So it's been a while since I posted anything and I should probably be in touch more. In the week that I haven't posted anything, we have all had an extremely busy week with orientation programs, the housing search, and adjusting to Madrid!!!! This week started with me finding an apartment- SO EXCITED! It is in the neighborhood I wanted to live in, which is really nice. I can move in on the 1st, but probably will stay in my homestay a little longer than that (free food...).
This week we also had orientation programs at the Museo del Prado and a tour of Old Madrid. Both were really interesting! I really want to go back to the Museo del Prado (on a free day.. haha) and explore more. And the tour was good for helping me gain my bearings in the city. The rest of the days we had more orientation programs and our intensive January course to give us some background on issues in Spain.
Besides that, this past week was dedicated to becoming "acquainted" with the nightlife of Madrid. One of the most popular places to go is Sol, in the center of the city. On any given night of the week there are tons of people and things going on at so many bars and discotecas. BUT the nightlife doesn't even get going until 2 am or so here (inconvenient since the Metro closes at 1:30) and most people stay out until 6 am when it reopens for the next day. Keeping up with Madrid is exhausting!
This weekend was also full of exploring! On Saturday a bunch of us met up at Parque del Retiro, a beautiful and huge park in Madrid. There were tons of things going on- street performers, rowboats in the lake, soccer, rollerblading, you name it. Sunday we went to a famous market called the Rastro.. it basically has a bunch of stalls with purses, clothes, scarves, you name it! Everything was super cheap (aka that is where everyone's souvenirs are coming from). Then we took an hour bus ride out to Sierra de Guadarrama on the outskirts of Madrid to go hiking! Except we weren't really that prepared..we assumed there would be a sign or a visitor's center or SOMETHING indicating what we were supposed to do. Nope. Guess it didn't help that it was Sunday. Then we started seeing a bunch of hikers (all of whom were in giant coats, snowboots, and had walking sticks and huge backpacks.. I think we were underprepared). We followed and eventually we did find the trail! haha It was beautiful, but I want to go back again when it is warmer for sure!!!!
Today is the start of classes- the three classes that we take at the American consortium. It is certainly easier to continue this vacation in Spain.. but after a 7 week break it will be nice to get back into routine!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Aventuras!
It's hard to believe that a week ago I was getting ready to leave home!! This week has flown by, and has been super busy!!! We are well into orientation and starting to embrace the Spanish culture.
Okay, to start off, I LOVE THE METRO! It is like 20 stories underground and there are all these lines stacked on top of each other and they are super fast at getting you anywhere. I thought I was a CTA fan, but I didn't know what I was missing. Although there are some days where I feel like all I do is ride the metro!!!! To get to school, we go about 6 stops down, which takes about 15 minutes, and then we have to walk or take the bus. It's not too bad!
Okay, so anyway, we live right off of a really busy street in a piso. There are 3 of us from our program and 1 from another who has lived here for a while. Our señora doesn't live with us-- she just comes for dinner and, I guess, to do our laundry once a week. It's definitely different than I expected, but it is really nice and has an independence element to it. This is a really bad picture of our habitación:
There were 2 main reasons that I chose this program over others, both will immerse me more into the Spanish culture. One is our classes. There are 3 classes we take with other Americans from 8 universities, but 2 we actually take at Complutense, the university here, with other Spanish students, and there can only be a maximum of 5 American students in each class. Earlier this week I had to pick them out and it was a nightmare, but hopefully everything will turn out alright! I got my classes and am not really sure if they will transfer, but it's all okay!!!!!!
The more interesting part is that we have to find our own apartment, preferably with other Spanish students, a search that my roommate and I are well into because pretty soon there is going to be more competition from other European students and even Americans. I have a few showings today which is super exciting, and hopefully I will soon know where I'm living!!!!! Right now I'm looking in the student area, right next to the university, known as Moncloa. So hopefully today will be the day I find something!
Other than that, I have enjoyed exploring the city. There is still so much I haven't seen, but it is full of life all of the time- even at 3:30 in the morning. One really interesting place is Puerta del Sol, which is this major plaza in the center of town. It's full of people and has about a million streets with shops extending from the main plaza. The other night my roommates and I went to get churros con chocolate. The chocolate is literally melted chocolate; it is extremely rich and I couldn't really drink it after using it for my churros! But it was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, so this blog post is super long and I'm sorry if you are still reading!!! But I need to talk about our trip to Toledo yesterday!!!!!! It was SO BEAUTIFUL. It was really interesting coming from a major city like Madrid, still full of history and its own culture, to a small town such as this. We took a guided tour through the city, a cathedral, synagogue, a churches. We tried mazapán, (I think that is how you spell it) which is Toledo's specialty. It is a really sugary pastry.. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Here is a picture looking towards the town when we stopped as we were driving into the city.
Anyway, I'm off to look at some pisos. Cross your fingers for me!!!!!
Okay, to start off, I LOVE THE METRO! It is like 20 stories underground and there are all these lines stacked on top of each other and they are super fast at getting you anywhere. I thought I was a CTA fan, but I didn't know what I was missing. Although there are some days where I feel like all I do is ride the metro!!!! To get to school, we go about 6 stops down, which takes about 15 minutes, and then we have to walk or take the bus. It's not too bad!
Okay, so anyway, we live right off of a really busy street in a piso. There are 3 of us from our program and 1 from another who has lived here for a while. Our señora doesn't live with us-- she just comes for dinner and, I guess, to do our laundry once a week. It's definitely different than I expected, but it is really nice and has an independence element to it. This is a really bad picture of our habitación:
There were 2 main reasons that I chose this program over others, both will immerse me more into the Spanish culture. One is our classes. There are 3 classes we take with other Americans from 8 universities, but 2 we actually take at Complutense, the university here, with other Spanish students, and there can only be a maximum of 5 American students in each class. Earlier this week I had to pick them out and it was a nightmare, but hopefully everything will turn out alright! I got my classes and am not really sure if they will transfer, but it's all okay!!!!!!
The more interesting part is that we have to find our own apartment, preferably with other Spanish students, a search that my roommate and I are well into because pretty soon there is going to be more competition from other European students and even Americans. I have a few showings today which is super exciting, and hopefully I will soon know where I'm living!!!!! Right now I'm looking in the student area, right next to the university, known as Moncloa. So hopefully today will be the day I find something!
Other than that, I have enjoyed exploring the city. There is still so much I haven't seen, but it is full of life all of the time- even at 3:30 in the morning. One really interesting place is Puerta del Sol, which is this major plaza in the center of town. It's full of people and has about a million streets with shops extending from the main plaza. The other night my roommates and I went to get churros con chocolate. The chocolate is literally melted chocolate; it is extremely rich and I couldn't really drink it after using it for my churros! But it was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, so this blog post is super long and I'm sorry if you are still reading!!! But I need to talk about our trip to Toledo yesterday!!!!!! It was SO BEAUTIFUL. It was really interesting coming from a major city like Madrid, still full of history and its own culture, to a small town such as this. We took a guided tour through the city, a cathedral, synagogue, a churches. We tried mazapán, (I think that is how you spell it) which is Toledo's specialty. It is a really sugary pastry.. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Here is a picture looking towards the town when we stopped as we were driving into the city.
Anyway, I'm off to look at some pisos. Cross your fingers for me!!!!!
Monday, January 16, 2012
FINALMENTE
After what seemed like forever, we finally made it to Madrid!!!!!!!!!! The flight was long, and I'm super tired, considering I'm starting my 24th straight hour of being awake and it's only 1:45 in the afternoon. BUT it's all okay because we're here! There are two girls from my program in my homestay, which is nice! Instead of taking a taxi from the airport, one of my roommates wanted to take the Metro (I mean, it was free!) so we began our first adventure. As Madrid is allegedly a petty-crime hotspot, we had to be super careful since we were obviously exhausted tourists arriving at 7:45 in the morning and carrying huge suitcases. But everything was fine! The metro stop was super close to the piso and luckily it has an elevator so we didn't have to climb all of those stairs!
We met another student and our señora, both of whom are very nice!!! We've spent the day so far talking and going on a couple of errands with our señora, which is good to see the city! Bad thing is that it is raining here. But tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm!!! And pretty soon it's off to our first orientation meeting!!!! Excited!!
We met another student and our señora, both of whom are very nice!!! We've spent the day so far talking and going on a couple of errands with our señora, which is good to see the city! Bad thing is that it is raining here. But tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm!!! And pretty soon it's off to our first orientation meeting!!!! Excited!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Counting Down!!!!!!!
I AM SO EXCITED! Five days from now I will be sitting on a plane on my way to Madrid!!!!! But for now, I am attempting to sort through my things and conquer my to-do list. Somehow, for every item crossed off, I tend to add two more. I'm not sure this counts as productivity.
I am trying out this whole blogging thing for the trip. Don't worry, it won't become a habit that I'll continue back home next year. Be wary that this is going to be written haphazardly, and my speaking voice will be pretty evident by the overuse of capital letters and exclamation points. (!!!!!!!!!) Sorry not sorry about the grammar issues.
ANYWAY, I will be studying in Madrid until the end of June!!! I will be going with a program through IU. Though I'm a tad overwhelmed, I can't WAIT to start this adventure!!!! YAY!
I will enjoy my last few days home with adventures in the good ol' DTA and Chicago! Seeeee ya soon, Madrid!!!!!!!!!!
I am trying out this whole blogging thing for the trip. Don't worry, it won't become a habit that I'll continue back home next year. Be wary that this is going to be written haphazardly, and my speaking voice will be pretty evident by the overuse of capital letters and exclamation points. (!!!!!!!!!) Sorry not sorry about the grammar issues.
ANYWAY, I will be studying in Madrid until the end of June!!! I will be going with a program through IU. Though I'm a tad overwhelmed, I can't WAIT to start this adventure!!!! YAY!
I will enjoy my last few days home with adventures in the good ol' DTA and Chicago! Seeeee ya soon, Madrid!!!!!!!!!!
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