It's currently raining off and on. Nothing too heavy, but there are little spurts of heavy rain every once in a while.
Somebody came to pick up my computer on Friday! That was excellent. I called the shipping company (because I was told they had to) and they told me somebody was coming to pick it up that morning. Not 15 minutes later, somebody showed up. That was an interesting coincidence. Now I just have to wait for it to get fixed, which will hopefully be soon.
Also on Friday, we went to the Museo del Prado for my art class. It was really fantastic seeing all those paintings. I could literally spend days inside that museum and not see the same thing twice or get bored- it is quite big. That night Karen and I took a bus to Bilbao. We got in late, so the weekend really started on Saturday morning. We went to the Guggenheim Art Museum, which was awesome. They had a whole floor of Frank Lloyd Wright's work (mostly sketches). It really amazes me how much that man did. The rest of the museum was cool too. That day we also walked around the city for a while, doing some shopping and taking pictures. It was raining a bit, so that was slightly obnoxious, but it was what we expected. We also went to a maritime museum, which was really cool. They had a lot of pictures from all around the world that somebody had taken while they were diving, and it really made me want to go diving. I stayed out probably the latest I have ever stayed out that night.
On Sunday morning we checked out of our hostel and then walked around the river that winds through the city. We got lots of cool pictures, especially of the Guggenheim. There were a lot of boats rowing on the river, too- I have no idea why. Mainly we just walked around the city and then we had to catch a bus to get home. We got in a bit late, and then I just went to bed. I slept for a long time last night because I didn't sleep much this weekend. It was glorious.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Plans
Not too much exciting has happened recently, but I figured I would update anyway. Tuesday was a long day of classes (from 10 am to 6 pm with an hour break for lunch), but it went really well. I was kind of bouncy, and one of my professors noticed that I had a lot of energy that day. The rest of my classes this week were just fine. I still have a ton of homework, but I have time tomorrow to do it. My friend Karen and I are going to Bilbao for the weekend (and taking a bus- therein lies the homework time). The main thing that's driving us there is the Guggenheim art museum, which should be really cool. We'll see what else there is to do, because we don't really know. It should be an adventure. It's supposedly really rainy in northern Spain, so I'm hoping for good weather.
As for my computer, I received a response on Tuesday that they would come and pick it up. I replied that night and told them Friday morning at my school. Then what happens? They came this morning (Thursday) instead. I was a bit frustrated about that. I tried to call them about it, but nobody answered the phone. I'm hoping they will be able to come and pick it up tomorrow so it can get fixed soon. It's only going to Malaga, so it shouldn't take too long in transit.
I've been thinking about what I want to do after the semester is over, because I have three weeks to travel. We're thinking about going to Paris right away at the end of April, but one thing I thought of recently that I really want to do is go backpacking in the Alps. I'm not sure if I can get anyone to go with me, though. I think it would be a fantastically awesome experience, and I'm really hoping it works out.
That's all for now. Feel free to leave comments- I like hearing from you all!
As for my computer, I received a response on Tuesday that they would come and pick it up. I replied that night and told them Friday morning at my school. Then what happens? They came this morning (Thursday) instead. I was a bit frustrated about that. I tried to call them about it, but nobody answered the phone. I'm hoping they will be able to come and pick it up tomorrow so it can get fixed soon. It's only going to Malaga, so it shouldn't take too long in transit.
I've been thinking about what I want to do after the semester is over, because I have three weeks to travel. We're thinking about going to Paris right away at the end of April, but one thing I thought of recently that I really want to do is go backpacking in the Alps. I'm not sure if I can get anyone to go with me, though. I think it would be a fantastically awesome experience, and I'm really hoping it works out.
That's all for now. Feel free to leave comments- I like hearing from you all!
Monday, February 1, 2010
In the beginning
I am now two and a half weeks into my semester in Spain. I am definiely loving the experience so far- there are so many new adventures!
First off, an explanation of why this took me so long. My computer- which I got only 3 months ago- decided to stop working when I got here. I think it was due to the different voltage, but I'm not sure. In any case, it's not working. I'm in the process of dealing with tech support to get it fixed, but it's taking a while. (Side note: Dealing with tech support in another language is not fun at all.) I have to use the computers at my school while mine is being fixed.
I got into Spain in the morning on January 14th. We took a bus from the airport in Madrid to Toledo, the city where I will be for the rest of the semester. First we went to my school, the Fundación José Ortega y Gasset, for some business stuff. Then I met my host family! I live in a house with two parents (José and Isabel), two sons (Borja and Rodrigo), and a dog (Lia). They are all very nice... but the dog really likes to bark. That gets obnoxious. My first few days and weekend here were pretty chill. There was a lot of business to take care of, but we did get to go on a guided tour of Toledo. It was nice to see some of the main parts of the city. This city has a whole lot of history behind it. Also, the streets are quite small and there are no sidewalks, which means that you have to get out of the way when there is a car coming.
Week one involved figuring out my class schedule for the semester. I will be taking five classes: the art of reading literature, master painters of Spain, the history of Spain since 1936, politics and culture of Latin America, and Spain and the European Union. A lot of different and interesting classes, and none of them are science! It's fantastic. And I don't have classes on Fridays (well, none of us do), which makes for a good travel schedule. I get to my school by bus because I live in a different part of the city.
One thing that I was really hoping to do was an internship at the International Paraplegic Hospital here. When I got to my interview, though, there wasn't any space left. They only had two spots for all of the people in the program, and since the interview order was alphabetical, I missed out. Then I wanted to volunteer in the hospital or the Red Cross, but the volunteer schedule doesn't work with my class schedule, so that didn't work either. Instead, I am going to volunteer to help teach an English class in the city, which should be an interesting experience.
The weekend of the 22nd, my school took a trip to Madrid. We left on Friday. We went on a tour of the Royal Palace; that was really beautiful. My favorite room was the Stradivarius room- they had five (!!) Stradivarius instruments (three violins and two cellos). Those were some of the most beautiful instruments I have ever seen in my life. I only wish I could have heard them played.
I spent the rest of the weekend in Madrid with two of my friends from school. After that, we went to Museo del Prado, which had a lot of fabulous paintings. We saw a lot from some of the painters that we are studying in class. I could have spent the whole day there. The first night we went to a discoteca (club) that was really huge! Seven floors and tons of people. It was a fun experience for sure.
On Saturday morning, we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens. It was really pretty, but I'm sure it would be prettier in the spring when things are flowering. After that, we went to Museo Reína Sofía, which was also cool. The main attraction for that museum was Picasso's Guernica. That is utterly impressive in person. The museum overall had more modern art, which I don't like so much. (I don't believe that putting tape in squiggly lines on the wall should be considered a work of art.) It was still fun to see, though. That night we went out for tapas (essentially appetizers) and then went to a karaoke bar.
The next morning, we woke up and went to this really huge market that is in Madrid on Sundays. There were a lot of people and a lot of stuff for sale. Then we were walking around the city a lot. I got some really great pictures! Also, links to pictures will be up later. One of the three of us went back to Toledo, and I and one other girl stayed. We toured the cathedral that is right next to the royal palace. I always like going to cathedrals- they have absolutely beautiful artwork and architecture. Then we went to a Real Madrid soccer game! That was really fun. There were tons of people there, and it was definitely a lively environment. We stayed in the hostel that night and returned to Toledo the next morning (I don't have class until the afternoon).
Week two of classes was a lot more work. I had a lot of reading to do, which is hard in a different language. I'll get through it, though- it's called "study abroad" for a reason. Last weekend was pretty calm- I stayed in Toledo. I caught up on a lot of my homework, which was nice. My next door neighbor (Karen) and I have been spending a lot of time together. She's the one I went to Madrid with. We did a lot of planning for our weekend travel for the rest of the semester. There's not a whole lot that is concrete at this point, but I do know that I will be going to Bilbao (northern Spain) next weekend, Barcelona the weekend of February 26th, and Rome the weekend of March 5th (to celebrate my birthday!). On Saturday afternoon, we went to the church of Santo Tomé to see the masterpiece of El Greco, who is one of the painters we are studying in class. The painting is called El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz, which means The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. That is another very impressive painting. There are so many amazing details and so much beauty in that painting. I could have stood there and looked at it all day. We also walked around Toledo for a while. That night, we went to two different bars and ran into our econ professor both times! That was a little weird.
The food here is really different, but I'm enjoying it. My host mom likes to cook seafood a lot, which is definitely OK with me! I didn't really have trouble getting used to the different eating schedule (lunch at 2:30 and dinner at 9). We have had mussels a lot. In the past couple days, we have also had squid and octopus, which were both firsts for me. It took a little getting used to, but they're pretty good.
In my literature class, we're talking about legends of Toledo. My professor has been taking us to the locations mentioned in the legends, which is really cool. It definitely helps to make the legends more concrete. I'm also enjoying my other classes.
It's a little strange hearing only Spanish all the time and not English, but I'm getting used to it. I have been asked if I spoke English and if I was from Spain (on separate occasions), which made me feel good about my speaking abilities. It's definitely a different world here, but I am having a fabulous time!
Whew. Sorry for the novel of an entry, but I had a lot to say. More updates and pictures to come!
First off, an explanation of why this took me so long. My computer- which I got only 3 months ago- decided to stop working when I got here. I think it was due to the different voltage, but I'm not sure. In any case, it's not working. I'm in the process of dealing with tech support to get it fixed, but it's taking a while. (Side note: Dealing with tech support in another language is not fun at all.) I have to use the computers at my school while mine is being fixed.
I got into Spain in the morning on January 14th. We took a bus from the airport in Madrid to Toledo, the city where I will be for the rest of the semester. First we went to my school, the Fundación José Ortega y Gasset, for some business stuff. Then I met my host family! I live in a house with two parents (José and Isabel), two sons (Borja and Rodrigo), and a dog (Lia). They are all very nice... but the dog really likes to bark. That gets obnoxious. My first few days and weekend here were pretty chill. There was a lot of business to take care of, but we did get to go on a guided tour of Toledo. It was nice to see some of the main parts of the city. This city has a whole lot of history behind it. Also, the streets are quite small and there are no sidewalks, which means that you have to get out of the way when there is a car coming.
Week one involved figuring out my class schedule for the semester. I will be taking five classes: the art of reading literature, master painters of Spain, the history of Spain since 1936, politics and culture of Latin America, and Spain and the European Union. A lot of different and interesting classes, and none of them are science! It's fantastic. And I don't have classes on Fridays (well, none of us do), which makes for a good travel schedule. I get to my school by bus because I live in a different part of the city.
One thing that I was really hoping to do was an internship at the International Paraplegic Hospital here. When I got to my interview, though, there wasn't any space left. They only had two spots for all of the people in the program, and since the interview order was alphabetical, I missed out. Then I wanted to volunteer in the hospital or the Red Cross, but the volunteer schedule doesn't work with my class schedule, so that didn't work either. Instead, I am going to volunteer to help teach an English class in the city, which should be an interesting experience.
The weekend of the 22nd, my school took a trip to Madrid. We left on Friday. We went on a tour of the Royal Palace; that was really beautiful. My favorite room was the Stradivarius room- they had five (!!) Stradivarius instruments (three violins and two cellos). Those were some of the most beautiful instruments I have ever seen in my life. I only wish I could have heard them played.
I spent the rest of the weekend in Madrid with two of my friends from school. After that, we went to Museo del Prado, which had a lot of fabulous paintings. We saw a lot from some of the painters that we are studying in class. I could have spent the whole day there. The first night we went to a discoteca (club) that was really huge! Seven floors and tons of people. It was a fun experience for sure.
On Saturday morning, we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens. It was really pretty, but I'm sure it would be prettier in the spring when things are flowering. After that, we went to Museo Reína Sofía, which was also cool. The main attraction for that museum was Picasso's Guernica. That is utterly impressive in person. The museum overall had more modern art, which I don't like so much. (I don't believe that putting tape in squiggly lines on the wall should be considered a work of art.) It was still fun to see, though. That night we went out for tapas (essentially appetizers) and then went to a karaoke bar.
The next morning, we woke up and went to this really huge market that is in Madrid on Sundays. There were a lot of people and a lot of stuff for sale. Then we were walking around the city a lot. I got some really great pictures! Also, links to pictures will be up later. One of the three of us went back to Toledo, and I and one other girl stayed. We toured the cathedral that is right next to the royal palace. I always like going to cathedrals- they have absolutely beautiful artwork and architecture. Then we went to a Real Madrid soccer game! That was really fun. There were tons of people there, and it was definitely a lively environment. We stayed in the hostel that night and returned to Toledo the next morning (I don't have class until the afternoon).
Week two of classes was a lot more work. I had a lot of reading to do, which is hard in a different language. I'll get through it, though- it's called "study abroad" for a reason. Last weekend was pretty calm- I stayed in Toledo. I caught up on a lot of my homework, which was nice. My next door neighbor (Karen) and I have been spending a lot of time together. She's the one I went to Madrid with. We did a lot of planning for our weekend travel for the rest of the semester. There's not a whole lot that is concrete at this point, but I do know that I will be going to Bilbao (northern Spain) next weekend, Barcelona the weekend of February 26th, and Rome the weekend of March 5th (to celebrate my birthday!). On Saturday afternoon, we went to the church of Santo Tomé to see the masterpiece of El Greco, who is one of the painters we are studying in class. The painting is called El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz, which means The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. That is another very impressive painting. There are so many amazing details and so much beauty in that painting. I could have stood there and looked at it all day. We also walked around Toledo for a while. That night, we went to two different bars and ran into our econ professor both times! That was a little weird.
The food here is really different, but I'm enjoying it. My host mom likes to cook seafood a lot, which is definitely OK with me! I didn't really have trouble getting used to the different eating schedule (lunch at 2:30 and dinner at 9). We have had mussels a lot. In the past couple days, we have also had squid and octopus, which were both firsts for me. It took a little getting used to, but they're pretty good.
In my literature class, we're talking about legends of Toledo. My professor has been taking us to the locations mentioned in the legends, which is really cool. It definitely helps to make the legends more concrete. I'm also enjoying my other classes.
It's a little strange hearing only Spanish all the time and not English, but I'm getting used to it. I have been asked if I spoke English and if I was from Spain (on separate occasions), which made me feel good about my speaking abilities. It's definitely a different world here, but I am having a fabulous time!
Whew. Sorry for the novel of an entry, but I had a lot to say. More updates and pictures to come!
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