Paris!!!

Heyyyyyy

I'm in Parisssss!!!!! It's amazing. I saw the Eiffel tower and was going to go to the Louvre but instead we are going tomorrow.  I walked around by myself today while emily was at class and I had a lot of fun! The city is a lot  bigger than Madrid......and reminds me of NYC. 

Happy Halloween! and I hope Emily is having a great birthday weekend in Madrid!

Lisboa, Portugal

Portugal is beautiful!

                       (Virginia, me, Bethany, Claire, Emily, and Anna at a vista high up in Lisboa)

This weekend a group of my friends went along on an IES trip to Lisbon and to Sintra, Portugal. We flew from Madrid on Friday afternoon and landed about an hour later in the capitol city. My first impression of Portugal was that it was extremely bright and sunny. I stepped out of the airport and was blinded for a second by the strong sun and incredibly blue sky. The climate there is definitely warmer there - palm trees grow outside the airport.  Side note: I have a theory that it is never really "cold" on the Iberian peninsula (well maybe in January, but I'm not here then haha) and that theory was cemented in Lisbon. The weather reports  had said around 22 degrees C which, as chemists know, is room temperatures.  BUT today bank thermometers around the city said 27 degrees C. That's amazing for the end of October! I'm going to freeze when I go back home. 

Back on track... we took a bus from the airport to our hotel and along the way got a peak at the city. The buildings all seem a tad older than here in Madrid and are painted in lighter, fresher colors. Small, glossy, painted tiles called azulejos cover the facades of many buildings in Portugal (also the interiors). The tiles have been used in Portugal since the middle ages when the moors ruled and today they are reminders of the islamic history of Portugal. I took a lot of pictures of these tiles because I think they are pretty; it's cool when a city has public art like that. 

That night we got a chance to experience the nightlife in Lisboa. The neighborhood with a million bars and restaurants is called Barrio Alto. Situated up on a hill,  you have to hike up narrow and windy cobble stone streets to get there. There weren't many cars though, so the walk was easy enough. We went out to dinner and I got to try the grilled bacalao or cod fish that is so good and fresh in Portugal. We also discovered that they like to serve both white rice and french fries with the main dish. I did get one big carrot though. Yay for vegetables. 

After dinner we tried to find a reggae club because Bob Marley is still awesome, but instead we just hung around some bars. Eventually rather large crowds formed in the little streets in Barrio Alto. The bars give you your drinks in to-go plastic cups - quite convenient for mingling outside in the street. 

The next day we traveled outside of Lisboa to Sintra - a small town about a half hour away. There we visited a cool castle up on a mountain, another castle (too many castles), and a beautiful vista called el cabo del roca or the cape of rock. This little tip of Portugal is the most western piece of land on continental europe. Looking over the cliff onto the Atlantic was really impressive- the water was soo aqua. It's strange not seeing beaches though. The land juts straight out into the water - no way you could safely swim or even go down by the shore. Makes me appreciate our side of the ocean. 

to be continued...

Tomorrow we go to Lisbon, Portugal... where everything is blue. 

What happened today?

I VOTED!!!    The ballot is off in the mail and has two weeks to arrive so I should be all set.

I made a peanut butter sandwich.  Last night I finally broke down and bought some peanut butter and bread. Trying to buy dinner out every night (and not having cooking privileges) was getting a little difficult. 

I was surprised...I thought the trees in my plaza were being trimmed, but it turns out city workers are stringing up  lights in the canopies! It is going to look so pretty at night.

I hung out in the library at the university. My class was cancelled because the professor was sick, so I wandered into the humanities library. Overall I thought it was pretty nice. Shiny wood panels, lots of books, newish computers, and long table-desks with those individual desk lamps for studying. I even studied for my art history midterm... a little. 

Get it Together

Today I filled out the Transfer of Credit Requests for all of my abroad courses. This process can be completed online and will allow me to get credit for the courses at home. Thankfully Tufts has made it really simple and all that is left is for them to approve the courses! It shouldn't be a problem either. 

I finally decided to get organized today because I realized I will start registration for Spring 2009 in three weeks. Classes should be posted soon as well. I figured I should probably make sure I'm getting credit before thinking about the future.

And that is exactly what I was thinking about when I couldn't fall asleep last night: the future. I am really worried that I will have trouble completing my degree(s) if certain classes overlap and all that. Tufts is not big enough to offer multiple sections of higher level chemistry classes and most are only offered specific semesters. Add that to the fact that some electives are only offered every other year... and you have a blargle of confusion, at least that is what it feels like to me. Blargle is not really a word....but it could mean mass or jumble. I have spent hours making lists of classes I will take in the remaining three semesters and it seems like I will be able to complete everything, but most of my lists are pure guesswork because the 2009 course offerings have not been released. I am only working with old Spring class schedules.  I think I should just relax because it will work out... 

Not good

Cammye was in Starbucks today studying for midterms with one of her friends when her bag got stolen. It really sucks. Her computer, wallet, keys, and even passport are GONE. Thankfully no one was hurt, and she was able to cancel all her cards immediately. The biggest loss is the computer with her music and pictures, but music can be replaced and most of the pictures are on facebook. My friend Nick in London also had his computer jacked earlier this month, so I will remind myself and everyone...keep an eye on your shit at all times!!!

In other news: Two things I really like have come together for this weekend: Madrid and tennis! It's the Madrid Masters and today I watched the semifinal with Federer and Murray of Great Britain. To my great surprise Federer lost! Everyone in Spain (and the tennis world) had high hopes for an epic Federer/Nadal battle. Interestingly enough, a couple of hours after Federer lost, Nadal was also defeated.

I don't have anything profound to say today (or any day). But I think this man does: Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch. In September 2007 he delivered a one-of-a-kind lecture that proved to be an instant classic. I first heard about this "Last Lecture" this summer when the professor passed away, but I was reminded of it when my spanish teacher brought in the book of the lecture translated into spanish. As the video has been watched some 7 million times, it is quite possible that you have watched it. But if not, set aside 1 hour and 20 minutes to listen to him speak about achieving your dreams. The video is on youtube or you can click here.  

Madrid update: 

I am excited to spend another weekend in Madrid. I orginally was planning on going to Barcelona, but that will have to wait. The weather is still really nice here. I always think the day looks cloudy and I leave my sunglasses at home - but by noon I'm blinded by the sun. I also think it's funny that I am much tanner now in October than I was in July. I unfortunately didn't spend much time outside this summer. My friends and I are going to the zoo on Saturday! I have never been to a zoo. Really. Never. So naturally, I'm pretty excited. Hmmmm my host mom Ana has been more talkative to me lately, which is nice. She even complimented my spanish! I guess even if I don't think it's any better, she does. And she's the expert. Ana can speak spanish, english, and german. She lived two years in Britain and one in Germany. Pretty cool. We didn't know she spoke German until one of Cammye's friends who is studying in Germany stopped by and they started speaking together haha. 

What else? I think the Red Sox are amazing. I just heard about their impossible comeback against the Rays. Also, when did the Rays drop the Devil? 

It's parents weekend at Tufts so that's kind of making me miss school a bit. Although I'm sure when I am spending hours and hours in Tisch this spring, I will miss Madrid. 

Presidents and Kings

  I got my ABSENTEE BALLOT!!!!! It looks so official and I'm excited to vote (even if, as some say, it won't count). I was worried it was taking too long, but it's here! In addition to President there are some important questions on the Massachusetts ballot. One is about income taxes and one is about reducing penalties for possession of marijuana. I love MA. 

The King! My friends Claire, Anna, and Bethany were sitting on a bench in the Prado museum and the King of Spain walked by them, surrounded by a whole security detail. I missed Juan Carlos by a minute or two. The reason he was at the Prado is that there is a new Rembrandt exhibit opening today. I guess as royalty, he gets to preview it first. 

I found a candy store with chocolate covered raisins. All is right with the world.

Juan Carlos I - Rey de España desde 1975

That's So Madrid

This weekend my amazing friend Emily visited me from Paris. It was so nice to have a familiar face here in Madrid! At one point we remembered back to sophomore year in high school and decided that hanging out on the terrace of a cafe in Europe is a lot more enjoyable than roaming around the Triplex parking lot. We had a great time catching up and  I played tour guide and took her to all the "important" sites likeee the park, nice buildings, churros, mi casa, the flea market, shopping, mexican food haha, and some bars.

We also went to the Reina Sofia, the modern art museum, which was really cool. I liked all of the Dali, Picasso, and Miro among others. Mark Rothko too ! They didn't have any Helen Frankenthaler though.. :(. Guernica was pretty impressive however. Picasso knew how to express pain.  I was surprised how much empty space there was in the work. I knew the painting was large, but seeing it in the flesh is definitely different than reproduced in a text book. 

So what do I mean by "That's so Madrid" - the title of this post?  At the Reina Sofia, Emily and I ended up talking to these two guys in the elevator. We had a brief conversation and covered the "Oh yea, I'm from Boston, where are you from? Oh New Jersey, cool, what part? And you're from Holland? Wow, nice." Then we went our separate ways and that was that. Later that same night, Emily and I had finished a great Mexican dinner (apparently they don't have mexican in France) and headed downtown for some bars. We were walking near Sol - the main night life area - and as we walked by this crowd we heard "HEY you're from the museum!?" and we ended up meeting up with the guys from the elevator. Now, what are the odds.....we'll I haven't taken stats but basically there are 3.2 million residents in Madrid (5.5 mil including suburbs)!. The four of us ended up dodging the rain by hanging out in a bar for a bit. They were very nice. Now the "That's so madrid" keeps going because I also ran into a group of Tufts kids! I ran into Lara and Tara from my freshman english seminar randomly outside in the street. Hopefully I can meet up with the Tufts chicos again. 

One more thing: I found the coolest cafe. The Cafe Comercial has been in business since 1870. The waiters still wear old-fashioned uniforms and the solid marble tables and cushy booths have probably been there for a long time. In addition to being right down the street from me, the coffee is good, they serve breakfast, and they leave you alone. I can definitely see myself sitting there reading a paper for a very long time. The service is decidedly spanish where you say what you want, you get it, and pleasantries are unnecessary. It's not a cozy cafe, it's large and airy, cafeteria-esque (but nicer). I think it's perfect for doing work during the day and then catching up with friends at night. 

Don Quixote siting!

Today I went to Alcala de Henares. Alcala is a suburb of Madrid that is the birthplace of Spain's literary hero - Miguel de Cervantes. The city also houses  Spain's second oldest university.

This week is a celebration of Cervantes  and we got to enjoy the party, including food and craft vendors along with musicians, in the  plaza mayor of the city. 

My only goal for the day was to see someone dressed up as Don Quixote

 anddddddd I did - he rode by on a horse. It was awesome.  Sancho was there too. 

SIDE NOTE: I have decided caramelized onions are the most amazing food in the world. And I miss Cheerios. Also, I think I'm going to a Real Madrid game Oct. 22nd.  

Success!

So that class I couldn't find yesterday turned out to be in the building I initially thought it was in....yay stupid mistakes! It was in a small lecture hall with long wooden desks with folding chairs attached. There were maybe 50 students total and several english speaking students that I heard chatting. The class was an hour long and the professor sat on stage and discussed the historical background of Goya's painting. I understood her well and actually found her pretty funny. I'm excited about this class. After lecture I went to ask her if it would be possible to take the final exam early (Spanish students take exams in February, and as my flight leaves Dec. 20th, that's not really an option) and she said that would be ok. This is good news because some teachers are difficult and won't let you take their class if you leave that early. 

So....Granada!? 

Granada was really nice. It is a city of 240,000 people so it was pretty manageable to see the sites in a weekend (and it is only 4.5 hours away from Madrid). We first visited La Alhambra, which is a moorish fortress built by the Moorish rulers of Granada and completed around 1340. It a very popular tourist attraction as it is a prime example of the islamic influence in Spain. There is a lot to see at this fortress and my friends and I probably spent 3 hours touring the palace, military fortress, and gardens. Not bad for 13 euro. Oh yea, the palace was beautiful. The walls are all either carved out in great detail or covered in shiny ceramic tiles of greens, teals, yellows, and browns.  Here is the group standing in a courtyard with a pool:

                                           (Anna, Erica, Claire, Emily, me, and Bethany)

Before I came here to Spain I read that like most countries the people in the southern parts are nicer. I wasn't in Granada long enough to evaluate the behavior of the inhabitants, but they definitely seemed more laid back. The people were not as dressed up, and I saw more dredlocks than I did on a trip to Vermont this summer. The city had a cool vibe. I'm glad I'm not studying in Granada because I feel like I would get sick of the same streets/ small city , but I recommend it to anyone in Spain who wants to travel for a weekend or maybe a little longer. 

This is a view of La Alhambra from across the valley at the lookout El Mirador de San Nicolas. We hiked up the narrow streets at sunset to get the other perspective of the fortress. It was a bit cloudy and the sunset wasn't spectacular but still was pretty nice. 

                                              (La Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolas)

I got my first hostel experience on this trip, and as a whole I would say it was pretty favorable. It was clean, quiet, and they gave us a free breakfast.....aka toast.  We stayed in a backpackers hostel so there was a range of people - some hard core backpackers with large packs, some wandering Europeans both older and younger, several Australians, Asians, and us. I'm not sure if there were any other americans. English was definitely the main language used to communicate between everyone though.  I stayed in a room with 12 people. It was fine for me, and the people in my immediate room were very nice.  I can't wait to go to some other hostels and meet more travelers.

Just a little complaining

Today I had a minor set back when I was supposed to attend my first class at the Complutense: I couldn't find it. I had my map of the campus and I went to the building marked 'Geografia e Historia' on the map...but room 23A was not there. Or at least, all the rooms were labeled B. I did remember being told that there are A,B,C,D,E  'Filologia' buildings so I tried to find Filogia A to no avail. I don't understand why this Art History class would not be in the same building as all the others...it really isn't a big deal because Spanish students are in a shopping period until Oct. 15 or something. I will just have to track down aula 23A for tomorrow. 

This setback can be attributed to my lack of attention, but it got me thinking about some of the things that have been annoying me here in Spain:

1. Lack of signs or incorrect placement of signs. In Madrid there are no sign posts, rather the street names are attached to buildings on corners. A lot of corners are labeled, but then there are times were there are absolutely NO street names on buildings...this can go on for blocks and gets annoying when you are lost. Also you would think signs for huge tourist attractions like El Prado would have great signage....but no. The first time we went there, we found only one sign pointing from the metro. One. And let me say that the walk from the metro to the museum is 10 mins. Now we found it easily, but I would just think they would have many signs to instruct helpless tourists. My favorite sign anecdote occurred in Granada. We were looking for this Federico Garcia Lorca memorial park and  asked for directions from an older couple walking down the street. They told us to take a right at the end of the street and then cross the street, the park is on the left side down a few blocks. So we round the first corner and aha! there is a sign, however the arrow was pointing in completely the wrong direction. We ignored it and found the park just fine.  

2. My señora. My host mom is a little lazy. I know I shouldn't judge, especially because napping has become part of my daily routine here, but really, she doesn't have a job (I'm not sure how that works because this apartment is sweet) and only has her daughter stay with her every other week. Why can't she do our laundry once a week as IES says? She told us at the beginning of our stay that she would wash clothes on Thursdays. The first week that happened exactly but today is Monday and I still don't have the clothes from last Thursday. It's not a big deal because I have enough clothes. But I'm wondering...what does she do everyday to pass the time? I would go crazy without a job or school. 

4. My history professor. Oh my god, I hate that class. Our teacher put together a syllabus for "Contemporary Spanish History", but I have no idea why. Instead of following the logical historical order, she jumps around and gives us information on the current terrorist group ETA right after having discussed the Spanish American War of 1898......with no transition. Many Spaniards are loud, but she may just be the loudest I've encountered. It doesn't help that class is at 9 AM. It's at 9 AM and being hungry, tired, and cold it is difficult to tolerate her shouting. I actually stopped taking notes already because I can probably go take her tests and pass with information from my other political science class that is actually good. One more thing: she is obsessed with a controversial spanish law called "La ley de la memoria historica" which is a law passed in 2007 that tries to acknowledge, repay, and basically make up for all of the persecution and violence that occurred during the civil war and subsequent dictatorship. She discusses it / reads from it every single day. Obviously it is important, but without proper background into the civil war and dictatorship (which she is SUPPOSED to be teaching us), it is difficult to comprehend the intricacies of the law. And it's in legal jargon. Most of which would probably be over my head in english, let alone spanish. Blahh

Now, just because I don't like a few things about my stay in Spain doesn't mean that I'm not having a great time (I don't like that the T closes at 12:20 in Boston or that the drinking age is 21, but so it goes). Living here has been great!!! I was reading a blog of another Tufts student who is living in China and I was really impressed with what she is doing (see her blog). If she can live off squisy noodles and weird dumpling things in an ugly city, I'm all set here in beautiful, fun, and safe Madrid. 

Granada

I went to Granada this weekend with my friends and it was AMAZING!

I am too tired / should do my homework so I can't post anything now, but later this week  I will recount our adventures in Granada including:

La Alhambra, hostels, flamenco show, tea shops/ hooka bars, El Mirador de San Nicolas, ice cream, taking the bus, and kebaps!