A thousand apologies..

So I'm not very good at this updating thing..

It's been almost a month (I know, I know) since I've updated, so I'll try to fill in the holes. My wireless internet has officially ceased functioning, so it's harder for me to get access to the internet, especially now that Lola and Alisa are here (I'll explain them in a minute)..

We went to Valencia for the weekend on Sept. 19. It was absolutely beautiful. The hostel we stayed in was really nice, even though it took us a while to find it. We went to the beach and swam in the Mediterranean, ate lots of Italian food, and visited the science museum. We also missed our train back because the conductor guy didn't read our tickets correctly, but we made it back eventually. 

The following week we had our finals for Grammar and Conversation. Thus ended the Intensive Language Course section of our program. That weekend, Sept. 28, we went to Segovia with the group. Marissa and I gave our presentation on the Cathedral, and of course it was closed, and of course we got really nervous and broke into song (Maria Jose's favorite US song is 'Say a Little Prayer for You' and yes, we sang it right in the middle of the most crowded plaza in Segovia). The next day, Sept. 29, we left for Italia (I know, what globetrotters we are!). We left for Italy on Monday morning, and stayed until Thursday. On Tuesday Dennis, Marissa, Giovanna, and I went on a tour of the sights in Rome. It was a walking tour, so we walked around the city with a guide and saw all the important things. We also had lunch at a little restaurant and took a ton of pics. On Wednesday, two of Giovanna's cousins came to pick us up and take us to Guasto, a town about 2 hours from Rome. We ate the biggest meal I have ever seen/had and then drove go-karts with Giovanna's cousin. We had to wear fire-retardant jump suits and all looked very glamorous. The highlight of the day was when Dennis' wheel fell off (haha yes, it was hilarious). Her family was amazing, and we had such a good time, even though the language barrier made it difficult. 

When I got home, 2 Chinese girls, Lola and Alisa, had come to live with us for the month of October. They barely speak any Spanish, so it's interesting. Lola speaks really good English, so she usually tells me things and I translate for the family. Then, I translate back for her and she translates into Chinese for Alisa. It's quite a process. They're really nice but take about 25 years in the bathroom in the morning, which baffles me since they get up at 7 for school at 9, and I get up at 815 for school at 9, but I still make it there before them. This morning, actually, I waited a solid 35 minutes to brush my teeth (and we have 2 bathrooms!). They think I'm really smart because they're in beginner Spanish, which is funny because I spend my days lamenting how much Spanish I don't know. They pretty much keep to themselves in their room, while I spend most of my time in the living room chatting (surprise surprise), so I don't get to talk to them much. 

On Oct. 5 we went to El Escorial with Maria Jose and the rest. El Escorial is a monastery/library built by Felipe II to show how fabulous Spain was. My favorite part was the plaque above the door of the library with a letter from Pope Gregory stating that if you took a book from the library and didn't return it, you'd burn in hell. After El Escorial we visited the Valley of the Fallen, which is a memorial to the 40,000 people who died during the Spanish civil war. There's a huge (I'm talking weighs as much as 800 airplanes huge) cross on top of the mountain, and the valley is a national park. Inside, there's a basilica and the grave of Francisco Franco (the Spanish dictator who built it) and Jose Antonio (the head of the political party that helped Franco rise to power). While it was cool, it was weird to think that we were standing in a church designed by a guy who made Spain a dictatorship and was the poster child for Fascism. Go figure. So that day was a little long and laborious, especially since it was FREEZING! 

So that brings us to last week. Nothing particularly fabulous happened, except that we only had school Monday-Wednesday. They loooove the fiestas in Spain, so there's festivals to celebrate someone or something like every week. Last week it was festival of Miguel de Cervantes (the guy who wrote Don Quixote was born in Alcala), and they have a HUGE medieval festival in the plaza. Everyone dresses up and there's food and it's crazy. We went to Barcelona on Thursday (Oct. 9) until Saturday. The 9 hour bus ride made me want to kill someone, but Barcelona was amazing. We met up with Dennis' cousin, who is studying there, and he showed us around. Of course we also had the triathlon tour with Maria Jose, which is always a good time. She drags around every city as she walks like 30 miles per hour and completely disregards the fact that there's 20 people trying to follow her. Anyway, we saw all the sights and come home on Saturday night. We got home around 9, so Dennis and I went to the Medieval Festival. I couldn't believe the number of people there selling clothes, spices, clocks, food, sweets, toys, crepes, and anything else you can think of. Giovanna met us after a little bit and she and I grabbed dinner. We sat in the plaza and people-watched, which was pretty cool since everyone was dressed in period costume. 

All of this brings us to yesterday, where I spent most of the day studying for Maria Jose's test. Yes, she made the test the day after we got back from a trip. Cruel, but true. We studied at Starbucks for forever and a day, and finally gave up and went home. Our literature teacher cancelled class today for some unknown reason, which was SUCH good news and gave us another hour to study. The test was at 3 and I wrote so much my hand almost fell off, but at least I knew the answers. So, here I am. The test is over, my birthday is on Wednesday!!!! (I'm just a little excited) and I finally updated my blog :) Hurray! 

<3 

Valenciaaa

Hi! 

       This post is going to be short and sweet (like me! ..just kidding). Anyway, we're going to Valencia this weekend and I'm so excited. Nevermind that we haven't printed the tickets yet, minor details. It's noon right now and our train leaves from Madrid at 4. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep on the train! :) 

       I'll let you know how Valencia goes on Monday! 

<3 

I'm back!

Alright so it's been a while..

       But I have a good excuse! I was stricken with some strange Spanish strain of the common cold that almost killed me. I'm still hacking up a small lung, but at least I don't sound like the Godfather anymore :)

       Sooo given the illness, you can probably guess that my week was less than fun-filled. I dragged my sorry butt out of bed every morning to go to school, and then dragged it back to take a nap until dinner. However, now that I have recovered, I'll give you the highlights..

       Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday I was dead to the world, so we can skip that. Friday everyone went to the dorms for a Loyola party (with cute Spanish boys, of course). We played Kings, Beer Pong, etc. and pretty much hung around. A few of the girls decided to go out with the Spanish boys, but Dennis, Marissa, Samantha, and I went home in cab. The dorms are about a 30 minute walk from the Plaza in the middle of Alcala, so it's kind of far, especially in the middle of the night. That turned into a fiasco, of course, when I tried to call the cab since the lady kept telling me she didn't understand and eventually hung up. The security guard in the University Office told me he could call one, but had to go out on a call before he could do it. Antonio, one of the Spanish boys who speaks fluent English, ended up calling a cab for us, which caused another problem when the cab pulled up and Sam and I were standing there. He was like 'ummm neither of you look like Antonio'. I told him that Antonio (ie. Dennis) was on his way haha. 

       Saturday we went to the "Parque de Attraciones de Madrid" (Amusement Park of Madrid)..clever name, I know. We took the train to Madrid and then the Metro to the park, which is always an adventure, and spent the day there. It was an amusement park and a water park, but we stayed away from the water rides since it was a little chilly out. We rode a bunch of the rides and had lunch at the park. At this point, a few of the girls left because they were planning on going out all night. A couple of us hung around and went on more rides, but I left at about 8:30 because I wanted to change my clothes. Saturday was 'La Noche en Blanco' in Madrid, which is one night a year when the moon is full and everything is open. The museums, restaurants, and other attractions are open from 9pm-3am(ish). There's also street performances, concerts, shopping, the works. It was FREEZING on Saturday night in Madrid, so 'La Noche' was kind of a bust. We couldn't get into any of the museums because the lines were so long, and it was cold we couldn't bear to stay outside. Eventually I decided to ask a police officer (like my mom always taught me!) if there was any way we could get home in the middle of the night. He told me that there was a buho (literally owl, actually a bus that goes from Madrid to Alcala at night) that comes every hour, but we'd have to hurry since it was 2:50 and the Metro closed at 3. We ran like crazy people and caught the Metro, but still had to wait 40 minutes for the bus to come. While we were waiting, we chatted with a couple German girls who also go to Alcalingua. They had taken the buho before, and warned us that it would be ugly. When the bus came, it was a mad rush. There was no line, no order, no patience, nada. I got caught up in the crush of people and ended up one of the first people on the bus. Shortly after, Giovanna and Marissa got on too. Dennis, Nora, and Cathleen ended up on the other bus, which was equally packed. The bus was wall-to-wall people. every seat was taken, plus there was not a free square inch to stand in the aisles. 

       At this point, Giovanna and I started dozing off as the bus made its way back to Alcala, but the naps were short lived. When the bus arrived at the next stop, about 15 people squeezed their way onto the bus via the double door in the middle (which is only for people getting off). The driver seemed rather unconcerned that more people were getting on (without paying) but the people in the back of the bus were NOT having it. One lady let out a stream of insults that included something about your mother, a puppy, and a whore..buuut I couldn't really follow. Two stops later, more people piled on via the exit door. One guy, who had been acting as the spokesperson for the squished people (by yelling to the driver when someone needed to get off) started yelling "HELP! We need some air! We're going to asphyxiate back here! For the love of God, do something!". Needless to say, it was interesting :) 

       Sunday was a lazy day since we got home at 5am on Saturday night/Sunday morning. The usual suspects (see below) met at Starbucks to plan some of our trips. We decided we'd like to go to Italy, Ireland, Belgium (to visit Laura and Marissa's roommate Khara), and possibly Paris, and when, and now all that's left is to actually book the tickets. I think this afternoon we're booking tickets to Italy over the intensive language course/semester break. Giovanna's family lives in Guasto, which is outside of Rome, so I think we're going to hang out with them. 

       This weekend we're going to Valencia, which should be really fun. We're taking the train from Madrid after classes on Friday, and staying there until Sunday. Hurray! 

Phew, that was a long post. Congrats if you made it all the way to the end! 

Lastly, the usual suspects.. 

                          (L to R) Samantha, Marissa, me, Dennis and Giovanna

This picture alone took me 15 minutes to post, so this is the only one you're getting. It is, however, the most important one :) 

P.S. Because Blogger is being so difficult with pictures, I made a PhotoBucket account. Here's the link: Kait's Spain Pictures! 

<3

I survived Week 1!

Hurray! 

       I survived my first (half) week of classes at Alcalingua! I made it to class on time every morning, which is a serious accomplishment, and I didn't get lost on my was to school by myself. My classes are fun, and the professors here teach Spanish a lot differently than any teacher I had back in the US. There are a few Loyola people in my class, 2 German girls, a Chinese guy and a Chinese girl. Apparently when Chinese students come to Spain to study, they take a Spanish name to ease problems with pronunciation. I think it's amazing that they are able to learn Spanish, especially write it, since their language doesn't even use the same alphabet. 

       Last night we went to a club in Alcala called Can Can. This club is known for being mostly American students, so it's kind of cliche to go there, but we decided that we had to experience it at least once. First Giovanna and I took the bus to the dorms to meet Dennis, Cathleen and Marissa. Cathleen gave us the grand tour and the dorms are actually really nice. They're built like townhouses, with spiral staircases on either side of the apartment, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a couple half bathrooms. The kitchen is big with two refrigerators, and the living room has 3 couches (perfect for slumber parties!). After the dorms we took a taxi to Can Can, since the buses stop running at 12. In Spain, it's considered ridiculous to go out before 3 am. Obviously this isn't my kind of country, since I go to bed around 12 at Loyola. 

      Can Can was nice inside and the music was almost all American. It was strange to go into the bathroom and hear people speaking English around me. We meet a few other Loyola girls there and had a blast. At around 5 Giovanna, Chrissi, Cathleen and I decided it was time to go home, so we took a taxi to my house and then they went to the dorms. The taxi driver couldn't find my street and had to stop the meter until he could find it. After a small tour of my neighborhood, he finally found it. 

       Today I didn't get up until around 12, and now I'm trying to clean up my room and tackle my homework for tomorrow. However, it's time for paella, so I must be going! 

<3 

First Day of School!

          Okay so in a complete 180 from when I was little, I was SO excited for school to start today. Nerdy, I know. But my first day at Alcalingua did not disappoint. I tested into Level 6, and there's a bunch of Loyola people in my class. There's also two German girls and one Taiwanese girl who is completely lost. My grammar teacher, whose name is Cristina, is the teeniest thing and is like a one-women hurricane. She bounces around the classroom talking a mile a minute and handing out worksheets. She told us she's "not THAT old" so we can feel free to ask her questions about the nightlife in Alcala (she's 36). My conversation teacher is an absolute riot. He's only 26 and jumps around the room like a crazy person. We had to go around the room and talk about ourselves and he cracked jokes until the whole room was hysterical with laughter. I think I'll learn a lot from him because he said we'll do vocabulary, phonetics, listening, and mini-presentations. 

          Sadly Giovanna isn't in my class :( but hopefully we'll be back together when regular school starts. The intensive language course is from today until September 29, and then regular school begins on Oct 3. Stupid Loyola complained that students coming back from being abroad didn't have strong enough writing skills, so we're losing our conversation course in favor of a composition course come October. A lot of us (our director Maria Jose included) think this is ridiculous, because it's so much easier to write when you hear your voice in your head. It's difficult to do that in a different language when you can't speak it. Apparently it's also causing a problem with Alcalingua because they don't have anyone to teach it. Also, the people in our group span 4 levels (4-7) so it would be difficult for a teacher to grade all of us the same on a writing assignment. Maria Jose talked to us today and told us how she thinks it's a good idea, buuuuuut I think that's just so it doesn't get used against her in the future. Hmph. 

          It's still ridiculously hot here, but oddly chilly in the morning. I resist the urge to bring a sweater though because I don't want to carry it later when it's 90 degrees. My host mom, Cris, told me that soon after Halloween it gets freezing here, so I'm sure I'll be whining about being cold soon enough :) 

<3 

Placement Test Day!

Hi :) 

Today was the placement test for Alcalingua, and it was pretty difficult. There were lots of questions about sequence of tenses, which is a pain, and about Spanish proverbs (like 'a stich in time saves nine'). Hopefully I didn't do too bad so that I'll be in classes with my friends. After the test, a few of us wandered around town but it was so uncontrollably hot we gave up. Giovanna came to my house to charge her computer because she left her charger at home, and we ate lunch with my host family. 

Since I haven't explained about my family..

I live with Cris (mom), Laura (16), and Victor (23). They live in an apartment building in 'Nueva Alcala'. Cris owns a store right off the main square called Morgana, and she sells little porcelain figurines and candles and incense. Apparently incense is really big here. Of course the idea of me living with a 23 year old boy makes Marcus nuts, but that's to be expected. It's fine though because he's like my older brother. Cris told that since I already have a boyfriend, we can hook Victor and his friends up with my friends. She and Laura have already picked out one of Victor's friends, named Sergio, for Giovanna. This should be interesting....

Besitos!

    

In the Beginning..

Hokay..

So I've decided to follow Giovanna's shining example and try to document my trip on here. It's only been a week and so many things happen in one day that I'm already forgetting. This first week has been a bit a of a whirlwind, so I'm hoping things will settle down once we start school. Tomorrow is the placement test for the intensive language course at our school, Alcalingua. Depending on our score on the test, we're placed in different levels of classes. After a month, if we've improved we get bumped up the the next level, and if not we stay the same. Then the actual semester begins. It goes from Oct 2-Dec 18. I'm excited for school to start because it'll give me something to do! Yesterday and today we had nothing planned with our director, Maria Jose, and Giovanna and I were hard pressed to entertain ourselves. Eventually we settled on playing "Ochos Locos" aka Crazy Eights with her 10 year old host brother Jesus and her Japanese roommate Erico. 

Today I think we're going to Carrefor (the Spanish version of WalMart) so Giovanna can get some school supplies and I can get some food. There's a lot of fish and pork in the Spanish diet, neither of which I really like, so it's been interesting. At least I'll be thin when I get home ;) 

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