and talk with everyone.
We relaxed and swapped travel stories and jokes into the night. Woke up at 5:30 for my early morning flight and went back to Madrid with amazing memories!
Going to Portugal was the best thing I've done on this trip as a whole, but going alone really made it worthwhile! It was so nice to be able to plan what I wanted to do on my own timing and not waste my time doing things I was just "eh" about. I could meet up when I felt active and stay behind when I was tired and have some time to myself even when surrounded by so many people. Meeting new friends helped out a lot, and I now have people to visit in other parts of the world!
--PHOTO--
So, the other week I realized I'm almost done with my time abroad!! Portugal had been on my mind since it's so close and relatively cheap, so semi-last minute I booked a flight and a week later packed my bad and headed off not really knowing what I would find. The hostel I booked in Lisbon had amazing ratings and now I know why... it's the best place I've ever stayed at, including hotels! (photo: the view from MY room!)
The place was a Portuguese "mansion" that was converted into a hostel, it was perfect as a solo traveller. The staff treated me like a friend visiting their house for a weekend rather than a temporary guest and I met so many interesting and fun people! My first evening I met 2 girls from New York who have been living in heaven in Lisbon for the week and had a lot of insight for me. We got a fancy seafood dinner at a nearby restaurant (yes, I ate fish and yes, I liked it!) and I crashed early, preparing for my big day ahead.Friday morning I headed out on a roadtrip with a local named Ricardo, 2 Aussies, a Brazilian, and another Cali native. I was the only girl, but definitely kept up with the boys!
"We Hate Tourism Tours" was started similar to how my dad started his business, so I liked the idea the moment I heard about it. Bruno, the founder, was working st the hostel and in meeting travelers he realized that they didn't know what to see when they came to Lisbon or only did the touristy things. He started taking people around to see his favorite things, then his friend and mechanic Ricardo helped him fix up more vehicles, and viola, the tour company was started!So, Ricardo took us around in their bright yellow bus to show us the best of the Lisbon area from a local's perspective.
First we went to Sintra, a historic place with many castles and (enchanted) forests. We had the local tradition of Ginja, a cherry liquor which you drink from a tiny chocolate cup that you eat with it! In Sinta we mainly saw the Palacio de Pena, a huge colorful and funky castle on the top of the main hill of the Lisbon area. It overlooks everything, from the Moorish castles and ruins to the big city to the ocean. It was like being in a wooded fairy land, despite the heat, and I'm so glad we got so much time there! After that we got a simple lunch and ate it at the most Western Point of all Europe, Cabo de Roca. It was the most spectacular views of the Atlantic for miles and miles as well as the coastlines, so awe-inspiring yet I had no idea it existed! 
We went to the pristine sand dune beach of Guincho where locals relax, and then explored the rocky areas. We went to Cascais for the best Gelati in the area, but didn't stay too long. We finished with Belem to see a few of the impressive monuments and a monastery. They were nice, but we were REALLY there for the infamous pastries at Pasteis de Belem! These things are world famous and have been around since 1837! Normally it's packed with people out the door but we actually sat down to enjoy it. My mouth will never be the same...! After that, our trip was over and we got back to Lisbon. There was so much more to the day in between the events that it felt like such a full and complete experience. The people were fun and we joked around a lot, plus everyone had the same desire for a "backdoor" kind of experience of the place. It was nice to be around like-minded people and not do the tourist trap thing. That night, I met up with my new Australian friends plus some German people from my hostel and we just enjoyed the warm and breezy city at night! In one of the major plazas there was music playing and performers, as well as spectacular night views!
Saturday my New York girlfriends and I went to Cascais to lay out on the beach. It was the cutest little cove area with gentle waves, clear water, and a small harbor. I later walked around to explore the shopping, then went back to Lisbon for a bit. There was a big-deal European soccer championship on TV so while everyone in the city was watching it, we went to a delicious dinner then back to the hostel to hang out and talk with everyone.
We relaxed and swapped travel stories and jokes into the night. Woke up at 5:30 for my early morning flight and went back to Madrid with amazing memories!Going to Portugal was the best thing I've done on this trip as a whole, but going alone really made it worthwhile! It was so nice to be able to plan what I wanted to do on my own timing and not waste my time doing things I was just "eh" about. I could meet up when I felt active and stay behind when I was tired and have some time to myself even when surrounded by so many people. Meeting new friends helped out a lot, and I now have people to visit in other parts of the world!
--PHOTO--
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Barcelona, how I will miss thee..
I've officially been to Barcelona, one of the coolest and most beautiful cities in Europe and it will remain in my top 3 favorite cities forever! The vibe reminded me of San Francisco with an old European twist, complimented by all the diverse people around.
Judy and I flew into Girona with Judy on Thursday night (after running late and delayed flight and a rainstorm...ugh) and eventually got to our hostel around 2 am. It was extremely well located, in Placa Real right off of the famous Las Ramblas, the main pedestrian street of the city. There were funky bars and restaurants in the same plaza, so it was always lively and filled with people!
On Friday, Chris showed us around everywhere. And I mean ALL over... this guy is an efficient tour guide, lemme tell you!! We started off the day in the pouring rain on Las Ramblas, then hit the Market for bright colorful fruit and a look at the chocolates, live seafood, and a wide array of cheeses. Then we walked further up Las Ramblas to Plaza Catalunya with all of the pigeons and scared them away with our umbrellas! We saw the Universitat de Barcelona and got a delicious tapas lunch. We saw the Block of Discord (a street with 3 crazy modernisme buildings vying for attention) which included la "Casa Mila" by Gaudi, aka the Bone House, and 2 others. Then we saw "La Pedrera" by Gaudi, aka the Stone House. (see the photos near the end of the blog!)
We headed over to Park Guell for a while (also designed by Gaudi) and it was absolutely amazing! The sun came out during this part of the day, just adding to the beauty that was already there.
The park had breathtaking views, intriguing landscaping, fun architecture, and a very peaceful feel. We saw the 360 view of Barcelona from the top of the "Three Crosses" then headed to Gaudi's most famous work, "La Sagrada Familia" cathedral. 
It is indescribable in words, you have to see it! Some may think the kooky spires are nontraditional and weird (both true descriptions), but it works in some strange way and I really hope they finish the building in my lifetime! They're definitely not close to being done, but I've heard what the artistic view is for the entire building and it's incredible!
After the long Gaudi day, Chris attempted to make us homemade cheesy pasta... it turned out to be clumpy cheese on chewy noodles, fun times! We went to the fantastic "Magic Fountains" light up to classical music in front of a grand palace. It was truly magical!
Saturday, we explored a second Ramblas in the city, had delicious kebaps, and then headed to Barceloneta, a city beach on the Mediterranean. The day was beautiful and accompanied by a chilly breeze, but once we stepped foot onto the sand it didn't matter! (I gotta admit, as a So Cal girl I got a little sentimental seeing a beach for the first time in almost 3 months!) We settled down for a little picnic and Judy and I got 5,00 E massages while suntanning! It was the most relaxing 10 minutes I've had in a LONG time... Then we dipped out toes into the Mediterranean for the first time and took a siesta on the sand. When we got up to leave, it suddenly got gloomy and we heard thunder, then felt fatty drops of rain pelt us!
The weather in Spain is SO weird, I mean it's May and we had hail in Madrid on Thurs then a rainstorm in Barcelona! Ay ay ay...
We got Mexican food for dinner and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert! Saw the Arc de Triomf and Cathedral while walking, then a random pirate parade (still have no clue why that happened...) Went to Oveja Negra for a drink and soaked in the local feel of the city, then went to bed early (1:30, which is when parents start to think about taking their kids home here!).
Sunday Chris and I had lunch at Plaza del Sol, a vastly different place than my own Plaza del Sol in Madrid, and then walked to the Parque de la Ciutadella, comparable to Madrid's Parque de Retiro. We saw fountains, lakes, carnival booths for kids, the Parliament building, and many people picnicking on the sunny and beautiful Barcelona day! Finished with dessert at Hard Rock Cafe (oh, yes I did!) and flew home.
(photos: block of discord, stone house)
Wish I had had much more time in Barcelona to see Montjuic or go a little outside the city for the Salvador Dali museum, but all-in-all, I'm content with how the weekend played out. No one tried to pickpocket me (in the most notorious place in all of Europe!) and I fell in love with the feel of the city.
Shout out to Chris for making it a very memorable and fun weekend!! (Even with your poisonous cooking..! :P)
Judy and I flew into Girona with Judy on Thursday night (after running late and delayed flight and a rainstorm...ugh) and eventually got to our hostel around 2 am. It was extremely well located, in Placa Real right off of the famous Las Ramblas, the main pedestrian street of the city. There were funky bars and restaurants in the same plaza, so it was always lively and filled with people!On Friday, Chris showed us around everywhere. And I mean ALL over... this guy is an efficient tour guide, lemme tell you!! We started off the day in the pouring rain on Las Ramblas, then hit the Market for bright colorful fruit and a look at the chocolates, live seafood, and a wide array of cheeses. Then we walked further up Las Ramblas to Plaza Catalunya with all of the pigeons and scared them away with our umbrellas! We saw the Universitat de Barcelona and got a delicious tapas lunch. We saw the Block of Discord (a street with 3 crazy modernisme buildings vying for attention) which included la "Casa Mila" by Gaudi, aka the Bone House, and 2 others. Then we saw "La Pedrera" by Gaudi, aka the Stone House. (see the photos near the end of the blog!)
We headed over to Park Guell for a while (also designed by Gaudi) and it was absolutely amazing! The sun came out during this part of the day, just adding to the beauty that was already there.
The park had breathtaking views, intriguing landscaping, fun architecture, and a very peaceful feel. We saw the 360 view of Barcelona from the top of the "Three Crosses" then headed to Gaudi's most famous work, "La Sagrada Familia" cathedral. 
It is indescribable in words, you have to see it! Some may think the kooky spires are nontraditional and weird (both true descriptions), but it works in some strange way and I really hope they finish the building in my lifetime! They're definitely not close to being done, but I've heard what the artistic view is for the entire building and it's incredible!After the long Gaudi day, Chris attempted to make us homemade cheesy pasta... it turned out to be clumpy cheese on chewy noodles, fun times! We went to the fantastic "Magic Fountains" light up to classical music in front of a grand palace. It was truly magical!
Saturday, we explored a second Ramblas in the city, had delicious kebaps, and then headed to Barceloneta, a city beach on the Mediterranean. The day was beautiful and accompanied by a chilly breeze, but once we stepped foot onto the sand it didn't matter! (I gotta admit, as a So Cal girl I got a little sentimental seeing a beach for the first time in almost 3 months!) We settled down for a little picnic and Judy and I got 5,00 E massages while suntanning! It was the most relaxing 10 minutes I've had in a LONG time... Then we dipped out toes into the Mediterranean for the first time and took a siesta on the sand. When we got up to leave, it suddenly got gloomy and we heard thunder, then felt fatty drops of rain pelt us!
The weather in Spain is SO weird, I mean it's May and we had hail in Madrid on Thurs then a rainstorm in Barcelona! Ay ay ay...We got Mexican food for dinner and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert! Saw the Arc de Triomf and Cathedral while walking, then a random pirate parade (still have no clue why that happened...) Went to Oveja Negra for a drink and soaked in the local feel of the city, then went to bed early (1:30, which is when parents start to think about taking their kids home here!).
Sunday Chris and I had lunch at Plaza del Sol, a vastly different place than my own Plaza del Sol in Madrid, and then walked to the Parque de la Ciutadella, comparable to Madrid's Parque de Retiro. We saw fountains, lakes, carnival booths for kids, the Parliament building, and many people picnicking on the sunny and beautiful Barcelona day! Finished with dessert at Hard Rock Cafe (oh, yes I did!) and flew home.
(photos: block of discord, stone house)
Wish I had had much more time in Barcelona to see Montjuic or go a little outside the city for the Salvador Dali museum, but all-in-all, I'm content with how the weekend played out. No one tried to pickpocket me (in the most notorious place in all of Europe!) and I fell in love with the feel of the city.
Shout out to Chris for making it a very memorable and fun weekend!! (Even with your poisonous cooking..! :P)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Adios week 7!
After Morocco, this week went by SO fast! On Wed, went to the Teatro de Zarzuela to see my first opera. It was completely in Spanish and I didn't understand as much as I wish, but it had a simple plot and was humorous, so I enjoyed it.
Thursday Chris came to visit me from Barcelona so after school Molly, Laura, Chris and I went to Segovia! (Chris barely made it onto the train, I had to beg the conductor guy to wait a couple minutes and open the doors again when I saw him booking it down the platform!)
(photo: Chris and I with the Roman Aqueduct!) 
Segovia is the homeplace of the Alcazar that they built Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland to imitate. Let me tell you, the real thing is FAR SUPERIOR! We walked the cobblestone streets, saw the impressive Roman Aqueduct (still standing ever since 190 AD!!), visited the Cathedral, toured the Alcazar and climbed the 152 spiral stairs to the top of the main tower. (photo: me and Molly with the wishing well)
SO beautiful! We only needed about 4 hours for the whole city, so we went back to Madrid for dinner then out to Joy for dancing.
Friday Chris, Molly and I saw the Temple Debod, the only Egyptian temple in all of Europe (apparently Spain had a birthday and Egypt didn't know what to get them... guess they had too many of 'em lying around). It rained/thundered a bit but we explored on foot all the way to the river, then went back to Sol to visit the Mercado San Miguel. It's basically like a market for tapas, so you buy from one of the stands then settle down at a cafe around it or inside and enjoy. After that stop, took a break for home. Then the three of us met up for dinner at a Meson, a fun and slightly fancy terrace type restaurant and had verrry good food and my first taste of Cava.
Saturday was quite the Madrid day! I took Chris to see the Museo del Prado, a world-class museum known for it's impressive and HUGE collection of European art (Las Meninas was amazing!). We saw El Greco, we saw Velazquez, we saw Goya (before and after the dark period), we saw SO much... and we did it all in 3 hours! We enjoyed the impressive works but also made it a fun time with our own commentary on everything. After that monstrosity, we went to Retiro park to see the main sights and then headed home for a bit.
We met up with a group of friends to have Paella, actual Spanish cuisine that was created in Valencia. The huge table-sized pans fed all 8 of us to bursting! I liked the seafood fidea (but couldn't bring myself to eat one of the prawns, it was looking at me with those black eyes!) and the chicken paella was superb! All in all, quite a good experience.
Today's a sleeping and studying day, not as much fun, but necessary. It's been a draining few days, but still enjoyed myself nonetheless. Chris leaves tomorrow, but I'll be seeing him in 4 days when I go to Barcelona on Thursday!
Thursday Chris came to visit me from Barcelona so after school Molly, Laura, Chris and I went to Segovia! (Chris barely made it onto the train, I had to beg the conductor guy to wait a couple minutes and open the doors again when I saw him booking it down the platform!)
(photo: Chris and I with the Roman Aqueduct!) 
Segovia is the homeplace of the Alcazar that they built Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland to imitate. Let me tell you, the real thing is FAR SUPERIOR! We walked the cobblestone streets, saw the impressive Roman Aqueduct (still standing ever since 190 AD!!), visited the Cathedral, toured the Alcazar and climbed the 152 spiral stairs to the top of the main tower. (photo: me and Molly with the wishing well)
SO beautiful! We only needed about 4 hours for the whole city, so we went back to Madrid for dinner then out to Joy for dancing.
Friday Chris, Molly and I saw the Temple Debod, the only Egyptian temple in all of Europe (apparently Spain had a birthday and Egypt didn't know what to get them... guess they had too many of 'em lying around). It rained/thundered a bit but we explored on foot all the way to the river, then went back to Sol to visit the Mercado San Miguel. It's basically like a market for tapas, so you buy from one of the stands then settle down at a cafe around it or inside and enjoy. After that stop, took a break for home. Then the three of us met up for dinner at a Meson, a fun and slightly fancy terrace type restaurant and had verrry good food and my first taste of Cava.
Saturday was quite the Madrid day! I took Chris to see the Museo del Prado, a world-class museum known for it's impressive and HUGE collection of European art (Las Meninas was amazing!). We saw El Greco, we saw Velazquez, we saw Goya (before and after the dark period), we saw SO much... and we did it all in 3 hours! We enjoyed the impressive works but also made it a fun time with our own commentary on everything. After that monstrosity, we went to Retiro park to see the main sights and then headed home for a bit.
We met up with a group of friends to have Paella, actual Spanish cuisine that was created in Valencia. The huge table-sized pans fed all 8 of us to bursting! I liked the seafood fidea (but couldn't bring myself to eat one of the prawns, it was looking at me with those black eyes!) and the chicken paella was superb! All in all, quite a good experience.
Today's a sleeping and studying day, not as much fun, but necessary. It's been a draining few days, but still enjoyed myself nonetheless. Chris leaves tomorrow, but I'll be seeing him in 4 days when I go to Barcelona on Thursday!
Morocco
Wow, my trip to Morocco was so wonderful! It was an escape from the everyday Madrid life and felt like such a long vacation! Partly because of all the complications, but also because of all the stuff we did while there.
Molly, Judy, and I were supposed to take a 1 am bus to Sevilla but the company lost our reservations and we ended up on a bus to Cordoba and then taking a train to Sevilla. Met with our big tour group and bused to Algecira, then took a ferry over the Straights (saw dolphins along the way!!) and arrived in Ceuta, my first time on African soil!
We crossed the border and drove to Tetuan, got a walking tour of the Medina (the oldest part of the city) which was so different from life as we know it!! We had dinner and crashed at the hotel after 2 days of virtually no sleep (bus napping isn't exactly restful).
Saturday we got up early to visit the mountain village of Chef Chaouen. It was beautiful, all the buildings were light blue or periwinkle and white and it was so charming.
Our tour guide was this short man who we affectionately called "Habibi" (sweetie/honey) and he was, no joke, a mix between Yoda and Abu! We learned some tidbits about Moroccan culture, such as bowing when you pass through the small 4'10" doors, crossing the threshold with your right foot, and other little things. I had coffee with Habibi and listened to him talk about his life for a bit and offer pearls of wisdom. It was a relaxing time and my favorite point of the trip.
Back in the Medina in Tetuan, we had the most delicious lunch I've had in... I can't remember! Everything was fabulous and they had entertainment for us as well. We left after lunch for Tanger, the famous city on the northern coast. We visited the Caves of Hercules, so beautiful on the Atlantic coast! I got to ride a camel for like a second, but it was still unique and fun! They are awkwardly adorable (Leigh! :P) and the baby was so cute!
We saw the lighthouse on the cape which is the closest point from Spain to Morocco and just enjoyed the beautiful seascape. We went to our hotel and a private dinner + show complete with the Moroccan cavalry, live music, fire dancers, child acrobats, belly dancers, magician, and amazing food! (I think Moroccan food beats Spanish food without the slightest contest!) Went swimming at night, very exhilarating in the dark cold water, and there was a wedding going on at the hotel which had Moroccan music blaring til after 5 am! (Other countries go ALL out on celebrations, it's really awesome!)
Got maybe 3 hours of sleep, then we traveled back to Ceuta in the morning, (saw dolphins AGAIN on the way back! my personal feeling is that the trip was blessed! lol) and then Sevilla which took all day. We had to wait until a 1 am bus again, so we watched the sunset over the river at a park. The bridge lit up and people were out and about, so I had a new version of Sevilla to remember (I like the city more now that I've seen it without SO many people crowding it).
Got into Madrid at 7 am on Monday, went homevthen straight to classes. After classes, had my internship, then my final class, came home and realized I was running on fumes and passed out at 11. It's been a tiring week since then, still need to catch up on sleep.
My advice: make it to Northern Morocco at some point in your life! It is beautiful, so green and was the perfect temperature, plus the culture is unique and the people are friendly even if they are trying to sell you a 2 E necklace for 20. If you can master bargaining, you'll love the shopping! Always chop the price at least in half, then stick to your guns. :)
Molly, Judy, and I were supposed to take a 1 am bus to Sevilla but the company lost our reservations and we ended up on a bus to Cordoba and then taking a train to Sevilla. Met with our big tour group and bused to Algecira, then took a ferry over the Straights (saw dolphins along the way!!) and arrived in Ceuta, my first time on African soil!
We crossed the border and drove to Tetuan, got a walking tour of the Medina (the oldest part of the city) which was so different from life as we know it!! We had dinner and crashed at the hotel after 2 days of virtually no sleep (bus napping isn't exactly restful).
Saturday we got up early to visit the mountain village of Chef Chaouen. It was beautiful, all the buildings were light blue or periwinkle and white and it was so charming.
Our tour guide was this short man who we affectionately called "Habibi" (sweetie/honey) and he was, no joke, a mix between Yoda and Abu! We learned some tidbits about Moroccan culture, such as bowing when you pass through the small 4'10" doors, crossing the threshold with your right foot, and other little things. I had coffee with Habibi and listened to him talk about his life for a bit and offer pearls of wisdom. It was a relaxing time and my favorite point of the trip.
Back in the Medina in Tetuan, we had the most delicious lunch I've had in... I can't remember! Everything was fabulous and they had entertainment for us as well. We left after lunch for Tanger, the famous city on the northern coast. We visited the Caves of Hercules, so beautiful on the Atlantic coast! I got to ride a camel for like a second, but it was still unique and fun! They are awkwardly adorable (Leigh! :P) and the baby was so cute!
We saw the lighthouse on the cape which is the closest point from Spain to Morocco and just enjoyed the beautiful seascape. We went to our hotel and a private dinner + show complete with the Moroccan cavalry, live music, fire dancers, child acrobats, belly dancers, magician, and amazing food! (I think Moroccan food beats Spanish food without the slightest contest!) Went swimming at night, very exhilarating in the dark cold water, and there was a wedding going on at the hotel which had Moroccan music blaring til after 5 am! (Other countries go ALL out on celebrations, it's really awesome!)
Got maybe 3 hours of sleep, then we traveled back to Ceuta in the morning, (saw dolphins AGAIN on the way back! my personal feeling is that the trip was blessed! lol) and then Sevilla which took all day. We had to wait until a 1 am bus again, so we watched the sunset over the river at a park. The bridge lit up and people were out and about, so I had a new version of Sevilla to remember (I like the city more now that I've seen it without SO many people crowding it).
Got into Madrid at 7 am on Monday, went homevthen straight to classes. After classes, had my internship, then my final class, came home and realized I was running on fumes and passed out at 11. It's been a tiring week since then, still need to catch up on sleep.
My advice: make it to Northern Morocco at some point in your life! It is beautiful, so green and was the perfect temperature, plus the culture is unique and the people are friendly even if they are trying to sell you a 2 E necklace for 20. If you can master bargaining, you'll love the shopping! Always chop the price at least in half, then stick to your guns. :)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Quite the weekend!
Wow, this weekend was the most packed that I've had in Madrid and it was very exciting!
Thursday night we went danced all night at Kapital, one of the biggest clubs in Madrid. It's 7 stories and each floor is different with it's own bar and type of music. On the main floor they blast cold air on the dancers every once in a while (scary but so fun and smart!). Almost our whole group came, plus we met some interesting Spaniards, among other nationalities. We had fun and now have plenty of stories... 5 hours passed by in a blur and before we knew it, we were on our way home on the first metro! We were all so exhausted we didn't bother to get churros con chocolate, but next time I'm determined! Starting to crave them now...
The plan was to sleep for an hour or 2 then take a bus to Salamanca, but that plan was doomed from the moment we said "Kapital." My alarm may or may not have awoken me (I probably slept straight through it, I was so beat) but had a surprisingly productive day for coming home so late/early! I finally worked out, got into a serious cleaning frenzy, cooked dinner, went grocery shopping, and got to bed early! So THIS is how the Spaniards do it... lol
Saturday we had the most beautiful weather to date. It was a day to rival any spring So Cal day... we’re talking gorgeous!
Went on a picnic at Retiro park and just ate and laid around in the grass, Judy and I "rode" the giant lion statues at the lake, and visited the Palacio Cristal by the romantic lake/small waterfall (pretty, but useless). It was quaint, complete with ducks, swans, huge karp, turtles, dogs, and lots of families around enjoying the sunshine and breezy spring day! Afterwards we went to The Museo del Arte de Reina Sofia (my second time) and got my fill of modern art. Can’t lie, I was a little over it after 2 hours, but it’s good to appreciate it anyway. Overall it was a very “Madrid” day!
Sunday morning Molly and I saw a bit of the huge marathon that was going on and went to church. It was beautiful, as usual, and I bought a CD of Spanish worship music! Singing in Spanish to the creator of this big world creates a feeling I can’t even describe. I was so excited to listen to it, the realized that I have no way to play it til I get back to the states… Afterwards I visited a small part of El Rastro, the giant flea market in Spain, and then went to see a corrida de toros at Las Ventas, the most important bull fighting ring in the world. I didn’t plan on going when I heard about the group trip, but after a couple of classes about it and a little bit of education on its importance among Spanish culture, I decided that it would be worth my time even if I don't get it.
It was quite an interesting experience... It didn't change my mind, I still think it's unnecessary and cruel and I didn't enjoy what I saw. But, I did understand a lot more about the tradition and the culture by actually going. It was rough, I ended up crying during the 5th and 6th (final) bull and I don't really want to look through my photos or videos of it ever again. That being said, some exciting things happened during the performances, such as 2 of the horses getting knocked over! The bulls went at them, but luckily they walked away unharmed because of their armor. Also, the 5th bull was so angry it jumped into the stands from the ring, which is virtually unheard of, MAN that was crazy!
Anyway, enough said, I'd rather move forward then dwell on that. This week is zooming by already, got a test and a lot to do!
Friday morning "I'm off, on the road, to Mor-oc-co!" (as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby would sing!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_w3UG6C_Mo
Hasta luego,
Danielle
ps, if you're on my facebook, I've started to upload pictures! I only got through week 2 so far, but feel free to browse! (and I'll also be posting something non-facebook later on.)
Thursday night we went danced all night at Kapital, one of the biggest clubs in Madrid. It's 7 stories and each floor is different with it's own bar and type of music. On the main floor they blast cold air on the dancers every once in a while (scary but so fun and smart!). Almost our whole group came, plus we met some interesting Spaniards, among other nationalities. We had fun and now have plenty of stories... 5 hours passed by in a blur and before we knew it, we were on our way home on the first metro! We were all so exhausted we didn't bother to get churros con chocolate, but next time I'm determined! Starting to crave them now...
The plan was to sleep for an hour or 2 then take a bus to Salamanca, but that plan was doomed from the moment we said "Kapital." My alarm may or may not have awoken me (I probably slept straight through it, I was so beat) but had a surprisingly productive day for coming home so late/early! I finally worked out, got into a serious cleaning frenzy, cooked dinner, went grocery shopping, and got to bed early! So THIS is how the Spaniards do it... lol
Saturday we had the most beautiful weather to date. It was a day to rival any spring So Cal day... we’re talking gorgeous!
Went on a picnic at Retiro park and just ate and laid around in the grass, Judy and I "rode" the giant lion statues at the lake, and visited the Palacio Cristal by the romantic lake/small waterfall (pretty, but useless). It was quaint, complete with ducks, swans, huge karp, turtles, dogs, and lots of families around enjoying the sunshine and breezy spring day! Afterwards we went to The Museo del Arte de Reina Sofia (my second time) and got my fill of modern art. Can’t lie, I was a little over it after 2 hours, but it’s good to appreciate it anyway. Overall it was a very “Madrid” day!
Sunday morning Molly and I saw a bit of the huge marathon that was going on and went to church. It was beautiful, as usual, and I bought a CD of Spanish worship music! Singing in Spanish to the creator of this big world creates a feeling I can’t even describe. I was so excited to listen to it, the realized that I have no way to play it til I get back to the states… Afterwards I visited a small part of El Rastro, the giant flea market in Spain, and then went to see a corrida de toros at Las Ventas, the most important bull fighting ring in the world. I didn’t plan on going when I heard about the group trip, but after a couple of classes about it and a little bit of education on its importance among Spanish culture, I decided that it would be worth my time even if I don't get it.
It was quite an interesting experience... It didn't change my mind, I still think it's unnecessary and cruel and I didn't enjoy what I saw. But, I did understand a lot more about the tradition and the culture by actually going. It was rough, I ended up crying during the 5th and 6th (final) bull and I don't really want to look through my photos or videos of it ever again. That being said, some exciting things happened during the performances, such as 2 of the horses getting knocked over! The bulls went at them, but luckily they walked away unharmed because of their armor. Also, the 5th bull was so angry it jumped into the stands from the ring, which is virtually unheard of, MAN that was crazy!
Anyway, enough said, I'd rather move forward then dwell on that. This week is zooming by already, got a test and a lot to do!
Friday morning "I'm off, on the road, to Mor-oc-co!" (as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby would sing!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_w3UG6C_Mo
Hasta luego,
Danielle
ps, if you're on my facebook, I've started to upload pictures! I only got through week 2 so far, but feel free to browse! (and I'll also be posting something non-facebook later on.)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
1 month?!
Where did the TIME go!??
I can't believe exactly 1 month ago I arrived in Madrid about to start this massive adventure. There's no words to describe it, but it's astounding and surreal...!
Tuesday we had a final so class was canceled. Molly, Judy, and I celebrated by making the most amazing fajitas in ALL of Spain! We were craaaaving Cali-Mex food, so I made my legendary guacamole (all the fixings included!) and we grilled/sauteed veggies and chicken... I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it! The sangria added the perfect touch, as well as the tiramisu ice cream we ate after! I've been in a food coma ever since, no joke.
Went out later to meet up with some Madrileños for a drink. A friend in my program, Sara, met these friends at an intercambio the week before (it's a semi-organized exchange for internationals and locals to practice language skills at a bar) and they were so nice and fun to talk to! We're going to meet up with them Friday night in Salamanca, a couple hours outside Madrid heading towards Portugal, and explore the town while we're there. It's supposed to be like Davis, only Spanish style. It's where tons of students study (the oldest university in Spain!) and has an old village vibe mixed with a youthful atmosphere. Katie, my TA, is also coming along so I'm excited for that day to unfold!
Today my 1st graders were pretty good for the first 3/4 of my time with them; they took a test and I called them one-by-one to read a storybook aloud and help them with pronunciation. Things were fine until poor Pedro with tears rolling down his face told us that he peed his pants, of COURSE causing hysteria and chaos to break out. The teacher left ME with the remaining 6 year-olds (27 of them!) while she took him to the nurse! Just a FEW problems with that: they don't see me as a "teacher" so I have very little authority, there's a language barrier, and the pee on the floor made the kids go bonkers with the giggles! I eventually had to sharply scold a couple, ring the big bell on her desk, and then I came up with the brilliant idea to write names on the board of kids who were being good. It worked, for a short while! Then the teacher finally got back and I bolted asap.
Booked my flight to Athens for June, insanely expensive and stressful... I hate money!! I'm deeeeefinitely ready for the weekend... although it won't be much of a rest!
Going dancing tomorrow night at Kapital, the biggest discoteca in Madrid, then to Salamanca for a day and a half. Hopefully we'll get a sunny Saturday for our picnic in Retiro Park (weather permitting), and I have church Sunday morning and a bull-fight that night. (Still not feeling too great about witnessing that cultural experience, but I can blog to y'all later about it.)
Hasta luego,
~Danielle
I can't believe exactly 1 month ago I arrived in Madrid about to start this massive adventure. There's no words to describe it, but it's astounding and surreal...!
Tuesday we had a final so class was canceled. Molly, Judy, and I celebrated by making the most amazing fajitas in ALL of Spain! We were craaaaving Cali-Mex food, so I made my legendary guacamole (all the fixings included!) and we grilled/sauteed veggies and chicken... I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it! The sangria added the perfect touch, as well as the tiramisu ice cream we ate after! I've been in a food coma ever since, no joke.
Went out later to meet up with some Madrileños for a drink. A friend in my program, Sara, met these friends at an intercambio the week before (it's a semi-organized exchange for internationals and locals to practice language skills at a bar) and they were so nice and fun to talk to! We're going to meet up with them Friday night in Salamanca, a couple hours outside Madrid heading towards Portugal, and explore the town while we're there. It's supposed to be like Davis, only Spanish style. It's where tons of students study (the oldest university in Spain!) and has an old village vibe mixed with a youthful atmosphere. Katie, my TA, is also coming along so I'm excited for that day to unfold!
Today my 1st graders were pretty good for the first 3/4 of my time with them; they took a test and I called them one-by-one to read a storybook aloud and help them with pronunciation. Things were fine until poor Pedro with tears rolling down his face told us that he peed his pants, of COURSE causing hysteria and chaos to break out. The teacher left ME with the remaining 6 year-olds (27 of them!) while she took him to the nurse! Just a FEW problems with that: they don't see me as a "teacher" so I have very little authority, there's a language barrier, and the pee on the floor made the kids go bonkers with the giggles! I eventually had to sharply scold a couple, ring the big bell on her desk, and then I came up with the brilliant idea to write names on the board of kids who were being good. It worked, for a short while! Then the teacher finally got back and I bolted asap.
Booked my flight to Athens for June, insanely expensive and stressful... I hate money!! I'm deeeeefinitely ready for the weekend... although it won't be much of a rest!
Going dancing tomorrow night at Kapital, the biggest discoteca in Madrid, then to Salamanca for a day and a half. Hopefully we'll get a sunny Saturday for our picnic in Retiro Park (weather permitting), and I have church Sunday morning and a bull-fight that night. (Still not feeling too great about witnessing that cultural experience, but I can blog to y'all later about it.)
Hasta luego,
~Danielle
Friday, April 16, 2010
Volcano, calmate!
Ok, so one proof of how removed from the world is that I had no idea about the massive volcano in Iceland erupting and wreaking havoc on Europe...and I'm IN Europe! that's what happens when you have no tv, computer, and don't care about newspapers...!
I hope it doesn't affect my coming home to the states in early June. I'm not too concerned since it's 2 months away and Athens is in the south of Europe, but if it keeps exploding or more stuff happens in reaction, it's good to be aware/prepare for a plan B.
Wednesday I went to "The Cave," a relaxed, not-too-smokey bar in Moncloa, full of students and empty of tourists. It's known for this milk drink that comes in this big glass/cauldron that everyone drinks from through straws. The milk comes down from the stalagtytes (the creepy icicles looking things in caves) in the ceiling and it's pretty cool!
Thursday I had quite the adventure shopping with Molly. I was trying to follow vague directions from a friend to find a place she called "Chinos" to get cheap boots, so I find the street she mentioned and we start walking up. and up, and up. then I find out there's a Metro stop with the same street name, so we could've just gone further up the Metro instead of walking so much. On our long walk, we stopped in at boutiques along the way, then found a couple stores similar to The Dollar Tree and buy some inexpensive necessities. Molly even found boots at one! We ask 3 people for directions to "Chinos", and are frustrated. Then we decided to just go to another of the cheap stores and then it dawns on Molly that they call these places we've been "chinos" because they are all run by Asian people. We laughed so hard at ourselves because we had been looking for the name of a store and yet we went to 4 of them already...
Friday was nice, I slept decent hours for once (1-9!) and the cleaning lady came so everything's tidy and fresh. Shopped/ran errands with Judy, picked up my new boots (85 E real leather for 35 E!!!), then saw Shutter Island with my roomies Judy and Laura! Met up with friends at "Dubliner's" then wandered around for a while in the rain before calling it a night. I slept most of today, it was drizzly but then got a bit sunny! Had the most amazing donut/pastry thing in the world, and realizing that the bakeries around here will be the death of me!
Tomorrow I'm going to church, a museum, and possibly the park if it's nice weather.
I'm torn right now between being sad that this adventure is 1/3 over, and missing home. I want this excitement to last long than 6 weeks, but I just want a break for like a week to recharge and continue. I guess I can rest/enjoy my family and friends after this chapter of my life, but still wish you all were here!
Hasta luego,
Danielle
I hope it doesn't affect my coming home to the states in early June. I'm not too concerned since it's 2 months away and Athens is in the south of Europe, but if it keeps exploding or more stuff happens in reaction, it's good to be aware/prepare for a plan B.
Wednesday I went to "The Cave," a relaxed, not-too-smokey bar in Moncloa, full of students and empty of tourists. It's known for this milk drink that comes in this big glass/cauldron that everyone drinks from through straws. The milk comes down from the stalagtytes (the creepy icicles looking things in caves) in the ceiling and it's pretty cool!
Thursday I had quite the adventure shopping with Molly. I was trying to follow vague directions from a friend to find a place she called "Chinos" to get cheap boots, so I find the street she mentioned and we start walking up. and up, and up. then I find out there's a Metro stop with the same street name, so we could've just gone further up the Metro instead of walking so much. On our long walk, we stopped in at boutiques along the way, then found a couple stores similar to The Dollar Tree and buy some inexpensive necessities. Molly even found boots at one! We ask 3 people for directions to "Chinos", and are frustrated. Then we decided to just go to another of the cheap stores and then it dawns on Molly that they call these places we've been "chinos" because they are all run by Asian people. We laughed so hard at ourselves because we had been looking for the name of a store and yet we went to 4 of them already...
Friday was nice, I slept decent hours for once (1-9!) and the cleaning lady came so everything's tidy and fresh. Shopped/ran errands with Judy, picked up my new boots (85 E real leather for 35 E!!!), then saw Shutter Island with my roomies Judy and Laura! Met up with friends at "Dubliner's" then wandered around for a while in the rain before calling it a night. I slept most of today, it was drizzly but then got a bit sunny! Had the most amazing donut/pastry thing in the world, and realizing that the bakeries around here will be the death of me!
Tomorrow I'm going to church, a museum, and possibly the park if it's nice weather.
I'm torn right now between being sad that this adventure is 1/3 over, and missing home. I want this excitement to last long than 6 weeks, but I just want a break for like a week to recharge and continue. I guess I can rest/enjoy my family and friends after this chapter of my life, but still wish you all were here!
Hasta luego,
Danielle
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Días largos y llenos!
Well, I don't have to worry much about staying in shape, even with all the jamón y queso, because I've been walking ALL over the city ALL day this week!
Sunday was awesome, I got up (semi)early to get coffee with Katie, my Spanish TA, and we had a great talk over café con leche and then went to Amistad Cristiana, a Spanish-speaking Christian church that meets in a night club, bringing back memories of my "hometown" church in Corona when we used to meet in an old movie theater! I absolutely loved singing praise songs in Spanish alongside international brothers and sisters, lifting up our voices with the same heart and same love for God despite our different languages and cultures...! I understood everything during praise and praying, which was a miracle because there was no slowing down or help for Americans here! Ironically, a guy asked me in Spanish if the seat next to me was taken and when I didn't catch what he said at first, he introduced himself in English as a student from Boston. Even funnier is that his program is in the same building as mine, so I saw him at school Monday too! Go figure I visit an obscure Spanish church and run into an American from my institute.
Oh wait, there's more:
After the service, of which I caught the gist (ps, hoping this place helps my comprehension as a side-benefit!), Katie introduced me to some other young adults (older twenties mostly) and when I told an English speaking girl that I was from Southern California, she said "me too, I'm from Fullerton, how about you?" I just about fell over! WHO could guess that I would meet a fellow Fullertonian at a small church in a dingy building on the other side of the globe?! She studied abroad when she was my age and came back a couple years ago and loves it there. It was such a freaky coincidence, it stayed in my mind all day. I wonder if there's any future significance of that... :)
Afterward, got Indian food with some fun ladies and then Judy and I went shopping for almost 6 hours. WOW my feet hurt after that day...! Didn't go crazy with the buying, mostly poked my head around but there will definitely be more shopping days!
Monday was packed and I got to help with my kids again. They are awesome but a handful, so M/W are tiring. I had a great night, despite learning of the insane prices of flights to Sevilla for my Morocco trip, but today found a bus company for cheaper that will work out. So I'm all set for my trip next month!
Today was the most packed I've had in a while, I had a test in the morning, grocerie shopping during lunch break, another class, then visited the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace, it was stunning!) and the Museo de la Ciudad with my class, back to back visits! Not only that, but now I'm supposed to be studying for another test tomorrow and have my internship at the kids' school again. Yikes! We were all so exhausted and ready to go home at the museum, but now I feel so well-cultured (aka nerdy!).
Hasta Luego,
~Danielle
(SHOUT OUT to my little sister: It's midnight here, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA! I LOVE YOU!!!)
Sunday was awesome, I got up (semi)early to get coffee with Katie, my Spanish TA, and we had a great talk over café con leche and then went to Amistad Cristiana, a Spanish-speaking Christian church that meets in a night club, bringing back memories of my "hometown" church in Corona when we used to meet in an old movie theater! I absolutely loved singing praise songs in Spanish alongside international brothers and sisters, lifting up our voices with the same heart and same love for God despite our different languages and cultures...! I understood everything during praise and praying, which was a miracle because there was no slowing down or help for Americans here! Ironically, a guy asked me in Spanish if the seat next to me was taken and when I didn't catch what he said at first, he introduced himself in English as a student from Boston. Even funnier is that his program is in the same building as mine, so I saw him at school Monday too! Go figure I visit an obscure Spanish church and run into an American from my institute.
Oh wait, there's more:
After the service, of which I caught the gist (ps, hoping this place helps my comprehension as a side-benefit!), Katie introduced me to some other young adults (older twenties mostly) and when I told an English speaking girl that I was from Southern California, she said "me too, I'm from Fullerton, how about you?" I just about fell over! WHO could guess that I would meet a fellow Fullertonian at a small church in a dingy building on the other side of the globe?! She studied abroad when she was my age and came back a couple years ago and loves it there. It was such a freaky coincidence, it stayed in my mind all day. I wonder if there's any future significance of that... :)
Afterward, got Indian food with some fun ladies and then Judy and I went shopping for almost 6 hours. WOW my feet hurt after that day...! Didn't go crazy with the buying, mostly poked my head around but there will definitely be more shopping days!
Monday was packed and I got to help with my kids again. They are awesome but a handful, so M/W are tiring. I had a great night, despite learning of the insane prices of flights to Sevilla for my Morocco trip, but today found a bus company for cheaper that will work out. So I'm all set for my trip next month!
Today was the most packed I've had in a while, I had a test in the morning, grocerie shopping during lunch break, another class, then visited the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace, it was stunning!) and the Museo de la Ciudad with my class, back to back visits! Not only that, but now I'm supposed to be studying for another test tomorrow and have my internship at the kids' school again. Yikes! We were all so exhausted and ready to go home at the museum, but now I feel so well-cultured (aka nerdy!).
Hasta Luego,
~Danielle
(SHOUT OUT to my little sister: It's midnight here, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA! I LOVE YOU!!!)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona
Ok, so as my closest friends know, I am a DIEHARD sports fan *ahem, joke* so today is one of much anticipation and festivities as Real Madrid goes up against their rival, FC Barcelona. I felt the tension and excitement in the air here, but I'm mostly psyched for the tailgating parties and city-wide camaraderie! I got to see the massive mob of people entering the stadium and the random mobs of people at the nearby bars watching it on TV. We watched the second half at some random bar. Most people were pretty depressed after the 0-2 defeat, but after a brief moment where I said "bummer," life was good again for me! Came home and I'm about to crash, but I seriously considering cooking something with meat...it's 2 am tho!
I've started cooking for myself and am quite impressed with my skills (eggs, toast, grilled cheese, pasta, tacos, cereal, sandwiches, salads, and frozen pizza... elementary yes, but I am proud nonetheless!) I don't understand how I can be so hungry all the time, I seriously eat a ton and am still starving! It must be all the walking or something, but I need to eat constantly or else I get so lethargic. I have no way of knowing if I'm gaining/losing weight with this new lifestyle, but it seems to be working fine!
I will probably have more to report tomorrow, got a full/fun day planned. I love weekends. :)
I've started cooking for myself and am quite impressed with my skills (eggs, toast, grilled cheese, pasta, tacos, cereal, sandwiches, salads, and frozen pizza... elementary yes, but I am proud nonetheless!) I don't understand how I can be so hungry all the time, I seriously eat a ton and am still starving! It must be all the walking or something, but I need to eat constantly or else I get so lethargic. I have no way of knowing if I'm gaining/losing weight with this new lifestyle, but it seems to be working fine!
I will probably have more to report tomorrow, got a full/fun day planned. I love weekends. :)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
TGI...Viernes!!
Well, this week has been a full and tiring one. Finally sent my stupid computer home, and finally got better! No more sicky. :)
Nothing super exciting in particular to share, but my daily routine.
I get up (usually late, when/if my phone alarm decides it wants to wake me up) and scramble to get ready by 8:30 and take 2 metros to get to school. I have Spanish class from 9-12, which isn't too bad. I enjoy learning Spanish and our class makes it fun; after an 1 1/2 hour lunch, I have class from 1:30 to 2:30 with our TA, Katie, who is really awesome! She got her undergrad and teaches at UCD and is super friendly and personable, it's a refreshing break from very official professors. One M/W, I go to an elementary school from 3-5 to assist a 1st-grade teacher in her class. I don't have a ton to report yet, but the niños are SO CUTE!!! Two girls gave me stickers, one raised her hand to shyly say, "you are beootifuw" and the little boys are going to be heartbreakers one day! I am excited to get to know them and, who knows, maybe leave a mark somehow on their lives. I've gotten to practice a bit of my Spanish, but I'm mainly there to speak with them in English. After that, I have an hour break for a snack then go to my cultural class at 6. We discuss a variety of all things "Spain," from religion to politics to things we notice on the streets. It's been interesting despite the complicated dates/wars/people, but I'm still shocked that I was so oblivious to even recent Spanish history. I hope I come back home better-educated on the subject! Class ends at 7:30 and I walk the 5 blocks home from my metro and eat/nap depending on which is the stronger drive. Then I relax, read, run errands, etc. until dinner at 10 and try to get to bed at a decent time (never happens). Then it starts all over again! Sometimes routines get boring, but I feel that it adds some structure to my time here and I don't think it'll get old before I leave.
I got an unexpected blessing this week when Katie, my TA, invited me to go to Amistad, a Christian church in the area! Going to a local service will be so great, not just for practicing my language skills with real Madrileños, but international fellowship with other believers is such a beautiful thing. I remember when I was in Brazil, reading a Psalm beside my "mom" who read it aloud in Portuguese and it was such a special moment... It gives me chills when I think about how small our entire world/existence really is, the proof of which is in our same desire to worship and connect even when our cultures are entirely different!
I went to an art exhibit called the Caixa Forum with my school group, and boy was that an emotional experience. They had series of photographer's work that showed social injustice in Africa, Venezuela, Mongolia, and other places. The series about police brutality in Kenya horrified and worried me (my sister and some close friends are going there this summer on a mission's trip), but what ripped me up was the prize winning series of gender violence in Pakistan. They were simple head shots of the deformed faces of women who had been burned with acid for not wanting to marry someone they father demanded, after being raped, for being associated with a particular family, or just for being female in a male's society. It was hard to look at, I couldn't take it after a couple stories, but the purpose behind it was beautiful and moving. A friend comforted me and we enjoyed the lighter parts of the exhibit afterwards, but that definitely sticks with you. Please turn your prayers towards these injustices, that's my only request right now.
Anyway, it's hard to move on to another topic after that, so I'll just say that my first week was quite bustling and I am glad it's only week 3.
En paz,
Danielle
Nothing super exciting in particular to share, but my daily routine.
I get up (usually late, when/if my phone alarm decides it wants to wake me up) and scramble to get ready by 8:30 and take 2 metros to get to school. I have Spanish class from 9-12, which isn't too bad. I enjoy learning Spanish and our class makes it fun; after an 1 1/2 hour lunch, I have class from 1:30 to 2:30 with our TA, Katie, who is really awesome! She got her undergrad and teaches at UCD and is super friendly and personable, it's a refreshing break from very official professors. One M/W, I go to an elementary school from 3-5 to assist a 1st-grade teacher in her class. I don't have a ton to report yet, but the niños are SO CUTE!!! Two girls gave me stickers, one raised her hand to shyly say, "you are beootifuw" and the little boys are going to be heartbreakers one day! I am excited to get to know them and, who knows, maybe leave a mark somehow on their lives. I've gotten to practice a bit of my Spanish, but I'm mainly there to speak with them in English. After that, I have an hour break for a snack then go to my cultural class at 6. We discuss a variety of all things "Spain," from religion to politics to things we notice on the streets. It's been interesting despite the complicated dates/wars/people, but I'm still shocked that I was so oblivious to even recent Spanish history. I hope I come back home better-educated on the subject! Class ends at 7:30 and I walk the 5 blocks home from my metro and eat/nap depending on which is the stronger drive. Then I relax, read, run errands, etc. until dinner at 10 and try to get to bed at a decent time (never happens). Then it starts all over again! Sometimes routines get boring, but I feel that it adds some structure to my time here and I don't think it'll get old before I leave.
I got an unexpected blessing this week when Katie, my TA, invited me to go to Amistad, a Christian church in the area! Going to a local service will be so great, not just for practicing my language skills with real Madrileños, but international fellowship with other believers is such a beautiful thing. I remember when I was in Brazil, reading a Psalm beside my "mom" who read it aloud in Portuguese and it was such a special moment... It gives me chills when I think about how small our entire world/existence really is, the proof of which is in our same desire to worship and connect even when our cultures are entirely different!
I went to an art exhibit called the Caixa Forum with my school group, and boy was that an emotional experience. They had series of photographer's work that showed social injustice in Africa, Venezuela, Mongolia, and other places. The series about police brutality in Kenya horrified and worried me (my sister and some close friends are going there this summer on a mission's trip), but what ripped me up was the prize winning series of gender violence in Pakistan. They were simple head shots of the deformed faces of women who had been burned with acid for not wanting to marry someone they father demanded, after being raped, for being associated with a particular family, or just for being female in a male's society. It was hard to look at, I couldn't take it after a couple stories, but the purpose behind it was beautiful and moving. A friend comforted me and we enjoyed the lighter parts of the exhibit afterwards, but that definitely sticks with you. Please turn your prayers towards these injustices, that's my only request right now.
Anyway, it's hard to move on to another topic after that, so I'll just say that my first week was quite bustling and I am glad it's only week 3.
En paz,
Danielle
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Feliz Pascua!
"Happy Easter!"
It's an absolutely gorgeous day in Madrid, breezy and sunny and bright blue skies, perfect for the celebration of the Risen King!!
I went to the Cathedral Almudenas today for a Catholic Mass in Spanish. It was very beautiful and I loved the echoes of the choir and all of the tradition. I've always been somewhat turned off to opulent places of worship and didn't quite understand why people would go to such extravagance during hard times to build and keep up a place like that, but I realized as I sat there how the grandiosity was sort of a symbol of how important God should be to us. I mean, if we put out so much money to build other buildings for commercial purposes and to decorate secular places but don't really care what goes into a holy place which is intended for the Creator of the Universe, then what does that say about our priorities? I doubt everyone has the same opinion on this matter, but my eyes have opened to another point of view and I feel like I can appreciate the way others do things in a new way. :)
Ate a delicious kebab in the Palace Courtyard after the service, then went shopping and just had a relaxing day here!
I hope everyone can find something beautiful on this day of Hope and Victory, I pray you have your own personal miracle today!
In His Grace and Glory,
Danielle
It's an absolutely gorgeous day in Madrid, breezy and sunny and bright blue skies, perfect for the celebration of the Risen King!!
I went to the Cathedral Almudenas today for a Catholic Mass in Spanish. It was very beautiful and I loved the echoes of the choir and all of the tradition. I've always been somewhat turned off to opulent places of worship and didn't quite understand why people would go to such extravagance during hard times to build and keep up a place like that, but I realized as I sat there how the grandiosity was sort of a symbol of how important God should be to us. I mean, if we put out so much money to build other buildings for commercial purposes and to decorate secular places but don't really care what goes into a holy place which is intended for the Creator of the Universe, then what does that say about our priorities? I doubt everyone has the same opinion on this matter, but my eyes have opened to another point of view and I feel like I can appreciate the way others do things in a new way. :)
Ate a delicious kebab in the Palace Courtyard after the service, then went shopping and just had a relaxing day here!
I hope everyone can find something beautiful on this day of Hope and Victory, I pray you have your own personal miracle today!
In His Grace and Glory,
Danielle
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Holy Toledo!
Hola amigos!
I spent yesterday in Toledo, a city about 40 minutes away from Madrid. It was much smaller than we thought from the map, we'd walk what we thought was halfway to a landmark then check and realized we were past it! It was a very medieval city built on a large hill, lots of massive stone and brick structures, monasteries, synagogues, a Visigothic cathedral built in the 1200s, and LOTS of swords. Seriously, this town is sword-obsessed! It was a very relaxed day, even with all the walking up and down, up and down on the cobblestone streets (tripping more than once...!) I think it's funny that as I was exploring I kept thinking "this looks like that one part of Disneyland," how SoCal am I that the REAL DEAL reminds me of the Disney imitation? lol
We saw the cathedral and Museo de Santa Cruz for free (I love free things!) and checked out the amazing views of the river and hillsides around us. I felt an Italian vibe from the surrounding areas, cypress trees and steeples in the distance... Beautiful!
We ended with ice cream and left the city a bit earlier than we thought. We conquered it in 6 hours rather than 8! I call that a successful day. :) Got to talk to my daddy on Skype (woot!) and going to take it easy for a bit. I'm finally getting over my sickness, Hallelujah!
So my Semana Santa was quite packed, travelled quite a bit, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Now I'm biding my time at home, rationing out my last 3 muffins, tea, peanut butter, and candy until I can go out to a cafe for food! Pretty much all markets and stores are closed this week, so it's been an interesting time scrounging for sustenance. Oh well, I haven't starved yet! :)
Going to have some quiet time in the Word, listen to Josh Groban (that man makes me melt!) do homework, and plan my next travels!
Hasta luego,
~Danielle
I spent yesterday in Toledo, a city about 40 minutes away from Madrid. It was much smaller than we thought from the map, we'd walk what we thought was halfway to a landmark then check and realized we were past it! It was a very medieval city built on a large hill, lots of massive stone and brick structures, monasteries, synagogues, a Visigothic cathedral built in the 1200s, and LOTS of swords. Seriously, this town is sword-obsessed! It was a very relaxed day, even with all the walking up and down, up and down on the cobblestone streets (tripping more than once...!) I think it's funny that as I was exploring I kept thinking "this looks like that one part of Disneyland," how SoCal am I that the REAL DEAL reminds me of the Disney imitation? lol
We saw the cathedral and Museo de Santa Cruz for free (I love free things!) and checked out the amazing views of the river and hillsides around us. I felt an Italian vibe from the surrounding areas, cypress trees and steeples in the distance... Beautiful!
We ended with ice cream and left the city a bit earlier than we thought. We conquered it in 6 hours rather than 8! I call that a successful day. :) Got to talk to my daddy on Skype (woot!) and going to take it easy for a bit. I'm finally getting over my sickness, Hallelujah!
So my Semana Santa was quite packed, travelled quite a bit, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Now I'm biding my time at home, rationing out my last 3 muffins, tea, peanut butter, and candy until I can go out to a cafe for food! Pretty much all markets and stores are closed this week, so it's been an interesting time scrounging for sustenance. Oh well, I haven't starved yet! :)
Going to have some quiet time in the Word, listen to Josh Groban (that man makes me melt!) do homework, and plan my next travels!
Hasta luego,
~Danielle
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Andalucía
(No pictures as of now, my computer is dead and I'm using friends' laptops, but soon I will show you the majesty that is the South of Spain!)
Wow, it was an amazing and fast 3 day trip to Andalucía!
First stop was Granada, 6 hours away, and that was my favorite place of all. It was a quaint place surrounded by hills and gypsy caves and a huuuuge fortress/castle/palace called the Alhambra. We got a tour of the Cathedral (one of the oldest in Spain and with so much gold/white you feel like you're in heaven at points), then walked through the cobblestoned & hilly city, saw the Semana Santa processions throughout the streets, and went to a traditional Flamenco show in a "cave" (a carved out restaurant in the side of a hill)! It was so impressive, the Spanish are such a passionate and dramatic people and their dancing is the same. We enjoyed sangria and their fancy footwork, then went out for the night and I wish that we had been there at least another day. We toured the Alhambra in the morning which was my favorite part of the trip. In one section I would imagine I was Princess Jasmine in my Moorish gardens with the fountains and birds and marble columns, and in another area I was in a labyrinth of cypress trees and expected the mad hatter to run out and invite me to a tea party with Alice, or I'd bump into David Bowie, king of the goblins! :P The views and photos were spectacular and I had so much fun with my friends. I will never forget this city, it was fantastic!!
Second stop on day 2 was Seville, one of the most popular places in all of Spain. We raced through the streets following our "Papa Duck" (Jim, the program coordinator!) and avoided the craziness of the processions. We got a tour of the Alcazar, the oldest palace still in use in Spain, and its botanical gardens. Being the nerd I am, I soaked up all the historical facts about the place and envisioned myself as a royal of the past. I loved the Moorish influence with all the artwork, it's breathtakingly beautiful and intricate! I can't begin to describe it all, but it is something you must see in your life. We got food/ice cream and then I rested (still enferma!) and avoided the insanity of the Holy Week celebrations.
Last stop was Córdoba, a small place in the South with a larger Jewish influence than other places. They are home to the famous Mezquita which has a very curious mix of Moorish, Jewish, and Christian influences in its architecture, decor, and holy relics. It's a hodgepodge of religion and power, and very fascinating. I was clutching my guidebook the whole time reading up on the facts of the place contemplating my own smallness! But on the other hand, I see that I have my own place in history/time, and its crazy that God actually thinks something of me! It's such a mind-blowing concept...I'm reading "Crazy Love" and realizing the magnitude of just how absurd and awe-inspiring it is that he cares for me!
So, after exploring the town with Molly and being all touristy at the Mezquita, we had our 6 hour ride back to Madrid and today has been a lazy day of taking care of "business" stuff, laundry (no dryer= takes FOREVER to do!) and planning the remainder of my time in Spain!
Going on a day trip to Toledo tomorrow with some fun ladies, very excited to see yet another gem of Spain. ^_^
~Danielle
Quote of the day (yesterday):
As we're walking across a bridge, I point to my map and say "Oh, here we are, on the Roman Bridge" Molly says "ohhhhh, that's why it looks so, Roman-y!" Bravo Molly. Bravo.
Wow, it was an amazing and fast 3 day trip to Andalucía!
First stop was Granada, 6 hours away, and that was my favorite place of all. It was a quaint place surrounded by hills and gypsy caves and a huuuuge fortress/castle/palace called the Alhambra. We got a tour of the Cathedral (one of the oldest in Spain and with so much gold/white you feel like you're in heaven at points), then walked through the cobblestoned & hilly city, saw the Semana Santa processions throughout the streets, and went to a traditional Flamenco show in a "cave" (a carved out restaurant in the side of a hill)! It was so impressive, the Spanish are such a passionate and dramatic people and their dancing is the same. We enjoyed sangria and their fancy footwork, then went out for the night and I wish that we had been there at least another day. We toured the Alhambra in the morning which was my favorite part of the trip. In one section I would imagine I was Princess Jasmine in my Moorish gardens with the fountains and birds and marble columns, and in another area I was in a labyrinth of cypress trees and expected the mad hatter to run out and invite me to a tea party with Alice, or I'd bump into David Bowie, king of the goblins! :P The views and photos were spectacular and I had so much fun with my friends. I will never forget this city, it was fantastic!!
Second stop on day 2 was Seville, one of the most popular places in all of Spain. We raced through the streets following our "Papa Duck" (Jim, the program coordinator!) and avoided the craziness of the processions. We got a tour of the Alcazar, the oldest palace still in use in Spain, and its botanical gardens. Being the nerd I am, I soaked up all the historical facts about the place and envisioned myself as a royal of the past. I loved the Moorish influence with all the artwork, it's breathtakingly beautiful and intricate! I can't begin to describe it all, but it is something you must see in your life. We got food/ice cream and then I rested (still enferma!) and avoided the insanity of the Holy Week celebrations.
Last stop was Córdoba, a small place in the South with a larger Jewish influence than other places. They are home to the famous Mezquita which has a very curious mix of Moorish, Jewish, and Christian influences in its architecture, decor, and holy relics. It's a hodgepodge of religion and power, and very fascinating. I was clutching my guidebook the whole time reading up on the facts of the place contemplating my own smallness! But on the other hand, I see that I have my own place in history/time, and its crazy that God actually thinks something of me! It's such a mind-blowing concept...I'm reading "Crazy Love" and realizing the magnitude of just how absurd and awe-inspiring it is that he cares for me!
So, after exploring the town with Molly and being all touristy at the Mezquita, we had our 6 hour ride back to Madrid and today has been a lazy day of taking care of "business" stuff, laundry (no dryer= takes FOREVER to do!) and planning the remainder of my time in Spain!
Going on a day trip to Toledo tomorrow with some fun ladies, very excited to see yet another gem of Spain. ^_^
~Danielle
Quote of the day (yesterday):
As we're walking across a bridge, I point to my map and say "Oh, here we are, on the Roman Bridge" Molly says "ohhhhh, that's why it looks so, Roman-y!" Bravo Molly. Bravo.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Domingo de Palmas
Happy beginning of Semana Santa!
This weekend started out pretty fun, but ended blah-zeh. I was feeling well enough on Friday night to go out, so I went to El Tigre for tasty Mojitos and free tapas (they had the most amazing fried potato/cheese things, YUM!!!), then we went dancing at La Fontana del Oro. I met so many people from all over-- Argentina, France, Scotland, Mexico, Venezuela, and Afghanistan! Who knew so many international people would all be at a small bar/dance place in Madrid! 5:30 came around before we knew it, so we left to get churros con chocolate, a traditional early morning snack after a long night of fun, and the got home at 6:45. It was so strange to be coming home as the sun was rising, but it is the Spanish way... When you don't even leave the house to eat until 11:30, time goes by quickly! :)
I stayed in the rest of the weekend to rest up, which I've been needing. Today my PLAN was to experience a Catholic mass on this first day of Semana Santa, but I woke up feeling terrible and ended up going back to sleep until 2. (I did get my quiet time in though!) I tell ya, being sick and abroad is NOT fun, you have to constantly choose between "wasting time" while recovering and "seizing the day" but paying for it!
I am leaving tomorrow for Andalucia, the southern part of Spain, and will be visiting Granada, Seville, and Cordoba. I am extremely excited about this trip, we get to see a Flamenco show in the gypsy caves outside of Granada and see so much of the Moorish history of Spain. I hope that I fall asleep tonight and magically feel better, because I am SO OVER being sick! Also, I have to keep borrowing my friends' computer because my hates me and died on me AGAIN...! So until I figure all of this out, pictures are on hold.
~Danielle
This weekend started out pretty fun, but ended blah-zeh. I was feeling well enough on Friday night to go out, so I went to El Tigre for tasty Mojitos and free tapas (they had the most amazing fried potato/cheese things, YUM!!!), then we went dancing at La Fontana del Oro. I met so many people from all over-- Argentina, France, Scotland, Mexico, Venezuela, and Afghanistan! Who knew so many international people would all be at a small bar/dance place in Madrid! 5:30 came around before we knew it, so we left to get churros con chocolate, a traditional early morning snack after a long night of fun, and the got home at 6:45. It was so strange to be coming home as the sun was rising, but it is the Spanish way... When you don't even leave the house to eat until 11:30, time goes by quickly! :)
I stayed in the rest of the weekend to rest up, which I've been needing. Today my PLAN was to experience a Catholic mass on this first day of Semana Santa, but I woke up feeling terrible and ended up going back to sleep until 2. (I did get my quiet time in though!) I tell ya, being sick and abroad is NOT fun, you have to constantly choose between "wasting time" while recovering and "seizing the day" but paying for it!
I am leaving tomorrow for Andalucia, the southern part of Spain, and will be visiting Granada, Seville, and Cordoba. I am extremely excited about this trip, we get to see a Flamenco show in the gypsy caves outside of Granada and see so much of the Moorish history of Spain. I hope that I fall asleep tonight and magically feel better, because I am SO OVER being sick! Also, I have to keep borrowing my friends' computer because my hates me and died on me AGAIN...! So until I figure all of this out, pictures are on hold.
~Danielle
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Only Thursday night...? Crazy!
Time has NOT been flying by like I was afraid it would, which is awesome! I feel like I've done and seen a lot in the short time I've been here and I'm already confident rocking the Metro! I'm starting to get my bearings for the layout of the city too. It's drizzly and a bit windy, but other than that the weather here is nice.
The last couple days have been worlds better than my first hectic night. Tuesday night, a group of ended up at a pub called Las Brindas and had very tastey Sangria and fun getting to know each other.
Wednesday I had classes and explored the city in the daytime. Judy, Taylor, and I ended up finding a peaceful jardin (garden) at a museo (museum) in the afternoon. After our last class, the roommates and I enjoyed a relaxing glass of wine and stayed in for the evening, except to get food. Met a guy from Morrocco who works at the pizza place literally right outside our apartment, he was very friendly and helped me practice my conversational skills! :) I've been getting by pretty well with my limited Spanish, I've been translator a few times for friends and it's nice to feel capable! I'm not as advanced as I should be for 3 years of it, but at least I can survive. The accent is coming more naturally to me than I thought it would (ex: "Grathias" and "Barthelona"). I hope I come home fluent, but able to still say my c's and z's.
(Photo: me outside my school!)
Got a walking tour of the city today and saw the gorgeous Plaza de Espana as well as the Plaza del Sol, the exact center of Spain. BEAUTIFUL cobblestone and statues and fountains... We were there the other night when we went out but didn't realize the significance of the place, so it was good to see it in the daytime and appreciate it more. Had churros con chocolate, my new favorite thing in the world! Fried sugary dough dipped into a cup of thick warm dark coacoa... Sooooo delicious! Went to el doctor, found out I'm NOT dying (phew) and got my drogas. Afterwards, I went on a solo adventure in the rain and saw some AMAZING buildings on my walk! I never understood why people are in awe of man-made structures, but I gotta hand it to the Spaniards, I'm impressed!
Hopefully I'll be recovered by the weekend so I can see with Ash and go to the Sunday flea market (El Rastro), go out with the group, and see the South of Spain with fresh eyes.
Peace out,
Danielle <3
The last couple days have been worlds better than my first hectic night. Tuesday night, a group of ended up at a pub called Las Brindas and had very tastey Sangria and fun getting to know each other.
Wednesday I had classes and explored the city in the daytime. Judy, Taylor, and I ended up finding a peaceful jardin (garden) at a museo (museum) in the afternoon. After our last class, the roommates and I enjoyed a relaxing glass of wine and stayed in for the evening, except to get food. Met a guy from Morrocco who works at the pizza place literally right outside our apartment, he was very friendly and helped me practice my conversational skills! :) I've been getting by pretty well with my limited Spanish, I've been translator a few times for friends and it's nice to feel capable! I'm not as advanced as I should be for 3 years of it, but at least I can survive. The accent is coming more naturally to me than I thought it would (ex: "Grathias" and "Barthelona"). I hope I come home fluent, but able to still say my c's and z's.
(Photo: me outside my school!)Got a walking tour of the city today and saw the gorgeous Plaza de Espana as well as the Plaza del Sol, the exact center of Spain. BEAUTIFUL cobblestone and statues and fountains... We were there the other night when we went out but didn't realize the significance of the place, so it was good to see it in the daytime and appreciate it more. Had churros con chocolate, my new favorite thing in the world! Fried sugary dough dipped into a cup of thick warm dark coacoa... Sooooo delicious! Went to el doctor, found out I'm NOT dying (phew) and got my drogas. Afterwards, I went on a solo adventure in the rain and saw some AMAZING buildings on my walk! I never understood why people are in awe of man-made structures, but I gotta hand it to the Spaniards, I'm impressed!
Hopefully I'll be recovered by the weekend so I can see with Ash and go to the Sunday flea market (El Rastro), go out with the group, and see the South of Spain with fresh eyes.
Peace out,
Danielle <3
Monday, March 22, 2010
Not my ideal start...
Sitting on my bed in my apartment, eating peanut butter out of the jar (the only food I own at the moment) and contemplating over the past 48 insane hours...
The flights were long and uneventful. I still have this really bad uncontrollable cough that wrecked havoc on me all throughout the travel process, and not sleeping didn't help much. But all in all things went very well!
I got onto the Metro with 2 other girls and we had no problems heading towards the language center. Madrid is really similar to San Francisco! I know comparing is not the best thing to do when adjusting to a new culture, but seriously Madrid feels/looks like SF, minus the bums and litter, plus attractive and stylish people, and warmer nights. I love the buildings from what I've seen of them in the dark.
And here comes the fun part...
The nice guy at the language center hands each of us keys and directions to our different places we're living along with a crude map and address, essentially saying "welcome to the country, good luck!" He didn't sound too encouraging about taxi drivers and said it was close by, so I ventured out confidently to find my new home. Come 2 hours later, I'm still lugging my bags around the sketchier back alleys of Madrid trying not to look lost/foolish, getting hit on by a guy on the corner, blisters from the handles of my luggage, and squinting at the tiny signs of streets (which, incidentally, are not actually on the streets)! Finally got a clear answer from a guy at a restaurant, and I made it home a little after 11.
So, hooray for my first Spanish Adventure! One day I'll look back and love that I have this experience under my belt, but today is not that day.
It seriously sucked, but it was positive in a couple ways: God TOTALLY protected me, kept me calm (praying kept me from crying), got to practice my Spanish skills in the real-world, now anything hectic that happens will probably be a breeze, I know to take a taxi if I must, and I decided to be a "light-packer" from this day forth!
I'm all settled into my place. Have 4 pretty cool apartment-mates, a better shower than the one at my old dorm, a cot-like bed (joy), and classes officially start Wed morning! Hopefully I get to see Ash this weekend, if everything works out!
I survived my first night, I am proud!
Requests:
Please pray for my health, it's not improving and after all the stress/travel of late I might be going further downhill. Also for no more unwanted sketchy-trekking by myself... It was definately not cool.
The flights were long and uneventful. I still have this really bad uncontrollable cough that wrecked havoc on me all throughout the travel process, and not sleeping didn't help much. But all in all things went very well!
I got onto the Metro with 2 other girls and we had no problems heading towards the language center. Madrid is really similar to San Francisco! I know comparing is not the best thing to do when adjusting to a new culture, but seriously Madrid feels/looks like SF, minus the bums and litter, plus attractive and stylish people, and warmer nights. I love the buildings from what I've seen of them in the dark.
And here comes the fun part...
The nice guy at the language center hands each of us keys and directions to our different places we're living along with a crude map and address, essentially saying "welcome to the country, good luck!" He didn't sound too encouraging about taxi drivers and said it was close by, so I ventured out confidently to find my new home. Come 2 hours later, I'm still lugging my bags around the sketchier back alleys of Madrid trying not to look lost/foolish, getting hit on by a guy on the corner, blisters from the handles of my luggage, and squinting at the tiny signs of streets (which, incidentally, are not actually on the streets)! Finally got a clear answer from a guy at a restaurant, and I made it home a little after 11.
So, hooray for my first Spanish Adventure! One day I'll look back and love that I have this experience under my belt, but today is not that day.
It seriously sucked, but it was positive in a couple ways: God TOTALLY protected me, kept me calm (praying kept me from crying), got to practice my Spanish skills in the real-world, now anything hectic that happens will probably be a breeze, I know to take a taxi if I must, and I decided to be a "light-packer" from this day forth!
I'm all settled into my place. Have 4 pretty cool apartment-mates, a better shower than the one at my old dorm, a cot-like bed (joy), and classes officially start Wed morning! Hopefully I get to see Ash this weekend, if everything works out!
I survived my first night, I am proud!
Requests:
Please pray for my health, it's not improving and after all the stress/travel of late I might be going further downhill. Also for no more unwanted sketchy-trekking by myself... It was definately not cool.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
6 1/2 horas hasta que me vaya!
THE TIME HAS COME, the walrus said, TO TALK OF MANY THINGS,
OF SHOES AND SHIPS AND CEILING WAX- OF CABBAGES AND KINGS,
AND WHY THE SEA IS BOILING HOT- AND WHETHER PIGS HAVE WINGS.
Alright, so maybe I'll talk about something a LITTLE more relavent to my life... I leave in less than 6 1/2 hours!
Yesterday was a flurry of moving out, seeing friends, packing, and finishing school (oh yea, woke up at 820 for my 8 am final, THAT was a fun morning! lol), then: THE WAIT.
I usually can't sleep at ALL before a big trip, so I cleaned the bathroom and triple checked my luggage, and a miracle happened: I got 5 hours of sleep!! I'm pretty impressed with myself...! I woke up early and had a wonderful quiet time with God, the verses He showed me were phenomenal and so perfect for my anxious/giddy mind right now.
My flight takes off at 5:15, so as of this evening I will be on my way. Pray for peace, safety, no more flight mix-ups (already got rerouted once!), and for a second miracle: to sleep a little on the 13 hour flight to London!
Adios,
~Danielle
OF SHOES AND SHIPS AND CEILING WAX- OF CABBAGES AND KINGS,
AND WHY THE SEA IS BOILING HOT- AND WHETHER PIGS HAVE WINGS.
Alright, so maybe I'll talk about something a LITTLE more relavent to my life... I leave in less than 6 1/2 hours!
Yesterday was a flurry of moving out, seeing friends, packing, and finishing school (oh yea, woke up at 820 for my 8 am final, THAT was a fun morning! lol), then: THE WAIT.
I usually can't sleep at ALL before a big trip, so I cleaned the bathroom and triple checked my luggage, and a miracle happened: I got 5 hours of sleep!! I'm pretty impressed with myself...! I woke up early and had a wonderful quiet time with God, the verses He showed me were phenomenal and so perfect for my anxious/giddy mind right now.
My flight takes off at 5:15, so as of this evening I will be on my way. Pray for peace, safety, no more flight mix-ups (already got rerouted once!), and for a second miracle: to sleep a little on the 13 hour flight to London!
Adios,
~Danielle
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Getting excited!
Alrighty, less than 4 days to go!!
I have 1 final exam left, still need to do laundry, run errands, see friends, pack my bags, and move out of my dorm within the next 90 hours... wow, so much in so little time!
So sad to be leaving friends and family, but I'm so pumped for what lies ahead! I hope with this blog I won't feel like I'm totally removed from your lives...!
Many thanks to the wonderful people who have been excited for me and who are going to be praying for me when I'm gone. Some prayer requests would be for safety (doy!), creating good friendships with other students and locals, remembering to soak it all in one day at a time, and not letting myself feel rushed or anxious. I want to let each moment makes its mark on me so I come back changed for the better and able to appreciate everything in a new light! Culture shock isn't too high on my list of concerns, but it is something that I've dealt with heavily before and will likely go through again.
Anyyyyyyways, it's late now, but I'll use the excuse that I'm trying to get used to Madrid time. ^_^
Until next time, goodnight/morning!
~Danielle
Ps 139:3-5
"You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head."
I have 1 final exam left, still need to do laundry, run errands, see friends, pack my bags, and move out of my dorm within the next 90 hours... wow, so much in so little time!
So sad to be leaving friends and family, but I'm so pumped for what lies ahead! I hope with this blog I won't feel like I'm totally removed from your lives...!
Many thanks to the wonderful people who have been excited for me and who are going to be praying for me when I'm gone. Some prayer requests would be for safety (doy!), creating good friendships with other students and locals, remembering to soak it all in one day at a time, and not letting myself feel rushed or anxious. I want to let each moment makes its mark on me so I come back changed for the better and able to appreciate everything in a new light! Culture shock isn't too high on my list of concerns, but it is something that I've dealt with heavily before and will likely go through again.
Anyyyyyyways, it's late now, but I'll use the excuse that I'm trying to get used to Madrid time. ^_^
Until next time, goodnight/morning!
~Danielle
Ps 139:3-5
"You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
6 days to go!
Hi people! I am leaving on a jet plane (insert John Denver song) in only 6 days for Madrid!!! So excited, and still so much left to do, but it will happen. Somehow!
I'll be there for 3 months, and want to take you with me so read for updates!
~Danielle~
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