A Taste of Africa

After spending several weeks in Spain without traveling, I ventured off to another continent to get a taste of something entirely original and new--Africa. On Friday afternoon I left with my friend Alistair and headed to Tangier, Morocco, a port city right near the Strait of Gibraltar. We arrived in Africa to an entirely new scene and new culture: clothing, religion, food, architecture. A magnificent way to explore a new world and see something outside of Europe. We arrived to our hotel, Dar Jameel Guesthouse, and took in the absolute beauty that we found there. Everything was incredibly breathtaking. The inside looked like the Alhambra in Granada--patterned ceilings painted with pastel colors. It was the most impressive hotel I have ever seen during my time abroad--and our room was equally beautiful and spacious.

We spent plenty of time exploring the medina or old city. Lots of new things to see in the shops--slippers and sandals, tea kettles, leather bags, and a lot of other items that you don't find in Spain. We also went down to the beach--a surprisingly large, nice beach.

The sand was the finest and softest sand I have ever seen, another reason to love this city! The beach scene in Morocco was quite distinct--nobody in bathing suits, and not a single woman showing

any skin. There were some boys in the water, with regular bathing suits--but women do not wear bathing suits or bikinis or anything of the sort. There were many large groups of boys playing soccer in the sand, which looked like lots of fun. We ended up having dinner with an abundance of food. Salad, fish (entire body fried, including eyes), red spice sauce, bread, fries, kebabs. We enjoyed the new taste of food in Africa, and cleaned our plates. Later in the evening we ventured out for the traditional mint tea. I have never had something so delicious and refreshing. I look forward to trying it out once I arrive home--hopefully the mint in our garden will make just as great of tea!

On Saturday, Alistair and I headed to the airport to pick Sonya up. Straight away we went to the caves of Hercules, where legend says Hercules rested and punched the rock, forming the Strait of Gibraltar.

We had a tour guide and he told us stories about how men made the rocks to resemble Africa (seen backwards from inside cave, correct shape of Africa from the sea). It was interesting to say the least, with a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean. After the caves, we headed towards Cap Spartel--a point with an excellent view. On our way there we stopped alongside the road and Sonya and I rode camels! It was quite funny and entertaining, and I think we are both glad that we gave it a shot, although we got ripped off a bit. That happened in most situations because they knew we were tourists so they charged us more...

I was thankful to have

the opportunity to swim in the Mediterranean Sea--considering that I love to swim, especially in new places! Even though I wore shorts and a t-shirt over my bathing suit, I still had groups of people staring, because it isn't often that they see girls on the beach going for a swim. I, however, was covering up and not going to let the opportunity to swim slip by! It was lovely and I hope I have the chance to do it again. For dinner Saturday night we ended up eating at a random hotel. Delicious food. Bean soup, a sweet pastry filled with chicken (sweet & savory combo, surprisingly wonderful), and couscous with chicken and vegetables. It was all quite fabulous. We never had a single bad experience with food in Tangier. It was a refreshing change from Spain--I actually preferred the African cuisine over the Spanish one. More mint tea, then off to get some rest after a long day in the sun!

Sunday morning we feasted on our great breakfast at the hotel again, served in generous portions. We had freshly squeezed orange juice, mint tea, chewy crepes, warm bread with cheese and jam, and melon. We ate like kings while in Morocco--and it was the most marvelous and relaxing weekend ever!

I could go on and on about it, as I enjoyed it that much! I had been

worried initially about visiting just Tangier, as it is a small port city, with little tourist attraction. Other cities such as Casablanca or Marrakech are supposed to be more extravagant, but Tangier was incredible. And now I can say that I have been on three of the seven continents. Hopefully I'll have a chance to return to Morocco, as it was an impressive culture and beautiful country.

Now I have just over 3 weeks to spend in Madrid. I go to Amsterdam this weekend, and am planning to make it to Seville at some point before leaving for the States. I am now finished with classes and Reunidas exams, so I have time to explore and enjoy my hometown here in Spain. One trabajo final and exam left, but not until the 17th of June--so it's time to relax and enjoy the end of my abroad experience!! Bittersweet. I am excited to get home, and will be thrilled to see family! But I also know it'll be hard leaving Europe...it has been quite the journey!

Time Warp...

It's been a while since my last post, but I have to admit that after Mom left Madrid I've been occupied with many things, both good and bad. One weekend this month I went on an excursion with students from the WIP program to Extremadura, the western region of Spain bordering Portugal. We stopped in 3 different cities (Mérida, Cáceres, Trujillo) and spent the night in Cáceres. The architecture and vibe of this region was totally different than that in any other part of Spain that I have visited thus far. All brick buildings, scattered across green, rolling countryside. It was a breathtaking side of Spain I had not yet seen, but I wish we would've had more free time to roam the cities & discover things on our own--we were stuck with our tour guide Pablo the entire weekend. Bummer!! But overall I am satisfied that I took part in the excursion--I never would've known what I was missing out on!

Upon returning to Madrid I was lucky enough to be in the pleasant company of Mom's long-time friend Laurel and her husband Frank. They came over to see my piso, and then we ventured off for some drinks and tapas, a typical Madrileño tradition.

I ended up having a lovely time visiting with Laurel & Frank, who shared stories of their many great adventures. I also tried raw oysters for my first (perhaps last) time. Never hurts to try something new! We also enjoyed the sweet, sweet chocolate con churros at Chocolatería San Gines~if it sounds familiar, it's because I have mentioned it before...it's that good!

Last weekend Sonya and I traveled to Mallorca, a Balearic Island off of the southeastern coast of Spain. We had

the most incredible

weather, sunny sunny sunny and warm!! It was a fabulous way to wind down and relax. We decided to do next to nothing--just laid on the sandy beach and feasted. I even took a dip in the Mediterranean Sea, which was a dream come true. The water was so blue and clear! It was a fabulous weekend away with my best friend!!

My agenda for the next month is looking pretty hectic. I have final exams coming up in a couple weeks, along with "trabajos finales"...10 page papers that I must write for each class in addition to our final exam. I'm going to miss my Literatura Española class the most--my professor Sonia has the most energy I've ever seen in a professor. She has a passion for literature and loves her job--plus, she had been a student herself at the Universidad de Complutense, so she relates to us students very well! The books we have read have been great and I can actually comprehend what I've been reading...and my professor does a great job at helping us to really think about the book and how we interpret it. After all, literature can be interpreted in different ways by all readers.

I'm not planning to travel around the country or continent for the month of May since my school work is keeping

me so busy, but I'm thinking about what kind of traveling I'd like to do in June once I only have to focus on work for 2 class--Amsterdam? Canary Islands? I'm ready to get out on the beach again, instead of doing the days packed with sight-seeing. But first things first, I must get through the month of May. My two favorite boys from home, Turkbas and Andrew, are coming to stay with Sonya and me from May 17-June 4--so we'll also be busy having a blast with them!! It will be the best way to end a fantastic semester abroad!! And I am officially booked to head home on June 23rd...51 days away--how time flies!! See ya'll soon!

MOM IN MADRID ♥

As soon as I hopped off the Metro from the Barajas Airport in Madrid, I headed over to the precious Conde Duque Hotel, where my mother was patiently waiting for my return to Spain! It was a fantastic feeling to be in the comfort of my mom's arms again! And I knew we were about to start out on a great adventure...

On Mom's first night in Madrid she treated Sonya and me

to an authentic Flamenco show. I had not been to one yet, and we definitely picked the right venue: the Cardamomo. The dancers were magnificent, and their talent was unbelievable! It

was a fun night and a great way to say "Bienvenidos a Madrid"...(WELCOME TO MADRID). The dancing was intense and really displayed the passion of the Spanish people.

The next morning Mom and I took the teleférico, or cable car, to Casa del Campo, where we went to see the Parque Zoológico (ZOO). It started as a beautiful, warm day. We enjoyed all of the fun animals and the atmosphere at the Madrid Zoo. We concluded that we liked it much more than any zoo we had been to before! It was very awesome. And luckily, there were baby

animals scattered all over the zoo-from a tiny baboon, to a rhino, to a little mountain goat, which was very enjoyable. By the end of our time at the park, we were thoroughly fascinated. As it started to rain we thought it would be the ideal time to head back home. What started as rain turned into a downpour. If only you could see the unmarked, gravel paths we had to climb uphill in order to find the teleférico station...and if only you could have seen us by the end of that journey ;-)

On Easter Sunday, Mom and I went to the Rastro--the famous flea market in Madrid. Streets are lined with booths selling anything you could imagine--and we both found some things to take home! We also toured the La Latina neighborhood and stopped at the incredible Basilica San Francisco to witness part of a Spanish church service. Very fascinating and such a beautiful and intricate basilica! The next few days consisted of lots of shopping around (Mom

loved all the shoe stores, as you'll see by her purchases)...and enjoying the perfect sunny weather. Monday night Mom and I went on a tapas tour. Our tour guide James made the night very fun and interesting-as did our companions Stewart, Herbert, Alex, and Lauren. We tried everything from great red wine, to octopus with potatoes, to blood sausage (black pudding), tripe, and many other adventurous food choices. It was a fun night of trying things that I would never dare trying on my own!!

While I was in class, Mom was feeling adventurous and conquered many missions all by herself. She was so good at navigating and finding cool new places! She introduced me to a coffee shop, some clothing stores, and a bread shop, none of which I had previous knowledge of-but all of which are right in my neighborhood. (Thanks Mom!) One morning we took the Madrid Vision bus around the city and saw sites from the top of the big red bus. We also went to the convent where nuns sell sweets.

It was not easy to find, but when we did finally figure it out it was very rewarding! We got a generous bag of lemon cookies from the monjas--who are not allowed to see you. The cookies came on a turn table in the wall, which was pretty sweet.

Other highlights of the week with my Mom included bringing her to Chocolatería San Gines--the renowned locale for churros con chocolate, which we both enjoyed. We also soaked up the sun and rented a row-boat at El Parque de Buen Retiro (a huge, fabulous park). We were also able to spend time at the famous Prado Museum, in which we were able to find several pieces of

art that interested us. I also had the privilege of showing my Mom how my friends and I like to spend our Wednesday afternoons-cheap drinks and sandwiches at Cien Montaditos! EuroMania! We hit all of the biggest sites in Madrid and just enjoyed spending time with each other.

I feel so fortunate that Mom was able to visit--all of my friends were jealous and I feel pretty lucky to have had time to spend with her. It had been a long time since I had patted her face...and it was great to see her. Now I am anxiously waiting to return home to see the rest of the family! I can't believe I'll be back in Minnesota in just 75 days...time sure has flown!

Venice and Paris, Oh My!!

I have recently returned from my first European adventure outside of Spain. A taste of something new...which started in Venice, Italy. So far I would say that Venice is my second favorite city in Europe after Madrid. We got lucky to have sunshine all day, every day. It was the perfect opportunity to indulge in wine and Italian food alongside the canals. Venice was a very, very lovely city, with plenty of beautiful stuff to see, but peaceful and relaxing at the same time. There were touristy things, but nothing as big and well-known as in other places. Sonya, Alex and I planned to just see where the day led us--our hopes were to avoid stress and hard core planning while in Venice, as we had just finished mid-term exams in Madrid.

Everything in Venice is picturesque. The buildings are all precious, with window boxes and flowers, and beautiful colors everywhere. I can't forget to mention the glistening blue water that surrounds the city. We were even lucky enough to enjoy the perfect gondola ride! An experience that everyone must have at least once! It was peaceful and beautiful and it took us through back canals that you can't see from any other place in Venice other than a boat. It was the best way to start off a European spring break!

After 4 days, we headed to Paris, France. Unfortunately, we had 3 very cold, very rainy days, which kind of put a damper on the whole walking-in-strange-territory-without understanding the-language thing. We got lost...frequently. We got directions...that usually led us to a place other than where we intended to go...but we tried to find things we liked every time we ended up somewhere unfamiliar. We did get to see all of the biggest sites: Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Catacombes. It was all very grand, and I would love to return to Paris some day to have more time to explore and I'd hope for better weather for getting lost too!

While we were in Paris, we stayed with one of Alex's friends from Wisconsin, to avoid the troublesome hostel experience. Maddy and her roommates were all so nice and generous & made our stay very pleasant. They took us out to a fun fondue restaurant, where we were able to indulge in wine from baby bottles...very strange, but lots of fun! They also showed us the best places to get both savory & sweet crepes--a heaven-sent gift! We went nuts on crepes while in Paris. Well...pretty much anywhere we can get our hands on them. The 4 days in Paris were filled with ups and downs, as we were absolutely worn out by the end of the week. We were all looking forward to reminiscing about our Semana Santa from the comfort of our home in Madrid!

And as soon as I returned to Madrid, I had something to look forward to--my Mom!! In Madrid! I feel incredibly lucky to have my mom visit me in Spain, and I'll include a separate entry about all of our adventures together...

In the Land of Gaudi...

Well....where to begin. I spent last weekend in Barcelona, and it didn't exactly live up to its reputation. It was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but the culture was entirely different from that of the rest of Spain. It was very touristy--nobody spoke Spanish. The official language in Barcelona is Catalán, which has a French influence and is not recognizable by Spanish-speakers. And they are not willing to go out of their way to speak to you in Spanish even if you speak to them in Spanish--they are far too proud of their own little culture-bubble. So even though we wanted to practice our Spanish skills, we were better off speaking in English everywhere we went.

It just wasn't the same compared to my hometown, Madrid.

However, there were several fabulous things to see in Barcelona. First of all, it is the home of the famous modernist Gaudi. Many very interesting, awesome buildings, parks, and monuments designed by Gaudi captured our interest. Curvy, colorful structures and lots of intricate details. Very interesting to say the least. We went inside the Casa Mila (Pedrera), visited Park Güell, and saw Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló from the outside. We also spent a while at the beach, although very chilly once the sun hid behind the clouds! But I still loved being there to see it. If only it had been warm enough to swim!

The best part of Barcelona was the Mercat Boquería--a market that sells flowers,

animals (ducks, gerbils, birds, turtles, bunnies...the works), and lots of fresh fish, fruit, pastries, and smoothies! Basically a dream come true. It was the most colorful and beautiful market ever!! We bought these yummy smoothies for only 1 Euro! We also visited the Picasso Museum which was pretty neat...although I'm not an art fanatic I can still appreciate the variety of work that Picasso did. I never knew that he dabbled in so many areas-painting, drawing, ceramics and more. Very strange...

Overall, we walked around a lot, until my feet were sore and blistered (yum?) and ate. A lot. Especially gelatto. I would be lying if I said I ate gelatto less than 3 times that weekend. And now I only look forward to more real Italian gelatto starting tomorrow in Venice, Italy!! My companions (Sonya and Alex) and I are sleeping at the airport tonight-to catch our early flight-so that we can save more euros for food while in Italy and France. Typical us.

Oh, one more thing! I failed to mention the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. Unlimited sushi, fried foods, and desserts came around past our table on a conveyer belt. It was lots of fun and I've never done anything like it before! But I also felt ill every time I thought about it afterwards...

And as you can see, no matter how chubby I feel I still try to fit into small spaces and act silly! Just livin' it up in Spain! Now off to Venice and Paris for a week...and my MOM will be waiting for me in Madrid upon my return!

Tapas--¡Gratis!

Last weekend I traveled via bus to GRANADA, SPAIN with my friends Alex, Breanne, and Sonya. Even though we arrived late on Friday night, we decided to venture out into the streets to find somewhere to get some drinks and tapas. In case you haven't heard--Granada is known for servings FREE tapas (tasty appetizers of sorts) with the purchase of every drink! This is a wonderful change from anywhere you find in Madrid, because it makes it so much cheaper! Plus everything in Granada already costs much less than it does in Madrid. Upon arriving, I noted that Granada was a very cute and nice city, but I also immediately became very grateful to be studying in Madrid. Even though I had yet to explore the depths of Granada, I had a feeling that Madrid is the right place for me because the city is so much bigger and more lively...and there are many more opportunities for exploration! This feeling of appreciation made the experience even better because I knew I would be happy to return "home".

We woke up extra early on Saturday morning to make the trek to La Alhambra, the ancient Moorish palaces that draw so many people to Granada. We waited in line to make sure that we could get tickets, since they only sell a certain amount per day. That afternoon we were lucky enough to have 80-degree weather and sun--the perfect day for exploring and enjoying such beautiful sites, such as El Palacio Nazaries, Alcazaba, Charles V's Palace, and the Generalife Gardens. I truly wish everyone could have the opportunity to see all that La Alhambra has to offer. The architecture and detail is stunning, and the views of the city equally breathtaking. It definitely lives up to the expectations that I had before arriving in Granada! We spent 4 hours walking around, taking in the "8th Wonder of the World".

In addition to La Alhambra, we were able to see many other historical sites. We visited the incredibly detailed cathedral, which was such an impressive thing to see. The amount of time, effort, and artistic ability it takes to design and create such a monumental building is hard to imagine. But it makes sense that it is so extravagent since Spain has such a strong history of Catholicism. Another really incredible experience that we had was visiting El Capillo Real--where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, two crucially important people in the history of uniting Spain--are buried. The mausoleum was amazing, and we were actually able to down stairs and see the actual caskets of these legendary heroes of Spain. It was so fascinating to be so close to these real pieces of history. Knowing that at one point, these people who were buried just feet away from us, were alive and changing history was quite the experience!

In addition to visiting these many sites, we had plenty of time for eating. Tapas, pastries, churros con chocolate, frozen yogurt, candy, buffet-style lunch...all quite enjoyable, but we also were in dire need of cleansing our systems upon returning to Madrid. We also browsed the many colorful, chaotic shops that lined the streets. I ended up purchasing lots of jewelery--not the highest quality, but still appreciable. I love rings, and ended up buying 4. Along with earrings and a bracelet. And an adorable keychain. Oh, and a school bag which I have come to love and use every day as a large, hippie-like purse.

A few more things about Granada: Gypsies approach you in the street and offer you a sprig of rosemary, which is a "gift"...but then they take your hand and try to read it and then charge you money. Very sneaky, but luckily I avoided this by telling them no before it was too late! Unfortunately, my friend Alex got tricked into getting her boots shined by a random man, who had seemed friendly and helpful. People have a way of making you think you're getting something for free, but really think they can charge you--and it is harder than you think to get out of the situation! So it was a tragic event, because this man wanted to shine Alex's boots "for the boys in town"...and then ended up asking for 9 euro. For a boot shine. Sorry Alex! But you know it was also kind of funny...Another one of the highlights of Granada is that there are orange trees everywhere. They are just like, you know, regular trees in this city! For some reason I thought that was so fascinating, but I guess there are lots of places that have citrus fruit growing on every street. I thought it was beautiful and superb--and I would now love to have my own orange tree at home.

Anyways, I must conclude this post by saying that our weekend in Granada was a huge success, but it feels great to be back home in Madrid! Especially after receiving news that my mother's trip to Madrid has been finalized! So exciting!! See you soon Mom!

The Iceberg

Last week we had a cross-culture workshop, in which we talked about culture shock and other issues that may arise when studying abroad. It was most interesting, and the woman who spoke to us, Claire, was very funny and made it a worthwhile experience for all of us. She explained several models for understanding cross-culture differences. The most interesting to me was The Iceberg.

The Iceberg has two components: those that are above the surface, and those below the surface. Above the surface are the things that you notice on an obvious level: that teenagers are expressing their affection very publicly; they have very unique senses of style; family relationships are very tight-knit; stores are closed for siesta from 2-4. And then there are the explanations which lie below the surface: after the fall of Franco, many things have changed in Spain. People have more freedom to publicly express feelings, without getting thrown into jail or being punished. Spaniards prefer a sense of community over individualism, and actions in this sense are judged in a very different way here. Eating at your desk in the US means that you are working hard and saving time by multi-tasking...eating at your desk in Spain makes people feel bad for you because you don't have time to relax and spend with your family and friends. Just think about the iceberg! There is always an explanation for things that you don't understand on the surface.

We also talked about the possibility of culture shock, and I admit that I had been worried about feeling afraid or frustrated when I cannot understand what is going on around me in a new country. But after nearly 6 weeks (wow, time flies!) I have not experienced any discomfort being here in Madrid. I feel completely at home, and love most things about this city. Well, here are some of my likes and dislikes:

Like: McDonald's McFlurries are much better here--they use hot fudge! I'm bringing this idea back to the states...

Dislike: The bathrooms are almost all disgusting. Unless you are in a nice piso or a very fancy building, the toilets are dirty, there is never toilet paper, only cold water runs in the faucets, and there is never a way to dry your cold, wet hands. Most unpleasant experience.

Like: You can get beer anywhere, at any time of day, even the school cafeteria. Even McDonald's serves beer...so as you can see, McDonald's of Spain is superior to that of the states--I always thought Mickey D's was an American thing...but the Spaniards have really got it down...

Dislike: People here naturally stare at you for longer amounts of time. You know...that once-over, full-body inspection that often times leaves you feeling a little like your personal space was invaded. But the plus side of this is that I think you are allowed to stare back--or at least I do.

Like: The Metro system! A fun, miraculous invention. Whoever thought up moving tubes underground is a genius. Even after 6 weeks I am still so impressed with the Metro system and the public transportation in general, and I'm pretty sure that Madrid must have the most efficient ways of getting all over the city. It is a wonderful change from driving long distances in the suburbs of Minnesota in order to find things to do.

Dislike: (Some) People have little to zero sense of personal space, and think they have the right to invade your space. The personal bubble is smaller here, but don't worry, we were told we are allowed to take a step back if we feel immensely uncomfortable. And there are many people on the streets who think being weird and creepy is acceptable.

Like: EVERYTHING ELSE! I love being surrounded by culture. Real culture! I didn't realize how much culture could exist in one city until I left the Midwest! (No offense to the states...) But Madrid is just an intriguing, beautiful city. I couldn't have picked a better place to study! It has many things to offer--and the latest, favorite place is El Parque de Buen Retiro.

This is the Palacio de Cristal at El Retiro--absolutely breathtaking! As are all of the sights in this enormous park! I now know where I will spend a lot of time. There are lots of things to see, and many directions that the park can take you in. It is a wonderful place. There is even a little "lake", and you can rent row boats to take out~I plan to do this at least one time. And I highly encourage you all to come visit me in Spain to see the beauty for yourselves!!

Until next time :-)