THE SPAIN DIARIES: Day 1
Hello from Madrid, Spain! I have so much to share and tell so I thought that the best way to do this would be through my blog. I hope that everyone is doing well. It's Saturday here, there is a seven hour time difference from Dallas, and I woke up at 11:30 after a long but exciting two days.
I arrived in Spain just yesterday around 10:30 am. Ray Green the head coordinator of the program and his assistants Chloe and Stephanie (both recent graduates of BU and UNC) were waiting for me at the airport. I got on the bus and there were about ten other students including me in the program. Everyone is so nice and I will dive more into the different students in the group in my next post or so.
The bus took us straight to the Instituto Internacional where we had orientation. Below is a picture just introducing you to the Instituto where I will be studying. The Instituto was established specifically for the purpuse to merge American and Spanish studying. The building was supposedly contrcuted to look like a building at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. I took some pictures on my phone of the inside of the Instituto which got lost in cyberspace. In any case, here are professional pictures of the Instituto:
Click here to learn more about the Instituto.
After we had our orientation, it began to rain. The heads of the program gave us each a map, called a cab for us, and we were to find our homestays ourselves. Luckily, I found my homestay fine. I live on a street called Rios Rosas with a lovely woman named Rocio. Rocio lives in an apartment in a historic building. I will take more photos of the building soon. I had to figure out how to use the elevator which was quite a challenge and was praying that I would not get stuck inside of it because I had to shove a heavy bag and myself inside of it.
Look how close my house is to school:
Rocio greated me at the elevator and she kissed both of my cheeks. She is a very maternal woman. She is probably in her 60's and she has reddish hair. She knows some English, she studied psychoanalysis at University of Massachusetts but we will not speak English. (Mom and Dad, Rocio is chiming in right now and wants to make that clear. Rocio also sends you her regards and says for you not to worry.)
I have a balcony and my own room and its so quaint and nice.
Here is my room:
Here is the "salon" or living room. Rocio said she might be teaching some meditation classes for work in here sometimes. It will be interesting!
I apologize for the dark photos. It is interesting, here they use their lights very carefully. When you walk in my building, for example, it is pitch black. You need to turn a light on yourself and it is timed to stay on for about 3 minutes or so (they expect you to walk up all the stairs by that time).
I got lost (typical) on my way to meet the group to buy international phones. On my way, however, I came across this:
Yes, it is a man and a woman standing in front of a Sephora, but I really think that these pictures really say so much about Spain. First, the picture shows you the American influence on the culture. It's so interesting because as I walk down the street there is an H&M, Starbucks, Sephora, Zara (which was started here) and so many other American influences that seep themselves into society. Additionally, I think this picture really describes the energy, color, and life that I feel and see as I explore this city.
Last night, for our final excursion, we went on a tour of the city. I have divided these photos up in terms of buildings and scenic views.
Here are the buldings I saw:
What you are looking at is the fountain in front of the Palacio Real, the palace where the king and queen used to live.
Here is a picture of La Plaza Mayor, the main plaza:
There are lots of fun things in the Plaza like people blowing bubbles and men dressed up.
Look how cute this man is! There are many people playing instruments throughout the city.
Last, but not least, I want to share with you the beautiful architecture of the city. I find so much beauty in the simplicity of the buildings and doors:
This last picture is of a church that is significant. I do not remember it's significance right now.
It was a nice end to a long 48 hours. A group of us went out for pizza after not having really eaten since we were home. I helped order for the table and asked for the check. The students on the program make me feel really good about my Spanish skills ( I am in the advanced level while many students have just begun their Spanish education) so I am really becoming confident in my skills. (What my peers fail to understand is that if you look like you know what you are saying, even if you don't, it seems as though you do!)
Here I am, exhausted but happy:
After dinner, we went to a little convenience store. All my friends walked in the store and I was the last person to walk in. My friend Hope was trying to get an adaptor for her phone and everyone was using sign language to try to explain to the man what they needed. I walked in and they pushed me to the front calling me the "Spanish expert." Well I didn't konw how to say adaptor either, and after literally spitting out every phone/engery vocabulary word I learned in the middle school, the man finally looks at me and goes "Ahhh, un adaptador!"
I still have a lot to learn. I will never forget that word again.
That's all for now!
Elizabeth
I arrived in Spain just yesterday around 10:30 am. Ray Green the head coordinator of the program and his assistants Chloe and Stephanie (both recent graduates of BU and UNC) were waiting for me at the airport. I got on the bus and there were about ten other students including me in the program. Everyone is so nice and I will dive more into the different students in the group in my next post or so.
The bus took us straight to the Instituto Internacional where we had orientation. Below is a picture just introducing you to the Instituto where I will be studying. The Instituto was established specifically for the purpuse to merge American and Spanish studying. The building was supposedly contrcuted to look like a building at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. I took some pictures on my phone of the inside of the Instituto which got lost in cyberspace. In any case, here are professional pictures of the Instituto:
Click here to learn more about the Instituto.
After we had our orientation, it began to rain. The heads of the program gave us each a map, called a cab for us, and we were to find our homestays ourselves. Luckily, I found my homestay fine. I live on a street called Rios Rosas with a lovely woman named Rocio. Rocio lives in an apartment in a historic building. I will take more photos of the building soon. I had to figure out how to use the elevator which was quite a challenge and was praying that I would not get stuck inside of it because I had to shove a heavy bag and myself inside of it.
Look how close my house is to school:
Rocio greated me at the elevator and she kissed both of my cheeks. She is a very maternal woman. She is probably in her 60's and she has reddish hair. She knows some English, she studied psychoanalysis at University of Massachusetts but we will not speak English. (Mom and Dad, Rocio is chiming in right now and wants to make that clear. Rocio also sends you her regards and says for you not to worry.)
I have a balcony and my own room and its so quaint and nice.
Here is my room:
Here is the "salon" or living room. Rocio said she might be teaching some meditation classes for work in here sometimes. It will be interesting!
I apologize for the dark photos. It is interesting, here they use their lights very carefully. When you walk in my building, for example, it is pitch black. You need to turn a light on yourself and it is timed to stay on for about 3 minutes or so (they expect you to walk up all the stairs by that time).
I got lost (typical) on my way to meet the group to buy international phones. On my way, however, I came across this:
Yes, it is a man and a woman standing in front of a Sephora, but I really think that these pictures really say so much about Spain. First, the picture shows you the American influence on the culture. It's so interesting because as I walk down the street there is an H&M, Starbucks, Sephora, Zara (which was started here) and so many other American influences that seep themselves into society. Additionally, I think this picture really describes the energy, color, and life that I feel and see as I explore this city.
Last night, for our final excursion, we went on a tour of the city. I have divided these photos up in terms of buildings and scenic views.
Here are the buldings I saw:
What you are looking at is the fountain in front of the Palacio Real, the palace where the king and queen used to live.
Here is a picture of La Plaza Mayor, the main plaza:
There are lots of fun things in the Plaza like people blowing bubbles and men dressed up.
Look how cute this man is! There are many people playing instruments throughout the city.
Last, but not least, I want to share with you the beautiful architecture of the city. I find so much beauty in the simplicity of the buildings and doors:
This last picture is of a church that is significant. I do not remember it's significance right now.
It was a nice end to a long 48 hours. A group of us went out for pizza after not having really eaten since we were home. I helped order for the table and asked for the check. The students on the program make me feel really good about my Spanish skills ( I am in the advanced level while many students have just begun their Spanish education) so I am really becoming confident in my skills. (What my peers fail to understand is that if you look like you know what you are saying, even if you don't, it seems as though you do!)
Here I am, exhausted but happy:
After dinner, we went to a little convenience store. All my friends walked in the store and I was the last person to walk in. My friend Hope was trying to get an adaptor for her phone and everyone was using sign language to try to explain to the man what they needed. I walked in and they pushed me to the front calling me the "Spanish expert." Well I didn't konw how to say adaptor either, and after literally spitting out every phone/engery vocabulary word I learned in the middle school, the man finally looks at me and goes "Ahhh, un adaptador!"
I still have a lot to learn. I will never forget that word again.
That's all for now!
Elizabeth
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