Weekends, the Warrior Series and Waves: Finding the Yin to my Yang on a Boogieboard

As I begin to settle back into real life, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of routine and its opposite, lighthearted spontaneity. While I would love to characterize myself as a fun-loving and spontaneous free spirit (it just sounds so fun), I recognize that there are some parts of my composure that really dig routine…calendars, to-do lists, my Lily agenda, and don’t even get me started on Post Its. It’s probably a mix of genetics (thanks mom) and a style of living (thanks yoga) that predetermined this notable characteristic; but, the structure has served me well in keeping up with everything I’m involved in, making sure I get things done when my memory fails me, and keeping it simple on days where I may have stayed out a little too late the night before or I have a gargantuan project consuming 99% of my brain power.

Last Monday, I went to staples and bought a black and white wall calendar. It’s poster-sized with lined boxes for each date, exactly the kind of calendar I grew up with that my mom color coded (I was pink, obviously) to keep track of all of the family activities. For a routine-girl like me, putting together a calendar is a particularly exciting event of the month. I pulled out my brightest colored pens, my metallic Sharpies and yes, even my crayons, and began jotting down work schedules, meetings, concerts and trips, some with accompanying illustrations. Half way through coloring in a smiling sun for the summer solstice, I stopped and thought about all this planning and how even though I could make organization fun, lack of structure can sometimes put me on edge. I experienced this exact sensation last weekend on a weekend trip to Ocean City.

As we drove in late Thursday night and breathed the sticky, salty ocean air, we both immediately relaxed. There’s just something about the ocean that brings a sense of peace and tranquility, a magic energy that doesn’t fit into any particular combination of words. It was wonderful to walk into a familiar, comfortable and loving environment and spend time with family. Though the stormy weather raged Friday from dawn to dusk, we could enjoy the ocean breeze from an open window and listen to the melodic rhythm of raindrops and crashing ocean waves. On Saturday, the weather cleared up and we cruised over to the beach. I was excited to finally take a dive into the ocean. Besides a quick dip in the Mediterranean in February and a putting my toes in the water in San Sebastian, I had not been swimming in the giant salt water pool since late August. Because of the passing storm, the waves were strong with a heavy shore break, not to mention strong side currents and a couple of rips. As we got past the breakers and swayed back and forth in the calm water, I enjoyed the moment, succumbing to my minute importance in the expansive waters all around me. It was calm, noiseless, and beautiful. Only me, my board, and the cerulean sky meeting the blue-green water.

And then, I realized it. Only me, tiny me, floating out in the rip tide farther and farther away from shore. My pulse quickened. I could feel my heartbeat move up into my throat. What do I do? Paddle. Yes, Paddle. I paddled and paddled and got back to where I needed to be. Phew! Crisis averted. My pulse returned to a normal rate. And then we went in again, this time I entered the Ocean timidly. I flinched at the crashing waves; I didn’t like that side current and was this cold temperature really necessary? I was fighting the water and I was frustrated that I couldn’t just get out there. I didn’t understand why I was so uncomfortable, why the ocean, something I have been comfortable with since birth, felt incredibly foreign. I got out there and there was no more peace, just an acute awareness of exactly how small I was. The knowledge that sharks lived in this big thing and that I, the blonde in the wetsuit, could very well be shark bait.

The nervousness continued and I decided I had enough of Mr. Atlantic Ocean for the day. I once again fought the rip, quite clumsily I admit, and tried to get back onto shore. Mike came over and tried to push me into a wave so that the ocean could do the work for me, but out of a combination of nervousness, stubbornness and an unwillingness to just trust for one more wave, I fought it, seeing the wave’s potential to toss me around like a t-shirt in the washing machine rather than a source of momentum for guiding me to shore. Rather than accepting the help from the water and the guidance from Mike, I took this anxiousness out on both of them, kicking Mike square in the face before gripping to the board as the very non-threatening wave brought me to the sand. It was a disaster. Not only had I lost my connection with the water, I may or may not have broken a nose (I’m sorry again L ). How had I grown away from something that used to bring such a sense of peace? Where had that connection gone? I had felt it for the first few minutes, but then it went away.  It seemed that as I tried to reclaim that connection with the water, it slipped away faster the more I white-knuckled the sides of that boogie board. I had forgotten than in order to stay connected with the ocean, all I needed to do was let go.

This moment of confusion and stress, though seemingly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, was actually a great reminder about the balance and imbalance that comprise daily life. Through my yoga practice, I have met many teachers that speak about the concept of yin and yang in the body and its consequences on our lifestyle. Yin, the passive and gentle energy is simultaneously connected to, yet opposite of, the active and forceful Yang. These elements are dynamic, constantly moving back and forth to achieve a neutral balance. These elements are in all things and when unbalanced in the body and mind, we can do very unmindful things (like accidentally kick our boyfriends in the nose). Keeping in mind the interconnected importance of these two, however, is important in maintaining an open heart, a positive mind and a healthy perspective.

In yoga, I practice power yoga or vinyasa classes to gain strength and prepare my body for activity, but I would not be able to move into some of these postures without the flexibility that is gained through gentle yin stretching. In this same way, our minds cannot solely be prepared for the activities that are routine to us: those events that we are prepared for would not be the same without unadulterated spontaneity.  The key is to embrace this balance by letting go. While I can enjoy my calendar, my schedule and my routine, it’s important to go with the flow and enjoy those moments when you really just don’t know what is coming up next. That moment may come on a boogie board, in the office, on a road trip or in the yoga studio …and even if it doesn’t have an illustrated description of its time and place on my wall calendar, it is still sacred, important and laden with lessons to be learned about life.

Recent Reflections: Reality after Abroad

In my experience, the old adage “time flies when you are having fun” could not be more accurate. It seems like only a few short, action-packed weeks since my last post, but in reality it has been a few months of deep cultural immersion, wonderful adventures to different countries, great academic strides and professional accomplishments. I have experienced age-old traditions and created new ones with friends and family. I have found yet another new city that I can confidently call home and I have grown on a spiritual and intellectual level at a rate that rivals my 7^th grade, 5-inch growth spurt.

My abroad experience brought a new level of perspective to how I see the world. Over spring break, I experienced Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Sevilla with all of its festive pompadour: the passionate pasos, the outdoor and rainy Palm Sunday mass that brought the entire city to the streets in their Sunday best, the gatherings at the Cathedral and the pride of this Andalusian tradition…all juxtaposed with the tangible air of a Southern Spanish ease so distinct from my central Spanish city. I took a flight north to stay with my crazy, loving, fun and brilliant superwoman cousin Melissa in Oxford where we saw Harry Potter buildings, ate delicious meals at potlucks, shared pints with amazing new friends and I tried my first real plate of fish and chips…oh yeah, and saw the Queen dressed in her signature pastels. That Sunday, I had the most unconventional Easter experience at the Oxford/Cambridge boat race in London (Oxford won, of course)….then attended a ball (yes, the kind Cinderella made famous) that night.

In April, I basked in the Portuguese sun in Lisbon, and witnessed breathtaking views from the tops of mountains at the miradores. I turned 21 in Madrid, and danced the night away with old best friends and new ones. I saw Northern Spain and witnessed the strikingly peaceful beauty in the Basque region. In Bilbao, I marveled at Walt Disney’s collaborative effort to construct a Guggenheim with warped walls that can only be described as out of this world. I experienced San Sebastian and understand how one of the world’s most beautiful beaches can’t quite be captured on camera.

My last month, May, was an absolute whirlwind that I am still trying to process. The first week of May brought four exams, the submission of a 15 page research paper and an accompanying oral presentation about where I think the future of journalism is headed. For the first time, I approached these Spanish exams with a confident understanding of the language. I had been eating, breathing and sleeping Spanish and journalism for the past four months and through periods of deep thought, reflection, frustration and discovery, I had developed a new perspective on how I saw journalism in the modern world, not just in a one-dimensional –American-capitalistic context. This new definition tied in  elements of citizen participation, the validation of social media as a means to communicate valuable information, the possibility that longstanding institutions like El País and the New York Times may not be the powerhouses that they were ten years ago, and the hope that this type of journalism incorporates a newfound sense of ethics distinct from the modern business format. There is no answer for exactly where the future of journalism will be, but rather than becoming anxious and doubtful, I see this void as an opportunity for the introduction of an innovative model that is progressive, living and will develop with the generation that creates it. With this hopeful conclusion, I took my last set of exams, turned in my portfolio and stated my case in an oral presentation. I had officially concluded the academics of my junior year!

This conclusion brought me to the simultaneously wistful and exciting time of my last week and a half in Spain. I was extremely excited because Mike was on his way to visit me and explore Madrid and Barcelona. We were traveling with some of my best friends from abroad and I was grateful for the opportunity to share this time with some of my favorite people in the world. After an early morning airport pickup, I played tour guide as we picked up bocadillos and picnicked in Retiro. Later in the afternoon, we ran into friends near the lake and sipped on cañas in the beautiful afternoon sun. It was a perfect day in Madrid.

The next morning, we journeyed to Barcelona to spend the weekend. We took Vueling and I have to say it was the hippest airline I have ever flown! As we took off and landed, we were soothed by the gentle melodies of Bon Iver and the airline’s magazine boasted many interesting articles. It was incredible to see Gaudi’s architecture up close and spend our afternoons on the beach. We got a taste of the city’s famous nightlife and casually sipped on cocktails with royals (no seriously, that happened). We returned home tired, sunburnt and with a little bit of resaca…all signs of successful weekend in this beloved Spanish city.

My last few days in Madrid were overcast and cold, atypical for mid-May, but the perfect kind of weather for museum hopping! Luckily, there was a new Dali exhibit at the Reina Sofia that I had wanted to see and it was well worth it. The Persistence of Memory gave me the same star struck feeling I had experienced with artwork in the past, but this time, the intensity was similar to sitting down for coffee with Bradley Cooper (okay, maybe a little less exciting, but you can understand the visual). Dalí’s eccentric and creative style builds off of so many different element; a person could spend hours staring at the same work of art without noticing the intricate details woven throughout. I left the exhibit utterly impressed and with a mind full of whimsical, magical and bizarre imagery. When the sun peaked out for a few hours in the afternoon, we stopped for an afternoon snack of chocolate con churros and revisited some of my favorite plazas in Madrid. In Plaza de España, Mike and I stood gaping at the street performers for probably too long, him in pure intrigue and me in, well, sheer terror (something about clowns still freaks me out). You can gage your own reaction here in the video we found a few days later. Despite the dismal grey and icy chill in the air (and spattering of extremely unseasonable hail), I still managed to have some very warm goodbyes with new friends that have made a lasting impression on my life. As we sipped Oreo-fudge milkshakes and laughed about the crazy, exciting, meaningful and ridiculous things we were a part of that spring semester, we couldn’t help but smile. It was a sad goodbye, but  also celebratory: knowing that we did the semester right, and although we will always love the city, this experience was coming to a close. From this point forward, this chapter of our lives would forever be stored away in our hearts as a beautiful memory.

As I left Madrid, I held on to this mindset. Through this semester I learned so much about parts of the world that I have never experienced before, I learned how to be flexible and patient with communication, I developed a greater appetite for adventure (…and croquettas) and simultaneously developed gratefulness for the vivacity, love and excitement within my life at home. I was prepared to experience a sort of “reverse culture shock” while adjusting back to life in the US, but so far I have been able to see with a lens of appreciation.  I was lucky enough to return to the U.S. for a Memorial Day celebration in Nantucket that was filled with so much laughter and so many smiles that I didn’t have time to be sad. I returned to Rhode Island and spent a week with family relaxing and enjoying the beach before returning to “real life” the following week.

On Sunday, I moved into my Barbie Dreamhouse, the home that I will share with 6 beautiful friends for my senior year at Providence College. I also started an on campus position in the Center for International Studies (i.e.: Study Abroad Office). I absolutely love my job and I have been thoroughly enjoying updating social media accounts, making posters with beautiful pictures from all over the world, putting together informational packets based on my experiences and preparing to share this experience with other students in the next few months or so. I also began a social media management position for a small tutoring company called Academic Advantage. This company offers tutoring services, academic planning and testing prep for elementary and high school students. All of the tutors are extremely well qualified, many times certified teachers or individuals with graduate degrees in the material they tutor. The director, Rick Deutsch, has been working in education for more than 30 years and is a pleasure to work with.  I’m so excited for both of these opportunities and the valuable professional experience that I will gain through the next few months!

Today, I stumbled upon this quote, by the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharial Nehru, that basically summarizes exactly how I feel studying abroad has amplified my world view:

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

Keeping my eyes wide open and searching for the charming beauty of everyday adventures, I start my summer with a sense of accomplishment, a newfound understanding, and unadulterated excitement for the experiences ahead.

Rain and the Reina

a view from one of my at home study spaces

Hello and Happy Father’s Day from Spain! Yes, fathers, here in Spain your day is a national holiday and everyone has the day off…cool right? I write this post after a relaxing long weekend in Madrid. I had quite a few assignments to complete before the long-awaited descanso de Semana Santa, so I figured I would take this weekend to be productive so that my daydreaming of tapas on the coast and Big Ben would not hinder my academic pursuits. The weather throughout the weekend was inconsistent: days that were of beautiful warm sunshine and a few that were dismal, cold and wet. Honestly, I was glad for the variation. It was just enough sunshine for a few afternoon runs, and just enough rain to keep me focused on my literature essay.

The rainy weather also provided plenty of time for reflection at just about the mid-point of my study abroad experience. I really can’t believe that I have been here for two months…it has absolutely flown by! But as I think about how much my Spanish has improved, the wonderful friendships that I have made, the wealth of information I have learned about Spanish culture, this capital city and oh yeah, about myself, I can see how these two months have been anything and everything than unproductive. I didn’t truly understand what the students who returned from study abroad meant when they said your study abroad experience being a total transformation…now I get it!
The weekend studying did not stop me from enjoying the city with a few ridiculously gorgeous runs through Retiro…seriously, this may be my favorite place in Madrid and the light at sunset makes the whole thing just that much more magical. On Sunday, I decided to do a bit of rainy day exploring with fellow CIEE student and blogger, Julia. We started our expedition at Museo del Traje, a bit peculiar, but interesting museum in the Moncloa neighborhood of Madrid. The museum, which as its title suggests is filled with clothing and costume of various time periods and styles, opened in 1925 as a museum of royal garb. Since then it has come to hold Spanish fashion from many eras ranging from a gown worn by la Infanta Isabella, to a Jean Paul Gaultier suit circa early 2000s (read: wetsuit/paisly/zipper millenial disaster). It is interesting to look at fashion as a lens for documenting history. Though the styles varied greatly, Julia and I both kept saying “that’s coming back!.” The portion of the exhibit I found most interesting was a slideshow that documented the trends with “waists” from the 19^th century to the present times. From the itty bitty waists of the late 1800s, to the waistless gowns of the 1920’s, to the peplum style 1950’s (look what’s back!) and the drop waist 2000’s, this measurement was a key to defining the structure of style.

After our walk through the runways of a few centuries, we made our way over to the Reina Sofia. Embarrassing fact: I have lived in Madrid and I have not been to this grandiose contemporary art museum. A museum that is just a block away from my apartment. And free. (In truth, I have attempted to study at the museum’s library before, but every time I needed a library to study in, it was closed…the hours of Spanish libraries is something I will never understand!) Deciding to not let this ridiculousness exist for yet another day, we made our way over to the giant red-tiled edifice and entered a complex that is even bigger than it looks from the outside! A bit of history on the place, the building was originally San Carlos Hospital, founded in the 16^th century by King Felipe II. After many years of changing hands, the museum opened in 1986 and was expanded again in 2005. The building itself is as much a comprehensive work of art as it the pieces within it. I look forward to spending more time wandering around this place. After we rose to the second floor in the glass elevators facing a plaza square, we made our way through a series of contemporary collections from the surrealist, Dadaist and cubist movements, finishing in front of the piece we were most excited to see: Picasso’s “Guernica.”

a Dalí and Guernica in postcard form

Seeing a painting as iconic as this in real life is hard to put into words. After studying so many of its minute details, its symbolic and pacifistic elements that lie within the violent turmoil…. it is almost like being in the presence of a celebrity crush and knowing more or less every film that they are in, except you also have the feeling that you are seeing in real life a piece of history, something timeless that will have an impact beyond your lifetime. It’s a truly exhilarating feeling and one of my favorite parts of the study abroad experience thus far. After just a tour of the second floor, we were utterly exhausted (analyzing artwork is hard work you know! Oh, the troubles of study abroad…) and decided to conquer the third and fourth floors on another day, so more Reina very soon.

This is a short week, and before I know it I will be journeying to Sevilla and then off to London for Easter…if I make it to the Reina Library this week during an hour that the Spanish study, I’ll be sure to check back in.

Fairytale Weekends

no matter how your heart is grieving, if you just keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true

It was yet another busy week in Madrid as students, professors, professionals scramble to finish exams, papers and projects before springtime, sunshine and Semana Santa limit our planning abilities to long walks in the park, weekend trips to the beach and strawberry-gelato-runs after dinner. Fortunately for my very wild imagination, this week Madrid was cold, rainy and dismal, which made studying just a bit more appealing than running around Retiro. The rain also brought a great time for reflection on what I have learned, seen and experienced in this first half of a semester abroad and what I am looking forward to during the remainder of my time here.

This week, I have been preparing for the final presentation that accompanies my internship. Along with our internship credit hours, students must prepare a 15-page paper on the research topic of their choice and explain their findings to a small interested audience in a 20-minute oral presentation. Although at first glance, I was entirely overwhelmed by this idea, I realized that this type of preparation, especially in Spanish, is truly invaluable for my research skills, professional career, and bettering my vocabulary and fluency. Although I must admit that this week the ominousness got to me, I also realized how much I’ve learned and grown from this internship in just two months and how the lessons I have learned within this sector of my abroad experience have already begun to shape where I see myself professionally in the future.

Once the workweek came to a close, it came time to explore this city I call home. A couple friends and I were interested in seeing Matadero Madrid, a former slaughterhouse that has been converted to a center for music, art, design and film in the past half a decade. There are a number of exhibitions, theaters, music venues and libraries to peruse and explore within the sprawling space. Recently, Matadero has been connected to the path alongside the river so that during weekends, creative arts aficionados can take a break from a bike ride along the shore for peak into this collective space. When get got to the Madatero, however, it was rainy and worse yet closed (not to self, check opening times on weekends, oops!), so we decided it would be best to return on another spring weekend, perhaps after a rollerblading by the river…that will be an adventure worth writing about!

About a month ago, the same group of girls and I stopped into the Thyssen-Bornemisza art museum for the Cartier exhibit. While we were there, we really did not get to see a large part of the permanent collection, so we decided to return and check out what we missed. I was pleased with this idea, especially since my museum attendance in Madrid has been embarrassingly low thus far! We started in the temporary exhibit Impressionism and Open-Air Painting: From Corot to Van Gogh that absolutely blew me away. I had no idea that I would have such a connection to this type of art, but as we meandered through the exhibit rooms, I was totally enraptured by Rousseau’s “Study of Rocks and Trees”, Gustave Courbet’s “The wave” and Van Gogh’s “The Stevedores in Arles.” I think I was most intrigued by the idea of using the natural world as a subject for unparalleled artistic expression. Above some of the paintings (I believe in the landscapes room) an excerpt of one of Van Gogh’s letters to Emile Bernard, circa 1888, caught my undivided attention. It read:

“Others may have more clarity of mind than I for abstract studies…I’m still living off the real world. I engage it, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still don’t invent the whole of the painting; on the contrary, I find it ready made, but to be untangled in the real world.”

This idea of “untangling” a masterpiece from the real world really spoke to me during this visit. As a global studies student, living in a country where political conflict and protest has become more or less a thing of daily  life, my optimistic mentality has been hit with some pretty debilitating blows. While it is true that yes, the world can look pretty tangled: full of corruption, of sadness, of injustices, of pollution, of commercialization, of industrialization, you name it, there is still some salvaging hope for a masterpiece once the complications of life are untangled. The difficult thing is that creative minds cannot be dissuaded by the “knotty” reality, but rather view it as a puzzle, something that must be sorted out in a totally original manner in order to bring forth solutions that the future will regard as inventive masterpieces!

After my surprise moment of optimistic enlightenment, we stopped into the Thyssen’s café for a renewal of caffeinated energy. The dining space is just as beautiful as museum itself and the coffee tasted exceptional! We could not have picked a better place to spend a rainy day in the city. After our coffee break, we toured through the permanent collection, yet another goose-bump-inducing experience…note to self, I have to do this museum thing more often!

Last time I was here, I saw my first Dalí entitled “Dream caused by the flight of a bee around a pomegranate a second before waking up” (gotta love those surrealist titles ). This time we saw, Degas’ 1879 “Dancer in Green”, Jean Metzinger’s “Bathers” (1905) and Edward Hopper’s “Hotel Room” (1931) among other works by Georgia O’Keefe, Pablo Picasso and Richard Estes….maybe you’ve heard of them? Although not the most famous collection in Madrid, the Thyssen is truly vale la pena for every visitor of this city.

I found yet another quote, this time by Baroness Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza that spoke about the “remarkable capacity that works of art have to move and unite human beings.” I could not be more in agreement with this idea and as I sipped a glass of white wine that night with friends, talking about how much we loved our Friday, our friendships and the fact that we LIVE here, I felt that capacity in action.

Segovia on Saturday

The following morning, we awoke early for the trip to Segovia. Segovia is a small town located just about an hour outside of Madrid and is home to 36 Roman churches, an impressive Roman Aqueduct, one of the last Gothic cathedrals built in Spain, and perhaps most famously (okay, what I was most excited to see) the Alcazar de Segovia that the construction of Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle is based on. N.B. : the Cinderella castle is the castle at the center of the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Construction of the Cinderella castle at Disneyworld was completed in 1971, and is more than 100 feet taller than the Sleeping Beauty Castle located at the original Disneyland in California (based on the Neuschwanstein Castle castle in Bavaria, Germany, for those who are interested). Being an unapologetic Disney princess aficionado, I was beyond thrilled to see this city and visit the castle of a Disney princess.

We began our tour at the bus stop with a cup of café and a piece of bizcocho, or sponge cake (a typical Madrileña breakfast, I was told), before starting our tour of the town. We began at a church in the Barrio de las Brujas. Interestingly, because the towns in this old city hold so many churches, the barrios are traditionally named after the church in its center. This church was constructed in Romanesque architectural style, complete with tall apses on both ends. The spooky barrio name is not due to any sort of haunted nature of the church’s edifice, however, but rather in reference to the women of this area who would wear black dresses and hats when they went to mass on Sundays. When the wind passed through the church’s plaza, the women would look like witches casting spells among the town’s inhabitants.

We then ventured to the Aqueducts of Segovia. These aqueducts are some of the most well preserved ancient structures that remain on the Iberian Peninsula. Although we observed just a small portion of the structure from Plaza Azoguejo, the aqueduct extends for about 16km in its entirety. Its construction of granite blocks carefully arranged in a pattern to sustain tons and tons of weight (oh yeah, and moving water) is an incredible sight to see from below. At its tallest, the aqueduct is 28.5 meters tall (almost 100ft). I was most intrigued by the many arches constructed with the same heavy granite blocks that make up the pillars….how the Roman’s managed to formulate that architectural plan, build the aqueduct to such height and keep it functioning for the length of an empire is beyond me…maybe we should start looking for creative solutions to global change with them…or learn from their mistakes (just a thought!).

We then walked over to a part of the city with incredible views of the mountain range that separates Segovia from Madrid. The mountain range, called la mujer muerta (or the dead woman), has a few legendary stories defining its origin. One speaks of two sons of a chief fighting for the power to rule. The mother of these two warriors did not want to witness the fratricidal battle and instead sacrificed her life for peace in the kingdom. After she died, the gods created a mountain range in the distance in the shape of her body. Once the brothers saw this and realized the sacrificial act of love of their mother, they stopped fighting and peace resumed. It is said that at 6pm each night, the two brothers send kisses down to their mother in the form of a cloud that drops down to touch one of the peaks.

Behind this stunning vista is a very interesting building known as Casa de los Picos, although the origin is not known for sure, a plausible story says that the home was owned by a rich Moor. Rather than being known for this, at that time, derogatory title, the owner changed it to Casa de los Picos, a definition based on the architecture, not necessarily the owner’s background. We then passed by the Cathedral, a truly magnificent and almost magical structure that, as I mentioned before, is one of the last Gothic cathedrals constructed in Spain.

And finally, we made it to Alcazar de Segovia! The castle, the moat, the romantic gardens and the spectacular views make you feel like Prince Charming is waiting just around the corner! The castle is constructed on a point above the Eresma and Clamores rivers and this nautical proximity is tied into the castle’s construction through its shape: a construction that looks very much like the bow of a ship. It was originally built by Arabs as a fortress in the early 1100s and soon became the residence of Castilian monarchs of the region. Each king that lived in this castle added to its structure, creating the grandeur that stands today.

One very important historical fact about this castle is that it served as a fortress for then princess Isabella, who was crowned here on December 13, 1474 as Isabella I of Castile. This coronation is depicted in a painting inside the castle in a super creepy manner (so much folklore in this city!). The work depicts Queen Isabella proceeding into the streets with the townspeople surrounding her. Although it looks like an encapsulation of any historical event might look, it lacks one minor detail…. not one person has eyes! This is because Isabella was crowned queen on December 13, the day of St. Lucia, patron saint of vision. The  artist chose to remove vision of his subjects, just as the royal court removed any sort of remembrance of this saint on the day that this powerful woman was brought into power.

Later we looked at the royal bedroom, a museum of armor, and a number of great rooms where the royals would hold meetings with their subjects and contemporaries. I was most impressed by the room with two thrones and a banner above with the motto of los Reyes Catolicos (Isabella and her husband Ferdinand) “Tanto Monta” which means basically “they amount to the same” or “equal opposites in balance,” confirming the fact that the two monarchs ruled their kingdoms with equal joint power. We then climbed the 157 stair tower to the top of the castle where we witnessed ridiculously stunning views of the cathedral, the valley and the city buildings below…seriously, where was Prince Charming and his fleet of musicians to serenade me and present me with the glass slipper?

We concluded our trip with a lunch at a local restaurant, where one of my friends tried the food Segovia is most known for: cochanillo. What may you ask, is this food? Cochanillo is suckling pig, or baby pig not yet weaned from its mother that is roasted in its entirety and served on a large plate, usually for large social gatherings. While the concept of eating a baby pig did sort of freak me out at first (hello? baby Wilbur!) I did try it and found the meat rich and delicious and the crunchy skin much more appetizing than I thought it would be. While I don’t plan on making a habit out of eating this type of food, it was certainly an experience worth having.  I also tried the traditional Segovian dessert, called tarta de ponche, which basically just tasted like a marzipan-coated cake. Not anything to write home about (figuratively speaking, since I guess literally I am) but again, worth the experience. On the bus ride home, exhausted from an action-packed day, I took a quick nap, and if I’m being honest, tuning into the Disney princess soundtracks on my iPod most of the way home…what can I say, You can take the girl out of the castle, but she’ll still be a princess (yes, I know, corny…but accurate )

After a weekend that I did not think could get any more wonderful, I had a surprise visit today from one of my best friends from Providence, Kaitlin! It was so wonderful to meet up and talk about our new Spanish adventures over a glass of wine. Although we didn’t have long to catch up, it was wonderful to have a quick conversation and see a familiar face after such a long time. As we casually exchanged words in English transitioning into Spanish, transitioning back into English, it was clear that the both of us have already learned and grown so much.

In the second half of this trip (SO crazy that we have already been here two months!), I am excited for new adventures in Madrid, warm weather, St. Patrick’s Day at Irish bars in Spain (a distinct experience of globalization), my twenty-first birthday, trips to other countries and along the Spanish coastlines, yoga in Retiro and Sunday afternoon walks…. wow, this place really is a dream come true.

A REALLY big, REALLY important, REALLY cool, REALLY awesome blog post

just a quick dip in the Mediterranean

Dear blogging world,

I am sorry I have been so absent over the past few weeks! I have been a very busy girl doing some pretty exciting  things, if I do say so myself, and I plan on sharing every one of those things with you! So brace yourselves for a very descriptive and very long recap of what in the world has happened over the past few weeks. It has certainly been a collection of experiences for the books and validates the fact that, yes, study abroad is a time of extremely fortunate opportunity.

I guess we’ll start with a few weekends ago! I decided to actually embrace the madrugada (or the early morning…okay, it was 9:30am, but this is improvement!) and explore the city on a Saturday morning rather than wallowing in bed until 1:30pm (see, told you, improvement). I met up with a fellow PC/CIEE student in Sol and we made our way to Parque Oeste.

I’m not really sure how we arrived at the part from the subway stop, but we somehow found ourselves in front of a pyramid that looked as though it was constructed in Ancient Egypt and looked completely out-of-place in a romantic Spanish park. As we got closer, our assumptions about this ancient structure proved correct. Templo de Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple that was rebuilt within Parque Oeste in Madrid. The temple was originally constructed 200 BC on the Nile River and dedicated to the Egyptian sun-god Amun. After it was discovered in the sixties, Spanish archeologists aided in its preservation and it was thus gifted to the country, rebuilt in Parque Oeste in the early seventies and opened to the public in 1972. In an era when ancient Egyptian culture was super guay (very cool), I imagine this was a popular site in its first years of opening. As one of only a few examples of ancient Egyptian architecture outside of Egypt, this temple still hosts a number of visitors today.

After a quick tour of the interior and a few pictures outside, we continued deeper into the park, making our way through a maze of morphed trees and a series of stone pathways before stumbling upon yet another marvel within this park. For those of you thinking about visiting Madrid, be sure to block a large part of your day to exploring this amazing place. We walked into a plaza with hundreds and hundreds of rose bushes arranged in an ornate pattern. Because it is February, essentially the dead of winter here in Madrid, all the roses were cut back so all we saw was an array of thorny, stubby branches. However, thanks to years and years of experiences with rose bushes in my backyard (thanks Mom) I know that a good job cutting back the roses means beautiful blooms come springtime. Count on an obscene amount of photos come April. We proceeded to make our way back to the city to have lunch and after that I made my way to Vera’s hockey game.

A word about my host-sister: she may be the coolest, spunkiest, most self-confident, and funniest eleven year old I have ever met. She plays the harp, hockey and writes really cool stories in English. She always pokes fun at me, which puts her in exactly the same club as my real siblings (so don’t worry guys). We read the Brother’s Grimm fairy tales together every week. She taught me how to make rosquillas (more on that later). We play hangman with English and Spanish words after dinner. Basically she rocks. Anyway, I went to her roller hockey game and she absolutely killed it with a couple of assists and a few turnovers. We drove home exchanging highlights of the game and eating delicious ham and cheese bocadillos (sandwiches). I must admit, it has been fun to live in a house again; complete with sibling silliness and weekend sports outings…some things are the same regardless of their language.

The school week began and I continued to flow with the pattern that has become so familiar to me over the past few weeks. But then Tuesday rolled around, I arrived at El País, and all things started to take a very exciting turn. I exchanged hellos, sat down and logged in and began my task of uploading articles. Tuesday was all about horsemeat, and I spent a large part of the early afternoon envisioning some frankly disturbing images. For those who don’t think we need a revolution in food production, I hope you don’t mind the idea of horse-meatballs….that are possibly laced with horse tranquilizers (I can see the headline now: Special K on the rise, and we’re not talking the cereal). For those of you that do, I suggest discarding your cans of Chef Boyardee pronto.

After I posted that oh so appetizing article, my boss James asked me if I had any article ideas. I had always known the opportunity to publish articles was a part of the internship description, but I thought that this option would come much later in the semester, not just three weeks in. I briefly mentioned something about how Fashion Week was going on in Madrid, and my boss asked me if I would like to cover it. I’m not sure if it was just in my head, or if it actually happened, but I am almost positive my jaw dropped as I simultaneously said yes and began to look up the dossier for this years spectacle. Since I was only one day behind on coverage, I got right to looking up possible trends from this years show and how the economic crisis has influenced the development of designer’s visions. Three hours and a little over 700 words later, was my very first article to be published to El País. That still doesn’t seem real when I type it. Later that night, thanks to my hyper-excitement and a handful of very supportive family and friends, my article went a bit viral throughout my social media pages. For those of you that have taken a look, thank you! I really appreciate all the feedback and support. For those of you curious individuals who haven’t, you can access it here. The feeling of accomplishment was absolutely indescribable but I was very glad for the opportunity to write anything, better yet something I have a significant interest in.

After he read through the draft, James advised me to keep up with the trends because it would be very likely that I would be able to write a summary on Thursday that would go in the paper. As promised, Thursday rolled around and I was asked if I would like to write the article for page 8, since it was open (that sounded so cool!). I had just a few hours to elaborate on the show and take it from a new angle. I chose an optimistic one that incorporated the idea that although, yes, the economy is suffering, all hope is not lost as designers make a claim for their work in the fashion industry as artists and suggest that solutions can be found in creativity. I think this sentiment is extremely important to take note of, especially when I am considering journalism’s place in my and my generation’s future. Creative solutions in art, fashion, economy, public transit, you name it, are needed in today’s changing world. As a journalist, I want to share these stories of hope and positivity, regardless of what my topic is.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon meeting with the photography department and choosing the best shots that would compliment my article, which was so much fun, especially since most of the world had not laid eyes on these images quite yet. For those of you with an interest in Spanish designers, I recommend looking up the designs from María Barros, davidelfin, and Agatha Ruiz de la Prada featured in this years show.

my first article in print!

As if the week needed to get ANY better, when I got home from my internship, I began packing for my first weekend adventure! This weekend, the CIEE group was making our way to Palma de Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean for a weekend of ocean front fun. I left Madrid at 6am Friday morning with a few friends (ironically, I have come back from going out at around this time with these same people just a few weeks prior…can’t seem to maintain a consistent sleeping schedule here). We arrived at the airport and it dawned on me that this was Friday morning!! Still half asleep, I ran to the paper kiosk and purchased the Friday edition of the International Herald Tribune with El País, and lo and behold, page 8 boasted my witty-alliteration-title (at least I thought so) and my name as the author of the piece! Even though I love words, there really aren’t any completely sufficient to describe what I feel about being published. I am very thankful for my incredible placement by the CIEE staff and the confidence of my bosses in my writing abilities. I am proud of myself for choosing creative and optimistic angles on stories the world wants to hear!

Friday’s sunset in Palma

Palma was amazing. Without boring you with the many factoids I was happy to learn through the weekend (or cause you great distress by writing yet another four page description of the weekend), I will give you a quick summary of the main highlights (okay, I’ll try to make it short! Like I said, I just love words!)

• 6A.M. wakeup times don’t suck as bad when you have great company. I’m really lucky to have made such wonderful friends in my program and I am so glad I got the opportunity to know some of them better through the weekend. Everyone has such unique beautiful reasons as to why they are studying in Madrid. Basically my obsession with the people involved in my study program has reached a whole new level of creepy-in-a-good-way (…I hope )

• 

  view from our hostal’s rooftop balcony (hostal apuntadores)

  The Cathedral is absolutely stunning! Our hostel’s rooftop balcony boasted a great view of the cathedral and coast line and we definitely soaked in the vista day and night.

  

  cathedral’s entrance

  The cathedral has been called “a ship of stone anchored by the sea” and the combination of nautical playfulness and magical prestige make it a must see. My favorite elements of the structure were the sea-facing Portal de Mirador, the Dali installation above the altar and the right apse chapel that boasts a ceramic mural by architect Miquel Barceló designed to represent Jesus’ presence in the land and the sea. I could go on about this place for days…if you visit, check out the ceiling…look for the mermaids!

• After touring the cathedral, we went to the sea-front fortress, the castle used for official greetings of welcome to the island. Past visitors include catholic cardinals and an American named Bill Clinton, maybe you’ve heard of him? The fortress is filled with beautiful Flemish tapestries and some pretty cool views of the water. After our indoor tour, we were released to balcony. Contrary to the predicted weather reports for the weekend, Friday was sunny, high sixties and beautiful. So beautiful that when we ended the tour, a group of students and I made our way down to the beach…which brings me to the craziest, probably most fun part of the whole weekend.
• WE JUMPED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN OCEAN, WITH OUR CLOTHES ON!!! Once we made it to the shore, a group of boys seized the opportunity to take a quick dip in the Mediterranean during our afternoon of sunshine. As I jealously watched them sprint towards the water’s edge, my friend Jane convinced me to follow and the two of us began hightailing it for the waves. SO WORTH IT. I prefer to describe it as crisp over frost-bite-inducing-chillly, and really it wasn’t that much worse than Polar Plunges I have tried in San Diego. Again, so worth it.  Especially considering the rain that followed the next few days.
• Saturday we visited the house and museum of Joan Miró in Mallorca. The artist spent some time on this wonderful island and created some of his most memorable work. I spend my morning staring at giant untitled murals and sculptures trying to find meaning within the emotion. The cerebral mornings in the rain definitely appealed to my less-than-shy inner nerd.
• The afternoon was filled with an exciting bike-ride along the coast! The scene was absolutely stunning, and in a way, reminded me of my home state: pine trees in the mountains just a few miles from a rocky shoreline. The water, I must admit is a much more brilliant shade of blue, but it was nice to be outside in the fresh air by the water for a weekend and definitely reaffirms the fact that although I love city living, I am a beach baby at heart.
• Sunday we explored some of the cities on the northern side of the island, leaving just enough time to visit a cemetery that holds the body of British poet Robert Graves and stop for a café y coca…no not cocaine, but coca mallorquina, a bread that tasted a lot like Hawaiian sweet rolls (that doesn’t mean the coca jokes weren’t told and laughed at). I found these towns charming, and places I can definitely see myself returning to later in life.

Once Monday rolled around, I was thoroughly exhausted, but so grateful for the adventure than I had the past weekend. I faced a week full of midterms and exams, and I was beginning to stress out, that is until Vera stepped in and saved the day. Just as I was planning on making yet another cup of coffee to get me through the day, Vera began collecting ingredients to cook up a batch of rosquillas (did I forget to mention she cooks too?). What, may you ask, are rosquillas? Well more than my favorite new sweet treat, they are a traditional Spanish donut made with lemon zest, anise liquor and olive oil. Rather than having the processed, heavy feel of a regular donut, they are surprisingly light while still being incredibly rich. Very patiently, Vera showed me how to roll out the dough, create the perfect donut shape, and cook them to perfection. Our tandem baking experience turned out to be a raging success and I have been enjoying the sweet treats with tea as I study for this weeks exams. I can’t believe it is nearly March! The time has absolutely flown by, but the adventures amazingly STILL continue.

This weekend I’m hoping to do a little more exploring in my home city. I’ll check in SOON after that! Chao for now!

P.S…like the new layout?? More fun technological advances coming soon

this week’s thoughts

Let’s start today with a picture from the Toledo trip! Beautiful place with beautiful people!

This week was a great one. As classrooms continued to get easier to find, the lines of the metro seemed less like a jumbled swirl of colors and numbers, and my reactionary Spanish started to include a few more “vale”s, I knew that I was getting the hang of this whole Spain thing.

Thursday marked the first day that I realized the magnitude of my internship. Right as I was leaving, some gossip spread down to our department that Gael Garcia Bernal was in the office for an interview. Like the star-struck fan that I am, I immediately lit up and peaked upstairs to have a look for myself.

Unfortunately he was in an interview, so no time for an introduction, but as I was leaving the office, guess who was just three feet in front of me? And guess who could only manage an
awkward smile and shy wave? As he walked away, I was half proud that I didn’t go crazy and tell him how big of a fan I was and beg for that oh-so-stereotypical picture…but also half ashamed! I could have asked for an interview AND a picture! Oh well, I at least learned two new journalist rules that day: #1 Being star-struck prohibits you from thinking on your feet, so its better to just ignore the sensation if possible and #2 always be prepared for a photo!

But Friday was really a very wonderful day, because I woke up and for the first time, Madrid really felt like home. That morning, I went for a run in Retiro, essentially the central park of Madrid that is absolutely gorgeous and takes you back to a time somewhere during the 18^th century. I went again Saturday morning and saw even more of the breathtaking park. It is amazing what is inside of the park’s gates; it is so easy to get lost exploring and visiting the many buildings, statues, lakes and gardens…with the close proximity and thousands of running trails to discover, I’m most definitely making that trip a weekly occurrence.

Mexican Actress María Félix’s diamond snake necklace at the Cartier exhibit

I finished my run and returned home to my new favorite lunch time meal, arroz a la cubana, which is essentially rice, a simple tomato sauce and poached eggs all mixed together. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get enough of this dish…maybe its because I’m subconsciously missing American breakfasts, or maybe its just because Rosa is a pretty exceptional cook. After lunch, I met up with a few friends and visited the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. This museum is not the most popular in Madrid, but it is certainly worth visiting. It is a private collection filled with priceless pieces in the permanent collection, and also boasts incredible installations. We were there to see the Art of Cartier exhibit, a presentation of some of the companies oldest and most exquisite pieces. The spectacle truly lived up to its name, showing gorgeous tiaras, art-deco lipstick cases covered in emeralds, rubies and black onyx, and brooches made with Egyptian stone from the centuries before Christ. My favorite section of the exhibit presented a piece or pieces of jewelry with images of their owners displayed just above. Images of a beaming Grace Kelly and her gargantuan engagement ring were accompanied by the real thing (and fyi, it looks just as huge in person). Another display showed a video of a young Elizabeth Taylor laying by the pool and trying on pieces of jewelry gifted to her by one of her “many enamored husbands” (direct quote from the display)….very very cool.

Later that night, we headed to a wine tasting in Chueca and although I couldn’t understand all that our teacher was saying, I did learn a few cool things about evaluating wine. It’s amazing to think that a type of drink has so many different factors to determine quality and taste: color, smell, clarity and exposure to oxygen are all integral parts of the wine tasting experience. We tried a 2012 white, for example, which tasted completely different from the same type from 2009! I’m sure a part of my piqued interest had to do with the fact that wine has such an influential role in my family history, but I’m definitely glad I made it to this event. I left with a better grasp of wine evaluation…and a growing curiosity to learn even more.

This weekend marked the start of Carnaval in Madrid. For those of you unfamiliar, Carnaval is the weeklong party right before Lent. It has roots in pagan festivals as well and is basically a week of parades and parties with crazy costumes. I went to the Carnaval parade with Rosa and another host family and for Madrid “not being a great place to be during Carnaval” I had a great time and really enjoyed the cultural dances, floats and most of all a fantastic firework show at Plaza Cibeles later in the night…the show was accompanied by music from Verdi’s Triumphal March in Aida…I’m going to try to upload a video!

Dragon float in the Carnaval parade

Fireworks at Plaza Cibeles

As I spend more time here, I’m starting to evaluate everything that is going on as I observe. My classes in journalism are presenting some pretty daunting statistics about the future of the profession and the ways that online media have shaped a part of globalization that it is great for some things, and horrible for others. I’m really glad that I have had the opportunity to see this from the Spanish context, because in the United States, I feel like we don’t feel the issue in the same way. I don’t know how to word it other than that at the present moment (perhaps more classes will bring more clarity), but the idea of individualism just isn’t is prevalent here. Even within my studies, we consider perspectives of many countries, rather than just the most prevalent. I am also noticing how my ability to speak English is both respected and looked down upon. In posts later this week I’ll delve more into this complication, and begin using my blog for a space bigger than simply a travel blog (although, don’t worry, plenty of that will still be happening). Have a wonderful week!

P.S.— As the warmer months are just around the corner and I am beginning to have my bearings here in Madrid, I’m starting to plan some weekend trips…if anyone has any “must sees” in and around Spain, please comment on this post!

social media and medieval cities

Happy Sunday! This week was wonderfully eventful and my first trip outside the city was a success. The school week closed with a finalization of the classes I’m taking and the start of my internship. This semester I am taking courses through the center for international studies and a direct enrollment course. All courses are taught in Spanish; the only difference is that my CEH classes (Cursos Estudios Hispanicos) are with other American students where as my direct enrollment is with other Spanish students at the university. My direct enrollment class, entitled Participation of Civil Society on the Internet, seems super exciting and interesting, but it definitely will require more focus and attention than my other classes. My Hispanic Literature Journalism and Media, and Advanced Conversation and Composition courses all seem to have a very manageable workload and I’m intrigued by all that we are studying…. the fact that they end in late April doesn’t hurt either.  My internship? Well, we’ll get to that in a minute!

This Thursday marked my first successful trip to Kapital and I must say that I am completely in love! The club is located just a short walk from my apartment and boasts 7 floors all wit a different theme and music type. The main room basement is by far my favorite: house music, acrobats twirling from the ceiling, smoke machines, balloons, and scantily clad dancers on the stage (nudity has a completely different definition here)…truly something to capture your attention every minute of your experience. The third floor “funky music and R&B”, as well as the Karaoke Bar on floor 2 provided plenty of entertainment, and although I didn’t see it for myself, I’m extremely curious as to what the 4^th floor kissing roomentails!

I didn’t stay out too late on Thursday because Friday marked my first official day of work at El País! I arrived at 12:30 for my meeting with the managing editor full of completely unnecessary nervousness; he was so nice! He basically just made himself available if I had any questions or concerns and welcomed me to the team! After another brief tour of the facilities, I started working on my first task: uploading articles from print to the El País website. I learned how to operate the system, how to select quotes to box, how to post the article to a social media site, and had time to practice operating the system itself. It was invigorating! I’m still a little bit overwhelmed that I have the opportunity to work with such a huge publication, and that I am qualified enough to present ideas that could potentially be published, it is beyond surreal.

Yesterday was my first adventure outside of Madrid! This trip was to Toledo and as promised, the city certainly lives up to its reputation. The hike up the hill is stunning and just when you think that you can’t take another step up the incline, you turn around and witness breathtaking views that look as though they are from a storybook. Once we arrived in the city, we walked around and admired the traditional dancers in the square, got lost through the cobblestone streets and then saw even more jaw dropping vistas off of the monastery garden that peers into the river valley below. Very romantic! We concluded our visit to Toledo’s cathedral, perhaps its most noteworthy tourist destination. The baroque style is like nothing I have ever seen before and walking through a collection of original paintings by El Greco, Goya and Van Dyke, among others was like being in the presence of celebrities. Definitely a trip worth taking!

I can’t seem to find the cord to take pictures off my camera to my computer, so we’re going to have to stick with iPhone and Facebook…thank you to Camilla, Michelle, Jane and Yahoo News for your lovely photos!

already another tuesday, part two: first days of school

This Monday marked my first day of school at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (fondly referred to as Carlos tercero). My first class was a direct enrollment and I was so worried that I would not be able to comprehend a single word that left my professors mouth! Fortunately, I think I got about 90% of it and although I know the class will be difficult, I think the material will be incredibly interesting. It is called Participation and Communication of Civil Society on the Internet and we will spend a lot of time talking about how journalism and activism have changed because of the life changing technological developments in our world today. I then had a nice little lunch break and headed over to my language class. It is a fluency class with other American students and definitely was a confidence booster after my first course of the day. I finished my day with another journalism class (yay communication majors!) this time about media in Spain. From what I gathered from the first day and syllabus, we will go through an overview of the history of media and how it is applied to todays careers, institutions and the daily lives of people around the globe. During the first class, we watched an awesome report by a guy who seemed like the Spanish Anderson Cooper on how Chernobyl is today. Super sad but super interesting and the foundation to a very exciting conversation about the direction of journalism today. I returned home yesterday and the learning did not end!
Rosa had been telling me about a guy named Claudio Naranjo, someone I probably have heard about during some point of my global studies career, who was an extremely influential professor, psychologist, spiritual leader, entrepreneur and above all a person who believes “nothing is more hopeful in terms of social evolution than the collective furthering of individual wisdom, compassion and freedom.” He has been a part of a number of movements towards social change, and is perhaps most well known for his collaboration with creating the enneagram test for personality (I had definitely heard of that!). He founded an institute that was holding a conference through the weekend that my progressive, very hip and compassionate, elementary-school-teaching anfitriona attended and she asked me if I would like to go to a presentation by Mr. Naranjo about the merits of the Classics in education. It was held at the Teatro Español (gorgeous, of course) and was very interesting. I really loved his comparison of Hamlet and Don Quixote as literary figures that are entirely different but extremely important to meet in the foundations of our first advanced educational discoveries. We returned late, my brain full of new Spanish words and very fatigued but satisfied with all I had learned during my first school day in Spain.
Today took a much more relaxing route and I just had one class before returning home for my first ever siesta (well, in Spain). It was wonderful and I have spent the last few hours finishing up emails, homework and little things that don’t just slip away as you study abroad (unfortunately). I’m excited to report, however, that this weekend will mark one of my first trips outside of the city and if you don’t hear from me sooner, you will certainly hear about and see pictures of the supposedly beautiful Toledo. Ciao for now! I’m off to enjoy an infusion (herbal yogi tea ☺) and head to bed. And to close my post a few photos I forgot to put up of a few cool pieces of street art in my neighborhood.

already another tuesday, part one: weekend recap

Happy Tuesday once again! I am going to try to make my posts just a bit more regular one, because I actually want you to read about my adventures and not simply be overwhelmed by the novel that awaits you and skip to the pictures (although that is fine also). I spent the remainder of last week configuring my schedule, choosing classes to shop this week and doing a little more sight seeing around the city. I began my Friday late (finally taking the opportunity to sleep in), and then explored the city with a couple of other girls from PC. Madrid is huge and filled with so much history that I wish I had done a bit more research before I left. Fortunately the internet has made available a number of lists for sightseeing in the city (which I definitely plan on using, and posting, so more to come on those)…not to mention the combination of getting “lost” and having friends here will certainly help with my acclimation. So back to the weekend, we spent the afternoon walking through the old streets and sipping on café in a plaza (it was a gorgeous day!!) and then returned home to prepare for our final orientation event…a flamenco show!
We arrived at the restaurant and were immediately greeted by a spicy woman who was intent upon teaching us all a bit of flamenco before we sat down for dinner. About 5 minutes into the stomping and hip twirling and spinning, I regretted wearing my 5 inch heels, although being called out as la chica con zapatos rojas (girl in the red shoes) did turn out to be pretty funny and definitely vale la pena (expression meaning worth it). After our lesson, hungry from our impromptu zumba-like workout, we sat down for a wonderful dinner and flamenco show. Flamenco is bigger than simply a dance: the dancers, the guitarists and singers create an art that is filled with passionate emotion that engages the audience through every note, every pose and every lyric. I’m really glad we had the opportunity to see a show and I will definitely be looking into trying out another class during my stay here…. perhaps next time in more comfortable shoes!
After dinner we joined a few of the orientation leaders for an informal tour of the nightlife of Spain. We started out at a really fun bar where we danced for hours and ended the night at a discoteca playing music from the disco-era (F.Y.I. Spanish 80’s music is just as funny as the genre’s American counterparts). The next day, I met up with a couple friends at a place called 100 Montaditos. 100 Montaditos is a cerveceria/ tapa bar chain where you can order a huge mug of beer, tinto de verano (delicious blend of wine and citrusy soda) or other drinks with your choice of one hundred, one-euro tapas. As if one tapa bar was not enough, we continued to a more rowdy, but certainly fun place called El Tigre where you order drinks and plates full of tapas and patatas bravas arrive at your table all night. Hilariously enough ended up running into a bunch of students from our program and even more PC girls (the number of random encounters I have had in this city certainly don’t do justice to its magnitude)!

And because we do fall into that category of American student in Madrid, the weekend would not be complete without visiting Kapital, one of the largest and best known discotecas in Madrid. Much to our chagrin, however, we were taken advantage of as the oblivious American’s we were (maybe the oblivion had a little to do with the El Tigre beverages…but that is besides the point) and directed to Faena, the club in the basement of Kapital, not directly associated with the posh establishment itself. Much like the unpopular, uncool little sibling of a high school athlete (the other Tucker, for those of you keen of JTMD references ), we had no idea we were not “in the real deal” until we couldn’t go upstairs. Oh well, we thought, there was no way we were going to go back into the cold and pay another cover, might as well enjoy the night in Faena, which we definitely did. Although the EDM aficionado in me was sad I couldn’t be submersed in my favorite type of music and light spectacle all night long, I know there will be other weekends (and even better other Thursdays when we can get in free) to visit the “most posh” club in Madrid. And hey, on the bright side, maybe we aren’t as stereotypical as we thought afterall ☺.

they say if you dream a thing more than once, it’s sure to come true.

 

Well it’s now Tuesday and my jetlag is waning as days and nights become a little bit more distinct and the sequence of events for the next four months begins to unfold. Just as I had been forewarned, the second night was absolutely awful. Homesick, overtired and over-caffeinated (warning: coffee is strong here), I lay restless in my futon bed questioning everything…was Madrid the right choice? Can I really do this? Am I going to be happy? Thanks to the miraculous powers of Wi-Fi and viber phone calls, however (not to mention the love and patience from my family and friends), I was able to get a couple hours of shut-eye before my first morning walk in Madrid.
We began the meeting with a discussion with the students, me included, who decided to take an internship course along with their regular studies. We reviewed the assignments, deadlines, things that differ between the States and Spain in general in terms of business, then received news of our placements…this is when my horrible night and exhausted morning took a 180 and the beauty of the day began. I was the first to discover my placement: an internship with El País, the highest-circulation daily newspaper of Spain that is based in Madrid. It is the “Spanish Global Newspaper.” I way beyond lucked out and I immediately took back all of my insomnia-induced commentary from the night before. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m extremely curious to explore those elements of Spanish journalism and business culture that I would not be able to encounter in the United States.
The shock wore off as we began to review the schedule for the semester. In addition to my classes and incredible internship, the group has a number of day and weekend trips to participate in throughout the semester. All sound wonderful, yet one that I am extremely excited about it Segovia. The city is just north of the Madrid province in the region of Segovia. A large attraction to the city is El Alcazar de Segovia, a magnificent castle that served as the base of Walt Disney’s vision for the construction of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. As a lover of all things Disney princess, huge fan of Aurora and still a little bit in love with prince Phillip, this trip will be an absolute dream come true.
Later in the evening, we had a walking tour of Madrid, visiting major landmarks and plazas before ending the evening with a treat typical of Spain: churros con chocolate. Incredible. I’ll let the tantalizing picture do the describing this time around. I walked home with a couple friends (I LOVE how much time I spend walking around) and had a short siesta before dinner. After our meal, I tried yet another Spanish delicacy, Torta de Aciete, a thin cookie with a fusion of olive oil, anise and cinnamon sugar. I swear, the cultural experience of food that I have been a part of the past few days is something like no other.
Today’s orientation was long and tedious, but totally necessary. There were a few fun parts, learning about volunteer opportunities with local children…right up my alley…and we did take the train to Getafe to see our campus. It is a beautiful train ride and I think I’m going to love the views of my morning commute.