Last weekend, I stepped onto the continent of AFRICA! Woohoo!!! Thanks to Discovery Excursions (and biggest thanks to my PARENTS), I visited Chefchaouen, Tanger, and Asilah, Morocco in just two days.
Highlights: the mint tea, the blue doors and walls of the city, and I rode a camel!
Medium lights: got my first henna, the food overall was great (the salads hit the SPOT, the couscous, chicken was always cooked perfectly, and they served desserts for breakfast), and I met some pretty cool people.
Low lights: the WiFi wasn't cooperative, but that wasn't a big deal. I just wanted to complete the tri-lights.
One particular cultural difference worth noting/discussing is that Moroccans always speak more than one language, and speaking five languages is not uncommon. Is that not crazy?! Our tour guides too, of course, knew at least two languages, sometimes three. There were also some girls on our trip from Germany who knew English very well and are also currently learning Spanish. And last but not least, my program director for my experience in Spain is fluent in three languages and so are her children. Isn't that cool?! I think languages are awesome, and more than that, they are IMPORTANT. I was having a conversation with a group of high school friends not too long ago. We were discussing the changes in school curricula and the educational system (which is always an intriguing topic), and someone mentioned that the only thing that they still use from high school is foreign language. You can learn so much about your own native language through learning foreign languages. You can apply it to all kinds of topics and use cognates to remember terms that you remember for the rest of your life. Those are just common everyday uses. Being able to communicate with someone from an entirely different country is SO COOL. Something else that I find interesting is that if you fail to practice a language, you forget it! I know people who forgot their first language or cannot speak a language that they learned in school for 7 years simply because they never practiced it. Meeting so many people who know so many languages has really inspired me to learn more-- but not just learn them, KNOW them. I want to practice them. I want to remember them. I want to use them in all kinds of areas in my life. I know it is much easier to say that but not do it, but learning languages is something that my excursion to Morocco taught me and something that I hope I apply to my life.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Saturday, January 31, 2015
What Causes Calluses?
About two weeks ago, (I know I'm still really behind) we visited the Royal Chapel and the Cathedral of Granada.
The Royal Chapel in Granada is where King and Queen Ferdinand and Isabella were buried, along with their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. That was pretty darn cool considering their fame and influence, especially in Granada. I loved hearing about the symbols on their tombs, the significance of the differences, and what each monarch wad known for.
Warning: I'm about to explain a bunch of historical things that I found interesting. If you don't really like history or think you won't care, just skip this next paragraph.
Before we walked in, I was taking pictures of the beautiful architecture of the building next door (I'm always taking pictures here), which had a "Y" on it. I saw that the same design a few windows over had an "F" to replace the "Y". I didn't really know what it meant, but it was pretty. Then, we started to go inside the entrance before chapel, but I noticed a fountain and dragons on the building that I thought were interesting. We had learned that fountains and water in Muslim cultures signified hospitality and life. I saw dragons, too, which I hadn't seen before (which provoked my curiosity because most symbols have been repetitive), so I asked our guide what it meant. She said that the dragon was supposed to be protecting and watching over (like most fairytale castles, too, right?) and the fountain represented life (I assume from John 4:14 and/or John 7:38). Then we entered, and we saw a giant painting with a golden frame. The golden frame looked like it had a "Y", an "F", a bale of wheat, and some random string. She explained the significance and symbolism within the painting. She said it was a picture of the peaceful transfer of Granada from the last Moorish king, Buabdilah (spelling is most likely incorrect), to King and Queen Ferdinand and Isabella. Buabdilah, Ferdinand, and Isabella are all on horses, but Isabella is on a white horse in front of Ferdinand to show that she was the protagonist. She was the one in charge and responsible for obtaining Granada, although it was a very peaceful transfer of power. But what was really cool was that that painting was the picture for the province of Granada that is displayed in La Plaza de España that I saw in Seville!! Then we went into the chapel where our guide explained that the "Y" stood for Isabella, yoke, and the unification of Spain when those the words all started with a Y in Spanish. The "F" that I saw stood for Ferdinand, fletchous, and flechas, which means arrows in Spanish. She also explained that the writing we saw along the top of the wall was a message in Gothic German written to the Catholic Monarchs which was inspired by the Arabic writing that the Moors used in their architecture, which I thought was cool (no surprise there) because I also loved the design of the writing on the walls in the Moorish castles. I saw the bundle of wheat that I saw on the painting near the entrance of the chapel and just as I asked my tour guide, I realized that the figure that I thought was random ribbon was actually a yoke, which would mean that what I thought was a bundle of wheat was actually a bundle of arrows! Pretty cool stuff. Then when we got to the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand (which is the order of the two names that is used more commonly in Granada) where we saw the saint of Aragon (where King Ferdinand was from) sleighing a dragon, but this dragon, explained by our tour guide, represented the devil which made more sense to me according to Revelation 12:9. Our guide also pointed out that the stone pillow from Isabella's tomb was evidently dented more/lower than Ferdinand's pillow because everyone thought that Isabella was much smarter and had a "heavier brain." She also pointed out that the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand were different than their daughter/son-in-law's because the artist who started the sculptures ended up dying before he could finish. Although the original artist was Italian, his work was more appreciated because it respected the tradition at that time. The second artist, however, received a lot of criticism for trying to add his own twist. I found it interesting that the second artist was actually Spanish, but had studied in Italy under a very famous artist whose name escapes me right now. Anyways, sorry for the rant on all the details, but I thought some of you might appreciate it.
The Cathedral in Granada was giant. Because it took over 250 years to build, many artists contributed to the various styles that made up the Cathedral, which was interesting. However, it wasn't as incredible as the other places we have seen, but it was nice to learn more about it.
As much as I learned and loved about the royal chapel, I was not nearly excited as you might expect before the visit. And as beautiful as the Cathedral was, I wasn't as completely floored as I had been with other cathedrals. Sure, maybe they weren't the most beautiful. But I think there is something more than that that dulled my interest.
I think it was the fact that these were the 5th and 6th buildings of this kind that we had visited. I think it was the fact that we had been in Spain for 3 weeks. In my opinion, the best way to avoid homesickness is distraction. Out of sight, out of mind right? After 2-3 weeks of visiting a new place, homesickness usually starts to set in. So what's happening before homesickness? For those first few glorious weeks of study abroad, similar to the honey moon stage of a relationship and/or marriage, you love it all! You take it in, and sometimes, you even get overwhelmed. But then you move on to the next stage. You see it's flaws, you long for what you don't have, and you get bored!
I'm not saying I don't love Spain anymore. I'm not saying I'm tired of it. I'm saying that I think that it is human nature to get used to things, and then get bored. You get less excited. You stop appreciating it. You get calloused! Maybe it's just my Northeastern American culture; go go go. Something new, something now. Time is money. We are always looking for and trying to come up with the next best thing. I wonder if the reason I have come to love Spanish culture and history is because I've gotten bored with America's. Maybe it's because I'm really experiencing and learning Spanish history hands-on here. I wonder if everyone who lives in Granada and Seville and Ronda don't get tired of their beauty and history. Moral of the story: let's keep appreciating and admiring what we have, even when we've had it for a long time. Let's start seeking those little designs in seemingly insignificant places. Let's ask those questions with answers that amaze us. And above all, let's thank God for it.
The Royal Chapel in Granada is where King and Queen Ferdinand and Isabella were buried, along with their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. That was pretty darn cool considering their fame and influence, especially in Granada. I loved hearing about the symbols on their tombs, the significance of the differences, and what each monarch wad known for.
Warning: I'm about to explain a bunch of historical things that I found interesting. If you don't really like history or think you won't care, just skip this next paragraph.
Before we walked in, I was taking pictures of the beautiful architecture of the building next door (I'm always taking pictures here), which had a "Y" on it. I saw that the same design a few windows over had an "F" to replace the "Y". I didn't really know what it meant, but it was pretty. Then, we started to go inside the entrance before chapel, but I noticed a fountain and dragons on the building that I thought were interesting. We had learned that fountains and water in Muslim cultures signified hospitality and life. I saw dragons, too, which I hadn't seen before (which provoked my curiosity because most symbols have been repetitive), so I asked our guide what it meant. She said that the dragon was supposed to be protecting and watching over (like most fairytale castles, too, right?) and the fountain represented life (I assume from John 4:14 and/or John 7:38). Then we entered, and we saw a giant painting with a golden frame. The golden frame looked like it had a "Y", an "F", a bale of wheat, and some random string. She explained the significance and symbolism within the painting. She said it was a picture of the peaceful transfer of Granada from the last Moorish king, Buabdilah (spelling is most likely incorrect), to King and Queen Ferdinand and Isabella. Buabdilah, Ferdinand, and Isabella are all on horses, but Isabella is on a white horse in front of Ferdinand to show that she was the protagonist. She was the one in charge and responsible for obtaining Granada, although it was a very peaceful transfer of power. But what was really cool was that that painting was the picture for the province of Granada that is displayed in La Plaza de España that I saw in Seville!! Then we went into the chapel where our guide explained that the "Y" stood for Isabella, yoke, and the unification of Spain when those the words all started with a Y in Spanish. The "F" that I saw stood for Ferdinand, fletchous, and flechas, which means arrows in Spanish. She also explained that the writing we saw along the top of the wall was a message in Gothic German written to the Catholic Monarchs which was inspired by the Arabic writing that the Moors used in their architecture, which I thought was cool (no surprise there) because I also loved the design of the writing on the walls in the Moorish castles. I saw the bundle of wheat that I saw on the painting near the entrance of the chapel and just as I asked my tour guide, I realized that the figure that I thought was random ribbon was actually a yoke, which would mean that what I thought was a bundle of wheat was actually a bundle of arrows! Pretty cool stuff. Then when we got to the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand (which is the order of the two names that is used more commonly in Granada) where we saw the saint of Aragon (where King Ferdinand was from) sleighing a dragon, but this dragon, explained by our tour guide, represented the devil which made more sense to me according to Revelation 12:9. Our guide also pointed out that the stone pillow from Isabella's tomb was evidently dented more/lower than Ferdinand's pillow because everyone thought that Isabella was much smarter and had a "heavier brain." She also pointed out that the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand were different than their daughter/son-in-law's because the artist who started the sculptures ended up dying before he could finish. Although the original artist was Italian, his work was more appreciated because it respected the tradition at that time. The second artist, however, received a lot of criticism for trying to add his own twist. I found it interesting that the second artist was actually Spanish, but had studied in Italy under a very famous artist whose name escapes me right now. Anyways, sorry for the rant on all the details, but I thought some of you might appreciate it.
The Cathedral in Granada was giant. Because it took over 250 years to build, many artists contributed to the various styles that made up the Cathedral, which was interesting. However, it wasn't as incredible as the other places we have seen, but it was nice to learn more about it.
As much as I learned and loved about the royal chapel, I was not nearly excited as you might expect before the visit. And as beautiful as the Cathedral was, I wasn't as completely floored as I had been with other cathedrals. Sure, maybe they weren't the most beautiful. But I think there is something more than that that dulled my interest.
I think it was the fact that these were the 5th and 6th buildings of this kind that we had visited. I think it was the fact that we had been in Spain for 3 weeks. In my opinion, the best way to avoid homesickness is distraction. Out of sight, out of mind right? After 2-3 weeks of visiting a new place, homesickness usually starts to set in. So what's happening before homesickness? For those first few glorious weeks of study abroad, similar to the honey moon stage of a relationship and/or marriage, you love it all! You take it in, and sometimes, you even get overwhelmed. But then you move on to the next stage. You see it's flaws, you long for what you don't have, and you get bored!
I'm not saying I don't love Spain anymore. I'm not saying I'm tired of it. I'm saying that I think that it is human nature to get used to things, and then get bored. You get less excited. You stop appreciating it. You get calloused! Maybe it's just my Northeastern American culture; go go go. Something new, something now. Time is money. We are always looking for and trying to come up with the next best thing. I wonder if the reason I have come to love Spanish culture and history is because I've gotten bored with America's. Maybe it's because I'm really experiencing and learning Spanish history hands-on here. I wonder if everyone who lives in Granada and Seville and Ronda don't get tired of their beauty and history. Moral of the story: let's keep appreciating and admiring what we have, even when we've had it for a long time. Let's start seeking those little designs in seemingly insignificant places. Let's ask those questions with answers that amaze us. And above all, let's thank God for it.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Weekend in Seville and Cordoba
Two weekends ago, from Friday to Sunday, everyone in our program traveled to Seville and Cordoba, some of the most historical cities in Spain.
Granada is a city in the autonomous community of Andalucia, and Seville is the capital of Andalucia. Seville is where the 1992 World's Fair was held. On the bus, we passed a lot of the buildings built for the fair with the country's names written in bold, capitalized letters. We passed the most spectacular buildings. I think I was even more captured by the architecture of Seville than the architecture of Granada. We then ate at La Plaza de España for lunch, which was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen where I could walk around freely all day without paying and without any crowds. My friends and I then explored, shopped, and went to dinner. We ate at the back of a restaurant next to a wall that we later found out was the wall to the famous relic, Álcazar Palace! I was blown away! This palace still happens to be used by the Spanish royal family, so we couldn't see it all, but hey, I thought that was pretty cool. For the parts we did see, we were shown the mudejar architecture which combines both Muslim and Catholic influence. Pretty interesting. It has been great learning a lot about Islam and Catholicism as we go through these historical, religious buildings since Islam and Catholicism are the biggest influences on every wall. We then visited the Cathedral, the largest Gothic-style Cathedral in the world. It was incredible. Like everything else, it was mind-blowing. I freaked out most when our guide told us that the casket that was held by the four giant statue men contained the body of Christopher Columbus!!! I honestly thought she was joking at first, but she was serious! That Cathedral was the cemetery for many other historical, Catholic figures as well. That night, our whole group went to an incredibly nice dinner with great food. My favorite part about that dinner, however, was that it was the first time our whole group really got to hang out, get to know each other, and enjoy each other's company. It was a blast. And then just about everyone went out to the same club, which was also a lot of fun (with good music, I could go dancing for days on end).
I really, really enjoyed Seville. My only expectation as that Seville would go beyond my expectations like Ronda did, and I was right!! The beautiful buildings, the bigger orange trees, and the unique street performers all won my heart over. I have a really hard time deciding if I like Seville or Granada better, but who cares? Both cities are amazing and I'm glad I was able to spend so much time in both places.
Sunday morning, we left for Cordoba. Cordoba was once the capital of the Moorish Empire. It had the best agriculture, the largest population, and the most technological and medical advancements. We were supposed to go on a tour of the city and then a tour of the famous Mosque/Cathedral, but our wonderful program director spared us the cold rain, so we stayed indoors. The Mosque was beautiful like everything else I've seen in Spain. We were told that over 1,000 columns were used in the Mosque, and each one had a different design! I thought that was too cool. The Chapel built inside was, needless to say, beautiful!! So much detail, so many bright colors, so giant.
If you were to ask me if I like Cordoba, I would say yes, but I really wish it wasn't raining that day. I was not quite overwhelmed like I expected to be. After returning from Cordoba, my host mom and Spanish teacher said that they love Cordoba and that it is even more beautiful than Granada. What a shame I didn't get to see ask of it. Regardless, I'm still grateful that I was able to go to, what used to be, one of the greatest cities in the world. I'm grateful that I was able to see the famous Cathedral that was built inside a Mosque. I could never finish writing a list of what I'm grateful for. How can one be disappointed with so many blessings??
Granada is a city in the autonomous community of Andalucia, and Seville is the capital of Andalucia. Seville is where the 1992 World's Fair was held. On the bus, we passed a lot of the buildings built for the fair with the country's names written in bold, capitalized letters. We passed the most spectacular buildings. I think I was even more captured by the architecture of Seville than the architecture of Granada. We then ate at La Plaza de España for lunch, which was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen where I could walk around freely all day without paying and without any crowds. My friends and I then explored, shopped, and went to dinner. We ate at the back of a restaurant next to a wall that we later found out was the wall to the famous relic, Álcazar Palace! I was blown away! This palace still happens to be used by the Spanish royal family, so we couldn't see it all, but hey, I thought that was pretty cool. For the parts we did see, we were shown the mudejar architecture which combines both Muslim and Catholic influence. Pretty interesting. It has been great learning a lot about Islam and Catholicism as we go through these historical, religious buildings since Islam and Catholicism are the biggest influences on every wall. We then visited the Cathedral, the largest Gothic-style Cathedral in the world. It was incredible. Like everything else, it was mind-blowing. I freaked out most when our guide told us that the casket that was held by the four giant statue men contained the body of Christopher Columbus!!! I honestly thought she was joking at first, but she was serious! That Cathedral was the cemetery for many other historical, Catholic figures as well. That night, our whole group went to an incredibly nice dinner with great food. My favorite part about that dinner, however, was that it was the first time our whole group really got to hang out, get to know each other, and enjoy each other's company. It was a blast. And then just about everyone went out to the same club, which was also a lot of fun (with good music, I could go dancing for days on end).
I really, really enjoyed Seville. My only expectation as that Seville would go beyond my expectations like Ronda did, and I was right!! The beautiful buildings, the bigger orange trees, and the unique street performers all won my heart over. I have a really hard time deciding if I like Seville or Granada better, but who cares? Both cities are amazing and I'm glad I was able to spend so much time in both places.
Sunday morning, we left for Cordoba. Cordoba was once the capital of the Moorish Empire. It had the best agriculture, the largest population, and the most technological and medical advancements. We were supposed to go on a tour of the city and then a tour of the famous Mosque/Cathedral, but our wonderful program director spared us the cold rain, so we stayed indoors. The Mosque was beautiful like everything else I've seen in Spain. We were told that over 1,000 columns were used in the Mosque, and each one had a different design! I thought that was too cool. The Chapel built inside was, needless to say, beautiful!! So much detail, so many bright colors, so giant.
If you were to ask me if I like Cordoba, I would say yes, but I really wish it wasn't raining that day. I was not quite overwhelmed like I expected to be. After returning from Cordoba, my host mom and Spanish teacher said that they love Cordoba and that it is even more beautiful than Granada. What a shame I didn't get to see ask of it. Regardless, I'm still grateful that I was able to go to, what used to be, one of the greatest cities in the world. I'm grateful that I was able to see the famous Cathedral that was built inside a Mosque. I could never finish writing a list of what I'm grateful for. How can one be disappointed with so many blessings??
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Last Week at the Alhambra
Sorry for the lack of updates!! My excuse is that we had three quizzes and a paper due last week, as well as almost no WiFi this past weekend. This week, however, I'll have three presentations, two quizzes, and an oral exam, so there'll be even more to do!
We have done A LOT this past week (then again, we do a lot every week). Within four days, we managed to visit the Alhambra, the Cathedral and Alcazar Palace in Seville, the famous Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba, and the Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada. I'm personally really glad that we have had so many trips planned for us. I would not have planned to do most of what we have done, but I have enjoyed every tour, and they have sparked, in me, a love for history.
The Alhambra is a castle in Granada that was built hundreds of years ago by the Muslim Moors. The Alhambra contains three parts, the defensive third, the palaces, and the gardens. It was very cool to see, especially with tour guides that explained so much and could answer any questions from overly enthusiastic students...like me. I was blown away before we even entered the building. As we were walking towards the entrance, our guide told us that "al" means "the" in Arabic, so words starting with "al" usually originate from Arabic. Some of these words include alcohol and algebra. How cool is that?! And Alhambra means "The Red" because the colors of the walls were like the red color of the Earth. She then explained all of the symbolism on the walls of the entrance, and we later realized that every design on the inside of the walls were also extremely symbolic. Then we entered. The defensive third was very cool because you were walking through what really looked and felt like a castle! We saw the ramparts, the Canon balls, the dungeons, the Arab baths. We saw a beautiful view of the city from there as well.
Then we entered the second part: the palaces. As we went further into the palaces, the walls became more and more decorated, more and more intricate, and more and more breath-taking. Our guide did not tell us the significance of every design because there were so many, but she did explain to us that all the designs incorporated three components: geometry, nature, and Arabic writings. We also saw beautiful pools and fountains. Seriously, Spain has SO MANY fountains. I love them. The palaces were my favorite part of the castle. I had never seen anything like it in my life.
The third and final part of the Alhambra was the gardens. It had very cool, large designs that are great to just walk through on a nice afternoon. Unfortunately, considering that it is Winter time here, there were not many flowers blooming, but there was still another beautiful view of the city.
We learned that the Alhambra castle was kept standing to be a symbol of the power of the Christians who defeated the Moors, and I'm glad it was because it is truly stunning.
We have done A LOT this past week (then again, we do a lot every week). Within four days, we managed to visit the Alhambra, the Cathedral and Alcazar Palace in Seville, the famous Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba, and the Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada. I'm personally really glad that we have had so many trips planned for us. I would not have planned to do most of what we have done, but I have enjoyed every tour, and they have sparked, in me, a love for history.
The Alhambra is a castle in Granada that was built hundreds of years ago by the Muslim Moors. The Alhambra contains three parts, the defensive third, the palaces, and the gardens. It was very cool to see, especially with tour guides that explained so much and could answer any questions from overly enthusiastic students...like me. I was blown away before we even entered the building. As we were walking towards the entrance, our guide told us that "al" means "the" in Arabic, so words starting with "al" usually originate from Arabic. Some of these words include alcohol and algebra. How cool is that?! And Alhambra means "The Red" because the colors of the walls were like the red color of the Earth. She then explained all of the symbolism on the walls of the entrance, and we later realized that every design on the inside of the walls were also extremely symbolic. Then we entered. The defensive third was very cool because you were walking through what really looked and felt like a castle! We saw the ramparts, the Canon balls, the dungeons, the Arab baths. We saw a beautiful view of the city from there as well.
Then we entered the second part: the palaces. As we went further into the palaces, the walls became more and more decorated, more and more intricate, and more and more breath-taking. Our guide did not tell us the significance of every design because there were so many, but she did explain to us that all the designs incorporated three components: geometry, nature, and Arabic writings. We also saw beautiful pools and fountains. Seriously, Spain has SO MANY fountains. I love them. The palaces were my favorite part of the castle. I had never seen anything like it in my life.
The third and final part of the Alhambra was the gardens. It had very cool, large designs that are great to just walk through on a nice afternoon. Unfortunately, considering that it is Winter time here, there were not many flowers blooming, but there was still another beautiful view of the city.
We learned that the Alhambra castle was kept standing to be a symbol of the power of the Christians who defeated the Moors, and I'm glad it was because it is truly stunning.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Places to Go, Places I've Seen
Our program has a lot of planned trips for us already which is really good because I wouldn't have taken the time to plan them myself. So far, we have had a flamenco dance lesson, visited the city of Ronda, and went on a tour of the Albayzín.
Flamenco was a good time. We obviously weren't very good, but I thinking trying to learn skills like dancing gives you more appreciation for the skill that the experts have.
Ronda was absolutely beautiful. It had some breath-taking landscapes. We also visited the oldest bullring in history which was very interesting to learn about. I also tried el rabo del toro. Bull's tail. I didn't like it at first, but I ended up enjoying it! I remember getting off of the bus, looking around, and my friend saying, "I already like Granada better." I agreed, but we spoke too soon. I think I still like Granada better, but I am so glad we were able to see Ronda.
The Albayzín is the part of Granada that has maintained the most Arabic history from the Moorish Rule. We went to see an Arabic bathhouse that is about a thousand years old and still standing. It was very cool to learn about it's history, and I went to a modern, functioning Arab bath yesterday! (Great experience, very cool, very relaxing.) It was also very cool to learn about the history of it's steep, labyrinth-like streets that aided in defense. We have a planned trip to the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the Catedral, the Capilla Real, and a flamenco show. I am particularly excited about visiting the Alhambra today because it is the symbol of Granada.
I think one of the more incredible things about this program is that we are not just earning college credits. We are not just on vacation. We are not just sight-seeing. We are learning so much about the culture and history of Spain. We are experiencing it for ourselves, hands-on. There is no better way to learn! I'm so grateful for this opportunity and for all of the people who worked so hard to make it happen. I know all of those people won't see this, but for those of you who do, thank you.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Q and A
I originally created this blog because it is a requirement for one of the two classes I am taking here. So, I must answer a few questions that you might be wondering about as well.
Prompt 1 : What are some differences that you have observed between Granada and Newark, Delaware or your home town? What did you find most interesting during the tour of the center of the city? Why?
An inference I've made from the difference schedules that I mentored in my last post is that, in comparison to the Northeast, people in Spain do not seem to strive nearly as much to make money. You would think that restaurants would be open during lunch. And everyone takes naps! In the Northeast, "time is money." There is no time for naps. American employers only offer 2 15-minute breaks which is when people often eat lunch. We learned that workers in Spain are required, by law, to have a full month of vacation time per year. I know I'm not a full-time worker yet, but I'm pretty sure workers in America usually get just two weeks of vacation time. Our teachers have also mentioned that American students tend to take school more seriously too, which shows how much more laid back Spanish students are.
When we went on a tour of the city on our first full day in Granada, which I believe I mentioned in another post, I found the architecture the most interesting. Because of the different countries or religious groups that had control of the city over the past few thousand years, there is an evident difference in architectural style. Buildings are influenced by the Romans, the Arabs, the Jews, and the Catholics. The architecture is the reason I immediately fell in love with the city.
Prompt 2: What would you like to do during your time in Spain? Where do you want to visit in Granada and outside of Granada? How are you planning on getting to these places?
Within Granada, I am going to an Arabic bath this week with some friends. An Arabic bath is practically a spa. There will be pools (both cold and warm), saunas, and massages. Some girls from our program have already went and said it was incredible so I am super excited for that! The university that we are studying with here also offers many cheap cultural excursions. The same friends with whom I am going to the "spa" are also going on an excursion with me which will be a bike ride along a river here in Granada. We might try to go on a hike or another bike ride with the university as well. I am excited for that too, of course. I am also really hoping to see the sunset from a place called el Mirador de San Nicolas which is said to be the place to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world because of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the famous Alhambra castle to add to the view. I also really want to bring my ukulele into the streets one day and spontaneously accompany a street musician. If I only do that and see that sunset, I will be content with my experiences in Spain. I also want to do some shopping as January is one of Granada's biggest months for rebajas and descuentos (sales and discounts).
Other than exploring what the city of Granada has to offer, I am hoping to visit Portugal and Morocco during out free weekends. I am planning on traveling to Portugal by train and to Morocco by bus, ferry, and camel! My friends and I were approached by a company that offers a full-planned trip to Morocco, so planning for that is just about finished! I am very excited to see, learn about, and experience only a small portion of what this beautiful world has to offer.
Prompt 1 : What are some differences that you have observed between Granada and Newark, Delaware or your home town? What did you find most interesting during the tour of the center of the city? Why?
An inference I've made from the difference schedules that I mentored in my last post is that, in comparison to the Northeast, people in Spain do not seem to strive nearly as much to make money. You would think that restaurants would be open during lunch. And everyone takes naps! In the Northeast, "time is money." There is no time for naps. American employers only offer 2 15-minute breaks which is when people often eat lunch. We learned that workers in Spain are required, by law, to have a full month of vacation time per year. I know I'm not a full-time worker yet, but I'm pretty sure workers in America usually get just two weeks of vacation time. Our teachers have also mentioned that American students tend to take school more seriously too, which shows how much more laid back Spanish students are.
When we went on a tour of the city on our first full day in Granada, which I believe I mentioned in another post, I found the architecture the most interesting. Because of the different countries or religious groups that had control of the city over the past few thousand years, there is an evident difference in architectural style. Buildings are influenced by the Romans, the Arabs, the Jews, and the Catholics. The architecture is the reason I immediately fell in love with the city.
Prompt 2: What would you like to do during your time in Spain? Where do you want to visit in Granada and outside of Granada? How are you planning on getting to these places?
Within Granada, I am going to an Arabic bath this week with some friends. An Arabic bath is practically a spa. There will be pools (both cold and warm), saunas, and massages. Some girls from our program have already went and said it was incredible so I am super excited for that! The university that we are studying with here also offers many cheap cultural excursions. The same friends with whom I am going to the "spa" are also going on an excursion with me which will be a bike ride along a river here in Granada. We might try to go on a hike or another bike ride with the university as well. I am excited for that too, of course. I am also really hoping to see the sunset from a place called el Mirador de San Nicolas which is said to be the place to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world because of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the famous Alhambra castle to add to the view. I also really want to bring my ukulele into the streets one day and spontaneously accompany a street musician. If I only do that and see that sunset, I will be content with my experiences in Spain. I also want to do some shopping as January is one of Granada's biggest months for rebajas and descuentos (sales and discounts).
Other than exploring what the city of Granada has to offer, I am hoping to visit Portugal and Morocco during out free weekends. I am planning on traveling to Portugal by train and to Morocco by bus, ferry, and camel! My friends and I were approached by a company that offers a full-planned trip to Morocco, so planning for that is just about finished! I am very excited to see, learn about, and experience only a small portion of what this beautiful world has to offer.
I'm Still Alive
Sorry I haven't gotten the chance to post for a while. The schedules are different here. We have class 9-1 (which is hard for me since my classes started at 11 last semester) and lunch at 2:30, or 14:30 as military time is used here. There is a lot of time between, but I don't seem to get too hungry and sometimes we pick up a snack/dessert on the way home from one of 20 bakeries we've seen. Then there is the scheduled siesta (nap). And I mean scheduled. All of the stores close from about 2-5 in the middle of the day which has been really interesting to me. Then dinner is around 8:30 and then people often go out for tapas which are like hors d' oeurves that come free when you buy a drink. Sobremesa is also common after meals where everyone literally stays at the table and talks for a few hours. Also, people seem to go to bed much later, resulting in later morning alarms.
That's just a little bit about my life here. I will be posting again very soon and much more often. Thanks for reading!
That's just a little bit about my life here. I will be posting again very soon and much more often. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Fill up in the Morning
Read this to the end, it's important!
My second day in Spain is coming to a close, and what a great day it was. We were able to wake up late today. After a breakfast of coffee, a muffin, an orange, and some cookies, our whole group of Americans met up for a tour of Granada and for a break from Spanish. (It turns out that I wasn't the only one struggling to understand or speak to our host families.) On our tour, we saw the beautiful Spanish architecture, places to shop and dine, and where our classes will be. I know right now that it is going to be really hard to leave this place.
After our tour, my roommate and I explored the city a bit, then went home for lunch. Today is El Dia de Los Reyes which means the Day of the Kings which celebrates the multiple astrologers who followed the star in the East to find the "King of the Jews", aka Jesus (Matthew 2:1). In Spain, the three kings are equated to Santa Claus, who brings the gifts to the children. So, our host mom gave us scarves this morning, and we spent lunch with our host mom and some of her family which included her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. We had a very filling three course meal, and I had my first alcoholic drink! Afterwards, my roommate and I went to explore again. We unexpectedly bumped into another four girls from our group. ¡Que surpresa! What a surprise! We had no plans, so we decided to just go explore. We passed some shops and wandered up some more paths. We started following other tourists and came across a sort of park with a beautiful view of the Alhambra and city of Granada lit up against the dark night sky...past some trees and a building. So it wasn't the most perfect view, but it was a great find. Then we went to get some tapas (snacks) for the first time, which ended up being fries and chicken wings. Finally, we went home for dinner.
Before starting my work, I decided to read some of my Bible. I hadn't read this morning. After reading the introduction to Jude and just one verse (the last one of the book), I was in awe of God. I began prayer journaling. I was filled with gratitude and love for Jesus, so I started playing some music and worshipped. By the end, I felt filled with the Holy Spirit and felt compelled to write this! This is how I feel when I'm filled with the Holy Spirit: abundantly joyful, prepared to face the world and any attacks from the devil, and on fire to glorify/listen to/live for/tell others about Jesus. What an incredible feeling! The only issue is, it's the end of the day. I am about to fall asleep and probably lose this "Jesus high". I am not really going to see anyone else for the rest of the day. My "fire" can spread nowhere.
Why am I writing this? I am not only trying to share my day with you. I'm not trying to brag about how I read my Bible today. Granted, it has taken me a while, but I am writing this to tell you:
Fill up in the morning.
Reading the Bible, praying, worshipping, and anything else that could possibly fill you with the Holy Spirit needs to happen in the morning before you start your day, face the world and the devil, try to reach your goals, meet opportunities to share Jesus with others. Without filling up in the morning, we run the risk of forgetting about Jesus all day. We run the risk of making decisions that we want instead of making decisions that He wants. Yes, you can still bring glory to God throughout your day without setting aside 15-45 minutes at the beginning of your day. Yes, you shouldn't only spend personal time with Him in the morning. But you need to know and remember that, yes, you need to fill up in the morning.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Pre-departure Preocupaciones (Worries)
If you were to ask me, one month ago, how I was feeling about Spain, I would say, "I haven't even thought about it. I can't think about anything else besides finals." My mindset towards Spain had been indifferent for a while up until a few days before leaving. The few days before I left, I was surprised by how nervous I was getting. I almost never get nervous about anything. But I was asking myself the questions: "Will everyone like me? What am I going to wear? What challenges am I going to face?" For those of you who don't know me at all, I wear sweats every day. Sweatpants, sweatshirt, and sneakers every single day. So, having to dress like a Spaniard, or a normal girl for that matter, is a fairly big deal for me. After my sister took pity on me and helped me pack, and after I actually left for the airport, I felt MUCH better.
From the moment I closed the car door, my worries diminished and my excitement grew. The pinnacle of my excitement was when we were about to land. As we approached the ground, I saw the beautiful lights that made up the city of Madrid. The airport was beautiful. The weather was perfect. I tried to contain my excitement to avoid being viewed as a hyper whack job. The bus ride to Granada was a quiet one, as everyone was reasonably exhausted. For the time that I was awake, the view was gorgeous. Endless hills were covered with trees. We passed herds of sheep and bulls. I couldn't wait to experience this country.
Since buying my lunch at a rest stop, meeting my host mother, and watching television, I've had a rude awakening about how underdeveloped my Spanish is. I can barely understand any native Spanish. I've become more silent than I would like to be so far. Nonetheless, I know that the current level of difficult in understanding and speaking Spanish will only push me to improve my Spanish that much more. I'm trying to get organized and get ahead on classwork so that I can make the most out of my time here. Above all, I know that God has big plans for this month, and I'm excited to see what He has in store.
From the moment I closed the car door, my worries diminished and my excitement grew. The pinnacle of my excitement was when we were about to land. As we approached the ground, I saw the beautiful lights that made up the city of Madrid. The airport was beautiful. The weather was perfect. I tried to contain my excitement to avoid being viewed as a hyper whack job. The bus ride to Granada was a quiet one, as everyone was reasonably exhausted. For the time that I was awake, the view was gorgeous. Endless hills were covered with trees. We passed herds of sheep and bulls. I couldn't wait to experience this country.
Since buying my lunch at a rest stop, meeting my host mother, and watching television, I've had a rude awakening about how underdeveloped my Spanish is. I can barely understand any native Spanish. I've become more silent than I would like to be so far. Nonetheless, I know that the current level of difficult in understanding and speaking Spanish will only push me to improve my Spanish that much more. I'm trying to get organized and get ahead on classwork so that I can make the most out of my time here. Above all, I know that God has big plans for this month, and I'm excited to see what He has in store.
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