June 1, 2011
Today has been pretty average. We got up in the morning and went to class, which went well. I feel like I can understand and speak a lot better so that's good! I'm not where I hope to be yet, but I'm getting there!
After class, we came back for lunch. Lunch was amazing! Mercedes made us a paella-like dish. It was rice with a brownish-yellowish sauce and it had chicken, peas, and artichoke hearts in it! It was wonderful!
After lunch, I read all through siesta, once again. I'm currently reading The Book Thief and it is amazing! I only have a little bit left so I should be able to finish it tomorrow. I would suggest it to anyone! It's about a girl that is living with a foster family in Nazi Germany and it is told from the point of view of death. It's super interesting. I love it!
At 4:45, we met at the school for a cooking class. Not everyone was there yet so I checked my email and I had the coolest experience! I had an email from my mom and attached was a letter from Matt that I had received. Now for the past few days, I have been feeling really homesick. So I'm reading the letter and Matt asks me how Spain is and what the family I am staying with is like. Then he just says, "If you are homesick in any way, which I hope you don't have that feeling, but just in case you are, just know that God loves you and will comfort you." I honestly just started crying. I have no doubt that God loves me, but it is just so amazing to me that my best friend, half way around the world, can know how I'm feeling and comfort me with exactly what I need to hear. I know that missionaries are inspired to bless the lives of those that don't have the gospel along with those that do. I know this was random, but I want to remember it.
Anyway, we had our cooking class and we made tortilla de patatas or tortilla Española. It was very good! Unlike the cooking classes at Mester, we actually got to learn how to cook it and help cook it! It was a lot of fun!
Afterwards, we just went wandering down the streets and in and out of shots. Everything here is a lot more expensive than Salamanca. And they don't even have my favorite grocery store, El Árbol. I'm a little bitter. However, I have been wanting to mention some of the fashion trends I have seen here! I have noticed a lot of people wearing green skinny jeans. Also, a ton of people where slightly opaque tights with shorts. There's also these pants that are honestly like MC Hammer pants with the really short inseam and elastics around the ankles. They are super popular and super weird looking.
Then we came home for dinner. She made us these fried ham and cheese things and French fries. I didn't even finish all of my food.
At 10:30, I left to go meet up with some people in the Plaza Nueva. Unfortunately, the streets here arenas as active at night as they were in Salamanca, which took me by surprise. Anyway, Alan, Briana, Daniel and I played some card games and talked until I left and came home. It's so nice living so close to the school and the plaza!
It is really late and I need to get some sleep! Adios!
Friday, June 3, 2011
May 31, 2011
May 31, 2011
Today has been a good day!! We woke up and went to class. My grammar class was half way through learning subjunctive, which I haven't learned since ninth grade, so I have a little catching up to do, but that's okay. It will be good for me to push myself.
We returned home for lunch and had lentil soup with some chicken and then these little fried mashed potato balls that were super delicious.
For siesta, I read for a while and then fell asleep. We had a late night last night so I we really tired. Our room is really dark so it's perfect for an afternoon nap.
At 5, we went to the school to watch a movie they were showing. It was called Pan Negro and it was super weird. I didn't understand much, but no one really seemed to. After about an hour of the movie, we decided to leave and go up to the roof of our school. I had never been up there, but it is gorgeous! It has all these trees and plants, lots of tables and chairs, and then a little pool that you can just stick your feet it. It's about the size of a hot tub, but the water only comes up to your knees. So we sat there for about 45 minutes and just talked while we soaked our feet in the cool water. It felt so good!
Then I came back and just hung out and read until dinner. For diner we had a vegetable soul with ham and cheese sandwiches. It was good. After dinner, I met up with Alan, Briana, Jill, and Kristin in the Plaza Nueva. Alan taught us how to play all these different kinds of poker. I'd never played poker and we weren't betting anything, but it was a lot of fun!
Well, hasta mañana!
Today has been a good day!! We woke up and went to class. My grammar class was half way through learning subjunctive, which I haven't learned since ninth grade, so I have a little catching up to do, but that's okay. It will be good for me to push myself.
We returned home for lunch and had lentil soup with some chicken and then these little fried mashed potato balls that were super delicious.
For siesta, I read for a while and then fell asleep. We had a late night last night so I we really tired. Our room is really dark so it's perfect for an afternoon nap.
At 5, we went to the school to watch a movie they were showing. It was called Pan Negro and it was super weird. I didn't understand much, but no one really seemed to. After about an hour of the movie, we decided to leave and go up to the roof of our school. I had never been up there, but it is gorgeous! It has all these trees and plants, lots of tables and chairs, and then a little pool that you can just stick your feet it. It's about the size of a hot tub, but the water only comes up to your knees. So we sat there for about 45 minutes and just talked while we soaked our feet in the cool water. It felt so good!
Then I came back and just hung out and read until dinner. For diner we had a vegetable soul with ham and cheese sandwiches. It was good. After dinner, I met up with Alan, Briana, Jill, and Kristin in the Plaza Nueva. Alan taught us how to play all these different kinds of poker. I'd never played poker and we weren't betting anything, but it was a lot of fun!
Well, hasta mañana!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Mailing Address
This is my mailing address while here in Sevilla for the next 3 and a half weeks!
Jessica Rose
CLIC
c/ Albareda, 19
41001 SEVILLA
ESPAÑA
Jessica Rose
CLIC
c/ Albareda, 19
41001 SEVILLA
ESPAÑA
May 30, 2011
May 30, 2011
Today was a very full day! It's actually a holiday here today so we didn't have school. It was the day of San Fernando. I don't even know exactly what he did, but he was alive sometime around the 1300s (I think) and they still have his body perfectly preserved. Unfortunately, they only display the body once a year, on this day, from 8-11. Liliana thought it would be on display all day, so we went at one, so we missed it. So that was unfortunate. Earlier, though, we had to take a placement test at the school. I was actually really surprised because I got put in a class with a girl in our group that is basically fluent in Spanish, so I'm a little nervous that I won't have a clue what's going on, but I will give it my best effort and move down if absolutely necessary. I was also surprised because Adelay and Briana, who were both placed in the class above me in Salamanca, are now in the class below me. I guess that means I am improving!
So after our test, as I mentioned, we went to the cathedral to see San Fernando's body. But they were having a mass inside and said we would be able to come back at one and see the body. But when we came back, we were actually informed that they no longer had it on display. So we just wandering around and we ran into this girl that said she heard us speaking English so she asked us where we were from. We talked with her for a while and she told us where all the good restaurants and bakeries and heladerias (ice cream places) are! She also told us that she is a certified Zumba instructor in the states, so when she got here, she starred teaching at a gym here. Because the gym is closed for the holiday, she told us that she are her friends were going to do Zumba in the Plaza de España at eight. I have been missing Zumba, so I told her that I would try my hardest to come, at least for a little while. After she left, we all just meandered back to our apartments for lunch.
When we returned to our apartment, the girl from London that is also living in our apartment was here. I forgot her name, but she is really nice! She goes to our same school and has already been here for a month. She also speaks Spanish really well, so that's nice because she can help us to understand words we don't know.
So we had lunch, which was alfredo pasta with chicken and a yummy tomato and green pepper salad. It tasted similar to bruschetta and was really yummy. Mercedes had her sister over and he sister is quite hard to understand! But we did our best!
After lunch, I read for a while and then took a thirty minute nap. At 4, we met up with our group at Real Alcazar, which is a very old palace that the sultans lived in! It was massive and absolutely gorgeous! It had a lot of Arabic influence so it was really colorful and very ornate. The gardens were perhaps the biggest gardens I have ever seen. It was honestly like central park! They also had this labyrinth thing of hedged that you can go through, so Alan and I found a stick and ran through yelling quotes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was hilarous and so fun!
We left the palace around 7 and walked over to Plaza de España. The plaza is huge!!! There is a little river thing where you can rent row boats and they had bike rentals and... surry rentals! I don't know if they are really called surries, but when I went to Montana/Canada with Kenz a few years ago, we rented one in Waterton, so I was so excited to see them here! So we walked around the plaza and took pictures, and then we ran into the girl we had met earlier. She said her friends were on their way with the speakers so we had to stay for a little while! So they showed up and set up the sleakers in the middle of the plaza and started doing Zumba! We danced a couple of songs with them, but everyone was staring at us and taking pictures, so we didn't stay long. It was way fun though! And I can now say that I have done Zumba in the biggest plaza in Sevilla!
After Zumba, we walked home for dinner. On the way, I found myself just thinking of random memories from home and it made me miss my family and my friends so much! But I am still so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be here in Spain. For dinner, Mercedes made us tortilla Española, which I love, and we had a little salad to go with it. It was yummy. She is really easy to talk to and so nice, so I'm very relieved!
At 10:30, we met up with our group again. It's Megan's birthday today so we went and got ice cream and sang happy birthday to her! So now it's almost 12:30 and we start school tomorrow so I must get to bed! Good night!
Today was a very full day! It's actually a holiday here today so we didn't have school. It was the day of San Fernando. I don't even know exactly what he did, but he was alive sometime around the 1300s (I think) and they still have his body perfectly preserved. Unfortunately, they only display the body once a year, on this day, from 8-11. Liliana thought it would be on display all day, so we went at one, so we missed it. So that was unfortunate. Earlier, though, we had to take a placement test at the school. I was actually really surprised because I got put in a class with a girl in our group that is basically fluent in Spanish, so I'm a little nervous that I won't have a clue what's going on, but I will give it my best effort and move down if absolutely necessary. I was also surprised because Adelay and Briana, who were both placed in the class above me in Salamanca, are now in the class below me. I guess that means I am improving!
So after our test, as I mentioned, we went to the cathedral to see San Fernando's body. But they were having a mass inside and said we would be able to come back at one and see the body. But when we came back, we were actually informed that they no longer had it on display. So we just wandering around and we ran into this girl that said she heard us speaking English so she asked us where we were from. We talked with her for a while and she told us where all the good restaurants and bakeries and heladerias (ice cream places) are! She also told us that she is a certified Zumba instructor in the states, so when she got here, she starred teaching at a gym here. Because the gym is closed for the holiday, she told us that she are her friends were going to do Zumba in the Plaza de España at eight. I have been missing Zumba, so I told her that I would try my hardest to come, at least for a little while. After she left, we all just meandered back to our apartments for lunch.
When we returned to our apartment, the girl from London that is also living in our apartment was here. I forgot her name, but she is really nice! She goes to our same school and has already been here for a month. She also speaks Spanish really well, so that's nice because she can help us to understand words we don't know.
So we had lunch, which was alfredo pasta with chicken and a yummy tomato and green pepper salad. It tasted similar to bruschetta and was really yummy. Mercedes had her sister over and he sister is quite hard to understand! But we did our best!
After lunch, I read for a while and then took a thirty minute nap. At 4, we met up with our group at Real Alcazar, which is a very old palace that the sultans lived in! It was massive and absolutely gorgeous! It had a lot of Arabic influence so it was really colorful and very ornate. The gardens were perhaps the biggest gardens I have ever seen. It was honestly like central park! They also had this labyrinth thing of hedged that you can go through, so Alan and I found a stick and ran through yelling quotes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was hilarous and so fun!
We left the palace around 7 and walked over to Plaza de España. The plaza is huge!!! There is a little river thing where you can rent row boats and they had bike rentals and... surry rentals! I don't know if they are really called surries, but when I went to Montana/Canada with Kenz a few years ago, we rented one in Waterton, so I was so excited to see them here! So we walked around the plaza and took pictures, and then we ran into the girl we had met earlier. She said her friends were on their way with the speakers so we had to stay for a little while! So they showed up and set up the sleakers in the middle of the plaza and started doing Zumba! We danced a couple of songs with them, but everyone was staring at us and taking pictures, so we didn't stay long. It was way fun though! And I can now say that I have done Zumba in the biggest plaza in Sevilla!
After Zumba, we walked home for dinner. On the way, I found myself just thinking of random memories from home and it made me miss my family and my friends so much! But I am still so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be here in Spain. For dinner, Mercedes made us tortilla Española, which I love, and we had a little salad to go with it. It was yummy. She is really easy to talk to and so nice, so I'm very relieved!
At 10:30, we met up with our group again. It's Megan's birthday today so we went and got ice cream and sang happy birthday to her! So now it's almost 12:30 and we start school tomorrow so I must get to bed! Good night!
May 29, 2011
May 29, 2011
I made it to Sevilla and wow is it hot! The weather says it will be high eighties all week and it's pretty humid! Woo hoo!
This morning, we woke up early and got all of our stuff in our suitcases and got ready. We ate breakfast and then took pictures with Ana. Ana has been the most wonderful mom while I have been here in Spain. She took just wonderful care of us and wanted us to have the best time possible in Salamanca. We were definitely spoiled. So after we took a few pictures and gave us our keys, we put our luggage in the elevator and we were off to the bus stop!
We loaded all of our things and got on the bus. We drove for a few hours and then stopped in Merida, which is a town that used to be occupied by the Romans in the first century. They had a ton of cool ruins that we got to look at and we went through a museum of things they have found and preserved like statues and tools and stuff. Way cool!
Then we drove for another three hours and arrived in Sevilla around 5:30. This time, we just had to find our place by ourselves. Liliana also warned us that Sevilla is a lot more dangerous than Salamanca and there is a lot more theft here so I will have to be really careful with my things. Anyways, Adelay and I started walking towards our apartment and a woman came up to us and told us that she was Mercedes and that we were staying in her house. The apartment complex that we live in now doesn't have an elevator so we had to lug our huge bags up two flights of stairs. I don't mind taking the stairs, but my bags were soooo heavy!
So anyways, she brought us in and showed us to our room. It has two little twin beds, a small armoire and a desk. That's all. So it's s little small, but I don't mind. Fitting all my stuff into the armoire was an adventure, but I like the room. The apartment itself is very large. Unfortunately, however, we do not have Internet here. I actually found myself getting really homesick. It's hard because at the beginning, the craziness of being in a new country masked the homesickness. But now, that has kinda of worn off and I still have 4 weeks to go! It's just when I'm not doing anything, though, that I get homesick, so I just need to keep myself busy.
At 7, we left to go find the school and walk around Sevilla. The school is only about a 5 minute walk from our house so that's nice. We walked around the plaza and down to the river. Sevilla looks a lot more like what I imagined Spain would be like. It has a lot of Arabic influence, so that is interesting. They also have orange trees growing everywhere! Too bad it's illegal to pick the oranges. While we were across the river, we heard these loud drums playing a pretty steady beat so we went to go see what was going on. There was this procession going on with all of these people playing instruments and then at the front there was a few people holding up this huge decorated thing. I don't even know how to describe it, but it was strange.
We returned home and had dinner of French fries and some breaded chicken. We were able to sit and talk about Mercedes and we found out that her niece lives in Utah! She didn't know where in Utah, but then she said that her niece was a Mormon so she asked if we were Mormon, too! So that was cool! She also complemented us on our Spanish, so that was comforting!
Now, we are exhausted, so we are calling it an early night! Good night!
I made it to Sevilla and wow is it hot! The weather says it will be high eighties all week and it's pretty humid! Woo hoo!
This morning, we woke up early and got all of our stuff in our suitcases and got ready. We ate breakfast and then took pictures with Ana. Ana has been the most wonderful mom while I have been here in Spain. She took just wonderful care of us and wanted us to have the best time possible in Salamanca. We were definitely spoiled. So after we took a few pictures and gave us our keys, we put our luggage in the elevator and we were off to the bus stop!
We loaded all of our things and got on the bus. We drove for a few hours and then stopped in Merida, which is a town that used to be occupied by the Romans in the first century. They had a ton of cool ruins that we got to look at and we went through a museum of things they have found and preserved like statues and tools and stuff. Way cool!
Then we drove for another three hours and arrived in Sevilla around 5:30. This time, we just had to find our place by ourselves. Liliana also warned us that Sevilla is a lot more dangerous than Salamanca and there is a lot more theft here so I will have to be really careful with my things. Anyways, Adelay and I started walking towards our apartment and a woman came up to us and told us that she was Mercedes and that we were staying in her house. The apartment complex that we live in now doesn't have an elevator so we had to lug our huge bags up two flights of stairs. I don't mind taking the stairs, but my bags were soooo heavy!
So anyways, she brought us in and showed us to our room. It has two little twin beds, a small armoire and a desk. That's all. So it's s little small, but I don't mind. Fitting all my stuff into the armoire was an adventure, but I like the room. The apartment itself is very large. Unfortunately, however, we do not have Internet here. I actually found myself getting really homesick. It's hard because at the beginning, the craziness of being in a new country masked the homesickness. But now, that has kinda of worn off and I still have 4 weeks to go! It's just when I'm not doing anything, though, that I get homesick, so I just need to keep myself busy.
At 7, we left to go find the school and walk around Sevilla. The school is only about a 5 minute walk from our house so that's nice. We walked around the plaza and down to the river. Sevilla looks a lot more like what I imagined Spain would be like. It has a lot of Arabic influence, so that is interesting. They also have orange trees growing everywhere! Too bad it's illegal to pick the oranges. While we were across the river, we heard these loud drums playing a pretty steady beat so we went to go see what was going on. There was this procession going on with all of these people playing instruments and then at the front there was a few people holding up this huge decorated thing. I don't even know how to describe it, but it was strange.
We returned home and had dinner of French fries and some breaded chicken. We were able to sit and talk about Mercedes and we found out that her niece lives in Utah! She didn't know where in Utah, but then she said that her niece was a Mormon so she asked if we were Mormon, too! So that was cool! She also complemented us on our Spanish, so that was comforting!
Now, we are exhausted, so we are calling it an early night! Good night!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
May 28, 2011
May 28, 2011
Today was a very busy day! I forgot to set my alarm last night because I was so tired, but because I have been waking up pretty close to the same time everyday for the past 4 weeks, I just woke up at 8:30! So I got up and got ready and met Alan to do some shopping at 10. We went to a few stores and I got a few things that I needed.
At 11, we met up with the group and went to this rock thing. The were cutting stone and sculpting it and stuff. It was cool, but I burned out pretty quick.
We got back and walked back home for lunch. We had my favorite salad so I was very happy! Then we had to pack. All I can say is it's a good thing my family is coming out and can put some of my stuff in their bags to fly home. I think it's safe to say that I overpacked. I have been here for 30 days and I have only worn one outfit twice and I think I probably have another 10 outfits I could wear for the first time. Maybe a few too many clothes :)
At 3, we met up and just wandered around Salamanca. We went and saw a few things that we hadn't seen yet and went to a couple of shops. Then we went to get ice cream at our favorite place for the last time. The place is called Don Mavr and I wish I could explain how wonderful their ice cream is. It is honestly the best ice cream I have ever had. I got different flsvors every time I went and they were all delicious!
Then, we wandered around for a little bit longer. At 7:30, we went to get dinner at a Chinese restaurant. It was really yummy! After we finished eating, we went over to Briana and Kelsey's to watch the FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United soccer game. It was way good! I love watching soccer! This game determined the European champion so it was a big deal! We also played scum, which was also way fun. Then we had to say goodbye to Kelsey, Devin, and Andrew, who fly back to Utah tomorrow.
While I was walking home, there were still a ton of cars driving around just laying on their horns and yelling and screaming and holding FC Barcelona flags and scarves out the window! It was crazy! It's fun that I got to be in Spain for it though!
Now, I need to go to bed! It's late and I have to get up at 5:15 tomorrow because we leave for Sevilla at 7 AM! So it may be a while before I post again depending on if my home has Internet. Good night!
Today was a very busy day! I forgot to set my alarm last night because I was so tired, but because I have been waking up pretty close to the same time everyday for the past 4 weeks, I just woke up at 8:30! So I got up and got ready and met Alan to do some shopping at 10. We went to a few stores and I got a few things that I needed.
At 11, we met up with the group and went to this rock thing. The were cutting stone and sculpting it and stuff. It was cool, but I burned out pretty quick.
We got back and walked back home for lunch. We had my favorite salad so I was very happy! Then we had to pack. All I can say is it's a good thing my family is coming out and can put some of my stuff in their bags to fly home. I think it's safe to say that I overpacked. I have been here for 30 days and I have only worn one outfit twice and I think I probably have another 10 outfits I could wear for the first time. Maybe a few too many clothes :)
At 3, we met up and just wandered around Salamanca. We went and saw a few things that we hadn't seen yet and went to a couple of shops. Then we went to get ice cream at our favorite place for the last time. The place is called Don Mavr and I wish I could explain how wonderful their ice cream is. It is honestly the best ice cream I have ever had. I got different flsvors every time I went and they were all delicious!
Then, we wandered around for a little bit longer. At 7:30, we went to get dinner at a Chinese restaurant. It was really yummy! After we finished eating, we went over to Briana and Kelsey's to watch the FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United soccer game. It was way good! I love watching soccer! This game determined the European champion so it was a big deal! We also played scum, which was also way fun. Then we had to say goodbye to Kelsey, Devin, and Andrew, who fly back to Utah tomorrow.
While I was walking home, there were still a ton of cars driving around just laying on their horns and yelling and screaming and holding FC Barcelona flags and scarves out the window! It was crazy! It's fun that I got to be in Spain for it though!
Now, I need to go to bed! It's late and I have to get up at 5:15 tomorrow because we leave for Sevilla at 7 AM! So it may be a while before I post again depending on if my home has Internet. Good night!
May 27, 2011
May 27, 2011
Today was great! I got my grade for my exam and I did alright. I got Notable, which is above average, so I'm satisfied. I took a picture of my class and I got a picture of me with 2 people from my class. I love the custom here of kissing on the cheek! At the end of my classes today, my professors both said "Buen viaje! Un beso!" Which means, "Have a good trip. A kiss!" So then you do the 1 kiss on each cheek! It's wonderful! Ha ha I'm adopting it when I get home, so watch out!
After class, we went home and had lunch and siesta. I read and texted my mom during siesta. I'm missing out on going to the cabin this weekend with the whole family, but I just keep reminding myself that I'm in Spain :)
At 5, we met up and had a YouTube party at the school ha ha we watched some of our favorite YouTube videos, so that was fun. Then we went and got chocolate con churros at Valor, which is the most amazing place! So yummy!
Then I went and got a few more gifts, then came home for dinner.
At 9:45, we left again to go to El Cielo de Salamanca at the Plaza de Torros. It was a bunch of people reading random poems in Spanish as some artists painted. Kinda strange.
Afterwards, we went to the plaza and got some ice cream and just sat in the middle of the plaza just talking for a while. We talked about some really cool stuff and time flew by! When I looked up at the clock tower, it was 1 AM!! So we came home and now I need to sleep!
Oh but I wanted to mention really quick that here, instead of boys whistling at you, they make kissing sounds! Ha ha so when we walk down the street, random men, young and old, roll down their windows and make kissing sounds as they drive by! It makes me laugh every time!
Today was great! I got my grade for my exam and I did alright. I got Notable, which is above average, so I'm satisfied. I took a picture of my class and I got a picture of me with 2 people from my class. I love the custom here of kissing on the cheek! At the end of my classes today, my professors both said "Buen viaje! Un beso!" Which means, "Have a good trip. A kiss!" So then you do the 1 kiss on each cheek! It's wonderful! Ha ha I'm adopting it when I get home, so watch out!
After class, we went home and had lunch and siesta. I read and texted my mom during siesta. I'm missing out on going to the cabin this weekend with the whole family, but I just keep reminding myself that I'm in Spain :)
At 5, we met up and had a YouTube party at the school ha ha we watched some of our favorite YouTube videos, so that was fun. Then we went and got chocolate con churros at Valor, which is the most amazing place! So yummy!
Then I went and got a few more gifts, then came home for dinner.
At 9:45, we left again to go to El Cielo de Salamanca at the Plaza de Torros. It was a bunch of people reading random poems in Spanish as some artists painted. Kinda strange.
Afterwards, we went to the plaza and got some ice cream and just sat in the middle of the plaza just talking for a while. We talked about some really cool stuff and time flew by! When I looked up at the clock tower, it was 1 AM!! So we came home and now I need to sleep!
Oh but I wanted to mention really quick that here, instead of boys whistling at you, they make kissing sounds! Ha ha so when we walk down the street, random men, young and old, roll down their windows and make kissing sounds as they drive by! It makes me laugh every time!
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