1. Public Transportation
2. Ham
3. Cheap flights with Ryanair
4. Going to class Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday from 11-2
5. Living Downtown
6. Spanish little girls in dressed in cute sundresses instead of like Bratz dolls
7. Balconies with Geraniums
8. Coffee in the plaza beside the Seo
9. Catholic pageantry
10. Consistent weather patterns
11. Green Espadrilles
12. Fanta Naranja
13. The ice cream shop on Calle Alfonso
14. Deflation!
15. Markets instead of Grocery Stores
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Cara- Broken Camera
So last monday at Michael's birthday party my camera got dropped and now it is quite broken! I've seen a digital camera shop on my way to school so I'll probably drop by and try to get it fixed today or tomorrow. In the mean time I have a disposable Kodak camera that I brought just in case and my polaroid.
I was planning on this post being about Jamòn, but all my pictures are stuck on the camera and can't get out. So, instead, I'll just update you about my class situation. So far, I've been to class like every other day. To be fair, my throat really really hurt today so I stayed home and ate soup. I'm also out of credit on my bus card so that was just more motivation to stay home.
Yesterday, however, I went to all my classes, then took a long nap and read a little, and then our land lord brought us a new fridge! Finally! The old one had been broken for about 2 weeks so I mainly ate Donner Kebabs and plain pasta during that catastrophe. I am going to get so fat unless I find the gym soon.
So far my classes are Spanish History: Franco-Present, Colonial Hispanic Literature, and Current Art. I've emailed my OU advisor for word on if these classes will transfer credits but no word back, so I may send another today. My alternative options I've found are Spanish Grammar I and Theory of Art. Also, I might be able to take Italian I.
This weekend I'm driving to San Sebastien with 3 French kids and my American roommate. San Sebastien is a coastal town in basque country and to get there we'll be driving through the edge of France. It will be my first time in France! However it will only last about 15 minutes and I probably won't get out of the car. I also probably won't have any pictures to show you unless this camera gets fixed ASAP.
Well, here's a little preview to my upcoming post about grocery shopping in Spain:
That's right, the little basket has wheels on the bottom and long handles so you can push it along like one of those toy lawnmowers!
I was planning on this post being about Jamòn, but all my pictures are stuck on the camera and can't get out. So, instead, I'll just update you about my class situation. So far, I've been to class like every other day. To be fair, my throat really really hurt today so I stayed home and ate soup. I'm also out of credit on my bus card so that was just more motivation to stay home.
Yesterday, however, I went to all my classes, then took a long nap and read a little, and then our land lord brought us a new fridge! Finally! The old one had been broken for about 2 weeks so I mainly ate Donner Kebabs and plain pasta during that catastrophe. I am going to get so fat unless I find the gym soon.
So far my classes are Spanish History: Franco-Present, Colonial Hispanic Literature, and Current Art. I've emailed my OU advisor for word on if these classes will transfer credits but no word back, so I may send another today. My alternative options I've found are Spanish Grammar I and Theory of Art. Also, I might be able to take Italian I.
This weekend I'm driving to San Sebastien with 3 French kids and my American roommate. San Sebastien is a coastal town in basque country and to get there we'll be driving through the edge of France. It will be my first time in France! However it will only last about 15 minutes and I probably won't get out of the car. I also probably won't have any pictures to show you unless this camera gets fixed ASAP.
Well, here's a little preview to my upcoming post about grocery shopping in Spain:
That's right, the little basket has wheels on the bottom and long handles so you can push it along like one of those toy lawnmowers!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
School and Such
I think the last time i posted was Sunday before lunch...We had barbecue like I said, pancetta (big bacon/really good), chorizo (also really good), chicken (I looked retarted because I didn't know how to cut chicken off of a bone), morcilla (like a black sausage that wasnt really good but you can put anything with a piece of bread and your mouth and it will taste good). Then we had salad and straweberries for dessert!
After that Jano and I watched some documentary called Capturing the Friedmans about some pedophiles in New York in the 80's. It was really reallly weird. You could tell these people were really messed up. And I don't know if I already put this, but we watched our home videos from our trip to Mexico too. Then Jano argued with his mom for awhile about I don't know what and we left at like 730 to come back to Madrid. He came to Emi's house and we had leftover pasta for dinner and then I slept there on Sunday night.
Then Monday morning! class! I got up at 7 and was at the bus stop by 730. (my class starts at 830-Literatura Hispanoamericana II). Then I took the 160 bus to Moncola got on the G bus and went to Ciudad Universitaria (like University City). I found the classroom and everything at like 815. There was one other boy there at that time. The doors werent even unlocked to the classrooms until like 825. Then I went in and sat there until like 845 when the teacher showed up. People continued straggling in throughout the class. She basically just gave us the syllabus and talked about it a little. Im with Cara on being kind of confused about where to buy the readings and stuff like that but I talked to the teacher after and she said I didn't need to buy anything for a little while, that at the beginning it would just be copies. Then she asked who had never taken Literatura Hispanoamericana I. One other foreign girl raised my hand but I was too nervous so I didn't. Then she gave us a quick review (like 15 min) of that class talking about humanism and how logic and reason were valued in the 18th century, but in our class were going to stuy romanticism. I could follow her pretty well but her accent was definitely not spanish. She doesn't say any of the s's in any word. EX. Mas o menos is ma o meno. literally. She also told us we were going to have to do a presentation about one of the authors later in the semester, either in partners or alone, and I dont really see anyone wanting to be partners with me plus everyone already knows everybody so woooo. that should be super fun
So I got out of that class at like 930. and my next one Literatura Hispanoamericana III didnt start until 1130. I browsed through the bookstore a little bit and was really impressed! They had all kinds of books that I had read or would want to read and though I didn't see any of my required texts I wasn't realy looking since she said I didn't need to worry about it yet. Then I went to the cafeteria and bought a croissant napoleteana, like a chocolate pastry thing. yumm and orange juice. Then right outside the cafeteria, like inside the building right in a main area there is a smoking section (weird i know). Then I just read my book (Uncle Tom's Cabin) until like 1105. Then I found the classroom for my next class and saw a girl with a Vera Bradley bag and figured she was american. Turns out shes from Oklahoma State and she has that class with me. She was pretty nice. Then we went in that class but our professor wasnt there, a sub came and gave us the syllabi and then proceeded to talk for an hour about each of the author's listed. I seriously wanted to stab her.
Then I took the bus home at like 1 and made lunch for me and jano, mashed potatoes vegetables and shrimp, then later grapes. He has a night class on Monday's at 6 so he left after that. Then he called me during a break in his 3 hour class and said that they had put up his grades and that he had passed physics!
That night I slept at Emi's and tuesday morning I got up at 645 so I could go to starbucks before class. When the guy asked me for my name, I decided I would try and I just said Lauren how I pronounce it in English and he said okay Lauren, very well! but he spelled it Lauron. then in my first class we jumped right into material. She broke down the 19th century into periods of literary movements as well as phases of revolutions in hispanoamerica. She also talked about the state of South America at that time and how it would affect the literature we studied. and I answered a question! She said what does the date 1776 signify. I was all over that shit...Oh also I noticed the Spanish students take notes like in paragraphs, they just write down almost every single word she says in their notebook. It's really weird. I hope there tests arent like insanely specific. She assigned us our first homework, to read La Carta de Jamaica by Simon Bolivar.
Then we got out at 10 and I went to the library to get a library card. That took 10 years because the girl in front of me was from Romania and didn't know her address or phone number or anything. but now I have a library card!! ohhh back up! before I got to te library, I wasnt exactly sure where it was, so I was looking at like the directory in the main entrance to the building and this Spanish girl asks me what Im looking for and I show her my paper and she tells me that she can't read and I said the library for the college of filologia and she said, oh its right down that hall. Do you want me to tell you where the other libraries are? and I was like no. and she asked me where I was from and i told her the United States and she said wow there are so many Erasmus students here (exchange students) and i was like yea Im gonna go..and she was like do you want some of my sandwich? and I just said no thanks. It was a really awkward conversation. Then I went to the cafeteria again and got my napoleteana. and bought a hiliter at the bookstore. I read a little bit more then went to my next class. The teacher wasn't there again so we left pretty much right after class started.
I went home and bought some milk and strawberries at the grocery store and then Jano came and picked me up to go eat lunch at his house. We had salad, fries and menestra or something like that which is like meat with vegetables, It was pretty good. Then I took a nap while he did some homework and at 630 we went out. First we went to buy me a cell phone. I have like the original Nokia phone for 20 euros. Then we bought a chocolate thing in a bakery. Then I went to a Barclay's ATM to get money out. Then we went to Corte Ingles because we needed to buy chicken for the curry I was going to make for dinner. Then we went to the corte inges electronics which is like across the street to buy a microphone so I can skype with my mom on Sundays.
After that we came home and I made green curry and rice for dinner. We also had chips salsa and queso...haha. At the beginning we had a setback though because when I tried to open the rice the bag burst and I spilled rice all over the kitchen..But thankfully we had more rice and everything turned out just wonderful...It reminded me of getting thai food with you guys in Norman..then I had to hang up the clothes that were in the washer in random places around the house (They dont have dryers and its really cold outside at night). Then I started the dishwasher and went to bad. Jano spent the night here because Emi stayed at her sisters house because it was her brother-in-law's birthday yesterday.
Then today is Wednesday and I don't have any classes on Wednesday so I woke up at like 1030 and had some cereal took a shower and thats pretty much it. I think tonight Jano and i are going to go to dinner at VIP's which is a restaurant he really likes to celebrate our Valentine's Day since we were in Toledo with his parents on Saturday.
After that Jano and I watched some documentary called Capturing the Friedmans about some pedophiles in New York in the 80's. It was really reallly weird. You could tell these people were really messed up. And I don't know if I already put this, but we watched our home videos from our trip to Mexico too. Then Jano argued with his mom for awhile about I don't know what and we left at like 730 to come back to Madrid. He came to Emi's house and we had leftover pasta for dinner and then I slept there on Sunday night.
Then Monday morning! class! I got up at 7 and was at the bus stop by 730. (my class starts at 830-Literatura Hispanoamericana II). Then I took the 160 bus to Moncola got on the G bus and went to Ciudad Universitaria (like University City). I found the classroom and everything at like 815. There was one other boy there at that time. The doors werent even unlocked to the classrooms until like 825. Then I went in and sat there until like 845 when the teacher showed up. People continued straggling in throughout the class. She basically just gave us the syllabus and talked about it a little. Im with Cara on being kind of confused about where to buy the readings and stuff like that but I talked to the teacher after and she said I didn't need to buy anything for a little while, that at the beginning it would just be copies. Then she asked who had never taken Literatura Hispanoamericana I. One other foreign girl raised my hand but I was too nervous so I didn't. Then she gave us a quick review (like 15 min) of that class talking about humanism and how logic and reason were valued in the 18th century, but in our class were going to stuy romanticism. I could follow her pretty well but her accent was definitely not spanish. She doesn't say any of the s's in any word. EX. Mas o menos is ma o meno. literally. She also told us we were going to have to do a presentation about one of the authors later in the semester, either in partners or alone, and I dont really see anyone wanting to be partners with me plus everyone already knows everybody so woooo. that should be super fun
So I got out of that class at like 930. and my next one Literatura Hispanoamericana III didnt start until 1130. I browsed through the bookstore a little bit and was really impressed! They had all kinds of books that I had read or would want to read and though I didn't see any of my required texts I wasn't realy looking since she said I didn't need to worry about it yet. Then I went to the cafeteria and bought a croissant napoleteana, like a chocolate pastry thing. yumm and orange juice. Then right outside the cafeteria, like inside the building right in a main area there is a smoking section (weird i know). Then I just read my book (Uncle Tom's Cabin) until like 1105. Then I found the classroom for my next class and saw a girl with a Vera Bradley bag and figured she was american. Turns out shes from Oklahoma State and she has that class with me. She was pretty nice. Then we went in that class but our professor wasnt there, a sub came and gave us the syllabi and then proceeded to talk for an hour about each of the author's listed. I seriously wanted to stab her.
Then I took the bus home at like 1 and made lunch for me and jano, mashed potatoes vegetables and shrimp, then later grapes. He has a night class on Monday's at 6 so he left after that. Then he called me during a break in his 3 hour class and said that they had put up his grades and that he had passed physics!
That night I slept at Emi's and tuesday morning I got up at 645 so I could go to starbucks before class. When the guy asked me for my name, I decided I would try and I just said Lauren how I pronounce it in English and he said okay Lauren, very well! but he spelled it Lauron. then in my first class we jumped right into material. She broke down the 19th century into periods of literary movements as well as phases of revolutions in hispanoamerica. She also talked about the state of South America at that time and how it would affect the literature we studied. and I answered a question! She said what does the date 1776 signify. I was all over that shit...Oh also I noticed the Spanish students take notes like in paragraphs, they just write down almost every single word she says in their notebook. It's really weird. I hope there tests arent like insanely specific. She assigned us our first homework, to read La Carta de Jamaica by Simon Bolivar.
Then we got out at 10 and I went to the library to get a library card. That took 10 years because the girl in front of me was from Romania and didn't know her address or phone number or anything. but now I have a library card!! ohhh back up! before I got to te library, I wasnt exactly sure where it was, so I was looking at like the directory in the main entrance to the building and this Spanish girl asks me what Im looking for and I show her my paper and she tells me that she can't read and I said the library for the college of filologia and she said, oh its right down that hall. Do you want me to tell you where the other libraries are? and I was like no. and she asked me where I was from and i told her the United States and she said wow there are so many Erasmus students here (exchange students) and i was like yea Im gonna go..and she was like do you want some of my sandwich? and I just said no thanks. It was a really awkward conversation. Then I went to the cafeteria again and got my napoleteana. and bought a hiliter at the bookstore. I read a little bit more then went to my next class. The teacher wasn't there again so we left pretty much right after class started.
I went home and bought some milk and strawberries at the grocery store and then Jano came and picked me up to go eat lunch at his house. We had salad, fries and menestra or something like that which is like meat with vegetables, It was pretty good. Then I took a nap while he did some homework and at 630 we went out. First we went to buy me a cell phone. I have like the original Nokia phone for 20 euros. Then we bought a chocolate thing in a bakery. Then I went to a Barclay's ATM to get money out. Then we went to Corte Ingles because we needed to buy chicken for the curry I was going to make for dinner. Then we went to the corte inges electronics which is like across the street to buy a microphone so I can skype with my mom on Sundays.
After that we came home and I made green curry and rice for dinner. We also had chips salsa and queso...haha. At the beginning we had a setback though because when I tried to open the rice the bag burst and I spilled rice all over the kitchen..But thankfully we had more rice and everything turned out just wonderful...It reminded me of getting thai food with you guys in Norman..then I had to hang up the clothes that were in the washer in random places around the house (They dont have dryers and its really cold outside at night). Then I started the dishwasher and went to bad. Jano spent the night here because Emi stayed at her sisters house because it was her brother-in-law's birthday yesterday.
Then today is Wednesday and I don't have any classes on Wednesday so I woke up at like 1030 and had some cereal took a shower and thats pretty much it. I think tonight Jano and i are going to go to dinner at VIP's which is a restaurant he really likes to celebrate our Valentine's Day since we were in Toledo with his parents on Saturday.
Monday, February 16, 2009
My First Day of Escuela
Hi all, I haven't written in a while so I just wanted to say Hi!
Today was my first day of school, and so far it's been a little confusing and a bit bewildering. My first class of the day was Current Spanish History, Franco to Present. It looks like it's going to be very hard and there are a lot of readings, none of which I really know how to obtain, like if I'm supposed to find them myself or if the professor provides copies. The professor seems acommodating, but this is a fifth year course, and obviously my background knowledge of Spanish Government and Politics comes from Pan's Labyrinth. I don't even know if they have a legislature.
The next class I went to was Hispanoamerican Colonial Literature. Luckily I've already read two of the texts, Naufragios by Cabeza de Vaca and Poems by Sor Juana in High School, but I think this class will also be hard to keep up with, and this professor was much more difficult to understand.
After going to my first two classes I decided that taking ANOTHER Spanish Literature course would be too much! So, I just went back to the Apartment and looked online for easier classes that would fit my schedule. I'm thinking Theory of Art, Current Art, or Spanish Grammar I.
Ways My Classes are Different from Classes at OU:
1. The buildings are not well cared for at all! They're dirty, the tiles are all broken up, and everything is old.
2. Instead of assignments, attendance, quizzes, and tests all being averaged for your final grade, the whole grade comes from one exam.
3. Instead of having classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, the classes are Monday, Teusday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday. Needless to say, I will be arranging my classes so that they will only be Monday, Teusday, Wednsday.
4. Attendance is pretty much never monitored
5. Registering and Enrolling is pretty darn confusing.
Upcoming Column Ideas:
1. All about Jamòn
2. Spaniards are Tacky
3. French People
4. My Shopping Routine
5. Need to Know Phrases
Today was my first day of school, and so far it's been a little confusing and a bit bewildering. My first class of the day was Current Spanish History, Franco to Present. It looks like it's going to be very hard and there are a lot of readings, none of which I really know how to obtain, like if I'm supposed to find them myself or if the professor provides copies. The professor seems acommodating, but this is a fifth year course, and obviously my background knowledge of Spanish Government and Politics comes from Pan's Labyrinth. I don't even know if they have a legislature.
The next class I went to was Hispanoamerican Colonial Literature. Luckily I've already read two of the texts, Naufragios by Cabeza de Vaca and Poems by Sor Juana in High School, but I think this class will also be hard to keep up with, and this professor was much more difficult to understand.
After going to my first two classes I decided that taking ANOTHER Spanish Literature course would be too much! So, I just went back to the Apartment and looked online for easier classes that would fit my schedule. I'm thinking Theory of Art, Current Art, or Spanish Grammar I.
Ways My Classes are Different from Classes at OU:
1. The buildings are not well cared for at all! They're dirty, the tiles are all broken up, and everything is old.
2. Instead of assignments, attendance, quizzes, and tests all being averaged for your final grade, the whole grade comes from one exam.
3. Instead of having classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, the classes are Monday, Teusday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday. Needless to say, I will be arranging my classes so that they will only be Monday, Teusday, Wednsday.
4. Attendance is pretty much never monitored
5. Registering and Enrolling is pretty darn confusing.
Upcoming Column Ideas:
1. All about Jamòn
2. Spaniards are Tacky
3. French People
4. My Shopping Routine
5. Need to Know Phrases
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Weekends are for the Warriors
hello all.
So Friday I went to the complutense to an informational meeting for Erasmus students. I got a student ID and everything...I´m pretty legit..I also decided what classes Im going to take.
Literatura Española de los siglos XIII y XIX
Literatura Hispanoamericana II
Literatura Hispanoamericana III and
El Español como lengua extranjera (Spanish as a Foreign Language)
Each class is 4 hours a week Monday and Tuesday I have clase from (8:30 to 10, then 11:30 to 1) Wednesday I don´t have class and Thursday and Friday from 10 to 1
Then after my meeting I went to Jano´s university to meet him after his last exam. He thinks he did really well on that one, so that was good news and I got to meet most of his friends from class there. Then we bought a chocolate pastry thing, went to buy alocohol and then went to Emi´s house to make dinner. We had a frozen pizza and then we took a nap before we went out. We were supposed to meet at 11pm at Moncloa but Jano was feeling super cool so we got there at 1030 and waited. When everyone got there we walked to a park where we had botellon (drinking outside) We had brugal with fanta limon. The botellon was fun because there was a lot of people there that I knew, but jesus christ I really dont understand it. It is like freezing outside literally and they CHOOSE to be outside for like 5 hours. It´s like that freezing cold when you walk to class but you NEVER go inside. You just keep freezing. But other than that...I talked to Oscar for like half an hour (him trying to speak english) and pretty much all I got out of the conversation was
1. Everyone beats Juan at Ping Pong
2. If you have any problems I will hit someone for you and
3. Say good things about me to Cara
After that at like 3 we were going to go to a discoteca (like a club) but people couldnt decide on where they wanted to go and it costs 10 euros just to get in and then like 7 or 8 every drink, so we decided to take the night bus home which supposedly comes at 3 but at 330 it still hadnt come so we took a taxi home. I spent the night at Jano´s house and then the next morning we ate breakfast and went to Emi´s house so I could shower and clean up before we went to Toledo. Jano made pasta with red sauce and then smoked salmon as an appetizer and emi made some thing that is supposed to taste like some fish that is illegal to eat. It was all really goood. Then after lunch we watched master and commander for a little bit while I tried to sleep but Jano didn´t let me.
Then we went to pick up Jano´s sister Alba and her friend at his tia Sole´s house and went to Toledo. It was less than an hour drive. When we got here we went around to papeleria´s looking for notebooks for me for class on monday and lead for jano´s drawing class, but they were all closed and at the last one we went to, he like scraped this lady´s car who just happened to be standing right there, so that sucks but oh well. Then we came home and his parents made like a stir fry thing with chicken shrimp and vegetables and jamon iberico (iberian ham) on the side. The ham was really good. Then we went to botellon again on Saturday night and I froze my ass off again.
Then this morning we woke up at 11 had breakfast and went to buy the notebooks and all that stuff. For lunch were going to have barbecue chicken, pancetta and chorizo. well that´s about it!
So Friday I went to the complutense to an informational meeting for Erasmus students. I got a student ID and everything...I´m pretty legit..I also decided what classes Im going to take.
Literatura Española de los siglos XIII y XIX
Literatura Hispanoamericana II
Literatura Hispanoamericana III and
El Español como lengua extranjera (Spanish as a Foreign Language)
Each class is 4 hours a week Monday and Tuesday I have clase from (8:30 to 10, then 11:30 to 1) Wednesday I don´t have class and Thursday and Friday from 10 to 1
Then after my meeting I went to Jano´s university to meet him after his last exam. He thinks he did really well on that one, so that was good news and I got to meet most of his friends from class there. Then we bought a chocolate pastry thing, went to buy alocohol and then went to Emi´s house to make dinner. We had a frozen pizza and then we took a nap before we went out. We were supposed to meet at 11pm at Moncloa but Jano was feeling super cool so we got there at 1030 and waited. When everyone got there we walked to a park where we had botellon (drinking outside) We had brugal with fanta limon. The botellon was fun because there was a lot of people there that I knew, but jesus christ I really dont understand it. It is like freezing outside literally and they CHOOSE to be outside for like 5 hours. It´s like that freezing cold when you walk to class but you NEVER go inside. You just keep freezing. But other than that...I talked to Oscar for like half an hour (him trying to speak english) and pretty much all I got out of the conversation was
1. Everyone beats Juan at Ping Pong
2. If you have any problems I will hit someone for you and
3. Say good things about me to Cara
After that at like 3 we were going to go to a discoteca (like a club) but people couldnt decide on where they wanted to go and it costs 10 euros just to get in and then like 7 or 8 every drink, so we decided to take the night bus home which supposedly comes at 3 but at 330 it still hadnt come so we took a taxi home. I spent the night at Jano´s house and then the next morning we ate breakfast and went to Emi´s house so I could shower and clean up before we went to Toledo. Jano made pasta with red sauce and then smoked salmon as an appetizer and emi made some thing that is supposed to taste like some fish that is illegal to eat. It was all really goood. Then after lunch we watched master and commander for a little bit while I tried to sleep but Jano didn´t let me.
Then we went to pick up Jano´s sister Alba and her friend at his tia Sole´s house and went to Toledo. It was less than an hour drive. When we got here we went around to papeleria´s looking for notebooks for me for class on monday and lead for jano´s drawing class, but they were all closed and at the last one we went to, he like scraped this lady´s car who just happened to be standing right there, so that sucks but oh well. Then we came home and his parents made like a stir fry thing with chicken shrimp and vegetables and jamon iberico (iberian ham) on the side. The ham was really good. Then we went to botellon again on Saturday night and I froze my ass off again.
Then this morning we woke up at 11 had breakfast and went to buy the notebooks and all that stuff. For lunch were going to have barbecue chicken, pancetta and chorizo. well that´s about it!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Good Eats
Hey all!
Living in my new flat has been great so far but I feel bad for my roommate because I was apparently snoring last night. Anyways, on Wednesday morning, Claire, Claire, and Maelle made us a really great breakfast with American pancakes and toast and scrambled eggs with bacon and onions. I didn't take any pictures but it was tres mignon.
That night, because I'd been talking about Mexican food so much, I made tortilla soup with queso and guacamole. I wanted to make enchiladas but they don't sell corn tortillas in Spain, only super nasty flour tortillas from Old El Paso, the worst mexican grocery brand ever. They also sell guacamole here that comes in a jar and looks like thin green gruel. Gross.
At first, I was scared I wouldn't be able to find tortilla chips, but never fear. Doritos makes naked corn chips! Called Dippas
They were really good actually but pretty salty. They tasted a lot like Tostitos.
This is my mexican feast. I thought it turned out pretty good.
Living in my new flat has been great so far but I feel bad for my roommate because I was apparently snoring last night. Anyways, on Wednesday morning, Claire, Claire, and Maelle made us a really great breakfast with American pancakes and toast and scrambled eggs with bacon and onions. I didn't take any pictures but it was tres mignon.
That night, because I'd been talking about Mexican food so much, I made tortilla soup with queso and guacamole. I wanted to make enchiladas but they don't sell corn tortillas in Spain, only super nasty flour tortillas from Old El Paso, the worst mexican grocery brand ever. They also sell guacamole here that comes in a jar and looks like thin green gruel. Gross.
At first, I was scared I wouldn't be able to find tortilla chips, but never fear. Doritos makes naked corn chips! Called Dippas
They were really good actually but pretty salty. They tasted a lot like Tostitos.
This is my mexican feast. I thought it turned out pretty good.
Not to be outdone, Michael made hamburgers for us on Thursday night. We had potato chips too and Maelle thought she was supposed to put them on the hamburger. I think that would actually taste pretty good but it's not really traditional.
Andrej is planning some special meal for tonight but he's being really secretive about it so we'll see. I hope it's slovenian food.
We have two guests staying in the apartment this weekend. One is Maelle's friend Dauphine who's studying in Berlin and Claire's friend Fabien who's erasmus in Granada. I think by the end of this semester I am going to be able to understand and at least speak a little french. I am surrounded by french people. I will try to pepper in some french phrases so you guys can get some french learnin too. Here's me reading French Elle. I'd like everyone to notice that the girl on the cover is wearing black high-pants and has fat arms. Basically, it's me.
Well, maybe not. But anyways, I heard postcards arrived in America and I hope everyone is ready for Round Two! I gotta find some new postcard stores though, the other one didn't have a super seleccion, as some of you may have noticed.
Ciao!
We have two guests staying in the apartment this weekend. One is Maelle's friend Dauphine who's studying in Berlin and Claire's friend Fabien who's erasmus in Granada. I think by the end of this semester I am going to be able to understand and at least speak a little french. I am surrounded by french people. I will try to pepper in some french phrases so you guys can get some french learnin too. Here's me reading French Elle. I'd like everyone to notice that the girl on the cover is wearing black high-pants and has fat arms. Basically, it's me.
Well, maybe not. But anyways, I heard postcards arrived in America and I hope everyone is ready for Round Two! I gotta find some new postcard stores though, the other one didn't have a super seleccion, as some of you may have noticed.Ciao!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Spanish Apartment
Today I moved into my new home, a small flat with 3 french girls from Tours (Claire, Claire and Maelle) and a boy from Slovenia (aren't they precious?). We're still looking for one more male roommate. My address is Calle San Lorenzo 7, primer derecha 50001 Zaragoza, Spain. Google that shiz. I expect lots of postcards from Norman. This flat was the first that I looked at and I originally dismissed it as being too far from campus and too crowded because I would be sharing a room with Claire, one of the french girls. Instead of being in the University area it's in the middle of downtown, about a 40 minute walk from the main Campus which means I'd have to take the bus everyday. However, my roommates are the nicest people I've met so far and it's cheap! I'm only paying 150 Euros a month, plus expenses, about 30 Euros.
Even though its very far from campus, it's located in the casco viejo, the old part of the city where most of the nightlife is. As Andre explained, it's much safer to walk or take a bus to class in the daylight than it is to walk long distances in the dark late at night in a strange city or take one of the unreliable night buses. And as I've learned from Deanna's latest post, walking aroung in the dark in a strange place is a bad bad idea. (Chin up Deanna, that really sucks.)
And the neighborhood is gorgeous! I live a block from the ruins of a roman theatre, two blocks from the posh shopping district, a few steps away from another old market, and down the block from a Doner Kebab. Here are a couple pictures of my new territory:
So I had my first bought of homesickness or something today. It wasn't for anything in particular, I just felt like panic-y-crying all of a sudden after Michael dropped of my luggage at the new flat and left. It's probably just latent stuff I didn't have time to think about while I was busy at the hostel running around the city trying to find a place to live. I think part of it was doubt about whether I made the right choice for my flat but I love it and my roommates are so fun. Being settled again is paradise. So anyways, I got out, went shopping for new linens and had a nice phone chat and felt better. I ate lunch with my roommates who are pretty scarce right now since it's their exam time and that renewed my confidence in my choice. Also, there's a plastic flowers only florist across the street. How could this not be the right choice?
Spaniards are a little tacky. I think they take kitsch too seriously, which is saying something coming from me.
Also, I found out I could withdrawl from my Bank of America account for no interest or charge from Barclays bank, conveniently located in the nearby plaza Espana. Anyways, stay tuned on the b-log for our search for a new roomie! And maybe I'll talk about classes or the University. Or something.
And the neighborhood is gorgeous! I live a block from the ruins of a roman theatre, two blocks from the posh shopping district, a few steps away from another old market, and down the block from a Doner Kebab. Here are a couple pictures of my new territory:
There are two of my roomies, the Claires. Claire on the left is who I'm sharing my room with. She lived in Connecticut for two years so her English is really good. Aren't they so French? (Check out their cute christmas tree)
This is the local Pharmacy, I am in love with the tiling!
This is the old Roman theater. How cool?? I haven't been inside yet because it's closed on Sundays but wow, I can't believe this is my next door neighbor. That thing above it is like a giant glass ceiling to protect it from rain.
This is the local Pharmacy, I am in love with the tiling!
This is the old Roman theater. How cool?? I haven't been inside yet because it's closed on Sundays but wow, I can't believe this is my next door neighbor. That thing above it is like a giant glass ceiling to protect it from rain.
The number of Catholic churches here is ridiculous. And they're all like a zillion years old. Consolidate you guys.
This is my puerta bonita! Today I could not figure out how to get the door open with the little key but its all under control now.
I don't need the buzzer anymore! Except when I can't figure out how to use my key and have to have the landlord come help me out.
So I had my first bought of homesickness or something today. It wasn't for anything in particular, I just felt like panic-y-crying all of a sudden after Michael dropped of my luggage at the new flat and left. It's probably just latent stuff I didn't have time to think about while I was busy at the hostel running around the city trying to find a place to live. I think part of it was doubt about whether I made the right choice for my flat but I love it and my roommates are so fun. Being settled again is paradise. So anyways, I got out, went shopping for new linens and had a nice phone chat and felt better. I ate lunch with my roommates who are pretty scarce right now since it's their exam time and that renewed my confidence in my choice. Also, there's a plastic flowers only florist across the street. How could this not be the right choice?
Spaniards are a little tacky. I think they take kitsch too seriously, which is saying something coming from me.
Also, I found out I could withdrawl from my Bank of America account for no interest or charge from Barclays bank, conveniently located in the nearby plaza Espana. Anyways, stay tuned on the b-log for our search for a new roomie! And maybe I'll talk about classes or the University. Or something.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
First Days in Zaragoza
Hola!!
I finally got to Zaragoza at noon yesterday after two flights, two taxi trips, one train ride and about 18 hours of travel. I barely slept on the flight from Miami to Madrid, and so I was extremely tired. All I did yesterday was talk to my exchange advisor and walk aroun
d campus and the city for a few hours. Then I slept till 7 am.
While I felt really lame, going to bed early and rising early too, it was probably a good plan because it meant I got to see the city before 10 am, which will probably be a rare occurrence this semester. I went to the bakery to get some bread and then to the market for jamon and cheese. I also picked up a little produce and my favorite drink ever Fanta Naranja. The mercado is SO beautiful and the vendors were all very nice. My taxi driver explained the architecture to me last night but I was too tired to pay much attention.
Another interesting factoid from my taxista, Zaragoza was originally founded by Ceasar Augusta, check out the lovely statue, and the city was named
after him. Once the city was in Arab control, the name changed to Saragusta, the Arab bastardization of the original name. When the city came into control of the Catholics, the Arab name was heard by Christian ears as Zaragoza, and that name still stands.
After I wandered around a little more, bought a new phone, and ate my lunch from the market, I decided to hit the streets again. I went to the Basilica de Pilar, built on the site where the virgin Mary is said to have appeared miraculously on top
of a pillar. It was huge and the outside was surrounded by various modern sculptures. My favorite was the big globe. Inside, there were a number of Goya paintings and a place where you can kiss the pillar. I also went to a more modern supermarket that had cool wheeling baskets and a counter of ham legs. In case you didn't know, Spaniards love cured ham. It's in pizza, eggs, sanwiches, even McDonalds sells these ham sandwiches and I got a lasagna once with strips of this ham instead of beef or vegetables.
Besides groceries and a phone, I also bought a bus card and went to the Corte Ingles, which is like the biggest department store ever just to browse. I probably walked for about 5 or 6 hourse today and never needed the bus. Yesterday I only walked about 2 or 3 and took taxis and buses when I got lost. I'm pretty well oriented now, and I've looked at 2 apartments so far. I'm scheduled to see one more tomorrow and have emailed about 6 people who put out ads on the city website. I'm really anxious to find a place. Everyone in the hostel is middle aged and Spanish. Also, one lady in my room smells like she hasn't bathed in a few days. But I guess it's part of the experience. Hopefully I'll also meet with my academic advisor and get the ball rolling on classes. I found out yesterday that they don't start for two weeks! Oh well, more time to explore. I'm thinking about maybe heading to Rome on a Ryanair flight for a few days but all that depends on how fast I settle on a place.
Stay tuned for (hopefully soon) pictures of my new room!
I finally got to Zaragoza at noon yesterday after two flights, two taxi trips, one train ride and about 18 hours of travel. I barely slept on the flight from Miami to Madrid, and so I was extremely tired. All I did yesterday was talk to my exchange advisor and walk aroun
d campus and the city for a few hours. Then I slept till 7 am.While I felt really lame, going to bed early and rising early too, it was probably a good plan because it meant I got to see the city before 10 am, which will probably be a rare occurrence this semester. I went to the bakery to get some bread and then to the market for jamon and cheese. I also picked up a little produce and my favorite drink ever Fanta Naranja. The mercado is SO beautiful and the vendors were all very nice. My taxi driver explained the architecture to me last night but I was too tired to pay much attention.
Another interesting factoid from my taxista, Zaragoza was originally founded by Ceasar Augusta, check out the lovely statue, and the city was named
after him. Once the city was in Arab control, the name changed to Saragusta, the Arab bastardization of the original name. When the city came into control of the Catholics, the Arab name was heard by Christian ears as Zaragoza, and that name still stands.After I wandered around a little more, bought a new phone, and ate my lunch from the market, I decided to hit the streets again. I went to the Basilica de Pilar, built on the site where the virgin Mary is said to have appeared miraculously on top
of a pillar. It was huge and the outside was surrounded by various modern sculptures. My favorite was the big globe. Inside, there were a number of Goya paintings and a place where you can kiss the pillar. I also went to a more modern supermarket that had cool wheeling baskets and a counter of ham legs. In case you didn't know, Spaniards love cured ham. It's in pizza, eggs, sanwiches, even McDonalds sells these ham sandwiches and I got a lasagna once with strips of this ham instead of beef or vegetables.Besides groceries and a phone, I also bought a bus card and went to the Corte Ingles, which is like the biggest department store ever just to browse. I probably walked for about 5 or 6 hourse today and never needed the bus. Yesterday I only walked about 2 or 3 and took taxis and buses when I got lost. I'm pretty well oriented now, and I've looked at 2 apartments so far. I'm scheduled to see one more tomorrow and have emailed about 6 people who put out ads on the city website. I'm really anxious to find a place. Everyone in the hostel is middle aged and Spanish. Also, one lady in my room smells like she hasn't bathed in a few days. But I guess it's part of the experience. Hopefully I'll also meet with my academic advisor and get the ball rolling on classes. I found out yesterday that they don't start for two weeks! Oh well, more time to explore. I'm thinking about maybe heading to Rome on a Ryanair flight for a few days but all that depends on how fast I settle on a place.
Stay tuned for (hopefully soon) pictures of my new room!
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