I'm on Spring Break!

So yes, it has been about two weeks since I've last updated my blog but right now I'm on Spring Break... well, one of two that is. This is going to be a quick update, and I promise to write an extended entry later, because my mom and I are just booking train tickets to Madrid then we're off to walk around Barcelona.

Since my last update I have taken my final exams, moved out of my Spanish house and met my mother in Madrid for our European tour! We started off in Madrid (just a day spent walking around and in the Prado art museum) and then flew to Paris on Monday. We spent a few days in Paris, taking a bike tour of Versailles and visiting the major sites. Quick note - Mom wants me to say "tell everyone we saw Jim Morrison's grave!" Hey, we saw Jim Morrison's grave.

Thursday we took the high speed train to London. Though Paris was awesome I think London is one of my new favorite places. It was crowded but I loved being surrounded by English (first time in three months). We did some of the touritsy things but my sister Sarah and I will be returning in April for my second Spring Break. Hopefully we'll take a trip to Newcastle and maybe Ireland and Scotland, but I plan to see more of London in April.

This morning we woke up bright and early and were bombarded at a zoo that was the Gatwick Airport. Then of course our flight was delayed (bomb threat) so we sat on the runway for about an hour. But we finally arrived back in Spain (seeing signs in Spanish was oddly comforting) and now we're in the hotel in Barcelona about to step out for dinner and walking around. Tomorrow afternoon at 5 p.m. Mom and I are taking another high speed train back to Madrid! I can't wait to show my mom Toledo, hopefully she loves it as much as I do.

So far we have had perfect weather and I hope I didn't just jynx us now. It has been sunny and maybe a bit chilly in Paris and London, but sunny and brisk the entire week! Right now it's only 13 degrees and the sun is going down but we're hungry and I hope Mom will like paella!! Off we go so until next time (with a more in-depth look on our European tour, I promise), hasta luego!!!

Rome

I was lucky enough to be able to spend this past weekend in Rome! Even though I have final exams this week (already two down with one to go) and did not have a lot of time to study for my grammar exam on Sunday, I had to take the opportunity to travel to Italy.

Our flight left at 7:10 a.m. on Friday so instead of spending money on a hostel in Madrid, Shannon and I decided to spend the night in the airport. Though Thursday night we almost took the train instead of the metro and we had a terrible night’s sleep in the airport, by 7:30 a.m. we were on our way to Rome!

After checking into our hostel at 11 a.m., we ate sandwiches at the train station and had our first batch of gelato. I hate chocolate chip and Shannon had walnut, both were so delicious! We bought a 48-hour tour bus ticket (only 22 euro) and went on our first excursion around 12:30 p.m. We saw everything! Including Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Coliseum and St, Peter’s. While at Trevi Fountain, Shannon and I indulged on our second round of gelato, this time I ate mint chocolate. It was so good!


After our last stop at the Coliseum on Friday we headed back to our hostel. We had a free pasta dinner at 7 p.m. (not too bad), talked with our Argentinean and Brazilian roommates and went to bed around 9 p.m. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and traveling around Rome all day. These two Greek girls tried to take our beds but they hadn’t extended their reservation, so I had a bit of panic for a few minutes but all was resolved and I had a great nights sleep.

Saturday morning Shannon and I had breakfast at the hostel and then hopped back on our tour bus at 9 a.m. We headed straight for the Vatican and bought our tickets and tour. We spent almost five hours in the Vatican’s museums, the Sistine Chapel, the tomb of the Popes and St. Peter’s! My favorite part of the day was visiting St. Peter’s. It is huge! The picture doesn’t give its size or beauty justice, but it’s just an amazing place to visit.


After leaving the Vatican, Shannon and I got pizza for lunch! And when I say pizza I mean we both ate an entire pizza. Each. Yes, it sounds gross but it was really thin and delicious and our cereal from the morning didn’t leave us fully satisfied. After enjoying our (entire) pizza, we grabbed the next tour bus to go to the Coliseum. Well the bus driver took a really long way and we got there at 4:15 p.m. but entrance had closed at 4 p.m.! We were pretty mad that we missed the Coliseum by 15 minutes but we walked around again, saw some ruins and then walked to the Pantheon. Of course it was time for our third round of gelato! This time I ate strawberry and chocolate.


We went shopping for a bit at the tourist shops and made our way back to our hostel. We ate dinner at a cute restaurant near the Coliseum and our hostel (I had cheese ravioli, yum!) and got more gelato after dinner. This time I opted for a “healthier” substitute and ate kiwi and lemon. Shannon had this strawberry yogurt flavor that was delicious so I have decided that the first chance I get to eat gelato again I will get that flavor.

Sunday morning we woke up bright and early (around 6 a.m.) and left Rome at 10 a.m. to head back to Madrid. We made it home to Toledo around 3 p.m. and after talking with my parents on the phone I headed to school to “study.” Yesterday was our grammar final and I think I did reasonably well. I should be getting an ‘A’ unless I royally bombed the final (which I know I did not). This morning was our literature final. It was only four essay questions and I think our professor should be grading them fairly easily. I’m not sure what I’ll be getting in this class. I turned in all assignments and participated as much as I could, but it’s hard when he only calls on three people. This afternoon I’ll be heading back to the school to study for my last exam, my history and culture final. This is the exam I’m most worried about and since I did not do so well on our practice final I know I will have a lot to go over. Though exams have me stressed out I’m getting more and more excited for my mom to come for Spring Break. In one week we’ll be in Paris! I should be getting my things together now so until next time, hasta luego!!

Segovia

This past week was quite a busy one! I sat around and did homework on Sunday so it all started with Monday afternoon. I met up with two of my intercambio partners, Ángel and Mar, at a bar near my house. Halle, Brian and I spent about two hours eating tapas and speaking in Spanish and English with Ángel (with his adorable son, Iván) and Mar. It really helps my Spanish. We’re even meeting up this afternoon to play games and cards.

Tuesday my friend Kristin came to visit me in Toledo! She’s currently studying in Luxembourg but had a mini-Spring Break this week and was traveling around Spain. I am so happy she made time to come see me! We did some touristy things around Toledo including the “Zocotren.” It’s a small train that leaves from the main plaza inside the Casco and drives outside of Toledo and gives you some amazing views. It is only about 45 minutes long but it offers some brief history on Toledo and I took a lot of photos. Kristin had to leave Wednesday afternoon but we had a lot of fun together! And I hope I impressed her with my Spanish skills.

Wednesday morning during history we went to the Santa Cruz museum. We saw some paintings, ancient chemistry materials and antique clothes. It was pretty interesting but our tour guide was definitely a vampire. Wednesday afternoon we had another ruta of Toledo. We went to a museum with some statues and then to a Jewish museum. Toledo is known for a period of time in history of peace among the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Toledo’s art is heavily influenced on a mixture of these three religions. Over the past eight weeks we have been visiting museums and sites of these religions.

Friday morning our group left Toledo at 8:30 a.m. to drive to Segovia! We arrived around 11 a.m. and walked to the aqueduct. I can’t even explain how incredible it was so here is a photo:


After our guide, David, gave us a brief history lesson of the aqueducts, we headed to the Alcazar. According to our tourist guide (because it can explain Alcazar better than I can) during the Middle Ages the Alcazar was one of the favorite residences of the Castile Monarchs. Once the court moved to Madrid the Alcazar became a state prison for over two centuries. In 1762, king Carlos III founded the Royal Artillery School in the Alcazar (until 1862). The Alcazar now holds the General Military Archives and is a frequently visited site of tourists.

So needless to say there was a lot to see at the Alcazar! The tour was about an hour long and we saw the various rooms of the palace, the museum of military and we even got to climb a tower to the top of the palace for some amazing views.


We headed over to lunch after our Alcazar tour. I had pasta and then fried chicken and French fries. Very Spanish, I know. We had an hour of free time so most of us got a café con leche and played “mafia.” It’s a card game that we used with coins, but it kept us occupied. We took a tour of the Cathedral of Segovia (which looked exactly like the Cathedral in Toledo), had another hour of so of free time and then headed back to Toledo around 5:30 p.m. I was pretty exhausted so after dinner with Liz I came home, watched the end of National Treasure 2 and went to bed.

Yesterday I spent my morning packing up things I want my mom to take home, making a list of things I want my mom to bring me, writing e-mails, writing in my journal and cleaning my room. I met up with Liz for lunch and then with Halle and Brian for intercambio and games. The four of us went to Ángel’s house and spent over four hours with him, his wife Olga and out other partner Mar. We talked for about an hour, ate food and drank wine and played Taboo and Spoons. It was so much fun! We’re meeting up with Ángel and Mar again on Monday.

I have spent most of today relaxing and messing around on the computer, not doing homework, like most Sundays. Only one more week until Shannon and I go to Rome and only two more weeks of class until my mom comes and we go on our European Spring Break! Hasta luego readers, until next time!

Carnaval!

This past weekend in Spain was Carnaval! It's the weekend before Holy Week and basically it's a weekend of parades, concerts, parties and costumes. Thursday during our grammar class our professor María took us to a costume shop outside the casco. I bought wings (alas) and a headband for antennae (antena) to dress up as a butterfly (mariposa)!

The festivities don't really start until Saturday so I went to a bar on Thursday night for a few hours and came home pretty early. Friday during the day I ate lunch with my family, went to the mall, bought a new shirt and ate pizza for dinner! I just really wish I had ranch dressing... I went out to a bar again Friday night and had a lot of fun! It's those nights when you have no expectations that turn into the most fun. I slept late on Saturday to rest up for the big night! I got lunch with some friends during the day and walked around Toledo a bit because the weather was so nice. I only had to wear a sweater. Around 5 p.m. we walked to Avda. Reconquista to watch the parade.

The parade was awesome! The children running around had the cutest costumes. My favorite were two little boys dressed as princes. The parade was a little over an hour long (actually longer but there was a break in the middle and we had left already) and it was so much fun. The best part was this 20-minute period of ancient Egypt. The dancers looked exhausted though! Their costumes were amazing, their choreography was fun and their floats were massive. They did not throw candy into the crowd like in America but we did get covered in quite a bit of confetti. And now I'm deaf because the music they played was so loud.

After the parade I went home to get dressed quickly. I wore a blue dress to match my butterfly costume. Shannon, Liz and I ate doner kepab (the best food ever) on the street and drank tinto de verano (red wine with lemon juice, it's similar to sangria). There was a concert in the middle of Zocodover and so we spent the night dancing and enjoying the creative Spanish costumes. It's much more popular here to wear costumes in a group. I don't know how many groups of 5-10 girls I saw wearing the same exact costume! We went to O'Brien's, of course, for a few drinks and I grabbed a taxi home around 3 a.m. It was a really fun night! Carnaval was a blast.

Yesterday they had the burning of sardines in the river and fireworks but I didn't make it down to the river. I could see some of the fireworks from my window though. Nothing too exciting has happened since my weekend in Barcelona until now. Classes are going fine, maybe a little boring at times and sometimes we're given a lot of homework, but they're manageable. We were supposed to watch a movie last week called "Nueve Reinas" but the movie did not have subtitles (in Spanish nor in English) so we couldn't understand most of the words being said. Hopefully ESTO will find a copy that has subtitles because it seemed really funny. We have another tour of Toledo this week and the group is going to Segovia on Friday. My good friend Kristin (who goes to Miami and is studying in Luxembourg) is coming to visit me tomorrow and Wednesday. I'm excited to hang out with her and show off my Spanish skills to a French speaker!

Everyone is starting to mentally prepare to leave (in three weeks) but I'm getting excited for the new group of students and a new experience in Toledo - the spring! I can't wait for Spring Break with my mom and then I'm excited for new Spanish classes and a new family. Lots of new things to come! This evening I'm having intercambio with Brian and Halle and I think Ángel is bring the Spanish version of Taboo and we're going to teach him how to play American card games. Should be fun! Hasta luego!

Things I Miss

Free refills
Though it’s probably better that I consume less sugar and caffeine here, I get very thirsty while eating at restaurants. The first beverage served (whether it be water, coke or whatever) is smaller than drinks at home and then I am are not offered [free] refills once finished with my first.
Separate checks/paying with credit cards at restaurants
Even if you ask for separate checks ahead of time the waiters are not likely to offer this comfort offered in the states. Therefore I pay with cash 9 times out of 10 and then I have go to the ATM more than I would like.
Driving/riding in a car
The busses (that I take four times a day) can get crowded, they are starting to get hotter as the weather is getting warmer and it’s impossible to keep your balance if you’re standing. I miss driving in my car, singing along with the radio and not having to pretend that I can speak Spanish perfectly when the person next to me starts to speak to me.
Ranch dressing
It is nowhere to be found! I only just had barbeque sauce for the first time at McDonalds on Saturday but I cannot find ranch anywhere! I just want to dip my French fries in ranch!!
Censored television
I know it sounds weird that one would miss censored television but now everyday during lunch I’m bombarded with images of bloody, dead bodies and naked women. I guess I’m getting used to it now but I think I will always be disgusted when I see a pig being slaughtered on screen.
Cold milk
The milk here is not refrigerated. Someone told me the milk has a special additive that allows it to stay fresh outside of the refrigerator. Even though my family refrigerates milk after they bring it home, the taste is not the same and they don’t keep their refrigerators at a very cold temperature. I would love to eat cereal for breakfast one morning but not with warm milk.
Smoke free restaurants and buildings
Everyone smokes in Spain. It sucks when I’m eating in a restaurant or having coffee in a café and someone is blowing their cigarette smoke right into my face. It is something I won’t ever get used to.
My friends, family and cats
It’s so unbelievable hard to be away from my friends and family this long. I can’t count how many times I’ve wanted to call or text my friends to tell them something simple and then remembering that it costs too much money. I’m lucky that I’m able to iChat with my family but I’m constantly sad that I’m so far away from everyone that I love at home. And of course I miss my cats. I am excited because next quarter I’m living with a new family that has a cat named Tomás!

Things I Do Everyday

There are quite a few things that I find myself doing or seeing every day. I decided that because I find it interesting you might as well! So here is my list:

• Eat at least three oranges (or "mandarinas") a day
• Eat bread (or "pan" which resembles a baguette) with every meal
  
• Drink café con leche with milk that is not refrigerated
• Cough because someone is smoking inside a building (the one thing I absolutely hate)
• Watch "Cuatro" (a popular news channel) that is not censored
  
• Watch a T.V. show with Carlos, a singing chef, during lunch at 2 p.m.
  
• Ride the bus into the casco at least four times a day
  
• See a sign that says "Rebajas" (sales) in every three out of four stores
• Take a siesta
• Tell our dog, Tusca, to "chissss" because she never stops barking
  
• Say "sí" at least ten times a day even when I actually don't understand what's being said
• Refer to my Spanish/English dictionary (a lot)
• Listen to lovely chirping that isn't from birds but the sound at the crosswalks
  
• Accidentally misspell an English word or write it in Spanish if I'm not concentrating
  
• Say "qué," "cómo" or "repite" at least ten times a day when I really don't understand
• Complain about the homework load that isn't even that terrible but sometimes speaking and hearing Spanish 24/7 really gets to you!

If I think of more things I'll add to this post. Of course something new happens every day and I write everything my personal journal. I truly love Spain, I should say it more, and I was smiling the entire time I made this list. It's nice to have continuity in a place that you don't feel 100% comfortable in (yet). I swear I'm getting there! I should start working on some homework before dinner in an hour. However I'll probably watch more T.V. on surfthechannel.com! Hasta luego!

Routine, Barcelona, Relax

Whoops, I have been bad about updating! Nothing too interesting had been happening which finally means I have settled into my routine. Every Tuesday I have community service (I speak English with students at a language school), we usually have a ruta of Toledo or a Spanish movie to watch during the week and we have intercambios. So there was really nothing out of the ordinary to report until now!

Last Friday we visited two palaces in Aranjuez and Escorial. Both were beautiful but it was a long day. We met at 9:00 in the morning and drove to both locations (all in all about 2 hours away from Toledo). The first palace in Aranjuez was exactly what I thought a palace would look like. Extravagant rooms (and a lot of them) decorated with many paintings and a lot of gold. I did find the decorations a bit tacky though, but who am I to judge the decorations of the king's summer palace! We then drove to Escorial (in the mountains so it was foggy and beautiful) and had a pretty fantastic lunch. The palace in Escorial was not as elaborate as Aranjuez but it had amazing tombs on the bottom floor and huge marble rooms. The gardens at each palace were breath taking! We returned home that night and I had a pretty normal weekend of watching TV on surfthechannel.com, spending time with friends and finishing homework.

This past weekend some of the group and I went to Barcelona! It was absolutely amazing, I love it there. We took an overnight bus on Thursday so we arrived at our hostel at 7:30 in the morning on Friday. Though we were technically not supposed to check in until "midday" (as the man at the counter kept saying) he let us move into our 14 person room. The room reminded me of an orphanage. Each bed had it's own walls and a curtain for privacy which was nice in the end. Though some people snored and I didn't have a blanket, I passed out. Overnight driving does not offer the best sleeping conditions...

We took a brief nap and woke up and got ready around noon. We ate a quick lunch and walked around Barcelona to the ocean, through the streets and eventually to a mall on the water. Theresa, Liz and I shopped for a bit and continued to walk around Barcelona until that night. We got chinese food (sooo good!) and hung out in our hostel with three Austrailian girls we met who were so much fun. After dinner we went to a bar for Liz's birthday and got home pretty late.

Saturday morning Thresea took a bus tour with Christina, so Liz and I walked around with Bridget and Isabel in the Gothic Center, Las Ramblas and around some old cathedrals. Since I had been to Barcelona before I wasn't too disappointed that we didn't see the major sites and it was nice to walk around the city and enjoy it like I hadn't had the chance before.

Liz and I finally found the last two Twilight books in English and since we were pretty tired from our days of walking around, we went to dinner and came back and read for a bit and watched Twilight on Bridget's iPod. Sunday morning we woke up bright and early and took our bus back to Madrid and then to Toledo!

I didn't get home until about 10:30 p.m. and had to work on homework, blech. It wasn't too much but I stayed up really late and I'm tired today. Right now I'm about to finish up my Literature homework and finish more of our online class, AVE. We have a ruta of Toledo this week and I'll finally get to spend another weekend in Toledo. It's so much more releaxing and less expensive than traveling. Plus I continue to love Toledo more and more! I don't have any more trips planned until the second weekend in March when I'm going to Rome with Shannon and Liz. And then my mom is coming to visit for about 11 days over Spring Break and we're planning on traveling to London and Paris (plus Madrid and Toledo). I can't wait!

I'm starting to get e-mails about the second session I'll be in Toledo which is making me more excited about Spain in Spring. I need to start choosing classes and packing up my winter clothes. It really does get warmer and warmer as the days go by. I need to finish homework now so hasta luego!