FELIZ CUMPELANOS AL MEJOR ABUELO DEL MUNDO!!!

Happy Birthday to the best grandpa in the world! I wish I could be there to celebrate with you! Below is a link to a surprise I made for you! (Just click on the underlined typing at the end of the post and your computer will take you to the surprise!) It had to be short so I could upload it to my blog but I miss you so much and hope you are having a GREAT day! Marianna and David wish you a happy birthday too, we are having ICE CREAM for dessert to celebrate here in Spain :) Love you to the moon and back xoxox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTzryno9B24&feature=youtu.be

OJO ROJO

Today Louisa and I went to the hospital (medical clinic in the hospital really) because we both were having problems with our eyes. A girl in our group got pink eye and then still came to class, so long story short we all have pink eye! Here it is called ojo rojo, or what I think is conjunctivitis in English.

Going to the medical clinic was much easier than expected. An advisor from IES came with us just in case we were confused or needed help with the translations. It was super fast and easy and the doctor couldn't have been nicer. We went to the pharamacy to pick up our eye drops and they were equally as kind. They wrote out directions for Louisa and I and went over the eye drops, how and when to use them.

What's even better is that when I came home and told Marianna she made a calendar for me with boxes to check off each time "we" do my eye drops. She has insisted on putting the eye drops in my eyes for me. Louisa and I cannot stop laughing because we feel like we are two years old but we are so grateful that things went so smoothly when honestly it could have been a nightmare!

Finishing Session 1

I have really enjoyed the last week here in Salamanca. I feel like I finally know my way around and am able to really appreciate the city. We stayed in Salamanca over the weekend because everyone leaves on Wednesday except for Louisa and I. I am so happy Louisa decided to stay, it will be so nice having her around. My friends from IU arrive next weekend and I am really looking forward to seeing some familiar faces!

Nothing too epic has happened in the past week. My toilet broke, but it wasn't my fault! One of David's friends broke it when I was in Palma. It just won't flush but naturally Marianna doesn't know how to re-hook the chain so I have literally been pouring a bowl of water down the toilet to flush it for the past week. It's more hilarious than anything and after fake flushing the toilet for the past week I have come to the conclusion that she has no intention of fixing it either!

Marianna is also pre-diabetic and can no longer eat sweets or carbs. I wish you all knew Marianna because this has been quite an uphill battle for her. She eats at least one full white bread baguette with lunch and dinner and I have never met anyone that likes sweets as much as she does. I thought I had a sweet tooth, Marianna has definitely one-upped me. She has switched over to multi-grain bread, which she can barley swallow, and everyday she looks at David and I with these sad puppy eyes as we eat white bread or dessert.  We have been eating "healthier" and finally for the first time we had salad! I never though I'd miss salad but it was so nice to have something that wasn't carbs, cream, or chocolate.  Marianna is sticking to her diet, mainly because she is looking forward to meeting my dad. She thinks he is "MUY GUAPO" (so handsome). She tells me everyday that she wants to cry because she can't drink her hot chocolate and eat pan with Nutella every morning and honestly I bet some tears have been shed in the privacy of her own room.

Other than that I am learning to survive the heat here. It was 105 yesterday and 100 today! It isn't as awful as it sounds because it is not humid at all, but it does get pretty unbearable around 4:00. I think when I get home I will finally be able to really appreciate air conditioning and fans. Yesterday Heather, Louisa, and I literally went to the library because it is one of the only air conditioned buildings in Salamanca. (Not even the movie theatre is air conditioned!)

Today was my last day of class for the session. Tomorrow we are all heading to the pool to enjoy our last day together. Wednesday everyone leaves and Louisa and I are headed to Madrid until Saturday. I am looking forward to another vacation from vacation, hopefully a long shower, and I'm praying for air conditioning!

Palma de Mallorca

I know it has been a long time since I have updated you all…sorry! I just finished my final exams on Friday and they all went very well. Palma de Mallorca was absolutely amazing and beautiful, I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation from my vacation.

Friday Heather and I arrive in Palma and went to our hostel, which was located right in the center of Palma on the main square. Heather's friend, Allison, is studying abroad in Palma so we met up with Allison and her roommate who is also named Katie. They showed us around downtown and then we walked to their house to meet their host family. Their home was absolutely beautiful and was an actual home. Heather and I love living in downtown Salamanca, but we both have tiny rooms in tiny apartments with lots of shared space.  The home Katie and Allison are staying in looks just like a house from the United States, it was beautiful and had tons of terraces and outdoor living space. We met their parents and hung out at their house until dinner.

We went to dinner at a couples' house in a small town nearby. The couple is good friends with Allison and Katie's host parents. (Sorry, it is hard to explain who everyone is!) This town was equally as charming, as was their home, as are the people. We literally had the most amazing dinner in the world, wheat bread, mac and cheese, green beans, ham, Spanish tortilla, and great wine. These parents could not have been more welcoming. They showed us around the town, fed us, and were able to get us a private tour of a local winery!  Needless to say Heather and I were thrilled to be in such good company, with such good food, and free food at that! We had planned to buy our own meals for the weekend!

These couples spent the next 2 days INSISTING on including Heather and I on fun excursions, showing us around, feeding us, sharing their stories and culture with us, and paying for everything. I literally have never in my life met more gracious or kind people. I wish I could express how much I enjoyed their company and how overly accommodating they were, for no particular reason. They drove us everywhere, took care of us, and were our private tour guides for the weekend.

We took a cute little trolley to a town called Soller, where we walked around and explored before heading to the beach, where we were greeted with a picnic lunch. The next day we drove through the mountains to other beautiful locations and beaches, and another gourmet picnic lunch. I can't wait to share more details and pictures with you all when I get home, but here are some of my favorites from the weekend!

 Not the best picture, but our first gourmet picnic lunch with our new favorite people!

 The sweetest people in the world!

 Mom this one is for you...wait till I come home to show you the rest of the flowers! Tiny little town and every single street looked like this. Pretty sure it is your version of heaven!

 Having dinner at Javier and Francesca's darling house with the best food ever...macorni and cheese, wheat bread, green beans...it was almost like America!

 Heather and I on the train to Soller

 Allison, Heather, and I having tapas in Palma

It was so weird to say goodbye to these people we spent the entire weekend with. Obviously it is highly unlikely we will ever cross paths with them again, but I truly feel lucky to have met them and am so grateful for our weekend in Palma.

Feliz Dia del Padre!

An early Happy Father's Day to my wonderful father, step daddy, Quiestie, and Gramps! Miss you all very much and wish I was there to celebrate Father's Day with you! You are THE BEST fathers and grandfathers in the world and I am so thankful for all that you do for me. Lots of love from Spain! xox

 Feliz (Happy)

 Dia del Padre (Father's Day)

Te echo de menos! Te quiero! (I miss you and love you!)

Perfect Afternoon in the Spanish Countryside

I had my "midterms" yesterday and today. I got an A on my grammar test and Marianna hung it up on the refrigerator just like I'm in 1st grade! I had a presentation in my culture class on the Castilla y Leon region, which is region Salamanca is located in. It went well and it was actually pretty interesting to research all of the festivals, music, food, monuments, and important people.

Yesterday we went to a little town called Ledesma. My friend Will had an intercambio with a boy Pablo Ledesma who is from Ledesma (and the family the town is named after!). He, his brother, and his friend picked us all up from Salamanca and drove us to their town to show us around. It was just about a half hour outside of Salamanca but it was beautiful. The countryside in Spain is gorgeous. There was a cool little castle and the town itself was so beautiful. The people were all so welcoming and nice, as were Pablo, his brother, and his friend. They took us to their grandparent's land and old home. It was really cool to see an old Spanish country home and see all of the animals, huge bulls, cows, and horses just roaming around.  Afterwards we all came back to Salamanca and had tapas. I couldn't have asked for a better day. It was very last minute but it was such a beautiful afternoon and evening and it was so fun to explore a new town and learn about life in the Spanish countryside. 

 The castle in Ledesma

 Friends walking in the countryside

 A typical Spanish home in the countryside back in the day

 Town of Ledesma

 View of the countryside from the top of the castle

 My friend Will on the left and Pablo on the left.

 VIVA ESPANA!

Tomorrow Heather and I are leaving at 6 am for Palma de Mallorca! I can't wait, with the exception of the early wake up call. My friend Mali who is studying in London is going to be visiting Palma this weekend too, such a small world! Heather's friend is studying with a family in Palma and they have invited us to come to a party at their home and show us around Palma. It should be a fun and relaxing weekend on the beach. Pictures and updates when I return!

El Ocio

I really do love this city and even though I am getting more accustomed to Salamanca everything still seems so intriguing. There is a store for everything, and while I admit I do miss Target, I love that there are fruit stores, vegetable stores, perfume stores, paper stores, chocolate stores, coffee stores, pastry stores…really I promise there are stores for anything and everything you could think of.  I know it may seem inconvenient to stop at 5 different stores (especially when I know how easy it is to just run to Target at home), but no one here seems to mind. There is one "super market" in Salamanca and it is not popular at all. Marianna says it is easier to stop at the different stores and pick up a few things everyday rather than wait all week to just go to the super market, where she likes to remind me "it is more expensive too!"

My friend Luisa and I sat at a roundabout close to our house today for almost 3 hours, literally just sitting. It is so fun to watch everyone…people seem so content here, no one ever seems rushed. Life is tranquil. They definitely don't take life too seriously or care to work long hours but they are by no means lazy or unmotivated.  They understand the importance of "el ocio" or leisure, something many Spaniards will say Americans cannot truly understand in such a fast-paced world. Everything closes for siesta (2pm-4pm) everyday and everything is closed Sunday so people can relax and enjoy their families. While sometimes I hate that I can't run errands during these times, I have realized how wonderful it is to do nothing and enjoy the company of those around me. I wonder what it would be like in the United States if we had the opportunity to do nothing and truly appreciate leisure like they do in Spain. The people in Salamanca seem to truly understand how to enjoy life and don't seem to have the stress or worry that many of us have in America. There isn't much pressure to get straight A's (in fact just passing is considering a great achievement), work extra hours to earn more money, get a promotion, etc. they are content with doing the best they can but still allowing themselves to indulge in "el ocio" for at least a few hours everyday.

While I know I will return home and greatly appreciate the convenience of American life, I am fully enjoying the "inconveniences" of going to 3 different stores to run errands and being forced to do nothing if even just for a few hours every single day. I hope you all take some time to truly appreciate "el ocio", the company of those around you, and the pleasure of doing absolutely nothing.  

Enjoying the Weekend in Salamanca

It has been so nice to be able to stay in Salamanca, enjoy the city, and sleep in. The longer I am here the more I love Salamanca. It is such a great place to be because it truly is a smaller city and easy to navigate, but it has a big city feel and great nightlife. There is always something to do and somewhere to go every day.

Saturday Heather and I went to the park by the river and went for a run. The park is about a 10-minute walk and they have a really great biking and running trail along the river. Afterwards we tried to walk to what we thought was a pool, but actually was an indoor pool. We ended up just sitting outside in a nearby park and enjoying the sun. An older couple came up to talk to us about studying abroad. They used to host students and had tons of advice and fun things we should look into. They were so darling, but still not as cute as my grandpa! No one can compete with Queistie J

Afterwards we headed to the Plaza Mayor where they were having live entertainment. We listened to a couple of bands and enjoyed people watching. The kids here are so cute. They are always dressed to impress and have the most precious outfits in the world. (Mom you would die…literally). The girls always have on dresses with white tights and big bows, the boys have on sweaters and khakis, the babies have bonnets, its adorable. There was one girl who just stood in the Plaza watching the bands while her family ate dinner outside at a restaurant nearby. She was so beautiful, so obviously Heather and I were creepy and had to take some pictures!

Sunday Heather and I got up and went to church. It was a beautiful cathedral close to our home. It was really fun to see all of the families so dressed up and it was also First Communion. The boys wore little white tuxes and the girls had the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen. It was interesting I actually understood much more of the sermon than I thought I would. Spanish people are completely incapable of reciting in unison, definitely a difference both Heather and I noticed. The priest would try to slow them down but everyone talks at their own speed, and loudly, so it sounds both awful and funny. There also is no method to taking communion, everyone just gets up and bolts to the front of the church. Other than mass being a little bit more disorganized than the U.S. I would say it is actually very similar.

After mass we went to the flea market, "El Rastro". We had a couple problems with taking the wrong bus, but we eventually made it. The flea market was not what I had imagined. They sell everything from scarves and knock-off purses to underwear and kitchen appliances. I didn't get anything but it was fun to walk around and see all of the different stands.

In the evening we went to a bullfight. I figured if I was going to be in Spain I had to see a bullfight, and it was only 5 euro! Bullfights are extremely controversial in Salamanca. Many people here do not support bullfighting and feel very strongly it is not something to proud of in Spanish culture. Either way, it is a huge part of their culture. The arena was not very packed, but there was still a good crowd. I thought it would be more offensive or grotesque, but it was actually intriguing. The bullfighter killed 6 bulls and honestly I never thought I would say this but it is an art. It is almost like a choreographed dance with the bull. The crowd LOVED this guy; I mean threw him hats, standing ovation, tons of screaming and whistling, on and on and on. The bullfighter was so brave and confident…we saw him get flipped over by the bull, thrown to the ground by the bull, and each time he jumped back up and picked up right where he left off. The last bull he kneeled on the ground in front of where the release the bull and has the bull jump over his body.  I wish I could express how cool and calm this guy was, looking the bull right in the eye. The bull clipped his head and literally took of his hat, missing his head by centimeters. There is a band that plays throughout the fight leading up to when the bullfighter kills the bull, at which point the stadium goes DEAD SILENT. It was fun to be able to see how important bullfighting is to the Spaniards. I am not sure there is anything I could compare it to in the United States but I have a greater appreciation for the "art" after seeing it first hand. After all was said and done I feel like I can better understand the respect and honor that comes with being in the ring and why it is such an important aspect of Spanish culture.

After the bullfight we went to a Mexican restaurant. I literally have never been happier in my life. It was actually very inexpensive and a really cool restaurant. My friend Louisa and I had fajitas, guacamole, and mojitos…it was delicious! We were both thrilled we had finally found somewhere that served Mexican food and let our waiter know we would definitely be coming in on a regular basis. Our friends Derek and Will met us there and we sat and enjoyed the evening while they finished their dinner. After dinner we went down to the river for fireworks. The fireworks were amazing and we couldn't have had a more perfect night. On our walk home we decided that Mexican and fireworks made us feel like we had finally experienced a little bit of America half way across the world. 

Pictures of Salamanca

Proud to be an American

I officially have finished my first full week of classes! Things have definitely been less busy this week and it has been nice to have some time to relax and not feel so rushed. This weekend mostly everyone in my group has decided to stay in Salamanca. It is a Holiday this Monday so there are tons of events and activities going on this weekend AND no school Monday! We all decided it would be a good weekend to enjoy Salamanca and have a weekend that isn't booked with traveling excursions.

The theater show we went to Tuesday night was very interesting. It was all women and only dance…I guess you can say we had a hard time interpreting the message, but the dancing was absolutely phenomenal. Afterwards we went to get dinner together as a "family." Originally we had decided on going to a place to get good paella, a very popular Spanish dish that is rice, vegetables, and meat. When we finally sat down and saw pizza on the menu there was no hope. We all ordered pizza and split 2 bottles of wine. I have to say, it was really nice to have "American" food. Afterwards we walked around the Plaza Mayor and watched some acrobatic group that was performing. We went to get ice cream nearby and my friend Derek that the lady working was beautiful. He tried to tell her she was pretty "tu eres Hermosa" but instead said you are my sister "tu eres hermana" needless to say she was a little confused!

Class has been going really well. Luckily I have great teachers and enjoy my time spent in class. In between my morning classes I meet with some of the kids in my group at a local café. The owners name is Feliz, which literally means "happy". He is the cutest old man and is always so friendly. Some mornings he even gives us FREE CHURROS! Here is a picture of Heather, Feliz, and I from yesterday morning.

Two nights ago I had my first "intercambio". I met with a local student named Javier to help him prepare for his English exam. It was actually very fun to talk to him in English and Spanish. He was very interested in sororities and fraternities…I tried to explain it to him but they have nothing like it here in Spain. Javier decided the closest thing to a sorority would be a convent! I told him he had the right idea, but with demasiado chupitos and muchas fiestas (too many shots and lots of parties).  We are meeting again next week to continue practicing both English and Spanish. It is really great to practice Spanish with someone my age and very entertaining to learn more about their culture and how they perceive Americans.

Some of my favorite things Javier said he found intriguing about American life were water bottles, eating fruit, tennis shoes, and eating habits in general.  No one has water bottles in Spain and people do not eat or drink unless they are sitting in a restaurant or in their home. I have noticed that my brother David has an unusual obsession with my water bottle and thinks it is absolutely hilarious, as does Javier. Javier said people in Spain "comida para disfrutarla" they eat to enjoy the food, so they cannot believe we would eat or drink while doing something else, including walking, reading, talking on the phone etc (Dad I am sure you are loving this concept). He also can't believe Americans eat the skin of fruit or eat fruit with their hands. After he mentioned this I noticed that Marianna and David always peal and cut their fruit (even apples) and eat it with a fork. Javier also loves that Americans wear tennis shoes in public, here tennis shoes are only appropriate if you are going to the gym and often times people will wear flats or nice shoes with their work out clothes and CHANGE THEIR SHOES at the gym! It's hilarious! Anyways Javier says you can spot an American from a mile away because they have on tennis shoes, are eating or drinking in the street, and always carry water bottles. I don't wear my tennis shoes to class but I am totally guilty of carrying my water bottle with me everywhere, eating fruit with my hands, and eating on the go. Guess you can say I'm proud to be an American!

Settling in as a Spaniard

This week I finally feel like I am starting to get in the swing of things. Each morning I have a grammar class and then culture class. Then we all head home for lunch and siestas. At 5 we have a conversation class at a little café and every day we get free drinks! (Huge plus.) Our conversation professor is really interesting; he loves Flamenco, plays the guitar, is a huge aficionado of Spanish cinema, and is obsessed with the NBA. It is helpful to be able to talk amongst ourselves, practice our Spanish, and learn from him about fun things going on in Salamanca and interesting facts about Spanish culture. It is extremely rude to stretch or yawn in public, but even more so in class. Yesterday Juan Manuel (JuanMa) told us it is truly the most offensive thing you can do during class. I have also noticed that Marianna and David do not eat the skin of ANY fruit or vegetable, they are always peeled and the both think it is very odd I like to eat the skin. It is also very interesting to observe how they interact with each other here. They NEVER use please or thank you and almost always use commands…"Give me a coffee" etc. They think that using please and/or thank you is a waste of time. At first I it seems rude or cold, but even within this past week I have gotten much more used to it. Marianna answers the phone always with "Yes" or "Tell me." One time during dinner she picked up the phone and said, "We are eating dinner" and hung up! It is really funny and shocking at first but I am slowly learning this cultural differences. David and Marianna also find my water bottle absolutely hilarious and think it looks like a baby bottle. People really don't drink out of water bottles here, only plastic bottles they re-use. David likes that my water bottle filters the water and finally last night admitted he thought it was cool and wants on himself. It is funny to think I have only been here for a little over a week. It seems like I have been here for so long and known everyone forever! I am so lucky that Marianna and David are so accommodating, my teachers are so great, and that everyone has been so welcoming. This week I am going to start doing something called "intercambios." It is when you meet up with a student of the University so they can practice English and you can practice Spanish. I am really looking forward to spending time practicing Spanish and helping a Spanish student with English that is close to my age. This coming weekend is a Holiday for Salamanca so there are a ton of fun artists, musicians, and performers here through Monday. Everything is free so it is really cool to just be able to stop on the way home from class and partake in the festivities. Last night we went to a Flamenco dance class and it was so entertaining, especially with the boys. Flamenco is a hard dance to learn but they taught us the must basic steps and apparently people my age really do dance Flamenco and Salsa in certain dance clubs (of course there are other "discotecas" that are more modern). Tonight we are going to see a show at the theatre. None of us really know what we are seeing but we are all excited! Afterwards a couple of us are going to get tapas. You can get a beer and 2 tapas for 1.90 euro…a bottle of water is 2.10 euro…I still can't get over it!!!!!

Weekend in Portugal

This past weekend we traveled to Portugal. We left Friday afternoon and arrived in Aviero, Portugal in the evening. Marianna (mi madre) made me a "snack" for the bus ride, a 12 inch baguette with nutella, another 12 inch baguette with Spanish tortilla (potato dish), an orange, chocolate bar, and juice. Needless to say after sharing my "snack" with my friends she became quite popular.  We had a dinner at a local restaurant in Aviero and then went back to our hotel. Aviero is a really cool coastal city and it is known as the "Venice of Portugal" because they have gondolas rides. The gondolas are painted with very bright colors and are really beautiful. In the morning we went to Coimbra to tour the local University. All of the students in the University have to wear suits and a long cape. They really all look like Harry Potter running around Hogwarts, it is pretty funny! Instead of tossing their cap after graduating, they rip of their suits and run around naked….seriously. A little different than the United States! The library at the University is absolutely beautiful and adorned with real gold. They allow bats to live in the library so the bats can eat all of the insects that might damage the books.

After touring the University we had some free time to explore the city and then headed back to the beach at Aviero to have lunch. We ate at a wonderful restaurant near the beach and then spent the afternoon enjoying the sun. Luckily we had really wonderful weather and were able to relax and take a siesta on the beach. Saturday evening we were on our own for dinner. We eat bread ALL THE TIME here and we were all craving something somewhat healthy so we went to a local sushi bar. The sushi was phenomenal and the chef just kept bringing us tons of sushi rolls to share for 10 euro per person.  After dinner we walked around the city and then my friend Heather and I went to a local concert. The band played lots of American music, which was really cool and in Portugal they are HUGE fans of Coldplay.

Sunday we traveled to Oporto to tour a local winery. The winery was very interesting! I am sure my dad would have appreciated it much more than we did but it was a good experience. Portugal is known for their ports so it was nice to learn the history behind the winery and of course, have a little taste at the end. After the tour we had free time and Heather and I went for a "gondola" ride, but really it is more like a ski lift. We walked over the bridge in Oporto, which was designed by a student of Eiffel's. There were some wonderful views of the city from the bridge. Afterwards we stopped to have lunch at a local café. We headed home to Salamanca just in time to have dinner with our families. The trip to Portugal was very fun but I think we were all ready to get some sleep by the time we got home!

El Primer Dia de Clase

Tuesday and Wednesday were so busy with orientation, touring the city, and taking placement level test for our classes. After all of the busy work we went to a Heladeria (Ice Cream store). Q, you should have been there, the ice-cream definitely puts up a fight against Graters!

Today our classes started. In the morning I have a grammar class from 9-11 with a mix of students from different programs. Must of the kids are from America but we have a few kids from France in my grammar class too. After that I have a class on the culture of Spain at 12:10 and then come home for lunch and a SIESTA :) In the afternoon we meet at a bar at 5:00 to practice conversation for an hour.


It is funny how similar some things are between living at home and living here, and of course some things are drastically different. I am loving every minute I am here and can't seem to see enough of the city. It truly is beautiful and the perfect size. The University is the 4th oldest in the world and touring the older buildings on campus was amazing. The professors used to just lecture for however long they wanted, so some days it could be 6 hours and other days just 20 minutes. Luckily, all of my classes have a starting and ending time!

The other students in my group are wonderful.  We all get along really well and I am so so thankful that we all mesh together perfectly. I feel like I have known some of them forever and it is funny when we remind ourselves we literally met 4 days ago. My friend Heather and I joined a local gym yesterday and that in and of itself was an experience. The gym is much smaller and the equipment much older but we felt pretty "Euro" getting a gym membership! (Mom you should love this because it is way safer than running outside in the evenings!)

My host mom and I are getting along great and her son is warming up to me a little bit and talking some more. It is really difficult to have a conversation with both of them because they speak so quickly and almost slur their words together. Marianna (my host mom) promises that I will catch on. I sure hope so! The only bad thing that has happened is that I cannot get into the front door of my apartment with my key. A student broke the actual lock last semester so you have to jiggle the key and I have tried for 15 minutes multiple times with no success. Luckily a neighbor has always been able to let me in and Marianna is typically home during the day. (Dad it is like a repeat of the nightmare Hotel doors in Paris! BUT WORSE because there is no concierge!)

This afternoon after my conversation class we have a salsa class which should be really fun! After that a group of us are going to have tapas and explore the city a little more...Let's just say we have discovered we can get 10 chupitos (shots) for 5 euros and that the Cerveza (beer) is cheaper than water!