In The Words of Arnold.. I’ll Be Back

This will be my last blog post. Getting home was a disaster but I'm happy and it's definitely a relief to be back, even with all the snow. I meant to write this post before I left Madrid, but due to adventures, saying goodbyes, and packing, it unfortunately didn’t happen. I’m not sure why it took a couple days of being back in the States to prod me to get this done; could’ve been the unpacking and adjusting to life back here, or it could’ve been the fact that I had made my peace with leaving and I wanted to keep it that way. But either way, I figure it’s about time to write my closing post about my year abroad.

I made it to 9 countries and 17 cities in about 4 months; I drank Champagne under the Eiffel Tower, chilled out in coffee houses in Amsterdam, beached it in Barcelona and Ibiza, drank Guinness in Dublin, and did about a million other things.

I wasn’t very emotional those last few days. It wasn’t because I wasn’t going to miss it because believe me I’ve only been home for a few days and I already do, but it was easy to make peace with the fact that I was leaving. Sure, there were a few things I might have changed here or there, but overall, I have zero regrets. It was everything I had wanted and more. Even though those last couple days tainted Spain a bit, it is still a great country – people are friendly, the mullet and faux-hawk is still a stylish haircut, but hey, it’s Spain.

For four months, I got to live the dream, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.

Thanks for reading this semester.

Grrrrrrreat

Just got this email from the director of SU Abroad:

Dear Students,

I have just learned that the Spanish air traffic controllers went on strike at 7pm this evening.

The air traffic controllers are currently negotiating with the Spanish Government and we all hope that they quickly agree terms and go back to work. We are working with SU Abroad and Advantage Travel in the United States to watch this situation closely and will be sending updates if they are available.

It is possible that your flight may be delayed or canceled tomorrow. We advise all students to still go to the airport tomorrow and check in at least three hours before your flight takes off. I will be at the airport to assist with this situation.

Please continue to check your email for additional updates should they become available.

Best regards

Paul

madrid air traffic controllers. i hate you. i want to go home. get your s#!t together

The End

I had the BEST time here – and I’m sure everyone did too. But I have to say that it was not always the easiest, like everything else. There was definitely a feeling of being overwhelmed in a completely new place, loving and being scared of everything in it, missing and actually not missing home at the same time. Some people got homesick for a couple of days and got intimidated by the language.

Four months may seem like a long time, but it flew by. It seemed like yesterday I was just leaving the airport in Syracuse. I leave Spain and come back being a little bit different, more open minded in my perspectives, a lot more thankful for things that we have at home, and a hundredfold richer as persons. I have more than a couple thousand pictures from all of my travels this semester and will never forget what I experienced in Spain and across Europe (as well as the terrorist threats). You gain so much more than you can imagine and the effects can last you a lifetime.

After recovering from the time changes and jet lag, I hope to have some time to reflect on all the wonderful things I had experienced over the last 4 months. Whenever you come home from a trip everyone always asks about your favorites. After struggling with this question I came up with the simple answer — all of Spain, all four months of it.

My goal was to have fun, see all that Spain had to offer, and to practice my Spanish; and that is exactly what I did. In four months, I traveled 15 different cities and experienced the highlights of Spanish culture: bullfighting, flamenco, fiestas, siestas, Spanish tortillas, sangria, museums, cathedrals, synagogues, and mosques. There are very few things that I would change about my trip.

I was also very pleased with my homestay experience and glad that I did have the opportunity to live with a family rather than in apartment or dorm. Living with a family helped me to really experience Spanish culture. It forced me to eat and try Spanish foods, live a typical Spanish lifestyle, and practice Spanish outside the classroom.

Even now as I'm writing about this trip it still seems like a dream; not only Spain, but college in general. The people I have met and the relationships I have made as a result of being a part of the Syracuse family are countless. If someone were to tell me that at 21 years old I would have already traveled Spain, Paris, and London (as well as many other countries in Europe), I would have told them they were crazy.

I would highly recommend to anyone considering studying abroad to do it, no matter where you go or what you study. You can find your own program or sign up for one of Syracuse's programs to London, Strasburg, Florence, among many others. I promise, it's an experience that you will remember and cherish forever.

When we were going in the airport to leave the States, some girls were reluctant to say goodbye and some parents were beginning to cry. It IS hard to let go but deep inside I knew that the same parents would be happy and proud of the same thing. I knew that we were going to have the best time ever. And we did. Muchissimo.

¡Hasta Luego!

Farewell Party Speech

Since I won the essay contest, I had to give an acceptance speech at the farewell party in front of about 150 people, I went in a different direction with it and talked about my experience and what being in Madrid meant to me, here it is:

First of all, I would like to thank the professors, faculty, and staff that have allowed me to spend the semester here and for that I am truly grateful. It's been an outstanding experience and really has been a dream come true to travel around Europe for the past four months and spend time with all these great people. While here, I have had the opportunity to truly become a full-time student. Traveling outside the United States was an education in itself. In addition to enjoying and learning in my classes during the week, I learned some of the most valuable lessons outside of the classroom. Study trips and excursions to museums and cultural sites added to my academic and personal growth and it was one of the best things about being here. While in Madrid, even mundane activities – like shopping for groceries or going to order food suddenly became educational experiences. I can now say that, my perspectives are global, my attitudes are international and I have memories that I will carry forever.

Essay Winner

As most of you know I recently won an essay contest, and $100 for an essay I wrote about my experiences abroad and in Madrid, here it is:

Studying abroad at SU Madrid may be that defining moment in my education that I will look at ten years from now that changed my life. Now, my perspectives are global, my attitudes are international and I have memories that I will carry forever.
First of all, being abroad and living with a host family allowed me to learn a culture first hand. But, cultural differences are more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and personal habits. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way that they view the world. Students who experience cultural differences personally can come to truly understand where other cultures are coming from. Being immersed in an entirely new cultural setting was scary at first, but it was also exciting. I looked at it as an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges, and solve new problems. I encountered situations that were unfamiliar to me and I learned to adapt and respond in effective ways. I am returning home with new ideas and perspectives about my own culture and myself. My experience in Madrid challenged me to reconsider my own beliefs and values and the encounter with other cultures enabled me to see my own culture through new eyes.
Also, I think in comparison with citizens of most other countries, Americans tend to be uninformed about the world beyond their own nation's boundaries. After my time abroad and at SU Madrid, I feel like I am returning to the States more informed and with a much less biased perspective toward other cultures and peoples. I was able to gain a new perspective on the United States. Being immersed in only one country gave me a limited view of our world, but from the vantage point of someone else’s culture I can truly see my own. By being exposed to so many diverse traditions in Madrid, I understand the significance of keeping my own traditions alive. I have a better understanding of how I as an individual fit into this world.
Of course, there are so many amazing things to experience around the world. I was able to see different natural landscapes and climates that simply do not exist in America. There are historical landmarks in every country that helped shape the history of the globe. You can expand your knowledge of the world by actually being there, seeing it, touching it, and experiencing it. Pictures in textbooks simply do not do justice to standing under the Eiffel Tower or next to the Parthenon in Greece or inside the Vatican in Rome. Is there a place or landmark you have always wanted to see? This is how you can understand the world in a direct, all-encompassing way. Studying and living in a different culture will help you see the world from a completely different perspective. It is an amazing experience that will change your life. 


While at SU Madrid I had the opportunity to truly become a full-time student. Traveling outside the United States was an education in itself. In addition to enjoying and learning in my classes during the week, I learned some of the most valuable lessons outside of the classroom. Study trips and excursions to museums and cultural sites added to my academic and personal growth and it was one of the best things about SU Madrid. I learned to interact with people who may not necessarily think or communicate like me. While in Madrid, even mundane activities – like shopping for groceries suddenly became educational experiences.
SU Madrid is a great study abroad that is highly recommended and was by far the best decision I have made in my life up to this point, and I hope the students who come after me take advantage of all the opportunities that SU Madrid presents them

An afternoon in Retiro Park, Madrid

Wrote this for my global communications class, but enjoy

I arrived in Madrid’s Retiro Park after 4:00 p.m. on a Sunday, having spent most of the day asleep, and a further two hours of the afternoon eating chocolate and magdalenas at my host family's behest.

It was late now – to say nothing of the cold and glowering weather – and I was frustrated with myself for having wasted so much time. Had I woken earlier, I would have maybe stopped at the Palacio de Cristal, as I’d done some days before, or walked as far as the sweet potato seller who roasts potatoes and corn cobs and other starchy things on the sidewalk outside of the Reina Sofia.

But 4:00 was too late for any of that, so I wandered aimlessly around the west side of the park, idly looking for something to do.

Retiro Park is, in general, a very good place for idle people. In fact, it was originally created just for that purpose: the park was once the stomping grounds and gardens of Spain’s court and royal family, who idled there from the 1500s until the mid-eighteenth century.

Now, even in the cold or during the bustle of the week, madrileños flock here by the hundreds, just to sit on the grass, or to drink a café, or to skate through the lines of little orange cones that dot the streets and sidewalks exactly for that purpose.

But since I had spent half the afternoon in bed, I soon became determined to rent some skates and see Retiro like a jóven madrileña.

Little did I know, it’s impossible to rent skates in Retiro – or in Madrid at all, for that matter. I started by scoping out one of the rounded, vaguely silo-like kiosks on the park’s west side, expecting to see a sign or a poster of some sort. (There are none).

I then began to lurk around groups of skaters, waiting for an “in,” watching as they spun around their cones or passed a hockey ball around the circle, exclaiming loudly when anybody missed it. I got a few curious glances but no offers of low-cost rentals. In either case I was still wasting time, and by now it was getting dark.

Desperate, at this point, and feeling very severely that I had lost a day of my life, I stomped up to a bow-tied waiter outside of a café and demanded to know, in my accented Spanish, where I could rent some rollerskates. That is unfortunately a quite literal translation. Since I did not know the word for rollerskates, I had to finish with a lame:

“Sabes dónde puedo alquiler unos … rollerskates?”

Older Spanish men often take pity on my terrible accent and gaping vocabulary. In fact, I have found that it is best to ask them for help in nearly any situation.

“Alquiler?” He said, helpfully.

“Sí.”

“Bicis?”

This, I feared, would be the sticking point. He thought I wanted to rent a bike.

“No, no,” I said, emphatically, “para los pies.”

I pointed to my feet and did a strange little roller-dance to illustrate the matter. Nodding and smiling widely, the waiter informed me that the word I was looking for was patinas, and that I could not rent them anywhere in the entire city of Madrid – much less in Retiro Park.

Still smiling, he returned to refilling the napkins at all the outdoor café tables. It was almost dark, at this point, and the tables were full of people doing absolutely nothing: old men squabbling amongst each other, young couples talking quietly, an elderly grandmother pulling a leashed infant away from the nearby curb.

In fact, it suddenly struck me that this solitary waiter was the only one busying himself with productive work, and everyone else in the park was doing whatever the hell they wanted.

“Tienes café aquí?” I asked him.

“Claro,” he said.

And so this wasted Sunday, on which I did pretty much nothing, ended up being the most “Spanish” day of my trip thus far.

It’s strange, and strangely liberating, to pass time without any sort of goal or purpose. But al fin de todo, I think that’s largely what the Spanish are all about.

Photo: Snow in Madrid

This was the view out our kitchen window this morning. Miki said that before this winter, it hadn’t snowed in Madrid in years.

Unfinished Business

Classes officially ended today, and all of my work is finally turned in, just need to do some studying for Finals. After class, I went too the park and I took some time over the past few days to look back on the semester, and I realized that although I’ve been here for months, there’s still plenty of things I haven’t done. So here they are:

1. Travel to these countries/cities:

Zurich (Switzerland)
Prague (Czech Republic)
Munich and Berlin (Germany)
Italy (Florence, Milan, Rome, Venice)
Vienna, Austria

2. Find out the names of girls who works behind the bars at Dubliners and O'Connells – not only are they nice, casual conversation might lead to free drinks.

3. Go to the Serrano 41 at least twice – one must be on a Tuesday and the other on a Friday.

4. Money permitting, rent and wear a kilt to the May Ball in Scotland – enough said.

5. Do well in my classes – if I don’t, this whole experience is a bust.

6. Play golf at St. Andrews in Scotland - the birthplace of golf. They have 7 courses.

How To ... Make Spain's Best Cocktail On A Budget

We’re all probably familiar with sangria, the addicting wine-based cocktail that is often served at bridal showers, Mexican restaurants and aspirational barbecues.

But if you, like me, are on a very tight budget, you might want to acquaint yourself with tinto de verano, sangria’s lesser-known Spanish cousin. Not only is it much cheaper to make than sangria, but it’s also costs less than half as much at restaurants — plus it isn’t considered a “tourist drink.”

To make your own:

Go shopping. To make eight glasses, you will need one bottle of red wine, two cans of lemon Fanta, Casera or Sprite and a lemon or orange for garnish.

Mix it up. I make mine with a ratio of three-fourths wine, one-fourth Fanta, but you can do pretty much whatever you want. It’s kind of a guess-and-see-how-it-goes type deal.

Dish it out. Tinto de verano is traditionally served on the rocks with a lemon or orange slice for garnish. If you’re not down with tradition, though, this is a pretty garnish-able drink: you could add rum to it, you could add Triple Sec, you could likely add all kinds of fruits.

I’m actually going to this girls apartment and making this tomorrow night, and I guess we're going to try it with lemon Fanta, oranges, peaches and cherries.

The best part, though, is that the peaches and cherries will likely be the most expensive part of the drink. Made four glasses last weekend with her with one can of Fanta and half a bottle of one-euro wine.

Culture Shock: The Spanish just do not dig plaques

Visiting Madrid’s old Royal Palace was simultaneously one of the most interesting and most aggravating things I’ve done in Spain.

On one hand, the extravagance of the 18th-century palace was totally engrossing, and the opportunity to trudge through the rooms where kings once ate breakfast and played pool was sick, to say the least. But every time I was curious about something – an elaborate painting, a weird piece of furniture, the function of a misshaped room – I was absolutely out of luck.

The Spanish hate plaques. There are none to be found anywhere.

This is difficult for Americans, who are used to seeing historical placards, commemoratives and other explanatory notices posted everywhere. If the United States had a royal palace, you can guarantee that its curators would put plaques on every item that didn’t move:

“This is the bench where so-and-so did such-and-such.” “This wallpaper is a prime example of this obscure style, which we are now going to discuss at length.” “This air conditioner was not a part of the original building, but was added in 1972.”

In Spain, on the other hand, you will be lucky to track down a small, rather awkwardly written blurb, which only specifies that Goya did in fact paint the portrait in the far left corner.

Maybe they’re trying to make money off guidebooks (nice try, Spain — you will get nothing from me). But I think it’s more likely that, in many cases, people just aren’t as hung up on history.

After all, you can’t walk 10 feet in Spain without running into a Roman ruin or a medieval castle or some sort of elaborate, storied cathedral. History here is like a matter of course.

Whereas at home, even one-time brothels and obscure drinks merit attention. Lame, perhaps — but informative!

Top 10

Done traveling so here is my top 10 on the trips I've taken here in Spain. In order of most enjoyed:

1. London
2. Paris
3. Lisbon
4. Amsterdam
5. Ibiza
6. Ireland
7. Germany
8. Greece
9. Barcelona
10. Seville

In case you’re craving Mexican food in Madrid …

I think a lot of people come to Spain with the (grave) misconception that Spanish and Mexican foods are more or less one and the same. Not only is that untrue — have you ever seen me blog about a burrito? — it can also be pretty hard to find Mexican food in Madrid. Which, at times, is problematic.

Yesterday afternoon for instance, a few girls and I decided we’d go for margaritas, mojitos, whatever after our exam. Our professor’s name is Margarita, and she’s fond of using this weird, self-referential speech mechanism wherein she’ll explain something and then pretend to be a student with a question, i.e. “blah blah blah — pero Margarita, ¿por quéeeee?”

So post-exam margaritas were obviously in order. After hauling out to Plaza de España, however, and discovering that our selected Mexican restaurant did not in fact exist, we were forced to improvise a little. And by improvise, I mean wander-into-the-most-cheesily-decorated-Latin-American-restaurant-within-a-five-mile-radius.

This, amigos, brings us to La Llama, perhaps the best lunch decision I have ever made (as most of you know, I don't eat lunch much).

For starters, it’s called La Llama — please allow that comedy to sink in — and decorated with paper streamers and all kinds of knick-knacks from Peru. The waitress was perhaps the nicest lady ever. And the food was awesome: I had pork chops with mango sauce.

Our food also came with a incredible (fattening?) array of carbohydrates: bread, rice, french fries, papas rellenas … all in all, a lot of stuff for less than 10 euros. AND it was my first time trying Peruvian food, which was pretty cool.

Sadly, this did mean that we had to put off our drinks until around 10, when we accidentally chanced upon a Mexican restaurant in Chueca. Fifteen euro will buy you a pitcher of really good margaritas and mojitos.

The End is Near

The end of the semester that is… We only have about a week and a half left of class, which means all the work I’ve put off over the course of the semester needs to get done. That translates into a very ordinary week – probably won't do much other than go to class and write papers.

My Out of This World Adventure to Amsterdam

Brace yourselves, this is going to be a long one – I just got back from my two day excursion to Amsterdam (after only a one layover in Madrid from Greece). It’s a crazy city, and even though we were only there for two days, I’m pretty sure I experienced everything Amsterdam had to offer and then some. Two days was more than enough and I don’t think my body could take any more. It’s the most tired I’ve been after a weekend trip.

For a city that’s not that cosmetically appealing, I think I can say that it has been one of my favorite cities so far. It’s a canal city, which overall is pretty sweet, although I had a love/ hate view of them. They’re ridiculously dirty, and they’re filled with run down boats that looked like they haven’t been touched in twenty years, but at the same time, there’s a ton of decked out house boats lining the banks and seeing canals in the middle of the city in general is pretty cool.

I’ve never seen so many bikes in my entire life, I kid you not. There are bike racks literally on every street corner, and at busy points they have multi layered bike rack/ parking garages for bikes only. The bike lanes on the road are bigger than those for cars. Just like some of the boats in the canals, I’m pretty sure some of the bikes on the racks haven’t been touched in a few years either – some are rusted beyond repair.

Now onto what everyone wants to hear about - the coffee houses. Pretty crazy stuff. Even if you don’t plan on taking advantage of any of the amenities yourself, it’s still cool just to watch people nonchalantly buy drugs over the counter that are illegal in the US.

In actuality, there are probably plenty of things to do in Amsterdam, but all we really cared about was the Heineken factory, the Red-light district, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House. So first on the list was the Heineken factory, which actually turned out to be more of a museum. It was run by guys about my age, who didn’t exactly seem like experts, but the museum itself is sick and you get two free pints of beer at the end.

Before the Heineken factory, we got some Doner kebabs for lunch. They seem to have those in every European city, which is good for us because we’re addicted at this point. Gotta love street meat.

We did a lot of walking around that afternoon, and that night, we hopped over to the Red-light district. Talk about crazy, I have never seen anything like it. It’s just straight up neon lights, fast food joints, euro rave bars, and any form of erotic entertainment you could possibly think of. I’ll leave it at that for now, if anyone wants to know more, send me a message.

There are these fast food bar type restaurants where they sell fries in a paper cone. Best thing ever.

We hit up the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House Sunday morning. As for Van Gogh - I could appreciate it for what it was – he does actually have some pretty cool paintings. If you are into Van Gogh or know anything about art, you’d be in heaven.

Then we went to the Anne Frank House, the line was probably a mile long, but luckily I bought my ticket online so got to go right to the front. It was amazing to see where Anne Frank's family lived during the holocaust and you could tell it was hard for some people to walk through the house, some people were VERY emotional. It was very powerful. The house had original bookcases, wall paper, flooring, staircases, blackout curtains and bathroom fixtures and you really see how they lived. You could feel the stuffy presence left behind from the 8 who lived there. This is something everyone should see. To say that the rooms are haunting would be an understatement. If you are one of those people who tend to believe in ghosts, like me, there were plenty of 'cold spots' in the whole house, but especially in the upstairs living quarters. I don't understand how some can call it boring, considering the well-documented history contained within the walls.

I have read Anne Frank's diary many times for school, so I really appreciated seeing the annex. It was just how I pictured it and I enjoyed seeing some original pages from the diary. One of the last rooms you enter has Anne's actual diary in a glass case with a single light above shining down on an open page. To see her handwriting on those pages brought it all home for me.

Anyways, we flew home Sunday morning, and that was the weekend. Can’t say I’m in any rush to go back right this second, but if the opportunity did come up at some point in the future, I’d go in a heartbeat.

Top 5 Things You Should Never Do When Spending a Weekend in Amsterdam

Like the commercial says, Amsterdam is a “dam” good city. But there’s a few mistakes you can make that will ruin your trip. Now I’m no expert on the Dutch penal code, but I’ve picked up a few tips while I was there that will make your trip a lot more memorable. Here they are:

1. Don’t buy drugs from anyone in the streets, especially in the Red-light district at night. There are a few reasons for this, the first of which is really common sense. You have no idea who’s selling it to you, and you have no idea what it’s laced with. Second, while smoking marijuana is “tolerated” in coffee shops, sale of it on the streets is illegal. Cops are pretty lax, but they do have the power to arrest you if they feel like it.

2. Don’t take pictures of the girls in the Red-light district. I don’t know the legality of it, but I know they don’t take very kindly to tourists snapping shots of them in their underwear. It’s not like they can’t open the glass doors/ windows and come after you, and possibly yell at you (I saw it happen first hand). Everyone wants to bring back memories, but it’s not worth being harassed by a prostitute (for some of you, maybe it is). If you’re really desperate to take pictures, do it from afar.

3. Don’t ignore the advice of the staff at the coffee shops. Most places have a full menu of amenities to choose from, and I guarantee you don’t know what they all are. It’s a well known fact that the weed in Amsterdam is extremely strong, so if you don’t know what you’re smoking, there’s a good chance you’ll get hit hard. The staff knows what they’re doing, and they have no reason to mess with you, so take their advice and use it wisely.

4. Don’t try to bring your own drugs, especially hard drugs, into coffee shops. I don’t think it’s illegal to bring in your own drugs, but you wouldn’t bring your own beer to a bar, and I would assume it’s the same with marijuana. The Netherlands makes a distinction between hard and soft drugs, meaning the only drugs that are tolerated are marijuana and hash. Shop owners appreciate the fact that they can sell marijuana, and don’t want their shop disrupted because someone decided to bring in LSD.

5. Don’t smoke so much that you can’t remember your trip. I guess this is actually a matter of preference. Maybe you want to sit in a coffee shop high out of your mind for your entire trip, but for those who actually want to visit the sites and remember what they saw, pay attention to how much you smoke. Like I said, the marijuana in Amsterdam is very strong, so if you smoke too much, you’ll be done for the day. Things like the Heineken factory cost close to $20 to see, and if you’re too gone to remember it, or to take advantage of the free beer at the end, then you’ve really just wasted 20 bucks.

Again, I’m not an expert on any of this – I was only there for a weekend. But I would put money down that most of this post is pretty accurate.

The Final Countdown

The countdown has really begun. My flight back to the States is on December 4, so that leaves me with roughly 3 more weeks here in Madrid. It’s definitely going to be bittersweet. I’m anxious to get back home, but Madrid has become kind of like a second home after living here for 4 months. In all seriousness, I actually wonder what it’s going to be like next month, not being able to wake up in the morning and go into the big city, having class more than two days a week, not jet setting to different countries on the weekends…

I'm a Nomad

My life in Madrid is beginning to look more like this: 3 or 4 weekdays in Madrid, and then off gallivanting to another country for the weekends. Hey, not a bad life, right? Well, besides going through my Bank of America savings account like running water. In November alone, the trips include Germany, Greece, Amsterdam, and Lisbon, Portugal. Running through metros, catching buses, sleeping in hostels, “camping out” in airports for 5 hours, going through airport security wearing last night’s outfit, waiting in train stations, arriving in train stations and realizing I missed the last train, and taking taxis…sure jet-setting is fun and thrilling, but being warm and indoors at the cozy apartment of my Madrid family is very nice too. Estoy muy contenta estar en madrid ... Had a nice one day break in Madrid, but back in the sky tomorrow. Off to Amsterdam!

Greece.

Strange experience, had it's ups and downs. Going to let it settle in and marinate for a moment and will discuss later, but it was is pretty cool, but definitely not all its cracked up to be. It might also be better if you weren't visiting in the middle of national turmoil, etc. and if I had unlimited money (and time) to visit all the island resorts (need to learn the language first -- donations are welcomed and encouraged). Athens isn't really a trip in itself.

PS. Donations are welcome and much appreciated for my fund to help me buy "Rosetta Stone: Greek" for me this Christmas/ 22nd Birthday.

Need To Get This Off My Chest.

Dear Spanish couples,

Look, I get it. This isn’t America. People are allowed to express their affections more freely in public on this side of the Atlantic. To a certain extent, that’s great. Catching the occasional glimpse of two high school kids eating each other’s faces is fine because that means that I, too, have the privilege – nay, the right - to eat face in public as well.

But you gotta draw the line somewhere.

Last week, I entered a metro stop to meet up with some friends before a night out. When I walked onto my platform, I quickly realized that there were just three people waiting for the next train: Myself, a woman sitting on a bench, and her boyfriend, who was face-deep in her chest, “motorboating” her bosoms in a circular motion.

Clearly, a guy like me who grew up in prude, puritanical America has no point of reference for what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable hard-core PDA here in Spain. Where I come from people have the decency to practice ALL of their more visceral affections in the privacy of their own home, or, at the very least, a place where they can find a few moments of privacy. Like the backseat of a vehicle. Or a guest room at a friend’s house. Or a walk-in freezer at the local IHOP.

You see, we Americans -- fat, uneducated and bad at soccer as we may be, have a strong set of values. We believe in freedom, justice and the unalienable rights to free speech, fair trials and gun ownership. We believe that two consenting adults have the right to do pretty much whatever they want to each other, wherever they want. However, we also believe that innocent bystanders have the right to NOT see two strangers going at it in public like a couple of apes on Animal Planet.

It’s the classic Catch 22 – how do we protect the preferences of the silent, less-handsy majority without violating the civil liberties of the noisy, sloppy minority who thinks that a bus stop is a great place to play “doctor” with their tongues?

Truth be told, there’s no easy answer. We could revert to American rules, which subject the publicly affectionate among us to loud throat-clears and dirty looks anywhere outside of the aforementioned acceptable venues, but that would be downright draconian. Then again, we could eliminate the rules altogether and turn every street corner into an IHOP walk-in freezer, but who needs that much kissing, groping and maple syrup in their lives?

As in most of life’s great queries, the answer here lies somewhere in the middle. Every bystander deserves the right to stand up for themselves in public whenever some couple makes them feel like the third wheel in a wet dream, but we can all look the other way as long as they keep the volume down and the groping to a minimum, right?

So, let’s all join hands, work together, and in the spirit of international cooperation, draw a line that benefits both public affection-displayers and innocent bystanders. With your help, we can make public places safe for loving couples, and rid the world of public motorboating forever.

We can do this.

Sincerely,

Jonathan

My first Spanish wine-tasting leaves me just as uncultured as before

Last week, I had my first wine tasting experience. I have what could only be termed “extremely limited” experience with Spanish wine. In fact, if you know me you'll know that I usually run toward whatever’s cheapest and mixes best with Fanta Limón or Cranberry Juice.

Last Wednesday, however, I decided to class it up a bit and attend a bona fide Spanish wine tasting class, which was both awesome and absurd. I’m not sure my taste has improved, but I’ll probably be able to out-snob someone at a dinner party. That’s really all that matters, right?

If you’d like to impress your friends/Mom/coworker with your knowledge of Spanish wine, here are some fun facts:

- Spain has more vineyards than any country in the world and is the third wine producer after France and Italy.
- Spain boasts the market’s best value wines, a.k.a. cheap stuff that is still delicious.
- When you order a Spanish wine, you do it by region, not by type … except for cava, which is apparently cava everywhere.
- Rioja and Rueda are two of the most famous regions traditionally, but Bierzo and Priorat are trendy now.
- The Spanish government regulates wine-making and labeling pretty carefully. .

… and here are the wines we tried, complete with price in euros and my super-informed commentary:

Cava — Brut Imperial Gran Reserva Brut 2006 (Cataluna, 15) — Spanish champagne. The best.
White – Shaya Old Vine Verdejo 2006 (Rueda, 8 ) — Pretty good.
White – DV Chardonnay 2008 (Sierras de Malaga, 15) — Likewise pretty good, not sure why it’s twice the cost of the other one.
Red – Cantos de Valpiedra 2006 (Rioja, 5) — The “softest, fruitiest” red, according to our instructor. “
Red – Cepas Viejas 2006 (Bierzo, 12) — Loved it.
Red – Camins del Priorat 2007 (Priorat, 10) — And again.
Red – Valtosca 2007 (Jumilla, 17) — This was a step down, but OK.
Red – Bodegas Cuevas Jiminez (Ribera del Duero, 23) — This was only drinkable because I’d consumed seven glasses of wine already.

Please note that, true to form, my favorite red was the dead cheapest bottle of the bunch. Some things never change, my friends – even if I am holding the glass correctly, swirling it several times and making highbrow comments about “mineral flavors” and “fruity tones.”

Lo Siento

I apologize for the spotty posting this week … I do have midterms right now, so whenever I’m near a computer, it’s usually to Google the definition of an occlusive consonant or to research the socio-economic status of Spanish youth or something unblog-able like that.

The Spanish Double R is Overrated

VIDEO

My earliest class is the fascinatingly named “Spanish phonetics and phonology”

On our very first day of class, the professor went around the room and insisted that we each demonstrate the rolled R sound individually. No matter how hard I try — and believe me, I am trying: in the shower, in my bedroom, in any other place where no one else could possibly hear me — I cannot produce that stupid sound.

Miki told me not to worry about it, since Spanish kids and most foreign speakers can’t make the double R sound, either. She also mentioned some appendage that some people have on the bottom of their tongues.

Sadly, further investigation revealed that I do not have said disfigurement.

“Pues, ahora no tengo una excusa para no pronunciar el doble R,” I said. (Well, now I don’t have an excuse for not pronouncing the double R).

“You’re American,” Miki replied, in Spanish. “That’s excuse enough!”

How to … avoid getting homesick on study abroad

This admission might shock/scandalize my parents and my family, but after almost three months in Spain, I’m not homesick – at all

It’s not that I don’t miss my family, my friends, sports, the ready availability of peanut butter and day, etc., but for some reason, I just haven’t felt the sting as much as some other people in my program. I think it has a lot to do with being phenomenally excited about Spain … but at the same time, I think living by myself, being independent, and developing some good homesick-strategies then, has really helped, as well.

If you’re going abroad and want to avoid getting homesick, consider the following:

Leave the nest at least once first. The most uncomfortable part of going abroad is jumping into an area and a culture that you’re not familiar with. But if you’ve already had the experience of living or travelling alone, the shock isn’t quite as severe.

Leave the long-distance loves at home. From personal observation/eavesdropping, it seems like two-thirds of all homesickness issues are caused by significant others in the States. I know it’s sort of sacrilegious to suggest a pre-study abroad break-up, but at least consider talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend about the changes you’re going to have to make to your relationship while you’re 4000 miles away -- or just break up with them and have fun here :)

Know when to sign offline. It’s hard to embrace a new lifestyle when you’re constantly bombarded by photos and notes from your old one. If you’re prone to homesickness, try to avoid spending lots of time on Facebook, Twitter, AIM or Skype. Seeing photos from your friends’ parties or talking to your Mom for hours on end won’t make you miss them any less.

Come prepared. Bring stuff from home that will help cheer you up if you need it, like your favorite albums, books or movies, an old scrapbook or a mix CD. It’s a little hokey, but we all know it works – I have no idea where I’d be in life without my iPod and Macbook

Love the ones you’re with. Forming close relationships with your host family, your roommate and the people in your program is a sure way to make a foreign country feel more like home. Plus, if you are feeling bummed out, you can talk to these people live and in person – as opposed to waiting up with your computer, hoping that one of your friends will eventually sign online.

Keep busy. How could you possibly miss the United States when there are so many thousands of awesome things to do in Spain? Keeping busy, whether with traveling, shopping, museum-hopping or volunteering, is guaranteed to keep things in perspective – and to give you a better study abroad experience, overall.

Keep a blog. I didn’t start out with this goal when I set up my blog, but it does seem to have helped me escape the homesickness bug. Blogging is not only a really great way to relieve your frustrations and struggles abroad, but it also lets everybody at home know what you’re up to. And, if you’re a journalism major, you can add it to your resume in the hopes that someone will eventually find it entertaining.

If none of these things work, your best bet is to speak to a teacher or health counselor in your program. Everybody feels homesick sometimes – you’re in a country without PEANUT BUTTER, after all – but remember that it’s all a part of the grand “study abroad” process. By the time you get home, you’ll probably feel homesick for Spain.

Five People You Meet in Hostels

Glad to say that, as of this past weekend in Ireland, I’ve officially had the “real hostel experience” — a.k.a., meeting a ton of very random people with very strange back-stories, all in a vaguely unusual hostel environment with limited amounts of personal space.

We went for Irish food (stew, guinness, and more guinness) with the men currently sound asleep in the bunk next to me : a 27-year-old forest-fighter and his grizzly Californian dad, who frequently use words like “dude” and “tight” and have no set itinerary for their month-long backpacking trip across Europe.

Later, the Irish receptionist invited us downstairs to wear irish leprachaun hats and take shots of some unsettling local (and cheap?) liquor, in celebration of the banker's holiday on Monday.

We sat around and talked to some Brazilian kid who’s in month six of a seven-month odyssey. We also met some mexicans — who also, somehow, have French and British citizenship and are on break from the Swiss school where they’re studying hospitality.

… On some level, I SERIOUSLY can’t believe this is my life.

Life vs Blog

Readers, readers, readers. Every time I promise to settle down and be a reliable blogger, I just flood y’all with a pile of pictures and disappear for a few more days.

The problem for me right now, LOATH as I am to admit it, is that I’m kind of nearing the final stretch. Only a month left and my time in Madrid comes to an end

This means that I am currently far more interested in traveling/spending time outdoors/going for tapas/seeing concerts/seeing sports/etc. than I am in updating this blog.

Does this mean I am done? Claro que no, my friends, claro que no. I'll try to be more reliable

Until then, however, I have other things to worry about — like really enjoying and taking advantage of my last few weeks in Spain and Europe. So if you don’t hear much from me over the next few days or weeks, just remember I have an even better, totally-worth-the-wait pictures/slideshow when I get back stateside.

I have some things I'll write today and I’ll still try to update once or twice a week for the rest of the semester.

Bullfight

On Sunday, I got the early flight out of Barcelona (9:30 AM) and made it back to Madrid to go to the Bullfight at 5:30 PM -- after my siesta, of course. I had to go to a bullfight for my Hemingway in Spain class because we have to write a 3-4 page reflection on it because Hemingway wrote a book on the art of bullfighting during his time in Spain. Either way, I would have gone anyways because it is a Spanish art and tradition and something every person visiting Spain should experience at least once.

Anyways, the bullfight took place at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, which is a famous bullring in Madrid. It is situated in the barrio of Guindalera in the district of Salamanca, and it was inaugurated on June 17, 1931. It has a seating capacity of 25,000 and is regarded as the home of bullfighting in Spain. The price of the seats depends upon how close they are to the "arena" and whether they are in the sun or the shade (the latter being more expensive). The bullfighting season starts in March and ends in December; bullfights are held every day during the San Isidro Fiesta, and every Sunday or holiday during the season. Bullfights start at 6 or 7pm and last for two to three hours.

The area around the ring was mobbed with people selling things and people heading for the fight. The bullfights was sold out and although there were tourists, there were also tons of locals. Before I went I didn't know much about bullfighting other than men wearing weird clothes. When I got to the bullfight, I found out it was not just one bull, it was six. For anyone who knows me, it didn't gross me out at all -- actually enjoyed it. A lot of the girls were grossed out and some of my friends even left early. With that being said, there was still the initial shock of killing the bull, never saw an animal killed before. As the bullfight went on, I started focusing less on the bull and more on what the matador was doing; the art and techniques of bullfighting. As the evening progressed, the crowd became more involved which helped make the fight a little more enjoyable. I'm not sure that I would ever go see one again, but I am glad that I went.

Terrorism Alert for Europe

On Sunday, the US Government sent out a warning for the possibility of terrorist attacks and there is a "high threat" of attacks in countries that include France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Not certain of course; it’s just a possibility. Here is a quote from the Travel Alert that the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Bureau of Consular Affairs) that was issued on Sunday:

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.

Travel Alert

Barcelona

Just uploaded my Barcelona pictures to my webshots account. Click here!

Tapas Crawl

SU Madrid organized a tapas crawl on tonight, and out of a program of 107 students, only 8 decided to go!

Tapas is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas has evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. In Spain, dinner is usually served between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. (sometimes as late as 12 midnight), leaving significant time between work and dinner. Therefore, Spaniards often go "bar hopping" and eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. In Madrid, when you go to a bar and order a drink, you will often get a tapa for free.

We traversed around Sol and Plaza de Santa Ana, a 3 to 4 block area. From 8pm to 12:15am we were eating, drinking, talking en español, bar-hopping, and getting to know the 4 Spanish students who were taking us around. Let’s just say, speaking in Spanish is a lot easier in a “relaxed” environment. The Spanish sure know how to have a good time on any night of the week.

1st Stop: La Venecia for cecina, queso curado, and vino de jerez (the driest sherry in Spain, which also means, muy muy fuerte (STRONG!)—and also paid for by the director of the program who came with us to the first 2 places. Gracias!

2nd Stop: Museo del Jamón for jamón (ham) .. (what a surprise!), bread, lomo, and cañas. Cured ham, or jamón Serrano has definitely grown on me. It doesn’t look appetizing in the slightest when it’s hanging from the ceiling, but when in Madrid, you have to try it!

3rd Stop: La Casa del Abuelo for gambas al ajillo (shrimp in olive oil and garlic) and un chato de vino. The favorite of the night! The shrimp comes out sizzling hot in these clay dishes, and we dug in right away.

4th Stop: Casa Farracas for sangria and paella (but they wouldn’t include the tapa with the drink, so the Spanish students said they’re taking this place off the route for next time.)

5th Stop: Las Bravas for patatas bravas, tortilla brava, and sangria. The potatos were delicious! Brava refers to this orange spicy creamy sauce, which is divine with the crisp potatos. I must find this in America.

6th Stop: El Tronco for oreja a la plancha (fried pig’s ear, which tastes and looks just like bacon and so good), patatas ali-oli (their take on potato salad—potatoes with mayo and garlic), bread, and this fabulous drink of beer and lemon juice (tastes like lemonade, but with a kick!)

We were supposed to go to one more place called Cervecería Alemana for croquetas and calamares (fried calamari, and another favorite of mine), but we ran out of time and our stomachs ran out of room. I’d definitely do this again, and looking at this list, I’ll be sure to come extra hungry.

When you know you’re fitting in ...

Today someone asked me for directions, and interestingly enough, this person was Spanish-speaking. The best part was that I actually knew where the place was and responded back in Spanish. No, I’m not a local, but that made my day!

More London Pictures

Click here to see Big Ben, Wimbledon, Buckhingham Palace, and more!

Photos: London

Cultural Differences

Falling behind in the blogosphere, but been thinking a lot about cultural differences and here's the first three that I noticed:

Customer Service: Basically, not a concept here. Waiters and waitresses take all the time in the world and are very stoic when they take your order…”what do you want?” brings your food to you, gets your money, bye. And when we want the check, it’s as if we have to yell “heyyyy, over here!” But that’s the way it is here, because no matter what, they get paid. There are no tips, just salary. So awesome for them, but for us Americans who like to be asked, “Hi there, how’s it going? Can I get anything else for you?” not so great. Here, they travel at a snail’s pace when it comes to a meal at a restaurant. Eating for a couple of hours sounds pretty good. It’s just another way of living life.

PDA: Public Displays of Affection. It’s everywhere. It’s Europe. It’s out there. They’re romantic people. When I was sitting on my lounge chair on the beach, looking out into the blue water in Ibiza, I saw this couple making out on their floaties as they drifted past and continued down the shoreline. No big deal.

Topless at the beach: Of course in Europe, this also pertains to girls. In Ibiza, and I’m sure in other places in Europe, girls were laying in the sun, swimming, and walking down the beach without their tops. So bizarre, and yet so normal for them! I am pretty sure you’d be fined in America. Again, topless girls all along the beaches, ehh no big deal.

Post on my awesome weekend in London coming up!

Ibiza Pictures

Just uploaded 170ish pictures from Ibiza to my webshots account. Check it out here!

Photos: Ibiza

Will post more to Webshots or Flickr account.

"We're Going to Ibiza!"

Taking off for Ibiza in about 9 hours!

Which means it is the perfect time for this video!

Enjoy!

Woah!
Were going to Ibiza
Woah!
Back to the island
Woah!
Were gonna have a party
Woah!
In the mediterranean sea

Cultural Shock: Boxed Milk

Well, I've officially been overseas one month and I spent my first few weeks in Spain terrified of contracting some serious infection or gastrointestinal illness (let it be known, I am sick with a little post nasal drip). Contrary to everything I’d learned about food safety, my host family does not refrigerate milk – and while it magically never appears to go bad, I wasn’t convinced that it wouldn’t kill me.

Five weeks in, however, and I’m still here – in fact, even as I write this post, I’m drinking counter-stored milk. And thinking of the number of times I’ve gotten in trouble for leaving milk on the counter, or – even worse! – the number of times I’ve grimaced and drank the only slightly-spoiled milk from my dorm room fridge, I’m beginning to see the wisdom of the European system.

Spanish milk is totally different from American milk. For starters, it isn't as good and it comes in a box and thus kind of tastes like cardboard. It also uses a different type of pasteurization – called UHT – that kills more bacteria and makes it safe for longer periods of time without refrigeration. While I wouldn’t be terribly keen to try this one, sources say that unopened boxed milk will stay fresh for up to nine months.

I had to wonder why this thing hasn’t caught on in the States. After all, Americans have pretty much cornered the over-sanitized food market (genetically modified, pre-cut, hermetically sealed vegetables), and un-spoil-able milk is hard to beat.

Apparently some European milk manufacturers thought the same when they tried to market boxed milk in the U.S. about 15 years ago. At the time, CNN predicted that they’d face a tough crowd — Americans just don’t want to give up the milk flavor they’re used to, even if it this cardboard variety never spoils.

Judging by the fact that I’d never seen boxed milk before this trip, I’m gonna go ahead and guess that they were right.

Afternoon in Retiro Park

Yesterday, I walked around the city for so long that I had leg cramps for hours after. It was too nice a day for subways, though — and it was awesome to see El Retiro’s Palacio de Cristal with all the sun shining through it.

Problems in Paradise

I promised I would blog both when things are going well and when things are going badly. And even though I’m having awesome time, the state of my Spanish is really becoming frustrating, embarrassing and difficult to deal with.

I’ve had a hard time determining exactly what the problem is. I know I haven't studied Spanish since High School but for all of the 4 or 5 years I’ve studied Spanish, I’ve been at the top, I never even found Spanish difficult. But all of the sudden I can barely conjugate a verb, let alone ramble off in my adopted second tongue. When did that happen?!

It’s not like I’m not trying – I’m trying to the point of neuroticism. But I keep making super, super basic mistakes that probably make me look really dumb. Today I was telling one of my professors about the thing I had for lunch, and I 1) could not remember the word for “carbohydrates” and 2) said everything in the present tense, when we’d eaten six hours before.

Anyway, I’ve decided to keep a notebook with all the mistakes I make in Spanish, and the correct way to say them – plus a list of all the new vocabulary I’m learning. I guess the important thing to remember is that I’m here to learn, and even if the learning curve is painfully steep (and it is, believe me), I just have to try to make my mistakes something I can learn from.

P.S., I fully realize that I sound like an after-school special right now — but I think if I sounded like anything else, I’d probably be going crazy. I know it’s a learning process. It just gets a little frustrating sometimes.

Booked Trips

September 16th - September 19th: Ibiza

September 23rd - September 26th: London

October 21st - October 24th: Ireland

October 28th - November 1st: Germany

November 4th - November 9th: Athens

November 19th - November 21st: Lisbon, Portugal

Still trying to figure out Rome and Paris!

Long Night

Everyone in my group has been napping since around 4:00 this afternoon. Young and collegiate as we are, we have been totally out-partied by the Spanish. Until well after 4 a.m. last night, when I went to bed, there were hundreds upon hundreds of them still out on the street, drinking and swaying to some washed-up Spanish rock band. I’ve seen mosh pits that were less intense. Parties in the USA are looking lamer and lamer everyday

Spanish Culture

I have been in Madrid almost two weeks and can now impart a few more lessons on Spanish culture, since yesterday we had a lecture on customs and etiquette! Some highlights:

*When ordering in a restaurant, you don’t have to begin with “I would like” or “can I have.” You literally just say the name of the food. This will perhaps help me avoid calamities like yesterday’s.

*Contrary to the reports in all of my guidebooks, you don’t have to tip in Spain. It’s customary to leave your change or round up the bill, but no more.

*In general, Spanish people are late to social events (they have this thing called a “five minute courtesy,” like “it’s totally okay if you’re five minutes late”). I think I’m going to fit in pretty well.

*Full meals (a.k.a., pretty much anything that isn’t breakfast or tapas) consist of two courses AND a dessert. However, Miki assures us that we will not engordarnos (get fat) because olive oil is good for you.

*Women greet both other women and men with a kiss on both cheeks. Men greet each other with a handshake.

*People will shamelessly check you out on the metro. It’s not sexual, and they’re not planning to mug you … there’s just nowhere else to look. Its one big staring contest.

That’s probably enough etiquette for one day, amirite? If you don’t think so, feel free to say so in the comments.

SKYPE!

Just set up wifi in my apartment in madrid and am free to skype/talk with anyone at a reasonable hour (aka not 6 AM state-side). My skype name is jonathanp21 or you can dial (315) 849-1220 from your house phone or cell phone and if I am by the computer I can answer the call!

Classes

Just put the finishing touches on my class schedule for the semester, and my finalized schedule is as follows:

Spanish: Proficiency-based continuing language course that further develops language skills introduced in SPA 101. Structured to take advantage of living in a Spanish environment. This course meets six hours per week throughout the semester.

The Origins of Christianity (REL 308): This course, open to students from all religious backgrounds, examines the social, cultural, intellectual and historic conditions surrounding the birth of Christianity. Topics include the historical and geographical background out of which the new religion arose; the history and practice of Judaism till the destruction of the Second Temple; the beliefs and practices of ancient paganism and of mystery cults; the rise of Rome as a world power; the figure of Jesus and his reception as messiah; Paul and the birth of theology; "Q" and the Gospels; the formation of the “canon”; and the reasons for the rise of a critical mass of converts that tilted the balance toward the christianization of the Roman empire.

20th Century Spain (HST 300): This course deals with the period beginning with the War of Cuba (which marks the decline of the Spanish Empire) and ending with Spain’s new modern role in the European Union, NATO and the UN. It analyses the collapse of Spanish Monarchy and the civil war that crushed the Second Republic leading to the dictatorship of Franco's regime. It explains Spain's successful transition to democracy and a liberal market economy within the European Union. The course ends with an analysis of the challenges facing Spain in the 21st century: Globalization, Immigration, International & Domestic Terrorism and the relationship between the Church and State.

Hemingway in Spain (ETS 320): First offered in celebration of the centennial of Ernest Hemingway’s birth in 1999 and in recognition of his special ties with Spain. Taught by a Hemingway scholar and expert in the novel, the course focuses on three subjects of paramount importance in Hemingway’s vision of Spain: First, his concept of Spanish idiosyncrasy and way of life, with particular reference to rites of celebration, as depicted in The Sun Also Rises. Second, his deep understanding of the art of bullfighting, as expressed in Death in the Afternoon and The Dangerous Summer. Finally, his commitment to and involvement in the Spanish Civil War as an American correspondent, which gave rise to For Whom the Bell Tolls. Enrollment is limited. Includes a day trip to Guadalajara

Arts of Spain (HOA 209): Introduction to the art, architecture, music and dance of Spain. History of Spanish painting from the late Gothic (15th century) through Goya (19th century) in relation to the Flemish and Italian Schools (Titian and Rubens). Concentration on El Greco, the Spanish Baroque (Ribera, Zurbarán, Velázquez, Murillo), and Goya. Illustrated lectures given in class and at the Prado and other museums. Enrollment is limited with preference given to fine arts majors

Schedule:

Mondays:
Spanish: 9:00 AM - 10:25 AM
20th Century Spain: 12:00 PM - 1:25 PM
Arts of Spain: 2:00 PM - 3:40 PM

Tuesdays:
Spanish: 9:00-10:25 AM
Origins of Christianity: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AM
Hemingway in Spain: 12:00 PM -1:25 PM

Wednesdays:
Spanish: 9:00 AM - 10:25 AM
20th Century Spain: 12:00 PM - 1:25 PM
Arts of Spain: 2:00 PM - 3:40 PM

Thursdays:
Spanish: 9:00-10:25 AM
Origins of Christianity: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AM
Hemingway in Spain: 12:00 PM -1:25 PM

Fridays:
NO CLASS

Photos

I'll be uploading pictures occasionally on my Flickr account. Check it out.

First day of class today!

One More Thing: Cultural Shock

“Culture shock” is a phrase that gets tossed around a lot in study abroad. Thus far, at least, I don’t see what’s so shocking about the whole thing.

For the most part, the major cultural differences in Spain seem to be things I’d get in trouble for doing at home — sleeping all day on weekends, being slightly less than punctual, eating desserts with every meal, staying out until six in the morning.

Yesterday at dinner, Miki's wife, Camino, asked Will and I if we were going to “salir” (go out) tonight. I said I didn’t know.

“Pero es el viernes, guapo!” She exclaimed, scandalized. “Todos en Madrid salen en los jueves!” (But it’s Thursday, handsome! Everyone in Madrid goes out on Thursdays!). Apparently, Thursday is the start of the weekend here and as they told us at orientation - Spaniards care more about living life than actually working.

She then proceeded to tell us that she herself would be going out at 9:30, and that if we wanted to stay home, she would teach us how to use the microwave in case we got hungry.

Like I said, culture shock is no big deal so far.

Last night, We went to a club in Sol, which is near the center of the city. The club was called "Club Joy" and the interesting thing about it was that they PUMPED OXYGEN into the club and dance floor so you would stay awake and stay at the club! And yes, it worked ... we came back at 6:30 AM and had orientation at 10 AM. Looking forward to that siesta!

Some other news:

Here is the SU Madrid website for anyone who wants to see the events and things we have set up for us.

Also, I signed up for a gym for less than 2 euros per day for 3 months that is only a 5-10 minute walk from campus in the Chamberi district of Madrid. It is called Gimnasio Chamberi

Talk to you soon! Get at me on Skype too - jonathanp21

Safely in Madrid

The Azahat program went by so fast: I feel like I was in Syracuse obsessing over packing and Spanish phrase books only a few days ago. Now this whole travel shtick is over already!

I’m sad that it’s done, but I do feel ready to settle down and actually start living like a madrileño, as opposed to the shameless tourist I’m being right now and living out of a suitcase going from hotel to hotel.

At any rate, glad I'm finally in Madrid. My host family is great! I also managed to find a roommate to live with which makes things a lot easier.

I was so nervous about meeting my new family that I slept most of the seven-hour bus ride from Granada to Madrid. It kind of reminded of how I felt three years ago anticipating my first year of college at Syracuse — nervous, but very excited.

The bus dropped us off at Plaza de Toros - more commonly known as the bullfighting ring. When we arrived, all our new families were outside waiting for us. One by one, we were introduced to the families we would be living with for the next month.

About half a foot shorter than me with a George Costanza like hairstyle, Jose (he prefers to be called Miki), my senor, immediately greeted me with a hug and a handshake. He is married, so it's like I have two people looking after me. After I got my luggage off the bus, we caught two taxis to his apartment in the heart of the city. Conveniently, the apartment is located very close to the Metro and a 3 minute walk to Retiro Park - which is Madrid's Central Park, it is hugeeeeeee and has concerts there on the weekends and a lake kind of structure where people can rent boats! I look forward to get up and run there in the morning.

It is also a 20 minute walk to campus, and about 10-15 metro ride there, which is very convenient.

Orienting myself to another new city and meeting my new family were a little overwhelming, especially since they don't speak much English, but my Spanish is already improving and it has only been three days - everything I was taught in Spanish class in high school is slowly coming back.

When I arrived at the apartment, I was given a tour, shown my room, and then began to unpack my things (finally!). My roommate, Will, and I have separate bedrooms, which is nice, and there are 1.5 bathrooms. The best thing about my room is the hugeeeeeee BED and my room is conveniently located next to the bathroom with the shower. Unfortunately, I have no internet access there right now, but should in a couple of days.

Miki is retired but is a very outgoing guy and a great cook. He is an avid soccer and bullfighting fan and it has been fun (and sometimes discouraging) practicing my spanish with him since he does not know much english. Looking forward to the next four months!

Cathedral

Four kings (representing the four kingdoms of Aragon, Leon, Castile and Navarra) carry Christopher Columbus's casket on their shoulders in Seville Cathedral.

Sevilla

Spending my last night in Sevilla tonight. Sevilla is beautiful. It is known as the most romantic city in Spain. We arrived around 4:00 Friday afternoon and checked into our hostel. We dropped off our bags and spent the night walking around enjoying the many sights Sevilla has to offer. The first major sight we saw was the Alcazar, a palace which was built by the Moors in the 10th century, and also stopped by the bullfighting coliseum/ring.

We spent the remainder of my first night in Sevilla cruzing through the Santa Cruz district, wandering from shops to restaurants, enjoying tapas and sangria. The next morning, our group went to Sevilla's cathedral which is the largest Gothic church and home to the tomb of Christopher Columbus! Pictures to come! Filled with a large and lavish gold altar and numerous side chapels, you can't help but be impressed. The outside is also just as impressive. The Cathedral is the third largest in the world!

We also climbed 350 feet up to the top of the Giralda Bell tower which gave us an awesome view of the city (and a good work out!). A great way to end our time in Sevilla.

On to our last city - Granada, tomorrow and then finally MADRID on Tuesday! Can't wait!

I Made It Across The Pond/ Toledo

It took me almost two days to pack, mostly due to procrastination, but I think I did okay. You would be surprised how much you can fit into two large suitcases. I flew out of Syracuse at 2:30 and arrived in NYC about 45 minutes later. That flight was pretty easy. I sat in the aisle seat with plenty of leg room and satellite, so I can’t complain. I actually met a Spanish couple in the New York airport. I figured I should probably chat it up with them seeing as I was going to be living in their country for the 4 months. They were very friendly. They told me plenty of stories and gave me a lot of advice. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will run in to them again in Spain.

The flight from New York to Madrid was about 8 hours. I was pretty lucky on this flight as well as I had an aisle seat again with the rest of my group accompanying me to Madrid surrounding me. Although the portions were small, the food was pretty good. To top it off, they had free TV and movies (albeit in spanish), so 8 hours flew by pretty fast.

Arriving in Madrid was a little hectic. Customs isn’t exactly the quickest process, but I had no problem getting through, and after about 30 minutes of waiting in line, I was on a bus to the Toledo. As much as I wanted to sight see on the ride there, I succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep. On the few occasions I did wake up, I mostly remember seeing fields filled with farm animals.

That day was pretty uneventful. I unpacked for an hour, and then napped for another 5. I had meant to do some shopping, but stores close fairly early here, most by 6:00, and I ended up just walking around, trying not to get lost.

The days ever since has been much more eventful. We take tours of the town to different landmarks almost on a daily basis, and I actually got to see all of the ancient architecture that I had seen in pictures.

Everything is completely different in Spain. Everything was in Spanish and it has been a little tough getting used to communicating with them in ONLY Spanish but by the time I leave in December hopefully I will be fluent in it, they ate at the weirdest and latest times (lunch at 3 and dinner at 10), there was public display of affection everywhere, the weather is very humid, they strictly obeyed the siesta (the town is dead for 3 hours) and then party like crazy during their fiestas (there’s no way anyone would go home at midnight – it only starts then). The first time I had desayuno (breakfast), I was shocked and said to myself, “That’s it?!” On the table there was only a glass of orange juice, butter, and one piece of toast on the table for me. In Spain, they really don’t eat so much in the morning.

Anyways, we left Toledo for Cordoba today and just arrived at the hotel. It was a good change of pace after arriving in a big time city like Madrid. When we arrived at our hotel, there were all kinds of paparazzi. Unfortunately, they weren't interested in all of the American students staying there that night, but rather in a president of one of Spain's regions who was.

The next day, we had a guided tour of the city where we saw synagogues, mosques, and cathedrals which gave us a little bit of an insight into Toledo's religious history. A great surprise for me was getting to see El Greco's painting “Entierro del Conde de Orgaz” which I had previously studied and somehow forgot it was here!

We're only a couple days in and I've seen so many incredible things. The back of my notebook has a great quote which I think everyone who travels can relate too, " Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember; and I remember more than I have seen." - Benjamin Disraeli. Obviously, I can't write everything on my blog, but I hope that other than its purpose of sharing my adventure with you all, that it will also help me remember this trip forever.