Ronda, Sevilla, Classes, and Cabo de Gata

Because this week was jam packed full with the first week of classes, two weekend excursions, and massive amounts of trip planning for the rest of the semester, I don't feel quite so bad that it's taken me this long to post another blog. I'll go chronologically because if I don't start at the beginning there's no way I'll remember all the awesome stuff we did this week! (Also, forgive me for how long this is about to be...it was a big week!)

Last weekend IES (the study abroad program) took us on a two day trip to Ronda and Sevilla, two Spanish towns a few hours away by bus. We stopped in Ronda first and wandered around the city, hiked down a fairly steep slope to get a good view of bridge/archway that connects the newer and older sections of the city, and took a tour of the ancient Arab baths at the old entrance to the city. Ronda itself (at least the older part) was absolutely GORGEOUS. I've posted some pictures below but they can't begin to capture the beauty of the town which seemed to me to be a perfect vacation town. I loved it. 

Ronda, Spain

Clearly the ancient Arab people who
used the baths weren't as tall as me...

After leaving Ronda, we piled into the buses again and made our way to Sevilla, a much larger city that happens to be the Capital of Andalucia, the southern region of Spain where Granada is also located. In Sevilla, my friends and I decided to go on the bike tour that was offered as one of the options to explore the city. The tour was going great and we were seeing many wonderful sights until I had a slight accident and wiped out on my bike, scraping up my knee, and thoroughly embarrassing myself. Yes, I was that girl who fell over on her bike in Sevilla. Anyway, I survived and we saw some pretty awesome sights on the tour (pre- and post- wipeout) even though it was nearly 100 degrees out! 

That evening, IES planned a private Flamenco show for us to attend. Never having seen Flamenco before, I was obviously fascinated at the speed and fluidity of the dancers, and the incredibly strong voices of the singers who accompanied them!

The following day we hit some of the top tourist destinations in Sevilla, starting with Reales Alcazares, the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. Sections of the palace were originally built by the Muslim rulers of the region before the Reyes Catolicos (Catholic Kings) took over the area. The juxtaposition of the two different styles of architecture was pretty fascinating! 

Next, we headed to the Cathedral of Sevilla, which I, as someone who loves to check out different architecture and historical sites, loved!! It was absolutely giant and if I'm remembering correctly I think someone said it is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world! Not only did we walk through the Cathedral, we also climbed to the top of the Giralda, the tower connected to the Cathedral that was originally a minaret, an important tower incorporated into most mosques, but was converted to a bell tower after the Catholic takeover of the region. Unfortunately, the view was not as incredible as I had expected after walking up the 38ish ramps that were required to get to the top. But the Cathedral itself was gorgeous!

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment (except for the wipeout) of our trip to Ronda and Sevilla! It was a perfect way to enjoy our last weekend before classes started!

Beginning on Monday, the strange realization hit me that I am actually here to take classes. (Who knew??) I frantically found a store to purchase school supplies and tried to put myself in the mindset that the next four months will include not only traveling, going out for tapas every night, and siestas, but also reading, papers and the occasional test. I quickly realized that having all my classes in Spanish is going to be slightly more difficult than I thought, but at least the classes themselves shouldn't be too hard. I'm taking a spanish language class (because everyone has to), Islamic Art & Architecture, a history class called Islamic Civilization in Spain and Northern Africa until 1492, Watercoloring, and next week I'll start my class at the University of Granada with the actual Spanish students, which to be honest, I'm slightly terrified for. As unfortunate as it is that I actually have to do schoolwork while I'm here, I at least love all of my professors so far! 

After the many days of figuring out class schedules, purchasing reading materials, and stressing about not understanding what our homework is, we found time on Saturday for another IES excursion to the national park in the beach town of Cabo de Gata! The trip included a ten mile hike up, down, and around the hills and beaches of the region, offering impeccable views, amazing swims in the Mediterranean sea, and the inevitable intrusion of sand into every possible part of your body and apparel. The day itself was exhausting, but the sights were worth every climb and every pound of sand I poured out of my shoes when we got home.

That seems to be all I have for you folks this week! I'm headed off to a craft fair in a neighborhood of Granada this morning with some friends, but hopefully I'll have some fun stories to tell next week after I get back from Edinburgh, Scotland!

Confessions of a Culturally Shocked American

During orientation this morning we had a psychology professor who has lived in both Spain and the United States come to our class to talk to us about culture shock and adapting to life in a different culture. Among other things, she said that when we first arrive we will be very excited at everything that is new and think everything is wonderful, then we will go through a shocked, frustrated period where we wish things were like they are at home, but eventually we will get used to things here and come to like them. She said that usually living in another country can lead people to feel a strong sense of pride in and patriotism for one's home country.

I'm still pretty euphoric about being here, but I felt that patriotism she mentioned full force today as we were eating lunch with my host family and watching the news and images of the anniversary of September 11 came on the screen. As strange as it was to listen to Spanish reporters talk about this event, it gave me a new perspective on how the rest of the world views and is influenced by events in the U.S. We all believe that the rest of the world hates Americans and some of those reasons are valid, but regardless, we should all know how much we influence the rest of the world. As my host mom watched the footage of the second plane crashing into the second tower I could see emotions on her face similar to those of women in the U.S. upon watching similar footage. Terror is terror no matter what culture you're in. I may have come to Europe with a little more pride in the good old US of A than some others, but being here has definitely increased my sense of patriotism, as well as opened my eyes to how we are viewed by others. So, today, while eating my Spanish lunch on the other side of the world, I took a moment to remember the horrors that took place that day, feeling proud to be from such a wonderful, opportunistic country, while remembering the important role we play on the world stage.

Other than this, the last few days here have been fairly uneventful. Saturday night I went out with friends to some tapas bars and then to a discoteca, which, funnily enough, was built back into a cave in the side of the hill overlooking the Alhambra. You all know I'm not much of a club-going girl, but anywhere I can dance and then go outside and see the beautiful, illuminated Alhambra in the distance isn't all bad. This week has been filled with more orientation, trying to finalize our schedules with classes at the University of Granada and IES (the study abroad center), and going out for tapas with friends. This weekend, IES is taking us to Ronda and Sevilla, two cities very near Granada. I'm really looking forward to seeing another Spanish city!

Tapas con Amigas!

El Sacramonte (The neighborhood with the caves)

La Alhambra at night

For now, I thought I'd leave you with a list of some of the most fascinating cultural differences I've discovered since arriving...

• Machisimo culture still exists — We have fairly clear gender roles in the United States, but the lesser treatment of women in the US is nothing compared to that of Spanish women. The machisimo culture of historic Spain (the idea that the man is in charge of everything and must be strong and almost brutish) still exists in households here, to a certain extent. Very, very few Spanish women worked outside the household under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, which ended in 1975. Because of this, there are vast differences in pay grades for men and women here in the workplace. I've also noticed this culture in my host family. My host mom does not work. She took care of her daughters when they were little and now she spends a lot of time caring for her mother and cooking and cleaning in our house. She cooks all of our meals, sets the table, and either her or her daughter washes the dishes after every meal. The first few days I kept offering to help with dishes, but she always refused. I've been told that for most Spanish women, the kitchen is their domain and they don't really want anyone to enter, which I find somewhat fascinating. If I left the kitchen without even offering to help with the dishes my mom certainly would have a problem with that! However, even though she does all of the household chores herself, she seems to have a more modern relationship with her husband. While she does clean his dishes and picks up after him, she doesn't allow him to interrupt her and he sometimes makes his own dinner. Overall, I just found the differences in gender roles here very interesting.

• If you think you conserve water in the US, you should see how they do it in Spain — Have you heard of a military shower? Well, this is where you turn the water off when you're not using it, for example when you're putting shampoo in your hair or shaving your legs or anything else that doesn't require water. Here in Spain, especially Andalucia where there is a lack of water, they are VERY serious about conserving water. Some host families have told their students that they cannot take showers longer than five minutes. Mine didn't say anything, but we were told during orientation that this is a very serious thing for most Granadian families. My host mom is also very serious about recycling. She recycles everything—food, plastic, paper, glass...she even saves the oil she cooks with to make soap!! She thinks that other countries should try to learn and do the same because she feels strongly that we need to do a lot to protect the supplies of the earth, especially water.

• Bedtime is midnight or later, whether you're 5 or 65 — At home, if you were walking the streets and saw children awake at midnight being pushed in strollers by their parents you might call social services. Here, it's completely normal. Just as it's normal to see people in their sixties and seventies walking in the streets at 12, 1, 2 in the morning! Talk about culture shock...when do they sleep, you ask? (See next bullet point)

• Siesta is a very real thing — In America, we joke about Spanish siestas or taking naps when we're tired. This is no joke. Siesta is a very serious thing here in Granada. We eat our main meal of the day between 2 and 3 and then basically the entire city shuts down until around 5 or 5:30 pm. Today, I had to be at IES for my oral spanish language exam at 4:30 and walking through the streets you would have thought armageddon had happened. Almost every single store was closed except for H&M and Zara, and some restaurants. And literally the only people in the streets were tourists. Nearly every single person had a map in their hand and a camera hanging from their neck. The real Granadians were sleeping or resting. Let me repeat: Siesta is a very real thing. Don't mess with a Spanish person's siesta.

Now that you are all enlightened as to the Spanish lifestyle, enjoy your day, strange American eating schedule and all. And don't forget to take a moment today to remember those who were lost and those who survived the attacks 12 years ago this morning. I'm a huge believer in patriotism, and even if you're not, today is the day to do so.

<3 besos desde Espana!

Because every post from Granada should have a photo of the Alhambra :)

Greetings desde España!!

Hola a todos vosotros desde Granada! I've been pretty much MIA for the last few days since I left Portland, but I promise I have valid reasons for not posting a blog until now! Clearly things have been crazy and exciting and stressful and very, very different than home. But for those of you interested in hearing how my last week has gone, I'll go back to the very beginning...

I knew the flight to Malaga, Spain where I was to meet the rest of the IES students on my program would be long, but I didn't realize just HOW long—partly because I didn't want to know and partly because it was too difficult to try and calculate the many different time zones I would be passing through. All in all, the trip took around 24 hours. I left my house at 3:00 in the morning and flew to JFK airport in New York, then to Paris, then to Malaga, finally arriving in Spain around 1 in the afternoon. It was slightly surreal to see the sun rise, set, and then rise again from an airplane...and to experience three different time zones in the span of 24 hours. By the time I got to Malaga my body was so confused and exhausted I could have fallen asleep at any time.

Arriving in the Malaga airport I quickly met a handful of other IES students who I was planning to share a cab with to the hotel where we were supposed to meet, but I had a "slight" hiccup when I discovered that my bag did not arrive and was not going to. Luckily, the man at the AirEuropa desk spoke English and was able to explain to me that it had been held up in customs in Paris because of a flaw in Delta's bag tagging system. The lost bag situation turned out to be much more of a nightmare than it should have been. First, they told me it would arrive at our hotel the next morning, but it got stuck in Paris AGAIN. Then, it was supposed to arrive at my homestay the next evening. It did not. FINALLY, last night (Thursday), it arrived at my house and I was able to take a real shower and change my clothes and actually feel settled. I was one of at least a dozen other students who had their bags lost, but it was still a nightmare. I was so happy to see it last night that I bent down and gave it a hug out of pure joy.

Other than the bag situation, Malaga was fun—as fun as a city can be when you have barely slept in two days. Upon arriving, we went to the beach where we met up with some of our orientation leaders (students from the University of Granada) and filled our starving stomachs with salad, paella, and Spanish beer. That afternoon, they took us to get Spanish cell phones before taking us on a short tour of the city. Parts of Malaga were beautiful but some parts felt quite touristy, not that I can remember much after my day as a walking zombie. 

On the beach in Malaga after my many flights...in one
of the two dresses I wore for the last four days.

One of the plazas we walked through in Malaga.

The next day, we had a crash course in Spanish culture at the hotel before leaving for Granada, where we met up with our host families. My host mom's name is Fabiola and she is wonderful! She's super sweet and treats us like her daughters (who are 26 and 24). The younger one (whose name is also Fabiola) lives with us here. Their family has been hosting girls from IES for like 8 years! Fabiola (the mom) doesn't speak any English, but it hasn't been to difficult to communicate with her. My spanish is slowly coming back to me. We live in an apartment building a ways away from the city center. There isn't much around our building as far as shops or restaurants. It's mostly a residential area. We are on the fifth floor of our building and the apartment is quite nice! I have a "roommate" in my homestay whose name is Clara and is from Brazil, but goes to school at Lake Forest. I like her a lot but luckily we both have our own rooms here in our apartment. While my room is small, it's quite nice and has a great big window to let in air when it gets hot at night. 

One of the things that has taken the most getting used to has been the food and eating schedule. We wake up and eat a light breakfast of toast or cereal before leaving for IES at 8:30. This morning Fabiola made us toast with mashed tomatoes and salt and olive oil on top for breakfast and it was AMAZING! Then, at around 10:30 we have a break from our orientation to go get "desayuno" or a second breakfast/snack/coffee. There's a little croissant place near IES that I've stopped by the last two days during this time. Later, at around 2:30 or 3:00 we return to our homestays (mine is 25 minutes walking from IES) for la comida, which is the biggest meal of the day. Yesterday, we started off la comida with a lentil cream soup which I was not a fan of, but today I LOVED everything Fabiola made for la comida. We had tomatoes in olive oil with fresh garlic as a salad, a cheesy mushroom risotto, and stuffed peppers with chicken that tasted slightly Mexican. We usually have watermelon for desert. La comida is the main family event of the day and we all sit down and eat together. Then, we have time to rest or "siesta" until around 5:00 when classes resume and stores open and life goes on. For dinner, most people go out to tapas in the city with friends around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. In Granada, if you order a drink at a tapas bar, you get a free tapa. Last night, some friends and I went to three different tapas bars and ordered a drink at each bar and received a free tapa and at the end of the night had only spend 6.50 euros! 

My first view of La Alhambra, the famous Islamic palace in Granada,
which is about a two minute walk from the IES center.

I'm slowly getting used to living on Spanish time. My body adjusted to the time change pretty quickly, I think because I got a bit sick right after arriving, with a sore throat and running nose and cough. I think my body is rebelling from the 24 hours of traveling I put it through. Anyway, I've been pretty tired from being sick and have slept every chance I get. This afternoon my orientation class is meeting to take a tour of the city then I'll probably go out for tapas again. Hopefully next time I write I'll have more interesting stories for you! Also, just so you know, you're welcome to imessage me here in Granada if you have an iphone. I can receive them when I have wifi (at my homestay and at the IES center) and I'll try and respond when I can! You can also facebook me if you don't have an iPhone and need to get a hold of me. Until next time....