Opinions on the Economic Crisis

As I wrote in a recent blog post, I have had the opportunity to meet more Spaniards through intercambios. What do we talk about for an hour? Anything from music, to sports, to the USA. With some, the conversation flows naturally, and with others it can be awkward and choppy.  An easy fallback question, I have discovered, is something that everybody here has an opinion about: the EU and the debt crisis.

I asked my intercambio partner about it last night; he was a middle aged man, a journalist, who recently lost his job after the newspaper he wrote for went under, who wants to improve his English so he can get a job working at a newspaper in Madrid.  He noted that Germany is doing "most of the work" for the European Union; they go to bed at 10 pm, he said, and wake up to go to work when people in Spain are just coming home from the party! There, he said, people have a different mindset and live and work more like Americans.  He also said that countries like Norway and Sweden are very wealthy, but as they're not using the Euro, they are off the hook.  He wasn't sure why people in Spain lived so much differently from countries like Germany.

I was discussing this with my American friend Bria the other day: we were walking to class, and she wanted to buy gum.  We walked by a small corner store where she usually buys snacks.  But, it was around 2 pm, so they were closed for siesta.  Here, it is normal for most stores to close around 1:30 or 2 and to open again around 5 or 5:30 pm. "To improve their economy, Spain should get ride of siesta! It's not helping them economically," Bria exclaimed as we walked toward Carrefour, the grocery store chain here in Salamanca that doesn't close in the middle of the day.  She has a point: with a 20% unemployment rate and a large fiscal deficit, can Spaniards really afford to close their businesses during the day to go home and eat?   In the eyes of Americans, this is very strange. You would think that they would be working even harder to pull themselves out of debt.

Another intercambio partner I had didn't have much of an opinion about the EU or economic crisis.  This to me reflects that "who cares" attitude that some people have here.  The European Union seems like something that is far away and complex, not having a direct affect on their lives.  In class yesterday, my professor, a Spaniard, said jokingly (in reference to our test results) "who really cares if you know where Bulgaria or Romania is?! Most Europeans, or most Spaniards at least, probably don't even know!  It is unfortunate, but true."

As I take economics and social science classes about Spain and the European Union, it has been interesting living here, understanding the EU better, watching the economic crisis all play out.

Liberation

A couple weeks ago, I started to get restless and bored.  I had been traveling quite a bit, but I was feeling quite anxious for the next 6 months, when I wouldn't be able to afford to travel like I had been first semester.  During the week, I wake up, walk to class, go to the library, walk home, go to class, etc. I had a routine. Routine is good...but I felt like I wasn't seeing any new parts of Salamanca, other than when I went running.  And once you get into a routine, it's hard to break it! My challenge was to make Salamanca feel like home and to get to know the city better.

So I decided to buy a bike! For 50 euros off of eBay, I was able (with the help of Roberto at ISA) to buy a used, all-purpose, blue painted bicycle.   And what freedom it has given me.  My first day, I biked all around Salamanca; it was like seeing the city through a completely different lens.  No longer did my 15 minute walk to class feel like a long trek; on my bike, it took only three minutes to cruise to class.  Last week, I biked along the river and found a big, beautiful park full of windy paths and green grass, where I proceeded to find a bench and crochet for an hour.  Yesterday, I explored the other side of the river and found a track where I could do a track workout.  And most days I simply use my bike to get to class or to run errands, when I don't feel like walking.

Already, I have seen new parts of Salamanca I otherwise would have never seen. On days when I don't want to run, instead I take a long bike ride. I never realized that a bike could provide such freedom; without access to a car here, it is easy to feel trapped.  But with my new bici (as they say in Spanish), this place is finally starting to feel like home.

10 weeks in

I wish I could say that it's been easy to make non-American friends here...but when you're in a foreign country, where the food, culture, and language is different, it is so easy to gravitate towards what is comfortable. Before I arrived here, I swore to myself I would avoid Americans not because I don't like them (believe me, I've met some cool cats here), but because I can hang out with Americans in America! I am here to learn the language, embrace the culture, and challenge myself. And do you think my American friends and I speak English when we're together? Rarely.

This is why I am so, so glad I have a whole year here; I am just now realizing that I, in fact, can ween myself off the American subculture here.

Y ahora tengo más amigos españoles! Or, at least, I am on my way to making friends here. It has taken me ten weeks, but I have finally, finally, started to meet Spanish students here! A week ago, I discovered a website for University of Salamanca students where you can post your name, ago, and what language you want to practice; kind of like a want ad, or dating website, but for language exchanges.  Within 12 hours, I received more than 5 responses from Spanish students who wanted to meet. So this weekend has been the weekend of intercambios (ie, language exchanges); how cool is that?

I meet with my intercambios under the big clock in the Plaza Mayor, then head off to a bar or cafe.  We usually hang out for about an hour, spending half the time speaking in Spanish, the other half, in English. In one intercambio, we discussed the compared between American boys and Spanish boys; in another, we talked about places to ski in Spain.  So far, I've discovered two new cafes in Salamanca, and I've been told what Spanish music I should look into.  

Hopefully, I'll make some friends out of this!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Even though I won't be having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with family and close friends back in the states, I still have so much to be thankful for.  As I eat my Spanish-style Thanksgiving dinner tonight at a restaurant with the other ISA students, I will give thanks for:

-The opportunity to live here in Spain and travel around Europe for 8 months. I am learning so much about European   culture; what an awesome experience is has been so far
-My supportive family that has encouraged me to come this far
-New friends that I have met here, and old friends that have stayed in touch

I am sad that I will not be joining my family tonight to have a meal together, but it makes me that much more excited for next year when we will be together again!  Hope that everybody has a happy Thanksgiving!

Eating my Spanish-style turkey dinner at a restaurant with all the other ISA students

Bounjour, mademoiselle!

Had quite a lovely weekend in Paris with my good friend Lauren!  Flew into Paris on Friday morning after taking an early bus from Salamanca to Madrid, then took the Metro from the bus station to the Madrid airport.  Now, let's get something straight: there are two airports in Paris.  Which I knew.  What I didn't know was that one of the airports is an hour and a half bus ride away from the city, and that it costs 15 euro to take the bus.  And the bus is your only option for transportation...Guess which airport I flew into???

But any resentment I had all melted away when I stepped off the bus, strapped on my backpack and hit the streets of Paris.  The sun was shining, the streets with alive and full of cute Frenchmen (nothing like those short Spanish boys!), and everybody was speaking FRENCH! As I headed in the direction of the hostel where I was to meet Lauren in a couple hours, I caught a glimpse of the Eiffel tower as I made my way around the Arc de Triumph.  I felt like I was on top of the world!  An hour later those feelings of euphoria wore off as the sun went down, I started getting hungry, and realized that I had forgotten to write down the name of my hotel...and of course, I only had the small map that was in my Europe guidebook.  So, against my cheap-traveler self, I hailed a cab and managed to communicate where I was staying.

And it was this point that I realized two things: 1) I suck at French. Ergo,  2) I am pretty good at Spanish.  I mean, aside from, "bonjour," "merci," and "parle vous ingles?" I have not a single clue how to communicate in French! Just a minor detail, though, because from my experiences, the Parisians were all quite friendly.  Needless to say, though, this gave me great confidence in my Spanish; I mean, I could easily hail a cab and get directions, order a meal, and hold a conversation. Yay!

The next morning Laure and I woke up around 9:30 on the top floor of our small French hotel and found a place around the corner to get coffee and a delicious French croissant for a light breakfast before taking on Paris! Here's everything we did:

Saturday:
10:30 - Montmarte! (I was SO HAPPY to be here; it brought back good memories of seeing in 4 years earlier with my sister, mother, and grandmother. Glad I remembered how to find it!) Lauren and I toured the inside of the beautiful church, the Sacre-Coeur, that sits on top of a hill in the north of Paris. Plus saw lots of art and good views of the city. Had the chance to do some touristy shopping (gloves and postcards).  Took the Metro into the city.
11:30 - Lunch (French onion soup!) at a small restaurant by the Eiffel Tower.
1 - Wander into the huge garden/park that surrounds the Louvre.  Sit on the reclining metal chairs around the giant pond and watch all the people enjoying the sunny Saturday afternoon.
3 - Wait in line for twenty minutes to get into the Musee d'Orsay. Have to pay the 5 euro charge because they don't believe that I am actually a student.  Got super tired from walking so much, so bought a snack at the cafe to recharge.  Soak in all the beautiful art until we get kicked out at 6:15 (not before buying more postcards and art!).
6:30 - Take the Metro to Champs-Elysees in search of the red coat that Lauren so badly wants to find in Paris. No such luck.  Also try to find a Mexican restaurant for dinner. Again, none to be found!  Take the Metro back to the Left Bank at the advice of an English-speaking concierge, where all the cheap food is.
8 pm - Stumble upon cheap Mexican food! Delicious!
10:30 - Long Metro ride back to our hotel where we both proceed to pass out  after a long day of walking and touring.

Sunday:
9:30 - Wake up, pack up, strap on our backpacks, say "au revoir" to our hotel owner and his fat cat, grab croissants for breakfast, then take the Metro to the Eiffel Tower.
11 - Buy a huge, overpriced nutella and banana crepe and coffee.  Bliss; I am so happy.  Get all sweaty walking up 600 steps to the 2nd level of the tower, backpacks and all. Beautiful views, except for the slight smog/fog settled on the city.  Paid the extra 5 euro to take the elevator all the way to the top; very exciting!
12:30 - Buy cheap sandwiches and bread for lunch and eat on benches while gazing at the tower; can't get enough of it!
3 pm - Decide to finally head toward the Arc de Triumph, close to our bus station.  Sad to say goodbye to the tower!  Tiredly sit on the steps of the Arc de Triumph, watching all the cars drive by, killing time before we have to say goodbye to this wonderful city and head back to Spain.
7:30 - Hop on the bus back to the airport. Fall asleep.  Very sad to say goodbye to Lauren in the airport, but am excited to see her again in 2 weeks in London!
10 - Fly back to Madrid. Until next time, Paris!

So, I ended up spending WAY more money than I anticipated on museum passes, Metro tickets, souvenirs, and yummy food. Of course, it was all worth it.  Next time, though, I will be more strict with myself!  I did travel cheaply, though; I mean, I slept in the Madrid airport Sunday night before taking a morning bus back to Salamanca. Why pay for a hostel when there are perfectly good benches in the airport?!

Whoever said travel was glamorous certainly wasn't traveling on a budget!

Le Tour Eiffel by night

Gettin' artsy at Montmarte

Sacre-Coeur

A bridge we found with love-locks all over it!

At the Louvre!

Our small hotel room on the 6th floor

Hiking up to the top!

Paris from the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower

Goodbye Paris; wish I could take you with me!

It was bound to happen sooner or later...

I wore my new blue coat today, the one that my grandmother bought me before I left for Spain. It's dark blue with big, gold buttons and reaches from my chin down close to my knees.  So after I left the library this afternoon, it was the perfect coat to button all the way up, bury my chin in the fuzzy wool and put my head down and cry.

I had the weight of the world on my shoulders as I kept asking myself the same question over and over again: what am I doing with my life? How can I stay here, in this small Spanish city for a whole year? 

I mean, who am I kidding? No matter how hard I try to fit in, I'll never be European.  No matter how much Spanish I study, English will always come more easily.  And no matter how many times I try to convince myself that I can build a life here, I am reminded by the fact that I already had a pretty sweet life back in Denver.

Coming here has made me realize how much I love DU; the academics are challenging, the campus is beautiful, the facilities are superb, and students have easy access to the city of Denver...not to mention all my friends are there!  "Why," I kept asking myself, "did I think it was ever a good idea to leave that all behind?"  All the negative things I could possibly think about studying abroad for a whole year hit me like a steel train; I did not see this coming!

The past two weeks I have tried so hard to turn every negative into a positive: my bedroom is super small? Well, there's incentive to go out and explore the city!  The classes are really easy? More time to practice Spanish!  Or, I'll sometimes wonder if Salamanca is too  small a city; I'll get bored...then I remind myself that it's so much more affordable than a big city; it's safe; the people are friendly; the parks are awesome, the University attracts many students....

Frankly, today I got sick of being so dang positive.

So I called my mother, sobbing. She reminded me that it's okay if I want to come home; there's nothing wrong with changing plans.  Simply knowing that if I wanted to, I could leave...that made me feel much better.  Yet it didn't solve anything. I still am faced with a tough decision: should I stay or should I go????????





Two hours later: Unable to stay cooped up in my small bedroom in the apartment after dinner, I left to meet up with a friend to talk. He is also staying here for a whole year and is also from DU. And right now, he's going through the exact thing I am. That helped. Sharing the burden.  By the end of the night, as more and more friends trickled into the Kabob restaurant we were in, and after a game of cards, I felt so much better and more confident with my decision of staying a year.

They always say that grass is always greener on the other side; if I go back to Denver, I will be sad I left Spain, and if I stay in Spain, I will undoubtedly miss my life back at DU next semester.  I am reminded by a quote I used for my senior yearbook: "Make where you are where you want to be; I am not in a hurry, and it takes time to live."  I will keep trying to make a life for myself here. And, we hope, things will change and get easier second semester.

Today was a tough day. It sucked, actually. I am not homesick, exactly, just nervous about being here A WHOLE YEAR!   I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later...

2 nights in Granada

8 long hours by bus, and then back again, just to spend two nights and three days in the city of Granada.  But it was so worth it!  An excursion organized by ISA, we had a free bus ride and reservations in a nice hotel; quite a step up from the cheap hostels I have been staying in when I travel.  As our bus made its way through Andalucia (the autonomous community furthest south in Spain), the mountains got bigger and as the landscape spread out before us, green and lush full olive trees stretching out for miles and miles, I knew I was going to love Granada.

Our first night there, ISA took us to a Flamenco show.  A 20 or so minute walk away from the hotel up the mountain side, the show was in a small cave-like restaurant was built into the hills, with low, white rounded ceilings. All 70 of us piled into a small, oval shaped room, and the dancers danced in the middle on a wooden dance floor.  The young female dancers demanded our attention with their fierce glares and loud, sharp clicks of their heels tapping to the beat of the guitar music. I felt a little bit guilty taking their picture, as it made it less intimate and more touristy...but it really was a show I did not want to forget!

That night I met up with my Vermont/DU friends Gabe and Tyler; Tyler is studying in Granada, so he showed us around.  The nightlife in Granada is similar to Salamanca because there are so many students studying there, plus it is a relatively small city, making it easier to navigate than Madrid or even Sevilla.  What did we do? Botellón: a term to describe when people (generally young people) come together do drink in public.  Granada is well known for this Spanish activity, and while it is illegal in Castilla y León, where I live, in Granada they have a park built specifically for this pastime.  It is like an outside concert, with thousands of young people crammed together in a small place, but without music.  Everybody simply comes together to have fun and drink cheap beer.  When they're finished drinking, the simply leave their trash on the ground.  Here is a picture of the morning after:

Taken from http://doshombresyundestino.blogspot.com/2011/03/la-segunda-toma-de-granada.html  

The next morning we had the opportunity to tour La Alhambra.  With a Spanish tour guide, a lot of the details were lost in translation and many of us found it hard to pay close attention during the three hour tour.  Instead, we took in all the magnificence of the old buildings that complemented the huge mountains towering in the distance, as we overlooked the the city of Granada below us, spread out on the plains:

A classic view of La Alhambra: 

What made the Alhambra so remarkable were not just the buildings themselves, but the intricate gardens surrounding the compound and pools of water with the reflections of the buildings.  It truly felt like we were wandering around the queen's garden from "Alice in Wonderland," with mazes of tall, square shrubs and flowers and fountains spread out that gave way to views of the old buildings in the background.   

While the tours and culture of Granada made the trip memorable, seeing DU friends was what made this trip so much fun.  I mean, at the botellón, there happened to be 15 of us from DU; how cool is that?!

Gabe, Tyler and I wandering around the hills in Granada, in search of gypsies!

Tired and hot, the three of us drank beers at a small restaurant overlooking the city.  In Granada, it is required by law to serve food whenever people order drinks, called tapas.  So whenever I ordered a beer in Granada, I was served a small portion of food.  Awesome. Wandering around on a warm Saturday afternoon, this is what we found: amongst homes and clubs and restaurants up in the hills, there would be humble dwellings built into the mountainside. 

Tyler, you are so lucky you get to live here!

Saturday evening six friends and I decided to look into the Arab baths that our ISA directors suggested.  Hesitant to spend 20 euro on what could be either really fun or a waste of money, we listened when they told us that it would be relaxing, equivalent to a day at the spa.  And it was! We found the baths located next to apartment buildings and restaurants; from the outside, you would have no idea of the intricate set up beyond the double doors.  After we paid and waited a few minutes, we were led back into the changing rooms.  Barefoot and in our bathing suits, we quietly tip-toed into a large, dark room, divided up with Arab style arches and dimly lit in the corners with lanterns.  In total, there were seven baths; two small, very hot baths, two large, less hot baths, two bathtub-temperature baths, and in the middle, with water pouring into it from a fountain, a cold, frigid bath.  The idea was that you started in the warm bath, then worked your way up to the hottest one; you are never supposed to be overheated.  We had 90 minutes and of sheer bliss and relaxation, where one could just float in the shallow baths and let your mind wander. Nobody spoke above a whisper, and all you could hear was people moving from bath to bath.  Plus, the number of people was limited, so there were no more than 15 people.  If you go to Granada, be sure to check out the baths!

Taken from http://www.lovegranada.com/bath/

When deciding where to study abroad last fall, Granada was a top contender; I loved this city and would have been so happy living here...but as we pulled into Salamanca late Sunday night, seeing the buildings all lit up on top of the hill, and then coming home to my host mom in my small apartment and, I fell asleep in my tiny, yellow bed and I knew that I was home.

A Touchy Subject

So elections are happening here in a couple weeks, on November 20th (which also happens to mark the anniversary of Franco's death).  Because of this, we have been talking about Spain's history and about current politics in many of my classes.

Before moving in with our families here, we were warned by ISA not to bring up Franco, as it is a very sensitive subject to many Spaniards. Because despite all the improvements that may have happened during the 40 year rule, over 1 million people died under Franco's regime.  He took control after the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and remained in power until his death in 1975.  I've discussed politics with my host dad, but hadn't really asked about the past.

However, my host mom and I are pretty close. She calls me "mi hija" (daughter), and is very open with me about things she is going through (ie, her separation with her husband), and is always asking about what's going on in my life.  Therefore, deciding the risk was worth it, I asked my host mom at dinner tonight how she and her family felt about Franco while he was in power.

"You must realized, he did many good things.  For example, he built many nice homes in my small town, homes that might not be there today if not for Franco.  Also, he built many dams, and did many things to improve this country."  (translated into English)

She then went on to show me pictures of her town, and of the dams that were built under Franco's reign. Getting a little bit louder and more emotional, she explained to Gail and I that she was from a very small town, and without all changes that occurred, her town would still be where it was 50 years ago.  More importantly, she drilled on the fact that today, many farmers are not doing well economically, but when Franco was in power, they did much, much better for themselves.  From this, I understood that one of the benefits of nationalism is that while some people suffer (ie people from the Basq country and Cataluña), some people did well.

Montse is not interested in politics, nor does she like to follow current affairs and debate on such issues. Unlike her husband, she doesn't have much of an opinion what goes on with the EU and what happens with Spanish politics.  She tells Gail and I how she does not discuss politics with her exctended family; one of her uncles died under Franco's regime, and before Franco, during the Spanish Civil War, she had uncles who fought on opposing sides.  Still today, the past is real, and people haven't forgotten about Franco.

Here is a picture of Franco's face which is in the Plaza Mayor, defaced during elections:

(photo taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonpiorno/522004043/)

A weekend in Ireland

BEST. CITY. EVER.

Even though I had less than 72 hours in Dublin, I feel in love! The people were welcoming and friendly; the weather was perfect (for a New Englander!), and the countryside was everything I imagined it would be; green, lush, and peaceful.

Ireland from up above.

Emma and I flew into the Dublin airport around noon on Friday afternoon, after taking a two and a half hour bus ride from Salamanca to Madrid and then taking a roughly three hour flight from Madrid to Dublin. As we flew in and saw the Irish countryside down below, it brought a smile to my face seeing the green fields and open countryside. It reminded me so much of flying home to Vermont...except that our stewardess told us to fasten our seat belts and put our chairs in the upright and locked positions in an Irish accent!

After taking a bus for 2 euro into the center of Dublin, we stepped off the bus and couldn't believe how COOL it was! There were young people everywhere, the streets were clean and busy, and everybody was speaking in English, which I didn't realize how much I had missed! It was a weird change; whenever we went into restaurants or stores, I prepared what I wanted to say in Spanish, and kept having to remind myself that I didn't need to anymore. We wandered around for a few minutes, thrilled at the prospect of taking on this new challenge and ready to experience Dublin.  We spoke to a friendly policeman who directed us in the direction of our hostel, Abby Court (note: if you ever visit Dublin on a budget, stay here!).  Located right on the River Liffey, it is right in the middle of the city.

Cameras in hand, we did a loop of the downtown.  On Dublin's equivalent of Wall Street, we encountered some peaceful protesters, part of the Occupy Wall Street movement.  Set up outside of a large banking institution, they had an array of signs and posters on display.  But what really caught the public's attention were all the tents; these people had been living here for what looked like weeks.  This was the first time I had seen protesters, and it was fascinating reading their posters and understanding their frustration and anger directed at the EU, big businesses, and corruption.   I was glad I didn't have to sleep outside in the cold in a tent, but I hope these people find what they're seeking.



Tired, we headed back and took naps in our bunk beds in the 24-person room we stayed in (like I said: I'm on a budget), woke up around 5 pm, found our friend Amos, and wandered the streets some more.  For dinner, we found a traditional Irish pub in Temple Bar, an area full of restaurants and pubs nestled close together along old and narrow cobblestone streets.  For dinner, of course I ordered a Guinness with a beef stew. The food here is much heavier and heartier than in Spain; more like traditional New England food.  And my Guinness? Delicious.

Afterwards, the three of us wandered around until we found a pub with live music.  Packed full of people (happy people!) it was only around 9:30, but it was packed.  We were so relieved; if we had been in Spain, the bars would still be empty as everybody would still be at home eating dinner. The nightlife here doesn't get going until 11 pm or later, so in that regard, Dublin felt a little bit more like home. The bartender asked us where we were from and made smalltalk we heard "Build Me Up Buttercup" being played by a man on his guitar and a woman on a tambourine. Maybe it's because of the language barrier, but I found that people were much friendlier in Ireland than in Spain; simply put, Ireland is less foreign than Spain is to an American.

It's all relative though, because at dinner, Emma, Amos and I struggled to understand the conversation at the table next to us between 5 or 6 Irish natives; their thick accent and slang was sometimes impossible to decipher!

I was in bed by 10:30 since, wanting to rest up for Saturday's adventure: a tour of the Irish countryside with Dublin Tour Company. I won't go into detail about every little thing we saw, but here's some pictures; a pictures are worth 1,000 words, right?

Basically, we drove from Dublin west towards Galway (in the fog!):

From Galway we slowly made our way to the Cliffs of Moher, stopping along the way at an old castle:

The Irish countryside:

And saw a prehistoric ruin in the stony, Irish hills:

Did you know that they still make signs in Gallic?

Then we finally made it to THE CLIFFS OF MOHER!

The day was perfect; sunny and cool with a crisp breeze. The cliffs were grand and magnificent, towering above the water and plunging into the deep blue ocean, with perfect little white waves crashing against the base, in some places splashing mist all the way up to the top. Lush, velvety green grass covered any surface it could, inviting you to go lie down and roll around and curl up and just listen to the sound of the waves and gaze out into the distance at the grey mountains in the distance. Small dirt paths wove their way around the edge of the cliffs, without any fence for protection of falling to your death.  I felt so free.

Shall I reiterate how DU study abroad students are taking over Europe? Well, as I was walking around, I ran into a fellow DU-er, Nichole, who was on my floor freshman year and is studying abroad in Rome, Italy. It is such a small world!

Trinity Campus

Got back late to Dublin after a 4 hour bus ride; hit a couple pubs with our new German & American friends we met in the hostel, and made it back to bed by 2 am. Woke up early to tour around the city in hopes of hitting as many of the free museums that I possibly could before departing for the airport.  So with roughly 5 hours to see Dublin (it's a very walkable city) I set off after a typical hostel breakfast of toast and instant coffee.  I stumbled upon a big park, busy with young couples and babies, and old men with newspapers;  I walked through the Trinity Campus (I want to go there!) and 20 minutes later found the national anthropology museum; realized that on Sunday's the museums don't open until 2 pm. So instead, aimlessly wandering around Dublin, I found my way into a Catholic church called St. Ann's; the pastor was quite friendly and invited me stay for the 11:00 service. So with nothing else to do, I stayed, and quite enjoyed it! The music and singing were beautiful, and afterwards the people were very warm and welcoming.

Sadly, I said goodbye and, after checking out a couple other landmarks, met up with Emma at the hostel to catch a bus to the airport and head back to Spain.

SO SAD TO SAY GOODBYE! Someday, I shall return! Ireland, thanks for being awesome.

Dinner Conversations

My host mom: Owner of the kitchen, master of the home. Gail and I, we're helpless and as she prepares dinner, so we just sit on our wicker stools, waiting to eat.  The kitchen is too small for us to be of any help.  For both of us, this feels so unnatural. That as her "daughter," I don't do any chores or help with any of the meals, feels completely against how I have been raised.


But that's just the way it is here. The mother takes care of everybody and everything in the home. Hey, I'm not complaining; I do not have to do any laundry, worry about cooking my own meals, take out the garbage or walk the dog.  Life's good!


Over dinner, she speaks con fuerza y en una voz alta; very strongly and very loudly. As she tells her husband about her day over a vegetable soup, I can understand most of the words she is saying, but have a hard time putting them together to understand what is being said. He simply nods and occasionally adds a comment here and there.  It is obvious that she is dominating the conversation.


When she speaks to Gail and I, she does so more gently and more slowly. When I don't understand what she says, she will go back and explain it until I understand.  Like tonight, when she explained to me that I should buy an umbrella, because for most of the month of November, it will continue to rain almost everyday. "Yo entiendo," I responded, "Pero, me encanta la lluvia! Otoño es mi mes favorito."


My host dad just laughed; I'm the crazy American girl that loves the rain and cold weather, and I can't wait for snow! He has promised to take me skiing this winter, but my host mom pointed her finger at me and said, "Mentiroso!" Liar.  Then she laughed.


As we finish our soups, she collects our bowls and spoons and brings over the next part of the meal. Tonight it is white fish. Bland, boney, but not bad.  For dessert, fruta o yogur; a clementine for me; yum!  We finish the meal with hot chocolate or a cup of decaf.  It's around 10pm when we finish dinner; my host dad, already in his worn, blue-striped pajamas, goes to bed, as my host mom cleans up and starts preparing the food for the next day.

For dinner tonight: vegetable soup!

Mi casa nueva

I have been meaning to do this for a while: here is a virtual tour of the apartment I am living in! I share it with my host mom and dad, their daughter (who lives away at school during the week), and my roommate, Gail, another fellow DU student.

The apartment complex, conveniently located next to a hair salon and small store:

The lobby & long hallway to get to the upstairs:

Our front door, on the 3rd level:

The entryway; the glass case is full of gifts that my host mom has been given over the years from American students. The sign on the door is a reminder to lock the door when you leave the house.

La cocina/the kitchen, where we eat pretty much all of our meals. Can you find the washing machine?

The living room; nobody ever really watches TV here, except for my host dad.  I like to study in here at the small table on the right:

The hallway that leads to the bedrooms:

The tiny bathroom that Gail and I share (it also has a small corner shower):

And finally, my bedroom, which I share with Gail:

Overall, I like living here. The room can seem a bit suffocatingly small at times, but knowing that it's temporary makes it alright. Plus, it's incentive to go out and find more things to do in Salamanca!  And the food my host mom makes is DELICIOUS, and they treat me like their daughter. Which is nice, since I know there's some ISA students who don't feel as welcomed.

The one thing I miss most about home? MY BED! If I could have taken one thing with me from home, it would have been my big, comfy, three-quarter sized bed! These small, thin mattresses just really make me appreciate the comforts of home.