Yesterday we went to go visit the Reina Sofia after class. It was the last museum that I needed to see of "The Golden Triangle" in Madrid (The Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia). I was really excited to go because they have modern art by Picasso and Dali. Also, the Guernica which is one of Picasso's most famous works is there as well. When we got to the museum I knew that it was going to be much different than my other visits. The new entrance of the museum is so modern! Originally, the museum used to be a hospital until they decided to convert it over to a museum.
Our professor who led the tour was very knowledgeable! I was surprised by how much he knew-he didn't even have a paper to help him out. He explained to us the different types of art that we were going to see. He said we needed to have an open mind because this art was all about reflecting the inner conscious. Paintings had to radically change with the invention of photography and cinema because painters were no longer needed to represent human life. Photos could do a better job and cinema could show much more than a painting ever could. The Guernica by Picasso did not disappoint although it is always sad to see the great lengths humans go during war. We also saw propaganda that was used during the Civil War in Spain-it was kind of scary.
After Picasso we looked at some of the works by Dali. He was very obsessed with painting the dream world and the unconscious desires. The paintings definitely needed an open mind to be appreciated. I am not sure if I understand it completely but it was a cool experience.
This week a heat wave has descended upon Spain! It's going to be above 100 degrees all week. I feel like I am back in the Grand Canyon during July. Don't let anyone fool you-a dry heat is still very very hot! Tomorrow we are going to visit the royal gardens after class. I can't believe we only have two more weeks left in Spain! I am trying to take everything in before it's time to head back to the States.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Salamanca
Wow! Things have all started to run together as we are heading into the last two weeks of studying in Spain! I can't believe that I have already been here for a month! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was getting off my plane and heading to my host parent's house.
On Friday, we visited the Congress building. It's the oldest building in Europe that has been used only for that purpose. Everything in the building looks exactly like it did when it was built in 1850. The building was so ornate with all of the rooms (much different from Capitol Hill). We visited a few working rooms-one of which had a cool clock in it! It had all kinds of things going on with it-like the position of the sun and such. After that, we visited the room where the congresspeople actually meet to pass laws. It looked a lot similar to the one in the States-only a little bit smaller (by Constitution, there can only be 400 at any one time). There are special seats for the Ministers and every 4 years, the King and Queen come to visit the parliament. Our Culture and Civilization professor (Juan) led the excursion which was a lot of fun! It was a quick visit and then we headed back. Before we got back to the Metro, we stopped at Starbucks. Although I was really tempted to get a macchiato, I decided to hold out. There were some cute mugs though that I might have to go back and buy though.
Yesterday was our last "official" excursion to Salamanca. The day started out early and we rode on the bus for 2.5 hours. Fortunately I was able to sleep the entire time. When we got there, we had a 30 minute break in the Plaza Mayor to get some breakfast. Todd suggested that we go to the Cafe Novelty-they had some delicious looking muffins! We visited a lot of cool places during our day. We saw a house that was called the house of the dead (a very interesting story, to say the least) and then we visited this cool library. It actually used to be a palace that they then converted. When we were done there, we visited the university. It's one of the 4th oldest universities in Europe! Super awesome! We ate our lunches in the shade and watched a couple of wedding parties (Note: Hats are very popular in Europe!). Afterwards, we found an ice-cream shop that had the best ice-cream I have had in Spain. It was more of a yogurt texture and I got the house specialty (which had cherries and nuts in it). After our ice-cream break, we did a little bit of shopping although I decided not to buy anything (Still need to buy gifts for a few people...). Our last tour was of the cathedral. At first I thought it was going to be like every other church tour we have been on. However, in this tour we got to walk up the towers of the church! The staircases were very narrow and a little scary. We saw the areas where an earthquake and a fire damaged the church. After that, we got to look outside the city! What a great view! We also saw the newer part of the church as well. We had to head out after that because we needed to get back to Madrid.
Last night there was a huge party going on in our backyard! The adults stayed out and partied until 4 AM! I am very impressed by Spanish culture and their willingness to have a good time-even if that means they are tired the next day. Today has been mainly spent studying for my art exam tomorrow over Velazquez. We are also experiencing a heat wave right now, so it is supposed to be 100 degrees almost all week--good swimming weather!
Hasta luego!
On Friday, we visited the Congress building. It's the oldest building in Europe that has been used only for that purpose. Everything in the building looks exactly like it did when it was built in 1850. The building was so ornate with all of the rooms (much different from Capitol Hill). We visited a few working rooms-one of which had a cool clock in it! It had all kinds of things going on with it-like the position of the sun and such. After that, we visited the room where the congresspeople actually meet to pass laws. It looked a lot similar to the one in the States-only a little bit smaller (by Constitution, there can only be 400 at any one time). There are special seats for the Ministers and every 4 years, the King and Queen come to visit the parliament. Our Culture and Civilization professor (Juan) led the excursion which was a lot of fun! It was a quick visit and then we headed back. Before we got back to the Metro, we stopped at Starbucks. Although I was really tempted to get a macchiato, I decided to hold out. There were some cute mugs though that I might have to go back and buy though.
Yesterday was our last "official" excursion to Salamanca. The day started out early and we rode on the bus for 2.5 hours. Fortunately I was able to sleep the entire time. When we got there, we had a 30 minute break in the Plaza Mayor to get some breakfast. Todd suggested that we go to the Cafe Novelty-they had some delicious looking muffins! We visited a lot of cool places during our day. We saw a house that was called the house of the dead (a very interesting story, to say the least) and then we visited this cool library. It actually used to be a palace that they then converted. When we were done there, we visited the university. It's one of the 4th oldest universities in Europe! Super awesome! We ate our lunches in the shade and watched a couple of wedding parties (Note: Hats are very popular in Europe!). Afterwards, we found an ice-cream shop that had the best ice-cream I have had in Spain. It was more of a yogurt texture and I got the house specialty (which had cherries and nuts in it). After our ice-cream break, we did a little bit of shopping although I decided not to buy anything (Still need to buy gifts for a few people...). Our last tour was of the cathedral. At first I thought it was going to be like every other church tour we have been on. However, in this tour we got to walk up the towers of the church! The staircases were very narrow and a little scary. We saw the areas where an earthquake and a fire damaged the church. After that, we got to look outside the city! What a great view! We also saw the newer part of the church as well. We had to head out after that because we needed to get back to Madrid.
Last night there was a huge party going on in our backyard! The adults stayed out and partied until 4 AM! I am very impressed by Spanish culture and their willingness to have a good time-even if that means they are tired the next day. Today has been mainly spent studying for my art exam tomorrow over Velazquez. We are also experiencing a heat wave right now, so it is supposed to be 100 degrees almost all week--good swimming weather!
Hasta luego!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Popcorn!
This week has been fairly normal--that is to say, busy and warm!
On Monday, we visited the Royal Palace after class. It was so huge and awesome! We only saw 24 rooms but our tour guide says that there are hundreds in the palace. The Royal family of Spain doesn't actually live in the palace-and they haven't since the 1930's. When the European Union flag is hanging above the building that means that someone important is visiting and the public can't enter. Fortunately, it was a quiet day at the palace. Some of my favorite rooms were the dining room and the music room. Some of the finest instruments ever created are kept in that room...they are only played a few times a year! It would be so awesome to be present for one of those concerts. After the palace, we visited the armor museum (again, no pictures allowed) and the pharmacy from the 1700's. There were definitely some interesting medicines in the pharmacy-think millipedes and boric acid.
Monday night was also the soccer game--Spain vs. Croatia. I didn't feel like heading out again to watch the game so I decided to watch it at home. Fortunately my host parents had the same idea and provided quite the snack experience-popcorn (my first time since being in Spain!), chips, Doritos, and peanuts! We ate sandwiches during half-time which were delicious! Unfortunately, nothing happened until the last 2 minutes-fortunately Spain won!
Yesterday, Kelly and I decided to head out for a few hours before dinner. It rained for the first time since we have been in Madrid. It was more of a light sprinkle and felt really nice. I ended up getting a cafe con leche--and the milk was steamed! (Also a first since being in Spain). I really enjoyed it but regretted it slightly when I had a hard time sleeping last night. We also did a little bit of shopping around Sol as well.
Tomorrow we are heading to the Prado for class and on Friday the Congress building!
Hasta luego
On Monday, we visited the Royal Palace after class. It was so huge and awesome! We only saw 24 rooms but our tour guide says that there are hundreds in the palace. The Royal family of Spain doesn't actually live in the palace-and they haven't since the 1930's. When the European Union flag is hanging above the building that means that someone important is visiting and the public can't enter. Fortunately, it was a quiet day at the palace. Some of my favorite rooms were the dining room and the music room. Some of the finest instruments ever created are kept in that room...they are only played a few times a year! It would be so awesome to be present for one of those concerts. After the palace, we visited the armor museum (again, no pictures allowed) and the pharmacy from the 1700's. There were definitely some interesting medicines in the pharmacy-think millipedes and boric acid.
Monday night was also the soccer game--Spain vs. Croatia. I didn't feel like heading out again to watch the game so I decided to watch it at home. Fortunately my host parents had the same idea and provided quite the snack experience-popcorn (my first time since being in Spain!), chips, Doritos, and peanuts! We ate sandwiches during half-time which were delicious! Unfortunately, nothing happened until the last 2 minutes-fortunately Spain won!
Yesterday, Kelly and I decided to head out for a few hours before dinner. It rained for the first time since we have been in Madrid. It was more of a light sprinkle and felt really nice. I ended up getting a cafe con leche--and the milk was steamed! (Also a first since being in Spain). I really enjoyed it but regretted it slightly when I had a hard time sleeping last night. We also did a little bit of shopping around Sol as well.
Tomorrow we are heading to the Prado for class and on Friday the Congress building!
Hasta luego
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Soccer, museums, Toledo, shopping!
Thursday night, John, Kelly, the host parents and I went to a local bar to watch the football game. Watching the game is a social event and everyone heads out to take part in the experience. We went to a bar called "El Rey de Las Tapas" (The King of Tapas). Luis had reserved a table so we had a good seat outside to watch the game. A couple of friends of Luis and Maria also joined us. The tapas were very tasty--we tried a lot of things! My favorite was huevos rotos (broken eggs): it consisted of french fries, fried eggs, and ham all mixed up. The other cool thing was that there was a person on site who was slicing ham to eat. Ham in Spain is a specialty and it is NOTHING like the ham in the states. It was very thin and delicious! Spain also won which was very nice:) I posted a few pictures up on Facebook of the fun experience.
On Friday, Kelly and I decided to head to an art museum that is not included in our tour. It's called the "Thyssen-Bornesmiza Museum." In Madrid, the golden triangle of art museums consists of the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen. We visit the Prado every Thursday and are visiting the Reina Sofia later in the month so we figured we needed to get the whole picture. Our host mom told us it wasn't a very big museum so we would only need a few hours. There was so many different types of art! The biggest feature of the museum was their collection of Dutch art. We also saw some art that we recognized--Goya, El Greco, Van Gogh, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Picasso, etc...I really liked this museum because it had a lot of artists that you wouldn't see in the Prado. The art after the 1850's was very interesting and it was a little bit abstract--especially the 20th century art.
Saturday was another excursion day for us. We got up early to take the bus to Toledo-a city that is about an hour south of Madrid. We knew it was going to be a hot day and indeed it was! Toledo is a cool city because Christians, Jews, and Muslims have all lived in the city throughout history. We visited an old mosque that was later turned into a church (a fairly common practice). We also visited one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Spain as well. It was cool to see the way the cathedral changed throughout time. After the church tour, we visited the site of the Greco's painting of "El entierro del conde del Orgaz." I was really excited to see it in person since we had talked about it so much in class. I was surprised that it wasn't bigger than what it was. The tour then continued to a site that used to be Roman baths that was later converted into a Jewish synagogue that was later converted into a church then into a center for persons escaping prostitution to a museum! phew! Apparently the multipurpose building is quite common in Toledo. By this time everyone was tired and hot and ready for lunch. Fortunately our host mom packed us a huge lunch that was delicious (as always)! When we were done eating, some of the guys in the group wanted to go buy a sword. Kelly and I decided to pass and instead bought some famous cookies (toledanas) from a pastry shop. Yum! We got on the bus and got back to Madrid--I called it an early night!
Today has already been eventful and we haven't even eaten lunch yet! We decided to go visit El Rastro which is one of the largest flea markets in Europe! We weren't quite sure what to expect--only that we needed to go early to beat the crowds. When we got there at 10 the market had only been open for an hour and there were already a lot of people. Basically they close off an entire street and vendors just line the entire street. Everywhere you looked there was another booth of things to buy. There was literally everything under the sun--from underwear to jewelry to soccer paraphernalia to authentic fans. The best part? The prices are low and it's easy to get a good bargain! I got almost all of my shopping done for people which was really nice. I also bought myself a Real Madrid scarf to hang in my room.
Tomorrow we are going to visit the Royal Palace after class and on Friday we will be visiting the Congress. It's going to be another busy week!
On Friday, Kelly and I decided to head to an art museum that is not included in our tour. It's called the "Thyssen-Bornesmiza Museum." In Madrid, the golden triangle of art museums consists of the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen. We visit the Prado every Thursday and are visiting the Reina Sofia later in the month so we figured we needed to get the whole picture. Our host mom told us it wasn't a very big museum so we would only need a few hours. There was so many different types of art! The biggest feature of the museum was their collection of Dutch art. We also saw some art that we recognized--Goya, El Greco, Van Gogh, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Picasso, etc...I really liked this museum because it had a lot of artists that you wouldn't see in the Prado. The art after the 1850's was very interesting and it was a little bit abstract--especially the 20th century art.
Saturday was another excursion day for us. We got up early to take the bus to Toledo-a city that is about an hour south of Madrid. We knew it was going to be a hot day and indeed it was! Toledo is a cool city because Christians, Jews, and Muslims have all lived in the city throughout history. We visited an old mosque that was later turned into a church (a fairly common practice). We also visited one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Spain as well. It was cool to see the way the cathedral changed throughout time. After the church tour, we visited the site of the Greco's painting of "El entierro del conde del Orgaz." I was really excited to see it in person since we had talked about it so much in class. I was surprised that it wasn't bigger than what it was. The tour then continued to a site that used to be Roman baths that was later converted into a Jewish synagogue that was later converted into a church then into a center for persons escaping prostitution to a museum! phew! Apparently the multipurpose building is quite common in Toledo. By this time everyone was tired and hot and ready for lunch. Fortunately our host mom packed us a huge lunch that was delicious (as always)! When we were done eating, some of the guys in the group wanted to go buy a sword. Kelly and I decided to pass and instead bought some famous cookies (toledanas) from a pastry shop. Yum! We got on the bus and got back to Madrid--I called it an early night!
Today has already been eventful and we haven't even eaten lunch yet! We decided to go visit El Rastro which is one of the largest flea markets in Europe! We weren't quite sure what to expect--only that we needed to go early to beat the crowds. When we got there at 10 the market had only been open for an hour and there were already a lot of people. Basically they close off an entire street and vendors just line the entire street. Everywhere you looked there was another booth of things to buy. There was literally everything under the sun--from underwear to jewelry to soccer paraphernalia to authentic fans. The best part? The prices are low and it's easy to get a good bargain! I got almost all of my shopping done for people which was really nice. I also bought myself a Real Madrid scarf to hang in my room.
Tomorrow we are going to visit the Royal Palace after class and on Friday we will be visiting the Congress. It's going to be another busy week!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Tapas and San Antonio
Wow! What a crazy last few days it has been! On Sunday I went to Mass with Elizabeth and afterwards we made brownies for our host family. They loved them and I didn't mind eating one myself :) We had to take a picture of tapas for our class so our host dad (Luis) decided to make us some. Apparently he is the "king of tapas." Everything was so delicious, but I did not try the tapa with anchovies. Someday maybe...
Monday was a fairly chill day. We got back from class and just hung around the house. Kelly needed to go to the pharmacy so we ventured out that way. The pharmacies are very different than in the States! They aren't very good and almost all of the products are behind the counter. Fortunately the pharmacist was very helpful even though they didn't have what we were looking for.
Yesterday we had to work on our tapas presentation in class today. After the siesta we went to three different stores to buy the ingredients. One of the stores was the open market which is quite the experience! There is a very strong smell since there are butchers everywhere! I saw more fish than I cared to see and there were also rabbits :( We also went to a store that only sold frozen items! I really wanted to buy some ice-cream but decided not to. When we got back to the house we got to working on making our tapas. Kelly and I made empanadillas con atun (it's tuna that is put inside this shell that you bake). It's kind of hard to explain but it was delicious! The other students made a sausage that was soaked in cider and also a seafood mix.
Today we took all of our tapas to class to present.When it was time for our break, we tried everyone's tapas! They were so delicious! I even ate a mussel that was stuffed with shrimp--it was definitely interesting! My favorite was croqueta con jamon...again, hard to explain but delicious! Unfortunately after eating all of that food none of us wanted to pay attention in art class. Our professors were kind enough to let us out 15 minutes early--I think they kind of gave up.
We had to eat a quick lunch after class because we had an excursion this afternoon. Maria makes some delicious sandwiches! Our excursion was "El Paseo de San Antonio de la Florida." San Antonio was a saint from Portugal in the Middle Ages. He resurrected a girl that had been shot to figure out who had killed her. The Spanish people were really impressed by him so they built a little church in honor of him. After two churches collapsed, the third one finally stayed up. Later they built a replica of the church and turned the old one into a museum. It's also the day of San Antonio today so a huge carnival has been going on all week. There were carnival rides and food everywhere.
One of the interesting things about San Antonio is that he is supposedly able to help girls find boyfriends. There is a fountain near the church that has pins in the bottom of it. You are supposed to stick your hand to the bottom and however many pins "stick" is the number of boyfriends you will have. There were a lot of people and I wasn't too interested in pricking myself so I didn't try it out.
Afterward, we went to the Bar Mingo because they have some famous cider from Andalusia. I tried it and I wasn't too impressed but everyone else thought it was delicious. It was really warm outside so we headed back home for the day. Now it's about time for some delicious dinner!
Hasta luego!
Monday was a fairly chill day. We got back from class and just hung around the house. Kelly needed to go to the pharmacy so we ventured out that way. The pharmacies are very different than in the States! They aren't very good and almost all of the products are behind the counter. Fortunately the pharmacist was very helpful even though they didn't have what we were looking for.
Yesterday we had to work on our tapas presentation in class today. After the siesta we went to three different stores to buy the ingredients. One of the stores was the open market which is quite the experience! There is a very strong smell since there are butchers everywhere! I saw more fish than I cared to see and there were also rabbits :( We also went to a store that only sold frozen items! I really wanted to buy some ice-cream but decided not to. When we got back to the house we got to working on making our tapas. Kelly and I made empanadillas con atun (it's tuna that is put inside this shell that you bake). It's kind of hard to explain but it was delicious! The other students made a sausage that was soaked in cider and also a seafood mix.
Today we took all of our tapas to class to present.When it was time for our break, we tried everyone's tapas! They were so delicious! I even ate a mussel that was stuffed with shrimp--it was definitely interesting! My favorite was croqueta con jamon...again, hard to explain but delicious! Unfortunately after eating all of that food none of us wanted to pay attention in art class. Our professors were kind enough to let us out 15 minutes early--I think they kind of gave up.
We had to eat a quick lunch after class because we had an excursion this afternoon. Maria makes some delicious sandwiches! Our excursion was "El Paseo de San Antonio de la Florida." San Antonio was a saint from Portugal in the Middle Ages. He resurrected a girl that had been shot to figure out who had killed her. The Spanish people were really impressed by him so they built a little church in honor of him. After two churches collapsed, the third one finally stayed up. Later they built a replica of the church and turned the old one into a museum. It's also the day of San Antonio today so a huge carnival has been going on all week. There were carnival rides and food everywhere.
One of the interesting things about San Antonio is that he is supposedly able to help girls find boyfriends. There is a fountain near the church that has pins in the bottom of it. You are supposed to stick your hand to the bottom and however many pins "stick" is the number of boyfriends you will have. There were a lot of people and I wasn't too interested in pricking myself so I didn't try it out.
Afterward, we went to the Bar Mingo because they have some famous cider from Andalusia. I tried it and I wasn't too impressed but everyone else thought it was delicious. It was really warm outside so we headed back home for the day. Now it's about time for some delicious dinner!
Hasta luego!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Segovia
I had SO MUCH FUN in Segovia today!
We had to get up super early (6:30) but it was totally worth it! It
only took us about an hour to get to the city and I slept for most of
the trip. When we got there we stopped for breakfast at this cafe that
was right by the aqueduct. Of course, we had to take a lot of pictures
After that, we started walking....a lot. Fortunately the city is fairly
small so it wasn't too bad. We visited a small plaza that is very famous
because a lot of the Royals like to go there. Also, I think that the
battle of the communities started there as well. After we visited there,
we went to the castle! IT IS AWESOME AND HUGE! We walked around and saw
where the Catholic King/Queen (Isabel and Ferdinand) ruled. There were
also some great views of the city as well. When we finished, we started
walking back to the main square. We visited the last Gothic style
cathedral to be built in Spain-also huge and beautiful. Unfortunately,
we couldn't take pictures inside. I can understand why but I was kind of
sad because I really wanted to! It was so gorgeous! By that time it was
almost 1:30 so we stopped for some lunch (our host mom packed us
sandwiches and apples). Later, Todd wanted to visit this pastry shop-we
met a couple from Texas there as well. We also went to a cafe and I
tried horchata-my host parents are always raving about it. It was gross.
Next, we walked back to the aqueduct to take some more pictures from near the top. We had to meet up with the bus at 3:30 so we headed there afterwards. We went to a park where you could see the back of the castle and took-more pictures! We also walked around the escape exit from the moat! Pretty nifty! Then, we went to this cathedral that supposedly has a piece of wood from the cross. It was interesting because apparently there are graves (?!) underneath it and some of the white stones around it are not stone but bone (ick!). Also, there is a story that the army used to hide their arms upstairs in the cathedral back in the day. One night, a guy died so they put him in the church until the next morning when they could bury him. However, overnight some huge birds came and ate his body. So now they are very protective about birds. It was weird! The other weird thing is that apparently water runs underneath the church and has magical powers. You can stand in the middle of the church and feel this "power." I don't know. It was weird.
I loved Segovia so much! It was a quiet little city and it was a lot different from Madrid. It was nice to get away from the big city for a day and enjoy the quieter life. There were a lot of tourists there which was a bummer, but it wasn't too bad. I could definitely go back! I took over 200 pictures today-it was a good feeling. I am loving my parent's digital because it is small and takes great pictures but I am missing my Nikon that is state-side.
Next, we walked back to the aqueduct to take some more pictures from near the top. We had to meet up with the bus at 3:30 so we headed there afterwards. We went to a park where you could see the back of the castle and took-more pictures! We also walked around the escape exit from the moat! Pretty nifty! Then, we went to this cathedral that supposedly has a piece of wood from the cross. It was interesting because apparently there are graves (?!) underneath it and some of the white stones around it are not stone but bone (ick!). Also, there is a story that the army used to hide their arms upstairs in the cathedral back in the day. One night, a guy died so they put him in the church until the next morning when they could bury him. However, overnight some huge birds came and ate his body. So now they are very protective about birds. It was weird! The other weird thing is that apparently water runs underneath the church and has magical powers. You can stand in the middle of the church and feel this "power." I don't know. It was weird.
I loved Segovia so much! It was a quiet little city and it was a lot different from Madrid. It was nice to get away from the big city for a day and enjoy the quieter life. There were a lot of tourists there which was a bummer, but it wasn't too bad. I could definitely go back! I took over 200 pictures today-it was a good feeling. I am loving my parent's digital because it is small and takes great pictures but I am missing my Nikon that is state-side.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Thankfulness
Before I came to Spain, I was worried that I was going to slack off in my faith. That being in a different country was going to affect my patterns of relating with God. And in a way, it has. In a good way!
Last Sunday, I went to Mass for the first time in years (10+, I am not Catholic). And while I couldn't understand most of what the Priest was saying, God's presence was so real. Instead of being hung up on "oh I don't like this music" or "what is HE WEARING?! (I must admit, that is a thought sometimes)" I was focused on God. Before the service started and during the time of Communion (which I was not able to take part in), I was FINALLY able to still my heart before God. Let me just say, it was a good feeling.
I have also been working on studying the book of 1&2 Thessalonians. I am doing an inductive study on them and it has been really informative. I am working on a chapter each week that I am in Spain and then when I am back home. I chose these books because I a. haven't studied them before and b. didn't know much about them. By reading through them I am really able gain new truths about Christ and how to apply them. When I am not reading out of that book, I read Proverbs every morning (my favorite way to start the day).
In addition, Corey and I are working through a book for newly engaged couples. It's kind of our way of staying connected although we are apart. I read the second chapter that was all about your thought life and how your past memories can affect your present day. I often struggle with letting go of the past and learning to live in the present. By reading through this chapter, I realized that I was allowing myself to be held captive by my negative, self-defeating thoughts. Even though Christ died for my sins and my faults, I fail to give him control over this area of my life. By releasing them to Him, I can truly be free! And that is a good feeling.
I just needed to get these thoughts of my head so I can look back and see where I have been and where I am going. I am so grateful that God has given me this opportunity to study in Spain but also to connect with Him in a very real way.
Last Sunday, I went to Mass for the first time in years (10+, I am not Catholic). And while I couldn't understand most of what the Priest was saying, God's presence was so real. Instead of being hung up on "oh I don't like this music" or "what is HE WEARING?! (I must admit, that is a thought sometimes)" I was focused on God. Before the service started and during the time of Communion (which I was not able to take part in), I was FINALLY able to still my heart before God. Let me just say, it was a good feeling.
I have also been working on studying the book of 1&2 Thessalonians. I am doing an inductive study on them and it has been really informative. I am working on a chapter each week that I am in Spain and then when I am back home. I chose these books because I a. haven't studied them before and b. didn't know much about them. By reading through them I am really able gain new truths about Christ and how to apply them. When I am not reading out of that book, I read Proverbs every morning (my favorite way to start the day).
In addition, Corey and I are working through a book for newly engaged couples. It's kind of our way of staying connected although we are apart. I read the second chapter that was all about your thought life and how your past memories can affect your present day. I often struggle with letting go of the past and learning to live in the present. By reading through this chapter, I realized that I was allowing myself to be held captive by my negative, self-defeating thoughts. Even though Christ died for my sins and my faults, I fail to give him control over this area of my life. By releasing them to Him, I can truly be free! And that is a good feeling.
I just needed to get these thoughts of my head so I can look back and see where I have been and where I am going. I am so grateful that God has given me this opportunity to study in Spain but also to connect with Him in a very real way.
Comida Basura
I know that it has been 3 days since I last blogged and I have kind of been slacking on keeping in contact with people-my apologies. I am going to blame the heat for frying my brain :) Fortunately, the temperature has dropped about 15 degrees so it is gorgeous (and windy!) outside right now!
On Tuesday, we took a walking tour of the central part of Spain. It was a good tour, despite the raging sun during the hottest part of the day and the 93 degrees outside. There were some other students there as well which was a lot of fun! We saw the part of the town where the Royals lived when the Austrians were in power (For funsies someday you should look up the history of the Spanish Monarchy. It's quite fascinating!). After having such a long walk, I didn't really feel like doing much of anything else. I am not sure if I did or not :)
Yesterday, we didn't have any excursions planned. After a large lunch of potato soup and for the second course, fish, we took a well-deserved siesta. I never mean to fall asleep, but it always seems to happen. A big group of us went down to the Puerta del Sol and walked around (Fun fact: This place got its name because in the day, the city used to be a lot smaller. This was the edge of the city where the fortress was. On the door was painted a sun!) We got some ice-cream which was delicious! Some days, you just need some ice-cream! We went to the Cortes Ingles (a huge department store in Spain. There are books, electronics, home goods, clothes, and a grocery!) and then watched a street magician. For dinner, Maria made us pizza-Spanish style. One was carbonara and the other was barbeque. Yummy! Although, today she informed us that pizza is comida basura (trash food-translation: junk food).
Today was our first visit to the Museo del Prado. Instead of having our normal art class, we went to the museum to see the paintings we had been talking about in class. The museum is gigantic! We had a little bit of difficulty trying to find it, but we eventually did. The whole area was beautiful and I wish I would have had my camera with me. Tomorrow I will! We went to go look at the paintings of El Greco. Almost all of his artwork is religious paintings from the 16th century. In person they are so impressive! It is hard to imagine how someone could be that talented and paint something so huge! Tomorrow we are going back with the entire group to take a general visit of the museum. After walking around the museum, we were very hungry! For lunch today we had meat that was made with Coca-Cola sauce...it was really good, but different. There was also tomatoes and onions with it. In addition, we ate some potatoes (I am not sure how this qualifies as "healthy" food but it didn't receive a comida basura label).
Tomorrow, a lady from another exchange program is coming to check out the house to see if they would be interested in using Maria and Luis in the future. I should probably pick up my room a little bit before then :)
Hasta luego!
On Tuesday, we took a walking tour of the central part of Spain. It was a good tour, despite the raging sun during the hottest part of the day and the 93 degrees outside. There were some other students there as well which was a lot of fun! We saw the part of the town where the Royals lived when the Austrians were in power (For funsies someday you should look up the history of the Spanish Monarchy. It's quite fascinating!). After having such a long walk, I didn't really feel like doing much of anything else. I am not sure if I did or not :)
Yesterday, we didn't have any excursions planned. After a large lunch of potato soup and for the second course, fish, we took a well-deserved siesta. I never mean to fall asleep, but it always seems to happen. A big group of us went down to the Puerta del Sol and walked around (Fun fact: This place got its name because in the day, the city used to be a lot smaller. This was the edge of the city where the fortress was. On the door was painted a sun!) We got some ice-cream which was delicious! Some days, you just need some ice-cream! We went to the Cortes Ingles (a huge department store in Spain. There are books, electronics, home goods, clothes, and a grocery!) and then watched a street magician. For dinner, Maria made us pizza-Spanish style. One was carbonara and the other was barbeque. Yummy! Although, today she informed us that pizza is comida basura (trash food-translation: junk food).
Today was our first visit to the Museo del Prado. Instead of having our normal art class, we went to the museum to see the paintings we had been talking about in class. The museum is gigantic! We had a little bit of difficulty trying to find it, but we eventually did. The whole area was beautiful and I wish I would have had my camera with me. Tomorrow I will! We went to go look at the paintings of El Greco. Almost all of his artwork is religious paintings from the 16th century. In person they are so impressive! It is hard to imagine how someone could be that talented and paint something so huge! Tomorrow we are going back with the entire group to take a general visit of the museum. After walking around the museum, we were very hungry! For lunch today we had meat that was made with Coca-Cola sauce...it was really good, but different. There was also tomatoes and onions with it. In addition, we ate some potatoes (I am not sure how this qualifies as "healthy" food but it didn't receive a comida basura label).
Tomorrow, a lady from another exchange program is coming to check out the house to see if they would be interested in using Maria and Luis in the future. I should probably pick up my room a little bit before then :)
Hasta luego!
Monday, June 4, 2012
El Corazon Classic
Last night, I went to my first ever professional soccer game! Former players from Real Madrid and Manchester United came together in a friendly match to raise money for Africa. Getting to the game was a bit of a problem because we left the house a little bit later than we wanted. We missed the first train because it was so full of people that no one could get on (also, a mini fight had just broken out on the train). We managed to get in the next train, although we were squished like sardines. Fortunately, we only had to ride that way for one stop and then we were at the stadium.
The stadium was huge and we were near the top of the stands. Fortunately we were in a part that had an awning so we were in the shade. At the beginning, people came in on parachutes carrying the various flags. It was a lot of fun to see! Next, they introduced all of the players (none of whom I was familiar with). The game was a lot of fun to watch even though everyone looked like ants. Real Madrid won, but we didn't stay until the end of the game. All of the players were really friendly to each other and seemed genuinely sorry if they knocked the other player down. I was really glad that I was able to go (Sorry, there are no pictures from the event. I was afraid to take my camera).
Afterwards, we came back to the house to eat dinner. We had chicken fajitas that were delicious! I probably ate a little bit too much before bedtime, but oh well! We talked to for a little bit and had a really nice time.
Today we are all just hanging around the house working on our studies. All of us are fairly tired from the past weekend and didn't feel like doing much of anything. Tomorrow we are taking a walking tour of the city which should be a lot of fun.
Hasta luego!
The stadium was huge and we were near the top of the stands. Fortunately we were in a part that had an awning so we were in the shade. At the beginning, people came in on parachutes carrying the various flags. It was a lot of fun to see! Next, they introduced all of the players (none of whom I was familiar with). The game was a lot of fun to watch even though everyone looked like ants. Real Madrid won, but we didn't stay until the end of the game. All of the players were really friendly to each other and seemed genuinely sorry if they knocked the other player down. I was really glad that I was able to go (Sorry, there are no pictures from the event. I was afraid to take my camera).
Afterwards, we came back to the house to eat dinner. We had chicken fajitas that were delicious! I probably ate a little bit too much before bedtime, but oh well! We talked to for a little bit and had a really nice time.
Today we are all just hanging around the house working on our studies. All of us are fairly tired from the past weekend and didn't feel like doing much of anything. Tomorrow we are taking a walking tour of the city which should be a lot of fun.
Hasta luego!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Sunday morning
Today I went to Catholic Mass here in Spain. I haven't been in probably a good 10 years, and that was for a Confirmation service. I was really confused the whole time, so I just kind of looked around to see what was going on. In Spain, it is mostly just old people and immigrants from Latin America that go to Mass. Almost no young people go anymore because the Church fell out of favor when Franco died (During his reign, the only religion allowed was the Catholic Church). The service was also very short, only 35 minutes (which really surprised me). Although I did have a hard time understanding what the Priest was saying, I still enjoyed going.
Today we are going to have Paella for lunch ( a traditional Spanish food) and then it is time for the soccer game!!!
Today we are going to have Paella for lunch ( a traditional Spanish food) and then it is time for the soccer game!!!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Marcados y IKEA
Hola hola! It is still warm here in Spain, but it is more breezy today. I think there is a good chance that it is going to rain later.
Yesterday, we didn't have school because it was Friday. John and I visited a "mall" that was about 20 minutes away from the house. It was really interesting to see all of the stores that were in the mall. There was a supermarket that had 2 stories worth of goods! There were also some stores that are also in the States like H&M and Hallmark (interesting...) After that, we returned to the house because it was really hot and I just wanted to sleep. We had stuffed eggplant for lunch which was very delicious!
In the evening, we went to a bar called Blanca Paloma that wasn't too far from the house. (Side note: In Spain, bars are not places where people get drunk. They are more like places where people get together to eat appetizers, have a drink and socialize. There are bars everywhere!) There were other Madrilenos there that were trying to learn English. We would talk for 15 minutes in Spanish and then 15 minutes in English. It was an interesting experience...there were a lot of people so it was really hot and really loud. I did enjoy the opportunity to talk to other Spaniards though and I might go back another time. We ate some tapas (appetizers) while we were there as well.
After that, I got back to the house and was able to Skype with my family :) It was kind of late for me, but it was well worth it since I haven't talked to them since I left the States (with the exception of my mom. She has received some emergency phone calls)
Today, Luis and Maria needed to go to IKEA to buy a few things for the house. What an amazing store! I have never been before and I was amazed about everything! Anything you could ever want to buy you can! Maria was getting mad at Luis because he wanted to buy everything, even things that they didn't need. It was kind of comical. :)
After we got done at IKEA, we visited a local market. The market is much different than the supermarkets in the States. There are little places to buy fruit, meat, seafood, etc. You pay the person at each stand. It was a little disconcerting to see an octopus at the seafood stand! We went to another small store to buy things for chocolate chip cookies! (We are going to attempt making them here. It should be interesting because they don't have baking soda or vanilla extract (it's more of a cream). I am excited for this baking adventure!
Tomorrow, a football game and then it is off to classes again!
Hasta luego!
Yesterday, we didn't have school because it was Friday. John and I visited a "mall" that was about 20 minutes away from the house. It was really interesting to see all of the stores that were in the mall. There was a supermarket that had 2 stories worth of goods! There were also some stores that are also in the States like H&M and Hallmark (interesting...) After that, we returned to the house because it was really hot and I just wanted to sleep. We had stuffed eggplant for lunch which was very delicious!
In the evening, we went to a bar called Blanca Paloma that wasn't too far from the house. (Side note: In Spain, bars are not places where people get drunk. They are more like places where people get together to eat appetizers, have a drink and socialize. There are bars everywhere!) There were other Madrilenos there that were trying to learn English. We would talk for 15 minutes in Spanish and then 15 minutes in English. It was an interesting experience...there were a lot of people so it was really hot and really loud. I did enjoy the opportunity to talk to other Spaniards though and I might go back another time. We ate some tapas (appetizers) while we were there as well.
After that, I got back to the house and was able to Skype with my family :) It was kind of late for me, but it was well worth it since I haven't talked to them since I left the States (with the exception of my mom. She has received some emergency phone calls)
Today, Luis and Maria needed to go to IKEA to buy a few things for the house. What an amazing store! I have never been before and I was amazed about everything! Anything you could ever want to buy you can! Maria was getting mad at Luis because he wanted to buy everything, even things that they didn't need. It was kind of comical. :)
After we got done at IKEA, we visited a local market. The market is much different than the supermarkets in the States. There are little places to buy fruit, meat, seafood, etc. You pay the person at each stand. It was a little disconcerting to see an octopus at the seafood stand! We went to another small store to buy things for chocolate chip cookies! (We are going to attempt making them here. It should be interesting because they don't have baking soda or vanilla extract (it's more of a cream). I am excited for this baking adventure!
Tomorrow, a football game and then it is off to classes again!
Hasta luego!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Some observations
During my one week (not even) I have noticed some interesting things that are different in Spain from the United States.
- As I mentioned earlier, the dress is very different. Women usually wear jeans or a dress every day. Shorts are not very common for the women. Also, a lot of women will wear heels everywhere.
- PDA is not a problem here. Many times there are couples making out in the Metro. No one thinks twice about it.
- Students are much more respectful of their professors in class. We aren't supposed to eat, drink or talk during class (probably good rules anyway).
- My host mom has taught me a lot about food customs here. She says that it is bad to eat only 3 meals a day. If you wait too long then you will be ravenous and eat too quickly. Instead, she recommends eating a small meal in between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner.
- The other thing I learned is that there is a perception that air conditioning is bad for your health.
- There are dogs everywhere! People like to take their dogs for walks, without leashes! Fortunately most of the dogs are friendly and well-behaved
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