My Postcard to Salamanca

I meant to write this long ago, but I couldn't find the words. Finally, I did. (They were under my bed.)

Dear Salamanca,

I miss you!  I cannot believe it’s been almost three weeks since I left.  I had such a good time with you and it’s weird to think it’s all over.  How have you been? Oh….fantastic? That makes sense, because you’re in Spain.

Since I’ve been home I have worked full-time, seen many good friends, and forgotten too much of the Spanish I learned from you.  It’s been pretty much an anti-climactic return from the most exciting month of my life.  But really, what could possibly top you?

I have only one month left of summer and normally I’d be worrying so much about seeing my friends and soaking up the free time before going back to school.  This year, I feel none of that stress, because I’ve already had my most fulfilling summer in recent history.  You allowed me to meet new people and try things I would have sworn off only a couple months ago.  Even more, you gave me confidence in my independence and made me more excited about traveling the world!  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I’ve been too afraid to try.  Somehow I landed in your beautiful streets, and I am so glad that I did.

Te amo, Salamanca.  Ojalá que, algún día, regrese a visitarte otra vez.  

Tu amiga,

Claire

The Long Journey Home

Per request from Helene, here is a recap of my long journey home.

This tale begins the morning of June 30th at 7 am in Madrid, Spain.  I awoke in my hotel room and promptly began assembling my things for departure. At 7:45, Ben, Amanda, and I set out for the Madrid-Barajas airport via Madrid's metro system -- one of my favorite means of transportation.  Two metro lines later, we had smoothly arrived at the airport at 8:50 am.

Amanda and I said goodbye to Ben at Terminal 2 and headed toward Terminal 1, quiiiiite the walk from the metro stop.  We were greeted by an alarmingly long check-in time....good thing I was 2 hours early! I waited and eventually got through the check-in process and security.  Only 100 feet later, Madrid felt the need to check my boarding pass and passport AGAIN. You never can be too safe, I suppose.

I was lucky to have Amanda by my side, who had access to the VIP lounge, where we got food and water before our trans-atlantic flights.  It was there that we parted ways and I headed for gate A2. Unbenounced to me at the time, A2 is literally the farthest point in the airport from the metro station. FANtastic. One more security check (seriously, Madrid?) and several moving sidewalks later, I was just in time to board my flight to Washington, D.C.

Flash forward 8 hours....

Upon arriving in D.C., I did the traditional customs, luggage pick-up and immediate drop-off (why? I wish someone could explain that to me) and then yet another security line.  All the while, we heard the following message on repeat: "May we have your attention please. The alarm that has been activated is being investigated by the fire department. Please stand by for further instructions." This continued for literally hours. I kept looking around to see if anyone else was slowly going mad with me, but there were no signs of mental deterioration.  

My flight was set to leave at 4 pm, but luckily was delayed a bit so I had plenty of time to eat a good ol' chicken burrito.  Plus, I knew I had a scheduled 4-hour layover in Chicago that I could chip away at if my flight from D.C. was a little late. Theoretically true, right? Except that upon arrival in Chicago, my final flight had been delayed a little over an hour. Right back to where we started. 

Now, I feel it will be helpful to do a little round-up of the time-difference conversions and such.  In Chicago, it was 6 pm.  That means it was 1 am Madrid time, meaning I had been awake for 18 hours with no sleep in the foreseeable future. Things were looking bleak....

Surprisingly, those 5 hours in the Chicago airport were not terribly bad.  I had a nice sandwich, talked to two of my siblings, got plenty of texting time in, etc. The airport itself was really nice, with one caveat: no free wi-fi. What century is this, Chicago? Every Starbucks around the globe has free wi-fi and you can't give some sleep-deprived travelers free access to their Facebook newsfeed? Although, maybe I am the sucker for not having a smartphone (update: just got a smartphone!) 

The bad got worse when my flight was delayed yet again to 2 hours past the original departure time. My spirits were shockingly high for those conditions and I viewed all the trouble as worthwhile for the wonderful month I'd just had in Spain. 

In hindsight, I cannot believe I survived it. 

My dad and sister, the troopers, retrieved me from the airport at 2 am on Sunday morning about as jet-lagged as I've ever been. For those following along at home, 2 am in Sacramento is 11 am in Spain, meaning I'd been awake for 28 hours by this point.  I made some small talk and dolled out souvenirs when I got home, but quickly retired to bed.  

If you've read my past posts, you'll know I compared my bed in Salamanca to a wooden plank (a comparison I stand by).  When I returned home, I found my bed had not one but TWO memory foam covers, making it officially the softest and most heavenly rectangle in the world. Its awesomeness was heightened by its difference from my Spanish sleeping conditions, of course, but I still give major props to Helene for the set-up.  Seriously, I have never been more comfortable than in my first night home.  

I've been back for about 48 hours now and it feels great. I am excitedly awaiting the return of my best friend from Italy (3 weeks and counting...) and look forward to reconnecting with all my friends at home. 

My final post (coming soon) will be the only actual "postcard" on Postcards from Far Away, so stay tuned! 

I ♥ Madrid

Oh, Madrid.

This had to be one of my favorite days of the entire month.  I have wanted to visit this particular city for years and all that anticipation culminated in a wonderfully satisfying day.

Four friends and I took an early bus together and then navigated the metro system (one of my favorite forms of travel!) to arrive at our hotel.  Only an hour later, Molly had to leave for the airport, so we were down to four people total.  Knowing we had less than 24 hours in the city, we immediately set off walking in a somewhat-arbitrary direction.

The first major landmark we hit was Parque del Retiro, which was absolutely beautiful. It was full of luscious green trees, statues, picturesque dirt walkways, a huge lake with boats, playgrounds, etc. I probably could have spent the entire day in this park alone.  I really cannot even explain how happy it made me to be in the park, and in Madrid in general.

Beautiful walkways

Some cool statue

When we were approaching the above statue, a woman holding a lot of rosemary came up and said she could predict our future. Though we declined her services, she insisted, telling us not to have fear (too late, lady), and "read" each of our hands.  After, she abruptly demanded 5 euro from each of us. Um, excuse me, I am NOT paying 5 euro for a bogus palm reading I did not request and in fact refused. I gave her 50 cents. 

After we left the park we headed for the Prado. Somehow, we hadn't acquired a map and had to just ask directions as we navigated. Luckily, Mardrileños were really nice and always pointed us in the right direction.  Once we found the Prado we were happily greeted by what Amanda and Leilani called "babies on a string." Observe: 

A bunch of babies, connected by a string. 

More babies, another string. 

The Prado is a famous and very large museum with lots of art. I'm not really an art person, though, so I'm ashamed to say that I probably did not make the most of this portion of the day. 

Famished and tired, we followed up the Prado with some tasty sandwiches but quickly moved onto another museum, Reina Sofia.  This is home to much of Picasso's work, including the Guernica.  Again, I'm not an art person, but it is cool that I can say I've seen such a brand name's stuff.  Most of the time, Amanda, Leilani, and I sat in their very beautiful courtyard while Ben was enjoying the artwork. 

A moving piece of art in the courtyard. 

Leilani and Amanda, being affectionate

Our next mission was to find the Gran Vía, since many people had told us this was a must-see in Madrid. Again with the help of the friendly locals, we found this famous street and were anything but disappointed.  The buildings were beautiful and it definitely felt like a big city.  There were tons of shops, the most ornate McDonald's I have ever seen, and lots of people.  

We were aiming for Plaza de España, which was not really what I expected. There was some event set up there that probably masked the beauty; in any case, we got frozen yogurt and then headed back to the hotel. 

On a map we eventually found, Plaza de España looked relatively close to our hotel, but in actuality the walk was almost an hour.  Our blistered feet demanded a bit of a rest before dinnertime, so we relaxed in the room for a bit before heading in search of our final meal in Spain.  Somehow, we landed on a burger place...but their were locals there, don't judge. The food was good, the company was even better, and it was the perfect end to a great day! 

If I could revisit anything I saw on this trip, it would definitely be Madrid. Only one day to explore such a large and exciting place was just not enough. I can't wait to return someday. 

Hodgepodge

These are a few stories, tidbits, whatever you'd like to call them, that I have wanted to share, but that did not fit in any other post.  Enjoy!

1. Salamanca is known as the Golden City in Spain, as many of the older buildings have golden-colored stone.  They take this title very seriously; so seriously, in fact, that businesses are required to have their signs lettered in gold. Even McDonald's changed their color scheme for this rule!

2. I am a huge fan of the cheek-kissing tradition here (and in many other European places). Except, of course, if the kisser is a creepy guy. I'm not so into that.

3. The other day, as I was walking back from lunch to my room, an old man I had never seen before turned around in front of me and began talking to me.  Below is a roughly-translated transcription of our conversation:
Old Man: You're not Spanish, are you? You're American!
Me: Yeah, I'm from the United States.
Old Man: You're not from here!
Me: Nope, I'm from the United States.
Old Man: Which state are you from?
Me: California!
Old Man: Oh, the peninsula! California is a peninsula.
Me: I think you might be thinking of Florida. California is actually attached completely.
Old Man: A peninsula is like an island that's kind of attached! Spain and Portugal are a peninsula, and so is California.
Me: Um...well Baja California in Mexico is but California in the U.S. isn't.
Old Man: No, it's actually a peninsula. peninsula.
Me: Well I have to go now....
Old Man: Goodbye! It's a peninsula.

So there's that.

4. My conversation class is held at a cafe. On one of my last days in class, an older, very excited-looking woman approached the table.  In her hand she held a die and asked each of us to predict what number she would roll.  She went around and forced each person at the table to guess.  My classmate, Andrew, guessed correctly and asked "so what do I win?" She said "a hug!" then just hugged him and went off.

Spanish people are funny.

That's all I can think of right now with my jet-lagged mind. I may add more things to this list later, though.

Expectations vs. Reality

Though I've never formally written it down, I love to compare my expectations for an event, trip, etc. to the reality I discover later on.  You'll find here, juxtaposed (look what cool words I know!), my preconceived notions of Salamanca and what I have come to known as authentic and true.

EXPECTATION: People in Spain are bilingual; even if I speak to them in Spanish, they'll likely respond in English.
REALITY: False. This stems from my experience in Paris (I don't speak French, but some of my friends did), where Parisians would only address us in English. Lesson learned: Salamanca is not Paris! Hardly anyone here speaks English, which works in my favor completely. I have had plenty of opportunities to practice Spanish and I am so glad I had to work through the few communication struggles I had. There's no better way to learn a language than needing it to order food.

EXPECTATION: The food will make me want to vomit.
REALITY: False. If you know me well, you know that I can be a picky eater at times.  Many people warned me that I would have to branch out when I went abroad.  But really, food in Spain is pretty normal. The most common food is bread. If you don't like bread, that's a bit ridiculous (unless you are sensitive to gluten...that's a pretty good excuse). While there are some strange foods here, overall I have had no troubles! Take that, amigos.

EXPECTATION: Everything in Spain is old!
REALITY: False. Not everything is old; though, lots of things are. In Salamanca, the central portion of the city has all old, stone buildings.  Outside this circle, however, there are almost exclusively modern apartment buildings and shops (who would have thought in the 21st Century?).  A good mix, I'd say! The older things are much prettier, though.

EXPECTATION: Spanish men are beautiful.
REALITY: Eh. Some are, some aren't. Pretty standard for the most part, I'd say. There are some gems, but we have those in America too. Thanks for misleading me, ladies haha.

EXPECTATION: I will fall in love with the city.
REALITY: True. I wouldn't say that Salamanca is my favorite of European cities, but it is definitely the one I know the best and I am sure to have a soft spot for it for the rest of my life.  I feel so comfortable navigating the streets now that it feels like my city.  Also, when people told me it was the best place to study Spanish I was skeptical; now, I am certain they are right.  I feel so lucky to have spent a month of my life here.

I have two more days in Salamanca plus one day in Madrid (ahhhhh I am so excited!!!) and then it's Party in the U.S.A.

Visita a Toledo

Yesterday, I took a trip to Toledo, Spain, with the Universidad de Salamanca.  Toledo is about 3 hours southeast of Salamanca, as you can see on the conveniently provided map below!

Toledo is just south of Madrid and to the southeast of Salamanca. 

The bus was scheduled to leave at 7 am, so I had quite the early wake-up call, especially for a Saturday.   Luckily, we were able to sleep some on the bus.  PHEW.

Toledo is a particularly interesting city due to its design: it's surrounded by walls and a river, which made it a desirable location for a nation's capital (fun history fact for you, Dad!) In its history, it has been ruled by Muslims, Jews, and Christians, and the city displays influences from each of these groups.  Its layout is not only practical for medieval times but makes for some gorgeous views.  On the way in, we stopped to take panoramic pictures. This one is my favorite.

Kinda ugly, Spain. Let's work on that. 

We arrived around 11 am and immediately began our tours, starting with el Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. It had a really beautiful courtyard; otherwise, it was a pretty standard church.

One of the hallways lining the courtyard at the convent. 

Immediately following the tour, we walked a bit to la Iglesia de Santo Tomé to see El entierro del Señor de Orgaz, which is a famous painting done by El Greco.  We weren't allowed to take pictures of the painting and I know little to nothing about art, but it's supposedly an important work. Google it, I guess!

Since Toledo is an old Spanish town it obviously has a cathedral and of course we went to see it. But  seriously, it was one of the more beautiful churches I have seen in my life. It had that musky, cold smell that I love and some really lovely paintings and chapels.  

Jesus

After the lovely cathedral, we had free time, so Leilani and I got lunch at a bar (great spaghetti, by the way! If you're ever in Toledo...) and then went looking for marzipan.  I had no idea Toledo was famous for marzipan...or even what marzipan is! I still don't, actually.

At the end of our free time, we were told to meet in Toledo's biggest square, la Plaza de Zocodover. I have to say: it's got nothin' on the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. To me, it didn't really stand out from the other parts of town, which were all pretty and interesting, but there did seem to be lots of people there.  

Plaza de Zocodover 

As I mentioned before, Toledo was once a Jewish city and had dozens of synagogues; when the Christians took over, many of these were destroyed. However, two still exist and we visited la Sinagoga de Santa María la Blanca (note that it is named after a Catholic saint...what?). By that point, it was over 100 degrees outside and we were dragging a bit.  Fatigue and dehydration were winning, but we had enough energy to take a few more pictures of the river and surrounding hills.

Just a short ride later, I was back in Salamanca in time for Spain to beat France in the fight for the Euro Cup!

Though the day was tiring and warm, I am so glad I went and explored some more of Spain. It gave me a better sense of the country and re-sparked my love of this beautiful place.  I leave in less than a week, and find myself wishing for more time.  If I could have an America day to tide me over (see my family, eat a burrito, etc.), I would love to stay and explore more of Salamanca and more of Spain.

¡Mucho amor y hasta luego!

¿Dónde está mi hogar?

Title translation: Where is my home?

College is a time of adaption: moving in and out of dorm rooms, back home for the summer, into an apartment, etc. It's a great time to perfect the art of last-minute packing and a good lesson about the hassle that is materialism.  During these past few years, I have become much better at adjusting to new settings and situations.

With all these moves, it's not hard to wonder where "home" actually is. In fact, my friends and I have discussed this more than once.  We were in agreement that the first time we referred to school as "home" was a strange feeling.  And if my school is in fact my home, what happens next year when I graduate? Where will my home be then?

Personally, I prefer to think of my home not as a place, but as a feeling.  I will always feel at home with my family and friends in my not-to-be-disclosed California town.  There I am relaxed, happy, welcomed, loved, and all sorts of warm emotions which are hard to capture with words.  But my time there is always too short -- I have to move on to the next place after only a few short weeks.

Luckily, I can find a similar feeling in other places too. I have found a home at school with my residential college's awesome spirit (JIBA!) and the wonderful people I've met there.  School is also the host of my intellectual endeavors which are a totally different kind of home.  These homey feelings are also reproduced by a Skype session or phone conversation with my siblings or good friends from high school.

Currently, I don't think my month here in Spain has permitted me to feel totally at home -- the flood of new people, places, and language in a small amount of time probably prohibit developing those intense emotional connections to a place.  Yet, I still have so much love for Salamanca as a town and for what it represents, which is an exploratory and exciting time coming directly before what will be one of the most surreal, stressful, and frightening years of my life.  This small dive into the unknown is only a preview of post-graduation life and I revel in its fleetingness. It's like having a safety net: I knew coming in that I would be confronted with new, and maybe scary, experiences but that after a month I would return to the coziness of my family and friends back home.

Sometimes (or... every time) when I think about my future, I am scared by all the imminent changes.  Who knows where I'll live, what I'll be doing, who I'll be with...my mind runs wild considering all the possibilities.  The best and only comfort is knowing I can find home again by picking up the phone and calling my family or my best of friends.

La Lengua Española

My initial motivation for traveling abroad was to improve my language skills; I have been learning Spanish for over 7 years now and I felt there was no way to become fluent (or even close, really) without immersing myself in a Spanish-speaking environment.

As I mentioned before, there's not really a language "barrier" here. Rather, I'd say I've been negotiating with the language, using and manipulating it in the ways I know in order to serve me best.  While I understand almost anything I hear (when spoken at a rate less than hyperspeed), I find myself being cautious with my own linguistic production. This is really similar to how children progress with language, so I guess I'm on the right track :) That is, as long as I make it past this pre-adolescent stage eventually!

On a day-to-day basis, I use Spanish in class and when speaking with people working in shops, asking for directions, or speaking with Salmantinos.  However, with my friends from class or from my program, the decision to speak English or Spanish is...well, it's kind of a non-decision.  We want to get to know one another and that is practically impossible when speaking a language at our current levels.  As a hopefully-budding linguist, this whole experience has been one large experiment/observation for me.  The desire to express oneself comfortably is so strong that we feel misunderstood and frustrated with our less-than-perfect Spanish.  Accordingly, we revert to that comfy old t-shirt that is our native language and I really don't see anything wrong with that.  When speaking to or around Spaniards, I try to be courteous and speak so that they will (maybe) understand me.  However, in an Americans-only situation, English is like a big black hole that drags us in.

Part of me wishes that I spoke more Spanish here.  I certainly think that would advance my fluency.  But another part of me knows that would just be a completely different experience that wasn't really what I was looking for.  While I may have thought I came here to learn Spanish, I never expected to come out sounding like Penelope Cruz (though I'll never stop wishing I looked like her). Rather, I was hoping to see and experience a different culture and way of life, which I think I have done pretty successfully.  Additionally, my linguistic capacity in Spanish has definitely expanded -- but that's more of a secondary prize.

After I leave Spain, I will more than miss the constant opportunities to practice and learn more of the language.  But even more, I will miss the gorgeous views, the chances to explore a new place, and the people I've met here.

Wonderful Weekend

During my pre-departure orientation in the United States, I was told that being abroad does not guarantee happiness and excitement 100% of the time; we are still people and we will experience a similar roller coaster of emotions that we experience stateside.  A part of me feels guilty for not being super ecstatic constantly while I am here, because I know this a rare opportunity that I will not get for many more years, likely. I am incredibly grateful to be here and I am enjoying myself, but it is true that not every day is absolutely wonderful.

Since I've been tired lately, I decided that this weekend I would lay low and stay in Salamanca rather than travel. This was a GREAT decision, because I had such a good time! I spent most of the weekend either having (quality) alone time or with my friends Leilani and Amanda. Here's a summary of my wonderful weekend:

FRIDAY:

I had class as normal and afterwards, several of us had plans to go a dance show across town. Unfortunately, none of us brought a map and our senses of direction are not as strong as we'd thought....so we ended up pretty lost and about an hour too late for the show. All was not lost, as we stumbled upon Salamanca's largest and most beautiful park.  Unfortunately, Leilani's shoes also broke which led to a hunt for any pair of shoes that would fit.  Finally coming upon a pair of not-so-comfortable bright orange flip-flops, we walked through the eastern side of Salamanca, which I had not seen before.  Even though I was just a few miles from my own dorm room, it felt like a different city in some ways.  We sat in what soon became a dog park and talked for a while, before heading back to the Plaza Mayor and witnessing an....interesting performance by Polish DJ, Igor Boxx.

SATURDAY: 

I woke up around 9:30 am and started what would be a five-hour process of doing laundry in my dorm. Honestly, I can barely explain why it took five hours, so please don't ask haha.

Meanwhile, I got to talk to a good friend and just relaxed in my dorm room. Around 4 pm, I headed out to meet some friends and visit the original building of the Universidad de Salamanca.  This one-building university was converted to a museum and shows some of the original classrooms and lecture halls. Unfortunately, my camera died mid-visit so I only got a few pictures. 

Later that evening I went over to Amanda and Leilani's apartment to watch The Parent Trap, but after about an hour we decided to venture out into the city.  Amanda had met a British girl who invited us on a tapas-tour so we met up with them in this really cool area in the north part of Salamanca called Van Dyke.  It's incredible how much of a night life Salamanca has: even people well into their 60's were sitting at cafes and bars past 2 am.  Being a wuss, I initially resisted heading out so late, but I am glad that I did because it was so much fun! I saw a part of the city I might never have otherwise and discovered that Salamanca is just super beautiful in the dark.

SUNDAY:

I woke up around 11 am (that was much-needed rest, don't judge) and decided that today I would just relax and see what came my way.  The first part of the day included a very-legal online viewing of It's Complicated -- I'd forgotten how much I like that movie -- some homework, and a search for an open grocery store.  Spain takes the whole closing-on-Sunday thing a lot more seriously than America does!

When I got back, Amanda and Leilani asked to come over and use my dorm's gym.  That turned out to be an absolute JOKE. The gym's machines were all broken in some way or other (I almost had a very bad encounter with a elliptical machine...) and there were various pieces of equipment strewn all over the floor. We made a collective decision that we missed America sometimes.

So instead of exercising, we decided to eat! We took a walk down what has to be my favorite street in all of Salamanca. 

I was super into these columns.

Cute cafes lined the street. 

A fountain! I was excited. 

We found this cool cafe and ordered some tapas (which are basically small bits of food that range from sandwiches to pizza to potatoes, there's a lot of variety).  I got a chicken sandwich and some sort of baguette with cheese, tomatoes, and chorizo. Both of them were absolutely delicious. 

Here's your food picture, Helene!

We continued to walk around for a bit and it was an absolutely beautiful day outside. I think I'll try and continue to find new parts of Salamanca that I haven't seen, because I am pleasantly surprised each time!

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day.

Estoy echándote de menos

Title translation: I am missing you. 


As you may have gathered, I am truly enjoying my time here in Salamanca -- perhaps more than I had anticipated. However, that doesn't mean I do not miss certain things about home and America, in general. For the list-lovers out there (a.k.a Amy), I have decided to enumerate those things which I miss the most.  This is not meant to be a time for complaining or whining; rather, I hope to display a few of the differences between American and Spanish cultures. To be fair, I will also list things which I (surprisingly) do NOT miss about home and/or America. As the Spanish say...¡vámanos!

Things I miss (in no particular order): 

1. My family and friends. This one is pretty self-explanatory.  While any place can be beautiful and exciting, ultimately my companions are what matter most.  I'd love to hear from any and all of you! Write me at clairetaylor03@gmail.com or write on my Facebook.

2. Cheap Gum. You know how in the U.S. gum costs like $1 for 20 pieces of awesome Orbit Wintermint gum? Not so here! One pack of FIVE pieces of Trident cost me a whole 1 euro! (Approximately $1.30). That is so ridiculous and I have decided that my gum addiction must be put on hold until my bank account can support it.

3. The food. This is a very large category, that I will promptly break down and explain in great detail.
   
   a) Mexican food.  If you know me at all (and I hope you do if you're reading this. If you have never met me before, please stop reading this) then you know that I love Mexican food. Well, Spain really isn't the best place to find quality (or low-quality) Mexican food.  I can definitely survive until July, but trust me when I say that my first meal off the plane will have beans and a tortilla involved.

   b) The variety. In America, we absolutely love variety in our food. Just look at the snack aisle: there's about 12 different kinds of potato chips.  Here in Spain, however, variety ain't no thang. If some company already makes yogurt, then the other guys just make something else! It results in having supermarkets smaller than the shoe section at Target.

   c) Bread. That's all they eat here. Every single meal, literally. I am a bread LOVER and I'm getting tired of the stuff. Also, I really love a good whole-grain loaf, and they're big fans of the French (only the bread, not the people).

   d) Pretzels. They do not exist here. Booooooooooo.

   e) Chicken. Here in Salamanca, they're all about the ham.  Amy would never eat! I can have some ham every once in a while, but NOT on my pineapple (yes, that is something that was in my cafeteria today.) Also, I need some chicken! Please, please, please send me some chicken, God.

   f) Fruit. Not that fruit doesn't exist here, but it's considerably more expensive than in the United States.

4. Ovens. I live in a student dorm, where we supposedly have a "fully-stocked" kitchen. Apparently, "fully-stocked" does not include an oven, which is something I use almost everyday at home. I asked my program director about this, and she said that Spanish adolescents do not know how to use an oven, because only the mother of a house is allowed to use that appliance. They primarily use the microwave for cooking. Um...aight.

5. My incredibly soft bed and pillow. This is likely just because I'm in a dorm, but sleeping in my bed is similar to sleeping on a wooden plank.  I've been spoiled the past few years with a foam pad on my mattress that I simply cannot wait to be reunited with.

I think that's enough complaining -- I mean, comparing -- for now.

Things I (surprisingly) do not miss: 


1. My car. Salamanca is a small enough town that everyone walks everywhere.  I actually really like it! It takes a while to get anywhere I need to go, but it's so nice outside that using a car seems like a crime. Plus, it makes me feel less guilty for not going to the gym AND I don't have to pay any money for gas!

2. My phone. Prior to leaving good ol' Murrica, I really anticipated struggling with being out of contact with my friends and family.  I had become so accustomed to instantaneous communication, that I could not imagine leaving my dear Lotus behind.  I've found that I actually really enjoy the non-instantaneous communication I've had with home, as it allows me to focus on what I'm doing now. Plus, there's something cool and old-timey about having to wait a little bit for a response.  (That sounds absolutely ridiculous, because I'm talking about facebook messaging, not letters haha. Whatever.)

3. The English language. Granted, I speak to most of my friends here in English and I see it online everyday. However, I still truly enjoy conversing in Spanish and very infrequently do I find myself itching to switch back to English.

4. The size of everything. People may say that everything is bigger in Texas, which is true. But it's ALSO true that everything is bigger in the United States, and I'm not really missing that! I love being close to everything and really don't mind the proportional shrink from U.S.-sized everything. Plus, the little kids are EVEN littler and cuter :)

5. The modernity. If you've seen the photos from my trip, you'll know that so much of Salamanca is quaint and old, which I am totally loving. I find my own neighborhood, town, and state to be beautiful as well, but I do not mind at all soaking up a bit of this ancient town.  I have plenty of time to spend in buildings from the 20th Century when I return!

For now, that's all I've got. I was serious when I said I'd love to hear from any and all of you, so feel free to write!

Mucho amor,
Claire

 

Portugal!

As many of you already know, I spent this past weekend in Spain's neighbor to the west, Portugal! I had little to no expectations for this trip, but I was happily surprised with what I did see.

We left Salamanca on Friday afternoon and began the 4-hour bus ride to Aveiro, Portugal, where we would be spending the next two nights.  As soon as we arrived in Aveiro -- the "Venice" of Portugal -- I was awestruck by its quaintness.  Tiled homes are typical of Portugal and Aveiro is no exception. This style lends itself to some incredibly beautiful, unique homes which line the city's canal.  Below is a picture of my favorite house I saw. I am really loving the color mint recently, so this one really caught my eye.

After a bit of exploration, we decided to take a boat ride through the city, hosted by Portugal's worst tour guides! Seriously, these guys were a bit rude but the views were fantastic anyway.  I was in photographer mode, as displayed on Facebook, but I came away with some cool shots of the river and its surroundings.

After the boat ride, we had a group dinner at a restaurant near the town's center, La Plaza de Peces.  It was by FAR the best meal I've had since I got to Europe, including roast beef, potatoes, cooked spinach, and rice followed by the best chocolate mousse.  If you know me, you know I love chocolate mousse! It tasted like brownie mix....delicious. Dinner was followed by a nighttime stroll through the city and a short interlude with some old, drunk Portuguese men who were fascinated by all the Americans.  We escaped those guys and made it back safely :)

The next day we were greeted by some disappointing grey skies and rain, as were headed to Portugal's second largest city, Porto.  We took a bus tour through the city and saw some interested things including the bookstore where J.K. Rowling got inspiration for Harry Potter!!! It was really one of the coolest things I've seen since my arrival.  No photos were allowed inside the building but there was this really cool, twisty staircase and the whole thing reminded me of a shop in Diagon Alley.

While the tour itself put most of us to sleep, that part was incredibly exciting.  We followed the tour up with a visit to Calem wine cellars along the river which runs all the way from Salamanca to Porto.  Though I am not a big wine person, I really enjoyed these ones! The red one is a "tawny" and the other is a white wine. Both are dessert wines, so they were fairly sweet.

We had some free time, during which it got much colder and really started to rain, which was sort of ruined what would have been some awesome views.  We had planned a boat ride, which we reluctantly attended and during which we essentially froze, but it was a bonding experience! I have no pictures of that, as I was much too cold to get my camera out. Afterwards, we returned to Aveiro, found ourselves some dinner, and relaxed together in the hotel.

The following day was a beach day and we all feared that the rain and grey skies would continue.  Upon waking, it seemed that would be the day's fate but we continued to the beach anyway. And thank goodness we did! I really am not a beach person, but I loved all that we saw.  We went to two different beaches in Aveiro. The first reminded me of a Northern California beach, with shrubbery and such lining the sand. 

The next beach was more of a typical one and the sun finally came out! There was a really long boardwalk which went out a good quarter mile or more into the ocean, revealing beautiful blue waters. 

I love this one; the water was so pretty to me. 

After some exploration, we spent time on the beach and ate a great lunch (more chocolate mousse!) on the boardwalk.  Around mid-afternoon we left to return to Spain, but not without a pit stop to watch the Spain-Italy game in the first round of the Euro Cup.  Soccer is a very serious thing here -- the games are played in every bar with awesome fans all around.  Hours of watching with Ben and Jack have really paid off, because I actually enjoyed it! Spain has won the last two big tournaments, so the whole country is excited to see how this goes. Luckily, I'll even be around for most of the tournament!

All in all, this trip was even more than I'd hoped for.  The sights were absolutely beautiful and I got to know many of my new friends even better. 

Mi Vida Española

Welcome back, family and friends!

It's been an exciting few days here in Salamanca getting to know my new friends, the city, and using primarily Spanish to make my way through life.  If Meg were here, she'd be annoyed all the time because I have to speak a LOT of Spanish. (Wuv you Marge)

 Though I have been here for only 4 days, I feel as though it has been much longer.  Every day I wake up around 7:30 am and don't go to bed until midnight, so the days go on and on and on (thank goodness! There's so much to do and see).

I live in Las Residencias Universitarias in Colegio Cuenca -- that's just the name of my dorm.  In the map below, I've marked approximately where I stay as well as the city's central point: La Plaza Mayor.  The small red box is the dorm and the larger one is La Plaza.

The walk from my dorm room to La Plaza is about 20 minutes with several hills in between.  It has really shown me the importance of wearing comfortable shoes (shout out to Helene for that piece of wisdom!) I have to go back and forth to that area at least twice a day, which means I'm really getting in my daily 5000 steps (as recommended by Michelle Obama and my wonderful parents).  At school I would most definitely wear headphones and bust out some T-Swift and Kanye West on these long walks, but here it's a different story for a couple reasons:
1. It's so beautiful here, I don't want to stifle any of my senses for fear I'd be missing something.
2. Pickpocketing is a huge problem in Spain and I am a paranoid human being.

On the subject of my day-to-day life, I'd like to explain the general schedule of Spaniards.  They awake in the morning and work until eating "la comida" -- the biggest meal of the day -- at about 2 pm. (Almost the WORST time to eat, right Sarah?) Then everyone goes back to work until about 8 pm and dinner is usually between 9 pm and 10 pm. I have not quite adjusted to this schedule yet but hopefully I will be soon. For lunch, I eat in the student dining halls; here is my meal from yesterday:

Today, Tuesday, was my first day of classes, of which I have three. The first is my Spanish Grammar class, at the "Superior" level.  That name kind of intimidated me, but after going to the first class I am sure it's the right fit.  Two hours later I have Latin American and Spanish Film, a.k.a. Watching Movies. Finally, at 5 pm there is Conversation Practice, which consists of meeting at a cafe, drinking coffee, tea, soda, etc. and chatting.  Who knew you could get credit for talking to your friends? If Rice did that, I'd have approximately 10 Bachelor's degrees by now.

After classes today, we had a group salsa lesson, which was hilarious.  I'm really not a fan of those big mirrors at the front of the classroom which display just how non-sexy I can be, but the dancing itself was fun and a nice introduction to some Spanish culture.

Each day so far, we have ended our time together in La Plaza Mayor, which is just beautiful. And since it's light outside here until past 10 pm, our 8 o'clock meetings there feel like the middle of the afternoon.

I also climbed to the top of one of the towers in a cathedral and got some really cool pictures of the city. Enjoy :)

That's all I've got for now! I've decided not to write these blogs in Spanish, considering their length and the lack of Spanish-proficient readers.  ¡Adiós!

¡Estoy aquí!

I do not currently have the energy to write this post in both English and in Spanish, but perhaps I will add the Spanish later.

It is 6:30 PM Salamanca time and it seems so long ago that I was in Sacramento.  My first flight to Washington, D.C. went quickly as I spent much of it asleep. My connecting flight to Madrid was delayed about 30 minutes due to rain; we were actually lucky to be allowed to leave, as the "Departures" board indicated many cancelled flights.

The second flight was about 8 hours, but it too passed incredibly quickly.  I watched "Jeff, Who Lives at Home," a couple episodes of Sex and the City, ate terrible plane food, and then attempted to sleep.  I was not as successful as I was before, but I felt reasonably energized upon arrival in Madrid.

I was one of the first people in my group to arrive, so after collecting my luggage I waited near the "Meeting Point" -- it's literally called that, kinda funny -- and talked to some nice women from New Jersey.  Who doesn't like a good Jersey Girl?

Eventually my people showed up and I think that really gave me a second wind.  They were all friendly and excited like I was and they're all really cool.  One girl was incredibly jet-lagged, couldn't find her passport or her wallet, and discovered a little too late that she had gotten the wrong bag at the baggage claim. If I were her I would have been in TEARS....she was better at keeping it together haha. After that got sorted out, we went to the bus and headed off for Salamanca!

Salamanca is approximately 2 and half hours from Madrid by bus, and most of my companions fell asleep quite quickly.  One of my classmates, Ben, and I were determined not to give into the jet lag so we talked the whole way and got to know one another fairly well.

When we got to Salamanca, those students with host families were greeted and taken to their new home.  The other residence hall kids and I were shown around, given keys, etc.  I have some pictures I can post of the room later, but it's actually pretty roomy for Europe. There's a super cute kitchenette attached to my room, but I have yet to meet the person I'll be sharing it with.  Oh but the bathroom...it's TINY, but also private so no complaints :) Below are some photos of my room. 

The window is really cool and let's in a lot of light. 

I know it's hard to see, but this shower is reeeaaaal small. We're talkin' miniature. 

I walked around the city after a short nap in search of toilet paper and something for dinner.  Spain is different in that many stores close down in the middle of the day and open up again later at night.  For that reason, it took some investigation to find a super market full of cute Spanish boys in soccer jerseys :) Sorry ladies, I unfortunately do not have a picture of that.  Then I came back, unpacked, and now I'm writing this!

One thing I am super happy about is the language barrier is really not a barrier at all! I find that I understand practically everything I hear and that I am able to ask questions coherently and give responses.  Do not fool yourselves into thinking I am now fluent or something, but this is certainly a good sign for my progress in the month to come.

If you are reading this, I likely miss you a great deal.  I am not nearly as homesick as I expected to be, but that may hit later on. ¡Hasta luego, amigos!