Viaje a Salamanca

Saturday, a group of we "Wesleys" decided to check out what the beautiful town of Salamanca has to offer. After figuring out the AVE train system, we found ourselves experiencing our first of (hopefully) many weekend trips. We had a fantastic time, and I can't wait to travel with this group again.

Salamanca lived up to its reputation as a beautiful town for its many tourists and university students alike. We time to fit in most of its highlights, including a great Plaza Mayor, the historical university, the famed "Casa de las Conchas" (a house decorated all with shells), two Cathedrals, and a Roman bridge. My favorites were the Cathedrals. The old and new are connected through one of the chapels,and each is incredibly beautiful. I'll post some pictures in my Picasa album soon. The university was also great. The classrooms are very old, and some famous Spanish thinkers I've been learning about in Philosophy class are part of its history.

The rest of our time there was spent eating ice cream and pastries in Plaza Mayor, taking silly pictures, and wandering around the city, and conquering the cold weather. It was definitely a great day.

Apuntes...

After a pretty eventful week here in Madrid, it's hard to know where to begin. As I went about my daily life this week, things started to feel more normal, and for better or worse, more permanent. The thought that I'll be doing this all semester is exciting, but has also caused me to be a bit homesick from time to time.

A few updates on new developments in my life:

-I've started teaching English lessons to two Spanish kids. Paula and Alvaro are 15 and 10 years old, and so far, they seem to have great English skills to begin with. It's fun to plan lessons for them and have an opportunity to speak both English and Spanish... I end up learning just as much as they do.

- Emily and I have done more exploring of the city, and one of my favorite places is Parque del Retiro. There are some beautiful gardens, a Crystal Palace, and a lake where you can rent rowboats. I'm imagining that I'll hang out there often when the weather is nicer.

-As a political science major, I was able to watch Inauguration Day events from a very interesting perspective. Although it wasn't such a huge deal here as in America, I was definitely surprised at how much news coverage Obama received. I watched him on the Spanish news with my senora, and even picked up a newspaper to commemorate the event and improve my Spanish skills. It turned out to be pretty left-wing, even for Spain, but it was definitely interesting.

Also, on Friday night Emily and I found a bar that also is a used book store and cafe, where we got into a discussion with some British guys about what's going on in America. Although I'm not a fan of Obama's domestic policies, I have to admit that the rest of the world is very excited and thinks he's done a lot for the foreign perception of Americans already. Everyone I've spoken to in Spain is pleased with him, and wishes him well.

-I went to the Museo de America today, Sunday. It's full of artifacts from early America and from the age of exploration. Some of the highlights that I enjoyed were a mummy from between 100 and 400 A.D., a collection of Columbian gold, and a fantastic Mayan collection. We also got to see more of the city on our way there, partially because it was difficult to find our way, which was quite an adventure.

-Also, this morning Emily and I decided to try attending an authentic Spanish mass. It was a rewarding experience both culturally and spiritually. A church near our home, called La Paz, has una misa de niños (a children's mass) on Sunday mornings, and the level of linguistic complexity is much more suited to our abilities. I was able to understand nearly all of the readings and liturgy. The sermon was centered on what it meant to be "pescadores de hombres," or fishers of men. It was very fulfilling to have to focus so intently on what was going on in the service in order to understand it, and the simple children's lessons reminded me of important truths that we sometimes gloss over. All in all, it was a great experience.


This post is getting long enough, so for now, I'll call it quits. My day trip to Salamanca probably deserves its own post, especially since this one is supposed to be full of little "notes" on my life. More to come soon...

Hasta luego.

Mi Fin de Semana

I wasn't planning on posting again so soon, but since weekends around here are always three full days (which is brilliant), I feel like I'd be falling behind if I don't blog soon. Somehow, we managed to pack quite a bit into these last few days.

Friday, everyone at the Fundacion was part of an excursion to the northwestern side of Madrid, where we visited El Escorial and Valle de los Caidos. El Escorial is the palace/monastery/college/library/church built by Felipe II (Phillip II) to commemorate his first military victory over the French at the Battle of San Lorenzo. It was amazing to see its size and its simplistic beauty. Room after room was filled with Christian artwork. The mausoleum portion, where Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is buried, along with most of the famous Spanish monarchs, was awe-inspiring for me as a history major. The style of the palace is far less ornate that one would expect from a 16th century monarch, but we found out that this reflects Felipe's severe monastical lifestyle and devout religiousness. The Escorial's floorplan is even shaped like a grid to recall the martyrdom of San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence), who was burned alive on a grill.

As our trip continued, the austere style of El Escorial was only intensified by Valle de los Caidos, a monument built during the Spanish Civil War. Although the Valley of the Fallen is easily recognized by the enormous cross that marks its underground church, this place of worship is far more chilling and terrible than its beautiful mountain surroundings and Christian images would suggest. It was built by prisoners of war for dictator Fransisco Franco, and honors the dead from his side in the war. Franco's tomb is located directly behind the altar. The whole place has a dark feel to it, and expresses the silence and bitterness about the Civil Wat that modern Spain still deals with under its surface. To say the least, seeing these two monuments provided some interesting insights into the Spanish perception of faith, Spain's past, and its current political culture.

Saturday, Emily and I took advantage of some beautiful weather to explore our city. Madrid has some beautiful locations, and we were able to visit quite a few of the tourist highlights, including Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Villas, Plaza de Oriente, Teatro Real, Plalacio Real, El Corte Ingles, and Parque del Retiro. If you haven't been to Madrid, this basically means beautiful buildings, great shopping, and a great park, all within walking distance of our apartment. It was definitely a tiring day, but we managed to go out with some of our amigas that night to experience more of Madrid's nightlife.

Today, Sunday, has also been an adventurous one, although unintentionally. We managed to find an English-speaking church, which was a great start, but our trips there and back were definitely over-complicated by public transportation. Let's just say that the minute we thought we were getting good at navigating our way around Madrid, we were reminded of just how American we really are... and how hard it is to understand Spanish bus drivers sometimes.

That said, we got home ready to siesta, but still really loving Spain and our lives here so far. Although I miss family and friends, I'm definitely having a great time.
Hasta luego!

¡Soy una Madrileña!

As life in Madrid settles into a routine, I'm beginning to feel as though I'm actually a part of my surroundings, instead of a complete tourista or a part of one of my own daydreams. We've now figured out the metro, and experienced each of our classes, which seem like they'll be very interesting. With each day, I learn more about Spain and its culture, as well as the city of Madrid.

Small things seem to trip us up most frequently as we try to explore and adjust to Madrid. For example, Emily and I often forget that all of the stores are closed from 2-5:30 or so, for afternoon siesta. As much as we're enjoying the built-in nap in our schedule, it can be frustrating when we want to grab groceries on the way home from classes.

Last Sunday, on our way to El Rastro, we had another adventure when the metro line we were on suddenly closed down between two stops without explanation. Three bus lines and another metro trip later, we made it to our destination. Not only are there cultural differences, but we also have the experience of living in an urban center for the first time. I've definitely gained some street smarts here in Madrid.
Our trip to El Rastro was great. It's the largest marketplace in Europe, and certainly lives up to its reputation. The booths and shops seemed to go on and on. We got some great souvenir ideas, and also managed to have some conversations with Spaniards. We also got our first authentic lunch at a Spanish cafe, including una bocadilla y copa (a cheap combination of a sub sandwich and beer).

Another adventure occurred when Isabel took us out for an evening of shopping and showing us around the neighborhood. We first went to a fruit market. The fresh fruit in Spain is remarkably cheap, and we eat a piece or two as part of each meal. It's usually given as dessert at dinnertime. Isabel, by the way, is an excellent cook, and we've certainly been enjoying our dinners. After visiting a few other shops, we headed over to Isabel's other daughter's house. Her granddaughter had just gotten a haircut, and is absolutely adorable. Once again, the family was fantastically friendly, and very helpful as we tried to introduce ourselves properly in Spanish.

Today is Thursday, and we're done with our first week of classes. Things are going very well, and I feel as though I'm absorbing more from classes and life in general than ever before. I'm taking an Ethics course and a Philosophy course to finish up my gen eds, and I'm enjoying each. They're very thought-provoking, and I'm encouraged by how much I can understand, even in my classes taught in Spanish. After we got home from school today, Isabel made us cafe con leche (a popular drink over here that's most like our lattes), and we sat for over an hour discussing classes, the sights of Madrid and Spain, and the news with her. It's amazing how quickly my confidence in the Spanish language is growing. Overall, I couldn't be happier with what I'm learning and experiencing. I can't wait to see how the rest of the semester unfolds as I continue to learn the history, culture, and language of these welcoming people.

Fotografias...

If you'd like to see pictures of what I've been up to, here's the address for my Picasa Web Album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/auden8

Enjoy!

La Primera Semana

After months of anticipation, my semester in Spain has finally arrived. Taking a page out my big sister's book, I've decided to blog my experiences throughout my time in Europe. I hope that these posts can provide some sort of glimpse into my adventures, and help spread the fantastic culture of the country that I'm already beginning to love.

¡Hola de Madrid!

After a long flight, a layover in Heathrow, and lots of airport bonding with my fellow Wesleyan students, I arrived in Madrid around dusk on January 7. The first views we had of Madrid from the plane window pushed all apprehension out of our minds. One short trip later, we found ourselves stumbling off to the bus into the waiting arms of our señoras. The sight of these talkative women was intimidating, especially as they would be taking care of during next few months for our homestays. However, immediately upon being introduced to Isabel, my señora, I was pulled into an hug and kissed on each cheek. I then found myself in a taxi, along with my friend Emily, on our way to our new home, Calle de Sanchez Barcaiztegui 40.

Our señora's home is an apartment in the southeast part of Madrid. It is surrounded by other apartment buildings, each with interesting stores beneath them. We can't wait to continue exploring our neighborhood. The apartment is small, but clean and homey. Emily and I share a room and our own bathroom, and so far we really like the setup. We are also very thankful to have an amazing hostess. Isabel is a wonderful, caring, woman. Her daughter, son-in-law, and adorable twin granddaughters were visiting during our arrival. The entire family convinced me that most of the tales of hospitality, friendliness, and talkativeness that I had heard about Spaniards are true. After unpacking, we were given an enormous meal, including Spanish dishes such as tortillas (which are almost the same as our omelets). Talking with the family was difficult at first, but with a lot of patience and repetition on both sides, Emily and I are improving constantly. We're getting there little by little, or poquito a poco, as Isabel would say with a laugh.

The next morning, we had our first experience with the crowded autobus on our way back to our school, la Fundación José Ortega y Gasset. From there we took a three-day trip to Toledo for orientation sessions and sightseeing at the Fundacion's Toledo campus. Toledo was absolutely beautiful. For many years, it was the cultural capital of Spain, and it has served as a central location for each of Spain's three key religious groups throughout history: Muslims, Jews, and Christians. This multi-culturalism surfaces constantly in Toledo. We visted several churches, synagogues, and monasteries, including the principle Cathedral of Spain, which had served as a mosque before the Reconquista pushed the Moors out of Spain. All of the architecture was completely beautiful, and as a history major, I couldn't help but love soaking up this amazing heritage. The detail and beauty poured into these incredible old buildings created an atmosphere unlike any in America, and I couldn't help but be all the more thankful for the amazing opportunities I've been blessed with on this trip.

We also had several clases, learning about everything from Toledo's history to Spanish slang and customs. The professors of the Fundacion are all cheerful, helpful, and patient with our limited Spanish skills. Already, I can feel myself becoming more comfortable while speaking and thinking (or trying to) in Spanish.

They say the best way to improve your Spanish is to talk with the natives, so we decided each evening in Toledo to do just that. In Spain, the night life seldom begins before midnight, and most people stay out until the early morning, visiting cervecerías (bars) y discotecas. Still a little jet-lagged, we didn't fully embrace this custom, but a group of us did head out to a bar for our first sample of sangria and tapas. The next night, some of us did more exploring and found a fun discoteca. When in Spain...

Today we finally headed back to Madrid to get settled into our new city for good. We had opportunity to figure out the metra on the way back to our homes. Afterwards, a small group of los Wesleys, as our professors call the IWU students, took a trip to El Museo de Reina Sofia, the museum of contemporary art here in Madrid. In this beautiful city, which is home to the Prado and dozens of others spectacular fountains and buildings, we weren't surprised to find this museum full of amazing culture and works of art. The Picasso collection, including Guernica, and the paintings of Dali and other contemporary artists were breathtaking.
After the museum, we returned to another delicious home-cooked Spanish meal, and talked with Isabel for quite a while. Tomorrow, we're going to attend a church near our home and then go to El Rastro, the largest and most famous marketplace in Madrid. Monday our classes begin, and I'm looking forward to getting into an academic routine. I guess I should apologize for making this post so long, but I had a lot to catch up on just from this first week. However, I guarantee that I won't always have this much to write, especially once I have to get down to work in my classes. But until then... adios del País del Sol!