I´m sitting in a student computer area at my new university, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. I have an ID card! I have a username on the computer! Don´t believe me?
€€€¿?¿?¿?¿?ñññ
¿?¿Could you see that on my regular old laptop¿?¿
This place is crowded. Everyone hangs around in all the common areas, in a way that reminds me of the Mount. The students plop themselves on the ground right outside the classroom doors. Though, they seem to always be rolling cigarettes which only happened at the mount on fridays (jk!!!!) The guy on the computer next to me just shouted: joder!
I made it to Montjuic this weekend. Not really ¨made¨ it because it could be considered my backyard. Though I would definitely classify walking to the castle at the very top of Montjuic as ¨making it.¨ It was far and steep. BUT the views from up there were incredible. We stopped into the olympic stadium... it was really just a stadium. But it was cool to know some of the greats had walked there before me: Michael Johnson, Bob and Becky O´Shea....
On Sunday, believe it or not, I went to church in the Barcelona Cathedral. It took me some time to find a mass in ¨castellano¨rather than ¨catalan¨but it was well worth it! I sat in the old women section. I think thats the unofficial name. I sat next to 3 best friends. They looked at me and smiled periodically throughout the mass. I was blowing my nose fairly frequently, so I was certain they weren´t friendly smiles. But in the end, I won them over. I think it happened when I stood beside the pew and waited for them to seat themselves after communion. I´ve noticed very few forgo seats on the metro for the elderly, and this small gesture was greeted with many ¨thank you child.¨ At the end of mass, when I was still pouring over the hymnal, one tapped me on the shoulder and said Adios!!!! I think that was my invitation to sit with them. La cuatro amigas.
I now have my set schedule. I switched out of my 1.5 hour Spanish class into the longer class, which allowed me to drop a class. But! I lost my ¨fsem¨ group. That´s okay, cuanto más mejor.
On MWF I only have spanish from 10:45-12:15 at which point we take a half an hour break. I like to go to the cafe next door. (SIDE NOTE: My friend Tracy and I saw the singer from the Flamenco show!!! We were ecstatic and tried to tell him we were fans-- the spanglish was difficult --- and we were KICKING ourselves that neither of us had a camera. I don´t think he even knew he was famous before that moment). Anyway, we report back to spanish for one hour, 12:45-1:45 and then I am free!
After having attended three different spanish classes, with three local senoritas, I like my current senorita the best. Great! Interestingly, when I went to switch spanish classes, the woman who runs the registrar said: okay, SPAN 350, 3rd floor at 10:45. Wouldn´t you know there are two SPAN 350s on the 3rd floor at 10:45? I was attending the one in the room next door! I recieved an email saying I needed to meet with the Dean because I had so far attended 0 Spanish classes, and missing one more would warrant a fail! When I replied saying I had so far attended each session, we had a good laugh together. They took the blame so I can´t complain!
On Tues/Thurs I start bright and early with Mediterranean Environment at 9:00 am. At UPF, my real live spanish university with real live spanish students, I have class back to back from 1:00-5:00. At 1:00: Barcelona/Madrid: La ciudad frente la cinema y literatura. A class solamente en español. translation: Contemporary Barcelona/Madrid compared to literature and cinema. At 3:00, Barcelona: A City and its History. This is my only americano profesor. He graduated from Tufts, and wants to let the class know this is not a typical ¨abroad class with no work.¨pshhh. I read the syllabus. His bark is way worse than his bite.
Unfortunately, I do have a midterm and a paper due the week my parents are visiting. It´s not all bad, though, because they will assume I have been working that hard throughout the semester.
After classes yesterday I went to Tracy and Maria´s homestay for a delicious home cooked meal. Their señora does not speak a word of english, and boy can she talk! We had a 3 course meal, anything less in Spain would be rude. AND she made the best pan con tomaste in the world - only found in Catalan, a simple pre-appetizer of bread with oil and tomato paste. And though we kept inching towards the door at 11:30 since we had been dining together since 9:15, I had a great time! The señora was so nice and she said if she got her hands on me for the whole semester she´d force me to be fluent! I don´t know about that.... but she really loves hosting students and Tracy and Maria are very lucky!!! They have a bidet, I have a double bed.... we´re even.
This weekend: a study trip to Tarragona with all of IES! 460 Students!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
First Sights
I’m definitely getting used to the Spanish schedule, and sometimes give new meaning to the phrase “burning daylight.” I LOVE eating late. I think I was born to eat at 10-11pm… sometimes 12! Going out til 5am…. Never my ideal. But I’m managing a good balance between immersing myself in Spanish night culture (a very critical part of learning the culture, don’t you see) and romping the city by day. Here are some of my first sights:
Parc Guell: Gaudi’s famous park, originally designed as a residential area that failed and is now a pubic park. You’d recognize the extensive mosaics and is pictured above! I went with my new friends from Spanish class, and we’ve started exploring much more after our first successful excursion!
Picasso Museum: I went on a guided tour of Barcelona “through the eyes of Picasso. We were guided through Picasso’s life and work, inspired by Barcelona! The most interesting part: Picasso’s erotic Asian art period. Very graphic images incorporating octopi.
La Boquiera: AWESOME! So colorful… a few free samples ☺ Candied nuts, chocolate and fruits galore! I also couldn’t resist watching the butchers in action, they’ve got boar’s heads, pheasants, rabbits, you name it! My favorite part was the pureed fruit juices… I tried some mango/coconut. Hellooo paradise. I went back to La Boquiera a few days later for mid-day tapas. Yum.
La Sagrada Familia: The CHURCH started by Gaudi in 1882 that still is not complete and not expected to be complete for 20 years! You’ll often hear people call the Sagrada Famila a cathedral, Wrong! Every city can only have one cathedral and Barcelona’s is located in the Barrio Gotico, which I’ve also explored (Mom: not at night….. It’s not in Grace’s Night World because it is circled in red on the IES “places to avoid at night” map)
Las Ramblas: Well, of course. It’s located right off of Plaza Cataluyna, where IES is centered, so it’s basically in my walk to school. The street “performers” are the best part, though they don’t actually perform unless you drop a coin. I prefer to look, anyway.
My first flamenco show. Spanish guitar, singing, clapping and one flamenco dancer (sans huge red flower in her hair, we were really disappointed in that).
In terms of food, paella is good, a churro dipped in a cup of melted chocolate is great! These chocolaterias can be found all over Barcelona’s old Gothic quarter.
More to come on my exploration of Mounjuic. This is one of the barrios I haven’t become fully acquainted with and it has a TON of things to see!
Parc Guell: Gaudi’s famous park, originally designed as a residential area that failed and is now a pubic park. You’d recognize the extensive mosaics and is pictured above! I went with my new friends from Spanish class, and we’ve started exploring much more after our first successful excursion!
Picasso Museum: I went on a guided tour of Barcelona “through the eyes of Picasso. We were guided through Picasso’s life and work, inspired by Barcelona! The most interesting part: Picasso’s erotic Asian art period. Very graphic images incorporating octopi.
La Boquiera: AWESOME! So colorful… a few free samples ☺ Candied nuts, chocolate and fruits galore! I also couldn’t resist watching the butchers in action, they’ve got boar’s heads, pheasants, rabbits, you name it! My favorite part was the pureed fruit juices… I tried some mango/coconut. Hellooo paradise. I went back to La Boquiera a few days later for mid-day tapas. Yum.
La Sagrada Familia: The CHURCH started by Gaudi in 1882 that still is not complete and not expected to be complete for 20 years! You’ll often hear people call the Sagrada Famila a cathedral, Wrong! Every city can only have one cathedral and Barcelona’s is located in the Barrio Gotico, which I’ve also explored (Mom: not at night….. It’s not in Grace’s Night World because it is circled in red on the IES “places to avoid at night” map)
Las Ramblas: Well, of course. It’s located right off of Plaza Cataluyna, where IES is centered, so it’s basically in my walk to school. The street “performers” are the best part, though they don’t actually perform unless you drop a coin. I prefer to look, anyway.
My first flamenco show. Spanish guitar, singing, clapping and one flamenco dancer (sans huge red flower in her hair, we were really disappointed in that).
In terms of food, paella is good, a churro dipped in a cup of melted chocolate is great! These chocolaterias can be found all over Barcelona’s old Gothic quarter.
More to come on my exploration of Mounjuic. This is one of the barrios I haven’t become fully acquainted with and it has a TON of things to see!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Arrival
Bienvenidos a mi Blog! Estoy in Barcelona!
The flight was relatively simple. I made my connection in Frankfurt by a mere 7 minutes, but I prefer to cut the waiting time ☺! Upon arriving in BCN I checked in with IES at the airport, got a cell phone, and hailed my first taxi to take me to my melon themed home. I used my first Spanish to give my street and then he asked for the number! I was prepared (sorry, cannot say for security reasons). I went over the rules of the residence hall, and though the pool is referred to as a refreshing lounge, it might not be open until May! Especially with this weather: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/europe/12europe.html?th&emc=th
What a modern little room! The walls are lime green, the sheets are lime green; the bathroom is a “cruise ship” bathroom. There are American students in the building from all different programs and some Spanish estudiantes tambien.
It was easy to figure out the metro. I live on the same line that takes me straight to the IES center! 4 stops away, or a 20-minute walk, which I’ve done once with the help of a floor mate but couldn’t do again on my own. The IES building is very safe, parents- no markings of IES from the outside (walked by it a few times on the first day!) and a code to enter.
Holly (a Colgate student) came with her older brother who helped Holly and I find our other university, UPF. One transfer on the metro, none if I go from IES which I plan to do most days. Picture this: walk out from the dark metro, turn left = university buildings, turn right = beach! My day on Tues/Thurs starts at 9am at IES, and I’m thinking sunbathing until my 1pm classes at UPF.
This week we are doing everything with our Spanish classes, the Colgate equivalent of an FSEM. Yesterday we went on scavenger hunt around Barceloneta, the port. I found a ferry to Menorca!!!!! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10places.html ("Minorica" #14)
I made my Barcelona Bucket list thus far, and I will update you on everything as I cross off. Please feel free to add suggestions.
Tonight: The IES Welcome Party at 8:30 pm!
I'd really like to add photos to my blog but i MAY, just may, have left the cord that connects the computer to the camera at home. We can talk about it later, M and D.
Hasta Luego!
The flight was relatively simple. I made my connection in Frankfurt by a mere 7 minutes, but I prefer to cut the waiting time ☺! Upon arriving in BCN I checked in with IES at the airport, got a cell phone, and hailed my first taxi to take me to my melon themed home. I used my first Spanish to give my street and then he asked for the number! I was prepared (sorry, cannot say for security reasons). I went over the rules of the residence hall, and though the pool is referred to as a refreshing lounge, it might not be open until May! Especially with this weather: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/europe/12europe.html?th&emc=th
What a modern little room! The walls are lime green, the sheets are lime green; the bathroom is a “cruise ship” bathroom. There are American students in the building from all different programs and some Spanish estudiantes tambien.
It was easy to figure out the metro. I live on the same line that takes me straight to the IES center! 4 stops away, or a 20-minute walk, which I’ve done once with the help of a floor mate but couldn’t do again on my own. The IES building is very safe, parents- no markings of IES from the outside (walked by it a few times on the first day!) and a code to enter.
Holly (a Colgate student) came with her older brother who helped Holly and I find our other university, UPF. One transfer on the metro, none if I go from IES which I plan to do most days. Picture this: walk out from the dark metro, turn left = university buildings, turn right = beach! My day on Tues/Thurs starts at 9am at IES, and I’m thinking sunbathing until my 1pm classes at UPF.
This week we are doing everything with our Spanish classes, the Colgate equivalent of an FSEM. Yesterday we went on scavenger hunt around Barceloneta, the port. I found a ferry to Menorca!!!!! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10places.html ("Minorica" #14)
I made my Barcelona Bucket list thus far, and I will update you on everything as I cross off. Please feel free to add suggestions.
Tonight: The IES Welcome Party at 8:30 pm!
I'd really like to add photos to my blog but i MAY, just may, have left the cord that connects the computer to the camera at home. We can talk about it later, M and D.
Hasta Luego!
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