February 25th,
Pictures from my trip back to Barcelona from February 20-22.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Day For Personal Recovery
February 25th,
With this blog, it is sometimes difficult to write about what I did during the day when it doesn't necessarily cast me in the best of light. Today is a good example of that, as I took the day off to dedicate it to personal recovery and to prevent me from becoming sick. Although I do feel guilty to miss a full day of school when I have plans to attend Carnival this weekend in Cádiz, I also realized that if I didn't take the day off, I would risk becoming ill like I was in January and being unable to attend class nor any of the exciting events that will be taking place this Spring in Spain. During this once in a lifetime opportunity, from taking challenging classes in Spanish to attending incredible festivals I'm trying to do it all and will look forward to reflecting on this amazing year once I return home.
I woke up at 12:00pm after having slept for close to 12 hours. Heiko was feeling sick too, so we shared what breakfast food we had left and had a great breakfast of oatmeal, yogurt, tea, juice and fruit out on Heiko's balcony in the sun.
Today was dedicated to personal recovery, so I drank a lot of water and ate a lot of fruit high in vitamin C. Heiko and I cleaned the apartment while listening to the soundtrack from Slumdog millionaire which I still have to see.
I emailed the job offer in Barcelona and will have my interview with them next week over the phone. It will be a tough decision if I am offered it as although it would be a 1000 dollar stipend, I would have to find housing in Barcelona and I am still not sure if I would be able to take my final exams early as the job starts in mid-June.
Jon came over as I had asked him what I had missed in Relaciones Internacionales and Master Tutorial. I guess today had been a good day to miss as in Releaciones Internacionales she ended class an hour early and in Master Tutorial they didn't do much at all. Jon and I want to do another trip together and we have been talking about Egypt but with the recent terrorist attack in Cairo we might reconsider.
I made some pasta for dinner and talked to Alberto about film. We agree that we should do a "mutually beneficial" collaboration project as the fact that making a film in Spain would be great for me and if I brought it to the US it would be great for him.
I spent the evening updating this blog as I had let it slip behind the last week and a half. The day of rest seemed to work, as I feel better and will take the next few days easy before Carnival this weekend in Cádiz.
Not Feeling Great, But That's OK
February 24th,
I woke up at 10:45 having slept for almost 12 hours. I was feeling pretty weak. I ate breakfast and then went to my first class of Sistema Política de la Unión Europea. The class was good although long as we had the 1 hour 30 minute class and then the 1 hour práctica immediately after.
Once class was let out, I went grocery shopping and came back to make lunch. After lunch, I went over to Plaza Trinidad where I met up with Kendra and Maggie, both who I hadn't seen in almost 2 months and we went for coffee at a cool "movie-style" café in which all of the seats are like those in a movie theater. It was good to talk to them and so crazy to realize how fast the time has gone by here.
From there I went to Teoría del Estado. Since I wasn't feeling that good I was thinking that I wasn't going to Salsa, but I decided to go anyway as I had paid for it and hadn't yet gone to a class. There is no mid range class so tonight I went to the basic one and found it funny that I was the best one there. I've really improved considering I didn't know anything before last semester.
Back home I made dinner and then we had a "house meeting" about why the house has been so dirty. Alex and Vanessa called me around 11:00 and I went over to their hotel in Plaza del Carmen. With there new business they are traveling all over Spain every single week. This week they would be in Andalucía with stops in Granada and Córdoba. I met up with them at their hotel and we went to a bar next door for about half an hour before I said goodnight and went home. I was happy that I had been able to see them a lot in a short period of time.
I was really tired and quickly feel asleep.
Burning The Candle At Both Ends
February 23rd,
I woke up a 8:00, very tired and went to class. I was feeling sick and I was afraid to admit that the week before of new classes, parties and little or no sleep had taken its toll. After Relaciones Internacionales I looked for my grade for Estructura Social Contemporánea and was pleasantly surprised to see that I received a 9/10 for my final grade and the highest grade in the class for any foreign, non-Spanish student.
In Historia Política Social Contemporánea, I had a headache. I was happy when Política y Gobierno en Andalucía ended early as I went to talk to Inma and Ramon about classes. After leaving the study center, I walked over to a fruit stand and bought some oranges and bananas and then purchased a baguette before sitting on a bench in the sun to read before my next class.
Master Tutorial went well and although I wasn't feeling great, I managed to give a pretty good presentation about my trip to Morocco. After the hour and a half talk I gave in Estructura Social Contemporánea, anything else is easy.
Back home I took a long siesta. Waking up, I spent the rest of the day inside as I made dinner, uploaded photos, sent messages and talked with my roommates before going back to bed.
The End Of A Great Weekend
February 22nd
I woke up around 12:00, took a shower, cleaned the apartment and repacked my bag before Alex came to pick me up at 1:00. As we drove through the city, I told him about the night. We drove to the building that will be his new dojo. The space is really nice and right in the center of the Barcelona, next to the police stations and close to La Sagrada Familia. We then picked up Vanessa and drove to an "American Style Diner" for lunch.
For my last day of tourism, we drove up to the Mountain of Montjüic and toured the Castle of Montjüic and military museum. The views from the high walls of the Mediterranean sea were beautiful. The castle had been built over 1300 years ago.
We walked around the mountain before driving back down to the city. We went for ice cream at a really good local spot that they knew and then drove toward the airport. I said goodbye and thanks for a great weekend.
The rest of the travel day went smoothly. I ran into one of the old monitores from the summer in the line to board the plane. I had the middle seat on the way back but still managed to sleep.
Back in Granada, I boarded the bus to the centro that took about an hour although it did conveniently drop me off right next to my house at Puerta Real. Back home I dropped off all of my stuff in my room, made dinner and showered. Everyone else came home from their weekend in Carnival and it sounded like everyone had a great time. I was exhausted from the weekend and the non-stop days from the week before. I quickly fell asleep.
Carnival in Barcelona
February 21st,
I got up at 9:30 took a shower and had a breakfast of muffins and juice. Alex came by with his friend and dropped off some supplies for the office. Vanessa called me and I went downstairs to meet her on the corner.
We drove over to her parent's house so she could drop off the car as today we would take the metro. Vanessa's parents made us some coffee and gave me a tour of their incredible house right in the center of Barcelona.
From her parent's house, we caught the metro and took to the stop by the Cathedral of Barcelona. Unfortunately, part of its spectacular facade was covered for renovation but it was a beautiful building and I really enjoyed the interior gardens. From the cathedral we went to the Plaza de Catalonia and then headed down to the statue of Columbus before going to a cool fairy tail theme cafe. Alex called to let us he would meet up with us soon and while we were waiting we explored Port Vell. I love Barcelona.
Alex picked us up in his car and we drove in the direction of the Olympic Stadium to have lunch on the beach. We found a great restaurant and sat down to order a paella and sangría. Alex and Vanessa had been paying for everything this whole trip so I paid for lunch. I had to do it covertly though as I knew they wouldn't let me pay for lunch when the waiter brought the check, so instead I excused myself to go to the bathroom and really went and asked the waiter I could pay right away. I'll have to practice my stealthiness as they saw my pay and were very gracious. Alex asked me why I had done it so secretly and I replied that "I had remembered from the summer when my dad had tried to pay and Alex had almost used bujinkan on him to prevent him from doing so." The paella was good and sipping sangría with the backdrop of the ocean was all too perfect.
After lunch we walked along the beach, cutting back toward the center of Barcelona. We explored the gothic quarter and visited another church. This one had been built stone by stone with rocks carried from the sea.
We drove back home, all of us tired. I helped Alex translate some documents and rested. They had been telling me all day to prepare myself for the upcoming night as the guys from the dojo who I'd met in August would be taking me out on the town.
At. 7:30 they picked me up and we drove to the supermarket to buy groceries and costumes. I found a "lucha libre" wrestling mask for 2 euros. Paco, Jose and Morla were all in their mid twenties and had been students of Alex for many years. I was really tired but would power through. We met up with some of their other friends in the parking lot and then drove over to Morla's piso where we began to cook dinner. I washed the dishes before the kitchen was taken over by Jose who proceeded to instruct the cooking of the different dishes. I talked with everyone before we sat down to dinner. Once finished, we all dressed up in our costumes and got ready for the night.
We boarded the metro to find it filled with costumed people. A group of bumble bees entered and we took pictures. We went to a great club called "Razzmatazz" that was full and a lot of fun. Everyone was dressed up. We partied all night, literally as they drove me back home to the guest piso at 8:30 in the morning. I was exhausted.
Back to Barcelona
February 20th,
After waiting for about 20 minutes at the bus stop, I boarded the bus to the airport and immediately passed out. This would be the first of many "guerrilla naps" I would take throughout the day.
Today I was flying back to Barcelona to visit Alex and Vanessa Esteve. I would be flying with "Clickair" and had found a round trip ticket for 50 euros. I realized I'd gotten to the airport a little early, when I was told I could use my printed out ticket as a boarding pass. I found a bench and slept for about 45 minutes until our plane was ready to board. I didn't even need my passport. I had the last seat on the plane and after the young couple sat next to me, I fell asleep, waking up to a bumpy landing as we touched down in El Prat Airport.
Outside I called Vanessa and she quickly picked me up by the entrance. As we drove through the city, I recounted all of my adventures, travels and experiences since the last time I'd been to Barcelona, 6 months ago. Alex and Vanessa had been super busy as well considering they have their own business and got married in October. In regards to tourism, I told Vanessa I wanted to see Park Güell and Gaudí's other famous works. Before visiting the park, Vanessa drove me to the "guest apartment" where I would be staying at for the weekend. The piso was where Vanessa had been born and her grandfather still lived in the first floor of the building. When her family had bought their new house they'd closed it up and left it for 20 years. With Alex and Vanessa's new business they reopened it and turned it into an office and guest house when international friends come to visit. It smelled brand new as they had redone the wood floor and repainted the walls. Vanessa gave me the grand tour of my room, the kitchen stocked with snacks, the bathroom and the cute living room with its fire place and comfy furniture. Amazingly hospitable. I quickly dropped off my big back pack and put what I would need for the day in my book bag.
We were lucky to find a parking space by Park Güell. Guadí is a genius. The park was surreal with bridges and walls built out of the natural rock. Mosaic tiled benches ran around the plaza where vendors and sitar-playing musicians filled the air with lively sound. The park itself was free with the exception of the admission to Guadí's house. The house was really cool with amazing furniture and decorations. I loved Guadí's use of glass and wood. We went out and walked around the upper level of the park with its beautiful lookout over the sea and La Sagrada Familia. Walking down the spectacular staircases of the grand entrance, I stopped to take pictures of the amazing mosaic lizard and incredible houses.
After Park Güell, we went looking for hotels for when my mom comes to visit. Vanessa knew the perfect place, right in the center of the old town, next to the old beautiful hospital, 200 meters from La Sagrada Familia and with easy access to all of the public transportation. We then drove across town to Alex and Vanessa's apartment. Amazingly decorated with art and photos from all of their travels their small piso was really perfect. Vanessa told me to make myself at home while she made lunch and I sat on the couch reading their book about security for medical personnel.
Alex came home and we sat down for lunch. After lunch Alex went to take a short siesta and I sat back down on the couch, quickly falling asleep.
I woke up and got in the car as we met Alex's sister and brother and law. We then drove to the dojo for an afternoon of martial arts training. The dojo was recently completed and beautifully designed. I hadn't trained in a long time, 6 months, and it was obvious. Nevertheless, I remembered the techniques and bounced back relatively quickly.
After training we went to a great Chinese restaurant for dinner and then they dropped me off at the apartment around 1:30am.
Class All Day, Fiesta All Night, And Barcelona In The Morning
February 19th,
I wanted to sleep in as I knew I would be going out late and not sleeping much tonight before heading to Barcelona the next day. I laid in my bed until 8:45 deciding whether or not I would miss my 9:00am class. I couldn't. Not when I was capable of going. I got up, not bothering to shower or eat breakfast, quickly dressed, grabbed a tangerine and ran over to the facultad making it to class on time.
Sistema Política de la Unión Europea was good and I do like the subject material. I came back to my apartment and instead of going back to sleep which I should have done, I worked on other tasks. I had a late breakfast/early lunch of all of the rice and chicken I'd made the day before. Jon called around 2 and came over so we could work on a project for Relaciones Internacionales.
Before my last class that afternoon, I went to Cortés Ingles to look for a gift for Alex and Vanessa. I wanted to bring them some wine or olive oil that Andalucía is known for but I can't bring liquids on the plane. I bought them some traditional Granadino pastries instead.
I went back home, changed into my salsa clothes and then went to Teoría del Estado. After class I was feeling tired and knew that I would be going out later as it was the good bye party of Federica and three of the people from my program, so I decided to skip Salsa and go home to take a nap.
I fell asleep instantly and woke up an hour and a half later to my alarm. The smart thing to do would be to learn to say "no, thanks" to the invitations, sleep and not go out, but this year in Spain is one of a kind and I'm trying to do it all. I headed back over in the direction I'd just came to Federica's piso. The goodbye party was a lot of fun and I talked with new and "old" friends and had some great homemade paella made by one of the Spaniards. After saying goodbye to Federica, I headed over to "Chupetería 69" where I met up with everyone from my program who were celebrating the birthday of two students and the goodbyes of three others. I hung out until about 3:30am before returning home.
Because I would have to catch my bus to the airport a little after 6:30 for my 8:30 flight to Barcelona, I decided against taking a nap (I wanted to avoid another Santander fiasco). I skyped my mom and brother and then took a shower. I packed my bag and was out the door by 6:00am to begin the next adventure.
Wednesday Reggae
February 18th,
Another early day. International Relations was pretty good. I had to explain why America had become involved in Somali in 1994. On Monday, students from each country will have have to explain their country's role in Afghanistan.
After Historia Política Social Contemporánea, I met Heiko downstairs and we went to a café before going to the dining halls for lunch. We met Federica and her friends and I left for my last class while Heiko and the girls were arguing over logistics for Carnival in Cádiz.
Master Tutorial was a lot of fun. I guess everyone had still been on vacation on Monday as the class was much fuller today. I volunteered to speak for a 15 minute presentation on Monday.
At 6:30 I was invited by my Spanish friend Maru to a barril in the Realejo and I invited Antonio to come a long as well. I was the only foreigner at the social event.
I came back home to make dinner and then went out to meet up with people from my program for the weekly "Reggae Night." There is always something going on in Granada. It was a lot of fun and I was glad to see everyone.
Walking back home, I stopped to admire the cathedral, floodlit, and the 4 stone giants of the fountain of Plaza Bim Rambla.
What Became The Start Of A Week Of Late Night Parties and Early Morning Classes
February 17th
I woke up early at 7:45 (early for me in Spain) and went with Heiko to Política y Gobierno en Andalucía. The professor is a little tedious to listen to as he paces back and forth repeating the same line twice, expecting us to write everything down. It still seems like a good class though.
In the half hour before my next class, I went to the library to study some vocabulary before heading back upstairs for the other new class, Sistema Política de la Unión Europea. The class will be intense if I decide to take it, but I do like how in depth it is as it covers both the history and political thought of Europe since ancient times to the present day.
Back home I made some excellent chicken for lunch and then went back to the facultad for Teoría del Estado. In the hour before salsa (I signed up for the second semester classes) I toured the "Real Madrid" soccer exhibit in the town hall. Salsa ended up being canceled so I went back home to change for the goodbye party of our German friend Julia.
I walked with Julia, Nathalie and their French friend to D'cuadros tapas bar on calle Pedro Antonio where we met up with a big group of people. With the end of the first semester many people who we'd become friends with would now be leaving. Tonight would begin a week of goodbye parties. We hung out with Julia for a while before Jon and I went to another semi-goodbye party at our American friend's piso. It was nice to see a lot of people from my program as with vacations and finals there were a few people I hadn't seen in two months.
Second Semester
February 16th
I got up at 7:45 and took a shower before starting the first day of second semester. My yearlong class of International Relations got off to a great start as our teacher was mad that people had not done well. When she put up the grades, the majority of the class had failed including the three other Americans and me. I would send her an email as soon as I was done with class.
Almost the exact opposite was the case in Historia Política Social Contemporánea where I received an 8/10 and one of the highest grades in the class of any non-Spanish, foreign student. We began a new unit and talked a little about the Spanish-American war.
What will be a 6 hour gauntlet of class if I decide to stick with it was cut much shorter as the next two classes of Política y Gobierno en Andalucía and the University of California Master Tutorial Grammar Class were both cut short because of the first day. The class on Andalucía seems interesting while I want to take the Master Tutorial to improve on my finer control of the language. In the Master Tutorial the professor spoke very slowly in comparison to the other classes and it doesn't look like it will be very hard at all. It was nice to see some people from my program.
I came home, not used to being done this early, and organized my room before taking a siesta. I spent the evening talking to Antonio and Heiko and began reading Don Quijote in Spanish which is very difficult.
Un Día Perfecto
February 15th,
I woke up at 1:00pm having had the opportunity to sleep in from the night before. I got up and talked to Heiko and Antonio as I looked out the window at the perfect day. Heiko said we'd been invited to his friends Benjamin's house in the Albayzín for a picnic lunch and after buying some bread and fruit we walked up from our apartment in the center through the old Arab quarter to his house.
The Albayzín is a true labyrinth of cobblestone steps and white buildings. Behind gates lie lush gardens and fountains of the old palaces with views of the Alhambra. We came to the huge wooden door that is the entrance to Ben's house and he welcomed us into the incredible building. The house was built around an interior garden that had its own fountain and beautiful plants. The roof was open, but they did have a covering for when it rained. The house was more like a hostel as there are 8 people living there in total and they all shared a huge common area and kitchen.
We climbed the 3 flights of stairs with typical granadino decorations until we arrived on the terraza with incredible views of the Alhambra and snow capped Sierra Nevada. We pushed the big wooden tables together and proceeded to have a picnic. Soaking in the sun and basking in the end of final exams and the excitement of a new semester we spent the afternoon enjoying the good food and conversation. Ben told us how he had lived in Israel and had translated old Nazi documents from German into English for the national archives. Federica called and she and her roommate came over as well.
Around 6:00pm we went for tapas and found a local place in one of the burrows of the Albayzín. We stayed for a while and left once it was dark, playing a Spain vs. Germany vs. USA impromptu soccer game with a soccer ball we had found as we made our way back home to the center.
Back home I skyped my family and then went to Boogaclub jazz club for the weekly jam session. Before leaving, Heiko helped me style my hair. The jazz club was perfect end to a great day as everyone was there. Heiko, Nathalie and I left around 3:30 to head back home.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sixth Months in Spain!
February 14th,
Sixth Months in Spain! Half a year in a foreign country. Half a year in a foreign language. Half a year of incredible trips and amazing experiences.
I got up at 8:00 giving myself plenty of time to get ready for my final at 10:00am. To illustrate the juxtaposition between those with finals and those without, as I was leaving for my exam at about 9:30, Antonio was just getting home from the night before.
All in all the exam was difficult with 20 multiple choice questions and two free response essays. I think I did OK. The differences between UC and Spanish University systems are most salient when it comes to final exams. Here in Spain they expect you to know everything, even nuanced material that was not necessarily covered in class; whereas in the UC system, the final only reflects the ultimate portion of the class and the professor stays strictly to the text book or class notes. With the quarter system's fast pace, I am more or less studying for the final exam since the first day.
Finishing my exam, I turned it in along with my 25 page paper. I felt great and tired exiting the college as I headed back to my apartment.
Back home, I washed my clothes, cleaned my room and completed other necessary tasks that I had put off. I wanted a "physical change" to represent the new semester and second half of the year so I decided to get a haircut. After following a recommendation from Heiko about a good barbershop, I walked down to the River Genil. I came across the barbershop and after waiting for a bit, the barber gave me a great haircut. We talked about US and Spanish politics.
I quickly stopped at Mercadona to buy some groceries before coming back home to have lunch with my friend Vanessa from my program who I hadn't seen in a long time. We had a great lunch of raviolis and fresh pasta sauce. I really like all of the people in my program and its too bad that we're all so busy.
That afternoon, I relaxed and took a long walk with my apartment mate Antonio past the Alhambra and through an old graveyard that opened up to magnificent view of the city and snow-capped mountains. We had some deep conversations in Spanish while sitting on the brick wall watching the sun set.
The end of first semester signifies the return of many people of my program to the US. Tonight I wanted to meet up with some of the people who were leaving. In the end, it became very difficult to coordinate with everyone, but eventually I was able to meet up with my friend Erika who was leaving for the US the next day. We went to a bar in the Realejo and along the way I had ran into some of the girls from my Morocco Exchange program. They joined too and the night turned out to be a lot of fun as I had brought together two different groups. We hung out until the bar closed at three and then went to "Vogue" discoteca.
Yo Amo España Pero Odio El Sistema Educativo Español
February 13th,
A little sore from the two runs the day before, I got up at 8:00 and went for a run in the Parque de Federico García Lorca. I ran pretty slow but managed to complete my four laps around the park. Back home I stretched on the roof terrace of our apartment building and then went downstairs to rob some of Heiko's oatmeal for breakfast because someone had eaten my cereal.
I dedicated an immediate 2 hours to finishing my paper before taking a break to wash all of the dishes in the sink and clean up the kitchen that looked as if a bomb had exploded. It wasn't my job but I was getting really annoyed to have everything lying in the sink.
I worked on and off the paper all day and finished it late that afternoon. 25 pages. I went back to the cool fountain in the plaza by my apartment to read for a little while I let the paper sit. I printed it out and corrected it.
With my finals unfortunately finishing on the last day of exams, Saturday, I turned down invitations to go out to the "Good bye parties" as many people from my program are returning home to the US after finishing the first semester in Spain.
Failure
February 12th,
I got up at 8:00 and quickly put on my sweatpants and shirt and went for a run along the River Genil making a loop back to my street. Considering I hadn't run in a while, I felt pretty good.
Today I would take my fourth final and take a chunk out of my paper. I spent 3 hours working on my paper and although I wasn't sure if I was writing too much, I began my chapter by chapter analysis of the book. Tedious.
For lunch, I realized I needed more hot sauce, as I had run out of the "imported" Tapatio hot sauce that my mom had sent me in October. The only store that I had found that sold real hot sauce was the Nordstrom quality-equivalent, Cortés Ingles. While I was in there "Mexican food section," I bought some tortillas and beans and came back for some "make your own tacos." Really good.
After having café, I did some last minute studying for Análisis de Políticas Publicas and then walked over to the facultad.
To put it simply, I think I failed. The exam was very difficult and despite my studying, note taking and attendance to all the classes, the three essay questions were extremely hard and on material that I hadn't studied. I had studied broad topics and the questions were erudite and specific. I think I did very poorly and was disappointed in my self when I left the classroom.
I was a angry and disappointed so I went for another run. Going the opposite direction from the morning, I ran up towards the Sierra Nevada national park. Keeping a fast pace the whole way, I finished the normally 1 hour run in 40 minutes.
Not one to stop working because I hadn't done well on one thing, I spent the rest of the evening working on my paper for Teoría Del Estado.
Sunshine Brings Productivity
February 11th,
I woke up at 8:00am, did some exercises and began working on my large amount of work. For my paper on "Transformations of the Contemporary State," I typed out all of my annotations and underlining that I had done throughout the book. I then began outlining an in depth analysis of what I would write for each chapter, biography and personal opinion.
After a few hours I gathered up my books and notes for Public Policy and went to study outside. The day was perfect and I was happy the rain had gone away. I sat on a bench by the large fountain across from the Theater Isabel la Catolica and read over my notes.
Back home I made lunch and sat in one of our fresh from Ikea lazy boy chairs in the sunny spot of the window. I wrote the introduction for my paper, completing a page (the paper must be a minimum of 10 pages) and looked over my notes some more before ending for the day.
That night, Antonio was going out with his friends from Almeria who were in Granada for the weekend. We started talking about Spanish festivals which led to a recount of the chaos that is San Fermín, Pamplona, the 7th of July. One of Antonio's friends had run with the bulls and so we looked at videos online of the daily runs through the streets during the festival. Insane. I went to bed early ready to get a jump on the work tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
"I Keep Saying That I Study Film, So We Better Make a Movie."
February 10th,
Spain has turned me into somewhat of a procrastinator, something that I definitely not happy about. Unfocused. Unproductive.
I woke up at 10:30 and after attempting to make a dent in my paper for Teoría del Estado paper I decided to go to the facultad to check grades from my first three exams.
I could not find my name for any of my classes which worried me a lot as I saw the names of some other Erasmus students that I know on the lists. Since I was over on that side of town, I went to the "Centro de Actividades y Deportes," and signed up for the second semester of Salsa and also asked some questions about the week long ski trips run through the University of Granada. Heiko and I have been talking about participating in it as it includes housing and lessons up in the Sierra Nevada ski resort.
Back home I made a lunch and talked to Antonio and Alberto. I still have trouble understanding Alberto, who speaks with such a strong Andalucían accent and with so much slang that many times I feel like he's not even speaking Spanish. Its great practice though to listen and speak with them as Alberto and Antonio speak to each other at such a fast pace. We some how got onto the topic of movies and I reiterated the fact that I really want to make a film here in Spain (the Andalucían version of "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona," that I still have yet to see). I was throwing out some ideas when Antonio came up with a brilliant one and I ran into my room to grab a pad of paper and a pen and we wrote out a brief outline of what the film should be. I won't tell you here as it want it to be a surprise but I will have film done when I return home.
The rest of the afternoon I kept studying. I called Blake at 9:00 since I hadn't seen him since Italy and he came over to my apartment. After talking for a bit about future travel plans, I told him my disappointed that I would not be able to go to Carnival in Cádiz as I would be visiting family friends in Barcelona during that weekend. Blake told me he was going the second weekend with some of the girls from our program, and I ecstatically jumped on board, immediately buying my bus ticket. We may be sleeping on the beach if we can't cram into our friend's hotel room, but it should be an incredible weekend.
Behind on Pop Culture
February 9th,
Unlike my trip to Prague in which I came back and immediately had class the next day, I took advantage of having the day "off" and slept in until 11:30. Heiko, Antonio and I went to Mercado Central and then a fruit stand for some local shopping.
Despite studying for my last two exams, I was not as productive as I should have been as I still had a final paper for Teoría del Estado that I needed to complete. For the rest of the afternoon I read and completed some personal work that I had neglected the last couple of weeks.
At 9:00pm I took a study break and went with Heiko, Anna, Federica, and Antonio to "Hannigan's Irish Pub" for the weekly "Pub Quiz." Hannigan's is the favorite stopping ground for the myriad of Americans and English-speaking foreigners who come to Granada to "like, study abroad," and learn Spanish. Every Monday they have a quiz with questions ranging from erudite to Pop Culture. The girls from my Morocco trip were all there, so it was fun to hang out with them in a different setting. I failed pretty badly at the pub quiz, especially on the current pop culture questions which I knew nothing about. The "German Team," with Heiko, Nathalie and some of our other friends did pretty well defeating us handily on the "Musical scores of films," the majority of which were from American blockbusters.
As such is Granada on a Monday night, I said "no, thanks" to invitations to go out and returned to my piso to sleep and dedicated the next day to work.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Pictures from Morocco
February 5-8th
Here are some photos that I took over the course of the weekend trip to Morocco. Please follow the link and click on the facebook album to view the photos. You do not need to be a member of facebook to look at them!
Morocco in the Morning, Spain in the Afternoon
February 8th,
I got up at 7:00am to go on the hike with Alan. I was the only student to get up. We walked through Chefchaouen while was the city was just waking up. In the daylight was city was beautiful with its blue doors. We climbed to the top of the mountain and I had a fantastic view overlooking the city.
We walked back down and met with everyone at the hostel. We packed everything up and were out the door a little after 8:00am. We walked to the main road where we met the driver who then started the 3 hour drive back up the coast toward Ceuta, one of two Spanish cities on the African continent.
About 30 minutes out, we saw camels and stopped to ride them. We rode in a small circle, but it was still fun. Back on the bus we drove to Ceuta. We had some difficulty getting Raquel, the girl who'd forgotten her passport in Granada, past the security check point. The actual security check heading back into Spain and European Union was a joke as they only checked my bags but not my coat. I could have had all sorts of illegal substances and gotten them through. Taking a taxi to the port, I was shocked by the juxtaposition that was the sudden change from Morocco to Spain.
As if completely opposite from Thursday, the rest of the travel time went about as easily as it could have gone. We took an extremely nice, fast boat back to Algeciras. I spent the hour ride relaxing and drinking a soda. We arrived in Algeciras around 3:00pm. Rather than wait until 6:00 for my 5 hour bus ride back to Granada, I decided to forfeit the 20 euros I'd spent on the return ticket home and take up the invitation to go with the girls on their private bus back to Granada. Not only did I arrive home 3 or 4 hours earlier but it was basically door to door service as they dropped me off at Puerta Real.
Back home, I was reminded how lucky I am. Not only to be so fortunate materialistically but also to live with such great people. I joked with Heiko and Antonio before eating dinner and taking a shower. Before bed, I skyped my family and uploaded photos.
In the end, my spontaneous weekend trip to Morocco was an incredible experience in which I shared my own culture, learned about a different one and saw the human side of an area of the world that had previously been confined to texts, films, and the image painted by media.
"And When We Arrived at the Van We Were Ready to Fight One Another or Cry at the Mutual Ignorance"
February 7th
I woke up around 7:00am to the raging sound of rain. They had left the window open at night and all of the rain had poured in soaking the entire floor. Wejlah got up, mopped the floor and then made us another breakfast of tortillas, honey and jam. We packed up our stuff and walked over to the meeting point where we piled into the van. Exchanging stories from the night before, we started to our three hour journey down the coast. During the drive, I had fun sharing some of my home movies on my ipod.
It was raining hard and we drove along the highway and the flooded roundabout, passing shanty towns and people in traditional dress.
We stopped at a rest stop halfway along the way where I gazed at the green field and Rif mountains while drinking some more mint tea.
For lunch we would be meeting with a Moroccan family in the rural community of Akchour. We started up the dirt road, but van couldn't make it over the washed out part. We got out and I suggested putting rocks and brush over the mud for better traction. In the end, the driver did not want to continue as it was the company's van. Instead, we ended up walking the majority of the way up the hill towards the family's farm. It was quite amazing. Raining and foggy, the mountains and surrounding landscape was beautiful. I carried the food bag (I am the designated Sherpa) and walked up the mud hill in the green country.
We were able to find a public van taxi, much like the one I'd taken in Guatemala. We took it the rest of the way up the hill until it couldn't go any farther. We met Jalal, our translator and son of Muhammad the owner of the house we would be visiting. Jalal is an English literature student and is writing his doctorate thesis on "The US Global War on Terror and Imperialism" in English. We jumped over little streams, slipped in the mud, and ducked under the tree branches as we bush wacked our way up the hill to the little farm house. We were introduced to Muhammad, the father, and his family, his wife, mother and children. The baby boy was very cute and ran around the living room.
Their house was small, but nice. They live on a farm and Muhammad works the land. We sat on the wrap around couch and began to ask each other questions. We introduced ourselves and told what we were studying. After questions and answers we had lunch and the family brought out a big bowl of couscous which the grandmother ate with her hands, rolling it in little balls. (Moroccans eat with their right hand and use the left for personal business). After lunch, we sat back in a circle and then had a music session in which I ended up sitting with the Moroccans and playing a little drum. The Americans then sang "Row, Row, Row your boat," and "Take me out to the ball game." One of Muhammad's sons began to dance and asked me to dance with him. The rain outside was a nice metronome to the cultural exchange occurring inside the small house in Morocco.
After the music, everyone sat and talked. I was sitting next to Jalal and I asked him about his master's thesis and why he was writing about it. He was the most educated, best English speaking, and most opinion person I'd met on the trip. I had plans to lead into some deep questions after asking about his thesis, but the conversation turned out to be more intense than either one of us anticipated. What we had started in the house continued on our walk to the van. We began talking about Samuel P. Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations," US foreign policy, and Israel. Even in putting on my most liberalized point of view, I was still labeled as a failure and propagator of American Imperialism. The girls had all gone ahead, so it was just Jalal and me, two perceived enemies trying to understand the other, on this rainy Saturday afternoon. He said that the US had failed in adherence to its principals to the point of no return, that Israel should not legitimately exist (although he said that no "free Muslim" would want it eradicated). I threw it back saying that Israel is held to a double standard by the international community and that US foreign interests can't be confined to oil and Imperialism. Politics is horrible. By the time we reached the van we were ready to fight each other or cry at the other's ignorance. I shook his hand though and said thanks for a good conversation. I was a little in shock on the way back down the mountain from such an intense argument. I really felt that in the end, no real peace or change could be made, and that no matter what I would like to think, I am deeply rooted in my politics and beliefs. A lot to think about.
We met back up with the driver and made our way to Chefcaouen where we would spending the night. The rest of the drive was easy.
Arriving in the Medina of the touristy town of Chefcaouen I was immediately offered marijuana. In addition to being a popular tourist town, Chefcaouen is known for its drug trade and is the main exporter of marijuana and hashish to Europe. The had brought us here to complete our overall view of Morocco by viewing the difference between this "Tourist Morocco" and the other places we had seen. There certainly was a salient difference as we were accosted from all sides by vendors. The city was beautiful with small, winding streets, traditional architecture and distinct "Moroccan Blue" painted on all of the walls and doors. The city had grown in 1494 after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and they had been the first to paint the city blue.
We checked into our hostel which was three stories and beautifully decorated. As the only boy, I had to share a room with Alan. The hostel was freezing and was only going to get colder.
Dropping off our stuff we went back out into the city to shop. There were a ton of shops and we began shopping around. In Moroccan business its all about bartering and in the next two hours we did our best to haggle the prices. I bought some cool gifts for my family and received some good deals after speaking in Spanish and doing my best to feign interest in the product.
I hung out with most of the Granada girls. In the 20 minutes before dinner, 4 of us took a walk around some of the windy streets. We got a little lost, passing blue doors and lots of cats, before finding our way back to the center. The other girls came, their hands covered in Henna tattoos.
We then went to the restaurant and sat a low tables. The interior was beautiful with the Moroccan lights and comfy wrap around couches. Dinner was good as I ordered a Moroccan salads, kebab and fresh fruit.
Back at the hostel we had a meeting by candlelight sharing our experiences. I got ready for bed and then went up on the roof of the hostel. One of the girls was up there as well and I talked to her while gazing at the white buildings of the upper village illuminated by the moon beams of the nearly full orb that cut a swath of light through the heavy clouds. Sounds of music and singing listed on the air and a fragrance of mint floated languidly on the tropics. Morocco was magical.
I went back inside, my feet a little numb, to sit by the little fire in the common room of the hostel. I put my fleece sleeping bag that I'd carried around the entire trip under the covers of my twin bed and fell quickly to sleep.
An Eye-Opening, Life-Changing Day
February 6th
I was woken up at 5:30am to haunting chanting that reverberated within the walls of the house. It was the morning call to prayer and the amplified call to worship along with the pounding rain was surreal.
I fell back to sleep and woke up at 7:45 to Wejla, the host mom making breakfast. I got up and changed into my jeans. Wejla made a fantastic tortilla-like bread breakfast with jam, honey and butter. I talked a bit to Ashraf as we waited for the girls to get ready. At 9:00am we went to the "ciber cafe" and met up with the group. I guess everyone had a good night with their families. We piled back in the bus and Alan explained the plan for the day.
We first went to a language school to talk to Professor Zaki from Rabat University and, as I found out later, a former UCSD alumni. Sitting in a circle we asked him questions about Morocco, Islam and quotidian life. I asked him about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and the acceptance of the state of Israel. He then proceeded to give a big talk about Islam and women's rights. I also asked about polygamy and jihad; the first being very uncommon in Morocco and the second leading into an interesting conversation about American foreign policy and the state of Israel. Overall it was a great conversation and I learned a lot about Morocco and Islam.
We then drove to Chellah in the outskirts of the Rabat where there are ancient Roman ruins and an old mosque. After stopping for a snack of fresh fruit we spent the next hour exploring the old ruins. With bright green grass, old marble foundations and a colony of storks who's clicking beaks filled the valley, I felt like Indiana Jones. The old mosque was quite cool. I spent most of the time talking to people and taking pictures. A really cool sight was the ancient pool of sacred eels where a man in traditional Moroccan dress, surrounded by cats, threw hard boiled eggs into a pool. A large eel came out and ate the eggs. The feeding of the eels is supposed to bring fertility. I glanced back at the ruins as we boarded the bus and headed to the Mausoleum of Hassan II and the main mosque of Rabat.
Entering the walled gates of the mausoleum guarded by two soldiers on horseback we saw the central Minaret of Rabat. It is the sister minaret to La Giralda in Sevilla. Unfortunately the mausoleum was closed as we had come during the afternoon prayer time. Still it was fun to walk to around the grounds.
Back in Rabat we ate lunch with the homestay family. Alan joined us and we ate a great meal of fish and potatoes made by Ashraf.
We met up at the cafe and then walked to the Medina where we would spend the rest of the afternoon with Moroccan students.
This experience would be the turning point on the trip and something that started to change my perspective of the Arab/Muslim world. Three of the other girls and me formed a group and we were joined by 3 Moroccan guys. One of the guys, Brahim, was very cool and spoke perfect English. He was Berber and had lived in Rabat for the past 15 years. We walked through the Medina to the beach, then the market, before stopping in at a cafe. Along the way we talked about mutual stereotypes, 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel. Although I censured much of my opinion, it was interesting to get their perspectives. By the time we got to the cafe we were getting along really well. We had mint tea and they taught us some Arabic. Arabic is difficult as there are sounds that are simply not in the English language. From the cafe we walked past the capital office and back to the meeting point where we were all sad to leave.
We then went to a homestay home where we had a talk from a full bright scholar living in Morocco. He had been on Morocco Exchange a few years before.
That night we were supposed to go to the Hamam, the public bath house. Alan and I were supposed to go together and in the end I'm glad I didn't go with him. Instead, Ashraf offered to take me and we went to the Hamam.
The Hamam was an incredible, completely foreign experience. After changing into my swimsuit, I followed Ashraf into the hottest room that was a full on sauna. I was sweating profusely. I was the only white and foreign person there. It was definitely a locals only place. We sat on the warm floor, soaking in the heat. Ashraf brought buckets of water and we put on all natural olive oil soap. I then rinsed it off after letting it sit for about 10 minutes. Next was the craziest, most ridiculous part as we went into the next room and I was told to lay down by an old Moroccan man who proceeded to tear off layers of dead skin with a sharp brush. I flipped over and he did the same thing on my chest. He then proceeded to bend me into yoga positions to stretch and loosen my neck and back. I was thinking how I was going to have to punch him if he bent my leg too far as I wasn't that flexible when he did the most ridiculous thing of grabbing my hands and legs in a "hog-tie" position and kicking my back with his foot, cracking it so deeply that when I stood up I was so warm and loose that I had a surreal, natural high. This perceived homoerotic practice of cleaning and stretching was common practice as Ashraf and other men asked for the same thing. I then washed off with shampoo and soap, twice. Before drying off and changing, I have to say I have never felt cleaner than in the public bath in Morocco; something I definitely never would have thought.
Back home we had a dinner of baked pasta with a meat and cheese covering. We ate with Ashraf and Wejla. After dinner, we watched a pirated version of lost on the giant TV and then I talked to Rebecca and Caryn, the girls from Madrid who I was rooming with.
All in all, it had been an amazing, life-changing day.
"Hey, We Are In Africa"
February 5th
I woke up just before the wake up call at 7:00am. I quickly ate my last apple while getting ready and repacking all of my stuff that had somewhat dried. Downstairs I met with Alan, the tour guide. He was man in his early 50's with wild hair. None of the other kids had stayed at the hostel so Alan and I walked over to the ferry port in the rain. I was carrying the food bag as Alan had his large backpack and small front bag. Arriving at the ferry port, we went up the stairs and I met the rest of the group. I am the only boy on the trip. There are 15 girls, 13 of them who are living in Granada and two from Madrid.
We hung out in the café of the port and I ordered a pan con tomate and a zumo de naranja and ate it by myself before getting up to sit down next to one of the groups of girls. We talked about travel and it was obvious and personally fascinating to be able to see the differences in the study abroad programs and how much I've grown and changed in the last six months. All of the girls are living in homestay families and will be in Spain until May having arrived in January. We must have waited for about 45 minutes before Alan told us that the fast boat from Algeciras was cancelled. He then said, what I considered to be a tittle of a movie or song, that we would take "Taxis to Tarifa" and that I would go in the first to talk with the ticket office and customs officials.
In the taxi the rain was pounding. I asked the driver if the rain would clear and since the weather was bad in Algeciras, wouldn't it be worse in Tarifa, the windsurfing capital of the world. I called Alan to make sure of what he wanted me to do. We arrived in Tarifa at 8:50, 10 minutes before the boat was supposed to leave. I quickly ran in and talked to the ticket lady and the customs official to ask if they could wait. After a lot of back and forth, we eventually were able to board the "fast boat" to Tangier. One of the girls had forgotten her passport in Granada so we were still waiting to see if she could even go to Morocco. I guess she received a faxed copy of the passport from their study center. On the boat, I went out on the deck to look at the ocean before coming back inside for a brief orientation. The boat was apparently stuck in the harbor and after 15 or so minutes a man came out telling us the ride was cancelled due to bad weather. That meant we had to get off the boat and wait in the cafe of the Tarifa port while a bus from Algeciras came to pick us up. It wasn't a total waste though as I talked to the girls.
Once we arrived in Algeciras we bought tickets for the "slow boat" that was leaving at 1:00pm. We boarded the slow boat that lived up to its name by taking a total of 4 hours to cross the mere 8 miles between Algeciras and Tangier. I think I can swim faster than that. I found a seat by the window and continued talking to the girls. They are all from New England area and all of the them go to Boston College and Stonehill University with the exception of one of the girls from Madrid who goes to USC. Once the boat was underway, I went out on the deck. It was windy and wet. There were some shady characters. I felt like Jason Bourne on the boat to Naples. One of the girls came out and we talked on the deck as we passed Gibraltar. I randomly talked to a Moroccan boat worker about religion and politics in Spanish.
Back inside a little blown by the wind, we had to wait in line to get our passports restamped as we had received a stamp in Tarifa. We then all regrouped to pay Alan, which would have been fine except that he made the collection of 3 grand so obvious I'm surprised we didn't get jacked right there. He is married to a Spaniard and served in the Peacecorps so I want to talk to him, but his operation skills are a little weak. Due to our delay we missed all of the morning activities in Morocco. I was a little annoyed although I new it would still be a good trip.
The rest of the boat ride was long, tedious and I was getting quire frustrated considering in the end we missed the entire day including the camel rides. The boat took about 3 1/2 hours to arrive in Tangier and due to the rough weather and ride many of the people on board were sick. Arriving in Tangier, none of the walk on passengers were allowed to the leave the ship for almost an hour. I was getting really annoyed and ready to start pushing my way out, jumping overboard and swimming to shore. We eventually got off and met up with our driver of the private van. He was a more patient man than me as he had been waiting for us since 9:00am in the morning. I would have left a long time ago.
We piled in and drove through Tangier after exchanging currency, dirhams, and buying a couple of cases of bottled war to avoid the Moroccan equivalent of "Montazuma's Revenge." We were about 8 hours behind schedule and had missed the visit to the women's center, which would have been interesting and also the camel rides, which although I've already ridden in Israel I wanted to do again.
Driving south along the Atlantic Ocean we stopped for a dinner and a walk through the medina of Alminiras. Alan put in an order for 18, including the driver, for tajin at a restaurant. We then walked through the old city with its beautiful architecture, white buildings, and cobble stone streets. Picking up a wandering tourguide who spoke a little English, he showed us some local spots like the public bread bakery. The city was nice, a Spanish resort town. Every year in July all of the walls are painted white and artists from all over the world come to paint murals. The walls are repainted at the end of the festival.
The restaurant was nice and the food quite good. I felt a lot better after eating and was excited to head to Rabat to stay with the homestay families. We then drove for 3 hours in the rain, with Alan telling us Peace Corps stories. I nodded off for a bit. Waking up, we were talking about the homestay situation. We would divide into groups of three. I would partner up with two girls, the ones from Madrid who I found quite cool and I would stay at the house that accepted both girls and boys.
Arriving in Rabat, we got out into the pouring rain. We then walked past our meeting point for tomorrow morning. We turned a street and entered a Moroccan house with lots of people in it; our homestay families. Ashraf, a hipply dressed, young 30's man, was my home stay dad. We walked with him a block and entered his two story house. The house was quite beautiful with colorful tiles and a the colorful glass lamps over the lights. I'm not sure what he did for a living but the modest house was juxtaposed by a 54 inch plasma HD TV hanging on the wall of the living room and room where the girls would be sleeping. He was in the process of adding French subtitles to pirated American TV shows. We met his wife, Wesla, a young woman who was also modernly dressed and wearing a head scarf. They were both very kind and I felt bad to refuse food, but I'd just eaten. They showed us our rooms. My bed was the wrap around couch. They also had a dog, which surprised me. The girls were really tired and went to bed. Ashraf and I stayed up for a bit and I showed him pictures of my family and he showed me an old photo album. He is Berber and speaks English, French, Berber, and Arabic fluently. He is learning Spanish.
I fell asleep listening to the rain pound on the roof.
A Study Break in Morocco Starts With A Night in Algeciras
February 4th
After much debate on how and when I would be going to Morocco, I decided to go sooner rather than later and with an organized program rather than by myself. I imagine its a little foolish to go during my finals month as I'll have two when I get back, but I didn't want to squander 9 days when I could use part of it for travel. I'm excited to experience a completely different culture and to step, for the first time, on the continent of Africa.
I woke up before 9:00am as I knew I had a lot of things to finish. Getting up, I finished the last of the eggs for breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen.
I quickly saved the itinerary and instructions of my flash drive and also put photos of my family to share with the Moroccan home stay family. After printing everything out, I walked to Mercadona to get some trip supplies. I recharged my phone just and then cut back to the fruit stands by the cathedral to complete the grocery shopping.
Back home, I organized my room and packed my bag. One pair of jeans, a couple shirts, and my fleece sleeping bag. My zippo lighter (Indie) and flashlight topped it off.
I ate a quick lunch on the balcony before grabbing my bag and going to the bus stop by Cortes Ingles. The bus came and it took about 20 minutes to get to the station with traffic.
After a quick stop in Málaga, the rest of the trip went smoothly. It started to rain as we left the station in Marbella and by the time we reached Algeciras it was pouring. We drove along the coast, passing of hundreds of advertisements for boat tickets to Tangier, Morocco.
Arriving in Algeciras I quickly put on my jacket and grabbed my bag from under the bus. It was pouring and the concrete gaps/windows in the wall allowed all of the water to splash into the platform area. I quickly put on my scarf and put my journal, ipod and books in the front top pocket. Inside, I bought my return ticket to Granada at 5:45pm as to avoid any filling up the bus on the way home.
Following the directions, I walked through the pouring rain. It was coming down so hard that my water resistant jacket had lost its resistance. I ended up looping around back to the bus station where after asking different people for directions I eventually made it to the hostel.
The hostel was really a hotel. I got my key from the front desk and went up to my single room with its own bathroom and TV. I took off my wet clothes and hung them up around the room. My books, journal and ipod had gotten wet, but fortunately nothing was ruined. I ate a sandwich of whole grain bread and gouda cheese and an apple for a snack. All expenses are covered by Morocco Exchange once we are in Morocco but I had to pay for the hostel and food before hand.
It was still light out and the rain sounded like it had stopped temporarily so I went downstairs and borrowed a map. The man showed me where "Plaza Alta" was, the only attraction listed in Lonely Planet. Both Antonio and Lonely Planet had warned me about the port town of Algeciras, the main link between Europe and Africa, so I was on my guard as I walked to the Plaza Alta. The plaza was nice, with colorful tiled benches and a large square with two facing churches on either side. I took a few pictures and then walked over to the railing that overlooked the port. It was getting dark and starting to rain so I decided to head back to the hostel.
Back in the room, I was glad I had brought my notes to study. I read over Teoría Del Estado. Once finished, I went downstairs to ask the night shift man for a 7:00am wake up call. I guess the group leader is staying in the hostel but hadn't arrived yet. Upstairs I ate a package of my grandma's cookies while looking at pictures of my family. I took a nice long shower and climbed into bed excited for the next adventure to begin.
Three Down, Two To Go
February 3rd
I woke up at 8:30am, tired but ready for my exam. Looking at the exam schedule I'd written down, it said that I wouldn't have the test until 5:00pm but I wasn't sure. It was still raining as I put on my coat, grabbed my bag, and took the yellow umbrella that someone had left at one of our parties.
Checking the exam times in the facultad, I accepted that the exam would be later. The library was completely filled so I went back home and studied some more before taking a short nap. When I woke up, Antonio was yelling "Toma!" as he'd received a scholarship from the University of Granada. Got to love the Spanish University system where tuition is free and one receives scholarships for good grades.
At 4:30pm I went back to the facultad where I took my third final exam for Estructura Social Contemporánea. The exam took me 2 and a half hours and I wrote 6 pages front and back. The 6 questions were broad and difficult and each one took a long time to answer. I think I did ok although I know I repeated myself sometimes. I said goodbye to the professor as I turned it in and then grabbed my coat. I said goodbye to the erasmus students from Mexico who I've become friends with in the class before heading back home for our scheduled "apartment cleaning date."
Everyone was home and we spent the next hour cleaning the house. We hadn't cleaned in almost a month so the house looking really nice when we were done. Rather go out that night, I stayed in and enjoyed my amazing piso that I share with great roommates. We goofed around on the computer and Heiko and I prevented Antonio from studying. Our heating works in our apartment now so its really nice when we turn it on. I showed Heiko and Antonio a few of the films I'd made from the year before. I'd like to write a script and make a film here in Granada next semester.
The Refinement of an Image
February 2nd
I woke up around 1pm having slept hard from the night before. It was a little later than I had wanted to get up as when I was eating my breakfast in the kitchen, Antonio was coming back from a final to take a siesta.
It was raining again as I headed back up to the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras to return my books that I had borrowed from the library. Nathalie had given me an extra bus card so I took the "U" line up the hill to Cartuja.
After dropping off the books and taking the bus back down to the centro, I went to the Mercado Central to buy some fresh produce. I had come during siesta so everything was closed except one butcher stand run by a nice, older lady. I bought some chicken breast and eggs.
Back home I made some lunch before studying for my third exam of Estructura Social Contemporánea. The landlord came around 8:00pm and I paid him for February as I won't be here later in the week.
That evening, Antonio and I made an excellent stir fry for dinner and I talked to some friends from high-school and college on facebook. With the addition of the new film poster, I felt my room was finished with decorations. I'm so lucky to have this opportunity and am excited for the upcoming adventures.
Of Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Superbowl
February 1st
Waking up at 10:00am, I went into the kitchen where Heiko, Antonio, Nathalie and Julia had started cooking breakfast. Today we were making brunch before going to see "Breakfast at Tiffany's" for the last day of the "Retroback" film festival in Granada. With scrambled eggs, bread, jam, yogurt, fruit, and juice we had a great late breakfast.
We walked over to the Teatro de Isabel la Catolica where we found seats in the back of the old theater. I had never seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's," or "Desayuno con Diamantes" in Spanish, and I really enjoyed it.
We came back and made a light lunch while watching Nadal win the Australian Open. I went to my room to read for Estructura Social Contemporánea.
At 10:00pm, after much debate, I went back to the movies with Heiko to use up my last ticket. We saw another Hepburn movie, "Two for the Road" and I enjoyed the dark comedy. After the showing, I was able to have one of the posters from the festival that is now hanging in my room.
It was pouring rain so we ran back to our apartment, dodging the raindrops. I had received an invitation for a Superbowl party from one of the guys from my program. I was also debating to go as although I really wanted to see it as its one of the most American holidays, I also like doing things completely different here during my year abroad. Heiko wanted to "experience American culture" so we decided to go. We took a taxi over to the bar in Plaza de Toros.
Our friends were the only ones in the bar on the rainy Sunday night, but we filled it with our loud conversation and cheers and groans over the game. The game was projected on a giant screen and on plasma tvs hanging on the walls. I explained some of the rules to Heiko, as it was the first football game he had seen. I was glad to talk to everyone as some of them I hadn't seen in almost 2 months. A lot of people are leaving, having finished their semester. The year has gone by so fast. Watching the Superbowl streamed to Spain was a fun experience as for some reason none of the commercials came through so instead it was just an analysis by Spanish sports experts talking in Spanish about a game they didn't really understand. We watched the game until 3:00am as the bar tender had to close.
It had stopped raining, so rather than taking a taxi or spending 30 minutes to walk back, we decided to jog. We made it back in about 8 minutes although my large jacket, scarf and boots weren't exactly the most conducive for running.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Morocco February 5th-8th
February 4th
I will be going to Morocco this weekend with the program "Morocco Exchange." Today I'm taking a bus to the port city of Algeciras, spending the night in a hostel, and tomorrow will meet up with the group to take the boat to Morocco.
I'll take a lot of photos and update the blog when I return to Granada on Sunday.
Until then take a look at some photos from around Granada.
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