Granada=Amazing!!!
I don't know if I loved Granada because I could take as many showers as I wanted to a day( as opposed to the one I was "allowed" to take a day in Valencia) or because all of my girlfriends and I were together for the whole weekend without having to plan to meet in various areas of the city in order to go out to a bar/discoteca. Whatever it was I had a wonderful time! The people in Granada are used to American Tourists so, we weren't stared at as much as we were in Valencia.
The first night, we all met in the lobby of the hotel to go to a tapas bar. Tapas are basically little appetizers that you can purchase with a drink for less than 2 euros. It was cheap and pretty good. I believe that most people go to the bars and then go out to a discoteca for the night. We had to get up at 7am the next day since we were to visit La Alhambra, a palace inspired by Islamic architecture. The palace was beautiful with many gardens and breath taking views. Granada was the last Muslim capital in Spain so much of their influence is still there. After lunch I came back and took a looooong nap! When I woke up we had dinner and went out the club to dance. That was probably one of the best nights on my trip. The music was good and everyone had a really good time. The next day was the last day on the trip. We went to the highest point in Granada and walked down through many shops that sell many souvenirs and other little trinkets.
I honestly wish that I could give more detailed about history and architecture but I couldn't understand the tour guide. One thing I noticed was that all of the tour guides were speaking in English, if they had American tourists, but they did not have a great command of the language. I wish that they would have spoken to us in Spanish because I probably would have understood more of the history/ information. It's a shame that we expect everyone to accommodate us when we are trying to understand their culture/ history. I would imagine that speaking in the native language would allow many tourists to gain information which might be lost in translation.
My trip to Granada was a wonderful refresher weekend and it pushed me to make it through the next two weeks in Spain.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Making My Way to Granada..
Well... It has been way too long (in cyber space) since I have been able to post on here. I have got to get better at this. But in my defense, I was working diligently on my Independent Study as well as trying to make the most out of my somewhat precarious housing predicament.
As many of you all know, I am back home safely in the US and looking back on my trip there were some definite downs but and all though those times outnumbered the "good times" fun that I had, when I had fun, was enough to make me enjoy my time abroad.
One of those good times was my weekend in Granada. And oh what a task it was to get there! I had been debating on whether or not to go since the cost was 220 euro.. roughly 400 American dollars. Which is a lot for a low income student. But let me back track... I thought that the weekend trips to Madrid, Granada and Barcelona were paid for through my tuition. To my surprise, I found out they weren't shortly after I arrived in Valencia. At any rate, after much debating I decided to pay the money after learning that I could pay although the sign-up date had passed (We had to pay at the time of sign up). However, my name isn't Annie and my family name definitely isn't Warbucks. Therefore, I needed to make a trip to the ATM. Having found out, only days before, that Barclays Bank will allow Bank of America customers to withdraw money without the 5.00 fee I figured that I could find a bank near the UVa study center, take out the money and pay for the trip. So before my 11am class I make my way to the nearest Barclays, which was about a 15 min walk, and the "internet line" to withdraw money was down. Basically, the bank system was down. Feeling somewhat defeated, I said that I would try to find another bank nearby. After class, I looked up another location close to the center and I found one about the same distance away south of the center. After passing the location and asking for directions I found the bank only to find that this ATM was broken. At this point I wanted to give up and say forget it because I really had no business spending the money, anyway. However, I figured that I could go back to the bank I tried earlier, hoping that the system was back up and running. I caught a cab and proceeded to have a cab ride which seemed like a scene out of a moive. After he commented on the weather, I told him about the ATM problems i had been having that day and why I needed the money. I told him that this was the 3rd time that I would attempt to find a working ATM and if I couldn't then I would refrain from going on the trip. The driver offered to wait for me while I tested whether or not the saying "third time is a charm" is really true. And it was; at least on that day in in this situation. The system was up and running and I was able to get the money I needed. I literally ran out of the bank with a huge smile and on the way back to the center the driver, who affectionately called me "bendita" or blessed one, and I had a small conversation about his life in Valencia and mine in the US. I can't remember all the details of the conversation but I know that it felt surreal. I partly wish that that part of my life could have been taped. I don't know what it was that made me feel like this situation was somehow unreal but for whatever reason I can't help but to feel like I was supposed to meet him that day. And I'm glad I did.
As many of you all know, I am back home safely in the US and looking back on my trip there were some definite downs but and all though those times outnumbered the "good times" fun that I had, when I had fun, was enough to make me enjoy my time abroad.
One of those good times was my weekend in Granada. And oh what a task it was to get there! I had been debating on whether or not to go since the cost was 220 euro.. roughly 400 American dollars. Which is a lot for a low income student. But let me back track... I thought that the weekend trips to Madrid, Granada and Barcelona were paid for through my tuition. To my surprise, I found out they weren't shortly after I arrived in Valencia. At any rate, after much debating I decided to pay the money after learning that I could pay although the sign-up date had passed (We had to pay at the time of sign up). However, my name isn't Annie and my family name definitely isn't Warbucks. Therefore, I needed to make a trip to the ATM. Having found out, only days before, that Barclays Bank will allow Bank of America customers to withdraw money without the 5.00 fee I figured that I could find a bank near the UVa study center, take out the money and pay for the trip. So before my 11am class I make my way to the nearest Barclays, which was about a 15 min walk, and the "internet line" to withdraw money was down. Basically, the bank system was down. Feeling somewhat defeated, I said that I would try to find another bank nearby. After class, I looked up another location close to the center and I found one about the same distance away south of the center. After passing the location and asking for directions I found the bank only to find that this ATM was broken. At this point I wanted to give up and say forget it because I really had no business spending the money, anyway. However, I figured that I could go back to the bank I tried earlier, hoping that the system was back up and running. I caught a cab and proceeded to have a cab ride which seemed like a scene out of a moive. After he commented on the weather, I told him about the ATM problems i had been having that day and why I needed the money. I told him that this was the 3rd time that I would attempt to find a working ATM and if I couldn't then I would refrain from going on the trip. The driver offered to wait for me while I tested whether or not the saying "third time is a charm" is really true. And it was; at least on that day in in this situation. The system was up and running and I was able to get the money I needed. I literally ran out of the bank with a huge smile and on the way back to the center the driver, who affectionately called me "bendita" or blessed one, and I had a small conversation about his life in Valencia and mine in the US. I can't remember all the details of the conversation but I know that it felt surreal. I partly wish that that part of my life could have been taped. I don't know what it was that made me feel like this situation was somehow unreal but for whatever reason I can't help but to feel like I was supposed to meet him that day. And I'm glad I did.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Orientation...
June 26
Today was Orientation Day. And they pretty much explained all the tings that they should have explained BEFORE we left the US. I was pretty upset about that because I had a hard time trying to figure out the best way to carry our money, the best cell phone services etc. (all the small things that turn out to be really big.) So I thought the orientation was from 10-5 but it turns out it was 10-12 and then 5-6:30… what a big waste of time, in my opinion. But it turned out to be a good time to explore and I had to find a converter for my computer since plugs are not universal (I think that is ridiculous!) So we exchanged our money (oh! how depressing that was... 1dollar= 1.8 eruos) and took a little tour around the center of the city where we found a huge store called Corte ingles I imagine it is a super Wal-mart x’s 2 and with a little more class (this IS Europe). So after exploring we went back for Orientation and I saw my Spanish teacher from this past semester. It was so good to see a familiar face! It made me feel a little bit better about being there. This was a pretty low key day up until that night.
We all met up in the Rio, an empty river turned into a really long park, which almost divides the city in half. Anyway, we took lots of pictures and headed to a bar… and I was praying that there would be remotely good music there because I like to dance. And there’s no point in me going out if I can’t dance to good music. The music turned out to be okay. We met some Colombian guys (I was really surprised to meet them since we are so far from South America) but anyway we talked about Reggaeton and how it is virtually non existent in Spain (they play a lot of techno here). I told them I had been to the Dominican Republic, I think that comment was somewhat nostalgic for all of us because Spain is so different from Latin America. All the girls danced for a while and then we decided to go home since we had our first day of class the next morning.
Lesson learned: I appreciate being able to take two showers a day in the US
Today was Orientation Day. And they pretty much explained all the tings that they should have explained BEFORE we left the US. I was pretty upset about that because I had a hard time trying to figure out the best way to carry our money, the best cell phone services etc. (all the small things that turn out to be really big.) So I thought the orientation was from 10-5 but it turns out it was 10-12 and then 5-6:30… what a big waste of time, in my opinion. But it turned out to be a good time to explore and I had to find a converter for my computer since plugs are not universal (I think that is ridiculous!) So we exchanged our money (oh! how depressing that was... 1dollar= 1.8 eruos) and took a little tour around the center of the city where we found a huge store called Corte ingles I imagine it is a super Wal-mart x’s 2 and with a little more class (this IS Europe). So after exploring we went back for Orientation and I saw my Spanish teacher from this past semester. It was so good to see a familiar face! It made me feel a little bit better about being there. This was a pretty low key day up until that night.
We all met up in the Rio, an empty river turned into a really long park, which almost divides the city in half. Anyway, we took lots of pictures and headed to a bar… and I was praying that there would be remotely good music there because I like to dance. And there’s no point in me going out if I can’t dance to good music. The music turned out to be okay. We met some Colombian guys (I was really surprised to meet them since we are so far from South America) but anyway we talked about Reggaeton and how it is virtually non existent in Spain (they play a lot of techno here). I told them I had been to the Dominican Republic, I think that comment was somewhat nostalgic for all of us because Spain is so different from Latin America. All the girls danced for a while and then we decided to go home since we had our first day of class the next morning.
Lesson learned: I appreciate being able to take two showers a day in the US
1st night in Valencia
June 25th- Spain time
We arrive to Madrid after what feels like the worst and longest plane ride I’ve ever been on. And I am SO happy to be on solid ground. Flying into the country was amazing because we could see so many mountains. I never realized how mountainous this country is. By now my feet and hands are swollen and on top of that I am trying to brace myself for this 4 hours bus ride to Valencia which I wouldn’t have been upset about it we weren’t flying from Valencia to Madrid on our way home. But the bus ride proves to be uneventful we made one stop in a place that I can only categorize as La Mancha. I’m not even sure that is where we were but there were so many windmills when we got off the bus. We got back on the bus and I have what is probably the most amazing 2 hour sleep that I have ever had on the bus…weird right? But finally we are in Valencia!!!! And I was a little nervous to get off the bus and meet my host mother. Me and my housemate Danielle (whom I already knew to a certain extent before the trip because we have a mutual friend) get off the bus and she is very welcoming in her one-kiss-on-the-left-and-right-cheek kind of way. We got to her apartment, (or this might be a flat…I’m not sure but it is very nice)claimed our rooms, and settled in. She took us on the bus route to school so that we knew how to get there in the morning. It was a weird first night because we couldn’t go out since we didn’t know where to go and we missed all the people we had met in the airport/ on the way here. But that was pretty much it for Wednesday since we arrived in Valencia about 5pm.
Note: It doesn’t get dark here until like 9:30pm it’s really crazy!
We arrive to Madrid after what feels like the worst and longest plane ride I’ve ever been on. And I am SO happy to be on solid ground. Flying into the country was amazing because we could see so many mountains. I never realized how mountainous this country is. By now my feet and hands are swollen and on top of that I am trying to brace myself for this 4 hours bus ride to Valencia which I wouldn’t have been upset about it we weren’t flying from Valencia to Madrid on our way home. But the bus ride proves to be uneventful we made one stop in a place that I can only categorize as La Mancha. I’m not even sure that is where we were but there were so many windmills when we got off the bus. We got back on the bus and I have what is probably the most amazing 2 hour sleep that I have ever had on the bus…weird right? But finally we are in Valencia!!!! And I was a little nervous to get off the bus and meet my host mother. Me and my housemate Danielle (whom I already knew to a certain extent before the trip because we have a mutual friend) get off the bus and she is very welcoming in her one-kiss-on-the-left-and-right-cheek kind of way. We got to her apartment, (or this might be a flat…I’m not sure but it is very nice)claimed our rooms, and settled in. She took us on the bus route to school so that we knew how to get there in the morning. It was a weird first night because we couldn’t go out since we didn’t know where to go and we missed all the people we had met in the airport/ on the way here. But that was pretty much it for Wednesday since we arrived in Valencia about 5pm.
Note: It doesn’t get dark here until like 9:30pm it’s really crazy!
On my way...
Well it is about time that I sat down to write this blog since I’ve already almost been here for two weeks. And I feel like I have been here for a month. I guess I’ll try to outline everything starting from the day that I left and if you have time you can read it. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up with this a little more now that I have started it!
June 24th
I arrived at Dulles trying to look somewhat…European (or at east what I thought it might look like since I had never been here) in anticipation of the day long trip I would be making to what seems like half way across the world. OF COURSE my bag was overweight. Thank God my mother asked me if I was going to take a another bag, although when she asked me I quickly replied “No, I can’t” because I remembered that it was suggested that we only take 1. However, I checked into it again just to make sure because I realized that my last minute packing was not conducive to wise packing. They just don’t go hand in hand. So I checked two bags: one large suit case and a duffle bag. Anyway, after I rearranged some things and placed them into my carry-on and duffle bag my luggage was STILL 2kg overweight. (Side note: I hate that we all aren’t on the same measuring scale because I’m not even sure that “kg” is right) However, with a little politeness (by the way the woman checking me in was really mean) I checked my bags and then it was through the security I had to go. So as we’re standing there, I remember the 3fl.oz rule (why do these measurements keep coming up) And of course when I rearranged my stuff I placed my toiletry bag in my carry-on. Now I’m thinking great yet another problem! So I try to be really sneaky about it (and with the help of a little old lady behind me) I put my big tub of cocoa butter and tube of toothpaste in my back pack. And I reach the dreaded metal detector and conveyor belt… I wonder if they measure your heart beat too? Because the next thing I heard of course after I took off my shoes, earrings, placed my laptop in it’s temporary location and all the other crap the rent-a-cops make you place on the conveyor belt I walked though the metal detector nervous to see if my non 3 fl. oz. items will make it to the other side of the world with me. Well I make it through the metal detector but I have to go back because the stupid rent-a-cops are too lazy to push my tub of belongings through the conveyor belt. So I make it back through the other side and my heart starts to beat faster and faster because I see them looking at my cocoa butter ant tooth paste…and what do they say “BAG CHECK!!” I was waiting for all the lights in the air port to turn off and for all the security lights to blink red...but they didn’t. And two other cops came over and searched my bag. After they took my two weapons of mass destruction I felt this was going to be a long trip because I was really mad! I knew Spain would not have any cocoa butter to replace the kind that I use… but I had to get over it… So we get to the terminal which takes a good 30 minute because of the walk and I start to meet new people and we quickly form one of those “UVa cliques.” Small talk proceeds the “get-to-know-you” And soon it was off to Madrid, Spain we go on Iberia 4188!
Things to be learned: Never over pack. Airport workers are paid to be mean to you, don’t take it personal. In large quantities, cocoa butter and tooth paste kill so leave home without them. Flying in and from the US is so hard now because it wasn’t hard when it was supposed to be.
June 24th
I arrived at Dulles trying to look somewhat…European (or at east what I thought it might look like since I had never been here) in anticipation of the day long trip I would be making to what seems like half way across the world. OF COURSE my bag was overweight. Thank God my mother asked me if I was going to take a another bag, although when she asked me I quickly replied “No, I can’t” because I remembered that it was suggested that we only take 1. However, I checked into it again just to make sure because I realized that my last minute packing was not conducive to wise packing. They just don’t go hand in hand. So I checked two bags: one large suit case and a duffle bag. Anyway, after I rearranged some things and placed them into my carry-on and duffle bag my luggage was STILL 2kg overweight. (Side note: I hate that we all aren’t on the same measuring scale because I’m not even sure that “kg” is right) However, with a little politeness (by the way the woman checking me in was really mean) I checked my bags and then it was through the security I had to go. So as we’re standing there, I remember the 3fl.oz rule (why do these measurements keep coming up) And of course when I rearranged my stuff I placed my toiletry bag in my carry-on. Now I’m thinking great yet another problem! So I try to be really sneaky about it (and with the help of a little old lady behind me) I put my big tub of cocoa butter and tube of toothpaste in my back pack. And I reach the dreaded metal detector and conveyor belt… I wonder if they measure your heart beat too? Because the next thing I heard of course after I took off my shoes, earrings, placed my laptop in it’s temporary location and all the other crap the rent-a-cops make you place on the conveyor belt I walked though the metal detector nervous to see if my non 3 fl. oz. items will make it to the other side of the world with me. Well I make it through the metal detector but I have to go back because the stupid rent-a-cops are too lazy to push my tub of belongings through the conveyor belt. So I make it back through the other side and my heart starts to beat faster and faster because I see them looking at my cocoa butter ant tooth paste…and what do they say “BAG CHECK!!” I was waiting for all the lights in the air port to turn off and for all the security lights to blink red...but they didn’t. And two other cops came over and searched my bag. After they took my two weapons of mass destruction I felt this was going to be a long trip because I was really mad! I knew Spain would not have any cocoa butter to replace the kind that I use… but I had to get over it… So we get to the terminal which takes a good 30 minute because of the walk and I start to meet new people and we quickly form one of those “UVa cliques.” Small talk proceeds the “get-to-know-you” And soon it was off to Madrid, Spain we go on Iberia 4188!
Things to be learned: Never over pack. Airport workers are paid to be mean to you, don’t take it personal. In large quantities, cocoa butter and tooth paste kill so leave home without them. Flying in and from the US is so hard now because it wasn’t hard when it was supposed to be.
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