Time Flys!

Hola!

     Sorry friends and family, I missed a week of blogging! I was so busy I didn't get time! But, finally.... 

     I'm sitting at my desk, listening to my host mom snore from across the house (better yet, a sound that is a cross between a really loud phone vibration on a table and a dying animal gasping for its last breath), and wonder how to recount my last 2 weeks. I think the first exciting adventure I had since my trip to Segovia and Avila was that I made some new friends! I came across a flyer at school that had a weeks worth of activities going on at a bar called Savor. They have concerts, free dancing lessons, open mic nights, poetry readings, etc... It happened to be  last Tuesday, January 17, and there was going to be a concert with a band that played alternative rock. The flyer said the band played cover songs from 30 Seconds to Mars, Nirvana, and Evanescence, so obviously I was interested! The concert started at 10:30pm. Hanna and I decided we would go check it out. Being the punctual people that we are, we showed up right on time! To our surprise, there was absolutely no one else in the bar except the bartender. We kind of stopped, made eye contact, both thinking, "Uhh is this place open, I thought the flyer said 10:30, awkward..."  We made the decision to stay, which turned out to be a great idea! We ordered a jarra (pitcher-but smaller than a pitcher you might imagine) of cerveza (beer) and sat at table not to close, but not to far,  from the stage. Finally, around 11:15 the band came on, which ended up being one guy with an acoustic guitar and a bass player. I think he was just as surprised as we were to see no one else at the bar, but I guess it was a Tuesday night... He was really good! His English was easy to understand and he sang songs that I liked! And he also sang songs that he had written, in Spanish, and they were also very lovely! They played for about 45 minutes and then it was done. It was a little strange being the only two people in the audience, it was kind of like he was singing just to us!

     After the music stopped, we were greeted by the owner of the bar who was very friendly and asked us a bunch of questions about why we were in Salamanca, how long we would be there, where we are from, and told us about the events they have at the bar and told us that he would love for us to come back! It always makes me feel special and it really makes a bar more than just a place to go drink when the owner shows an interest in getting to know his customers! Then, the singer approached our table and asked us if we liked the songs and where we were from and then invited us to sit with him and his two friends, not sure if it was out of pity since there was no one there, or if they actually wanted us to sit with them -lol- But, it turned out to be great! They spoke a lil English so we could communicate better with them in Spanish and use English when we got confused! Lol They were all really helpful, Daniel (the singer), Humberto (bass player), and Luis (the friend). The night continued with some sangria and lots of conversation. The night was great and it was just what I needed! I had been wanting to make some Spanish speaking friends, because it is the only way that I will be able to better my Spanish speaking skills! And now, since the Tuesday Night Adventure with Hanna, I have some friends that like to meet and converse! And they don't mind re-explaining to me or correcting my bad Spanish. The other huge benefit is that, even after only a few times of hanging around them, my Spanish has improved, I am getting less nervous to talk, and I am starting to pick up the Spain-Spanish accent :) YAY!
     In these past two weeks I also had the opportunity to visit two museums in Salamanca. One was El Museo de Salamanca: Bellas Artes, Arqueologia, y Etnologia, which is a museum full of art and artifacts from the Salamanca area. It is full of history that relates directly to Salamanca. There was beautiful paintings, sculptures, and preserved/restored statues dating as far back as the 12th century! I went with my school, so we had a guide and she told us some stories behind the most important works of art in the museum! I learned so much and became extremely intrigued with Salamancian history and art! Luckily I got to take some pictures :) I am always amazed by the technique of the artist. I love being so close to a painting that you can see the brush strokes, the patterns, the color changes, and every fine detail that you can't see in Google Images or a textbook!

 This one is so big it covers a whole wall!

 This is Miguel Unamuno, a very important Spanish author who taught at the University of Salamanca. He is a big part of Salamanca!

  The second  museum was Domus Artium 2 (DA 2), which is a museum of contemporary and modern art. I went once with my school and then returned a second time last Saturday (January 21) with Hanna. There has been a big change in Spanish art and, it seems to me, in art all over the world, from classic, traditional art such as paintings, portraits, life-like sculptures, and other realistic pieces of art, to more contemporary, modern and abstract art. Artists are trying to break away from reality and explore life from another angle! They have done this in the past, like Dali with Surrealism and Picasso with Cubism, and also in film, photography, sculpture, music, etc. DA 2 was full of abstract, modern art! Being that it was a contemporary art museum it is absolutely free to enter! I will be returning because they change their expositions frequently. One really intriguing piece of information about DA 2 is that it used to be a prison! They have changed prison cells into art rooms! It is an amazing museum to see and the works of art invoke feelings that you wouldn't usually feel when looking at a regular portrait or landscape. The museum sparked a fire in my brain and got me thinking from a different perspective! I absolutely loved it :) I am inspired by all the art I have seen and the fire that has started will only get bigger! I took so many pictures in DA 2 because it was all so enchanting, however, I will share with you my favorites!

 The White House

This one reminded me of a picture of my grandpa Dave.

 One of the artist's many palettes. 

 I can't explain why this painting is so intriguing to me but I love it. It's like a puzzle...a kind of critique. 

        I really should've blogged sooner! There is just so much too tell and I don't want to make everyone read their eyes off (instead of talking your ears off, since I am typing-ya know?) !!! However, I had a great weekend last weekend, January 20-22. I remained in Salamanca and Hanna and I did the Spanish thing all day Saturday lol. We woke up and went to a Churreria next to my apartment building that is know for having the best churros con chocolate in town. We indulged in delicious churros and hot, thick, creamy chocolate for breakfast-the most important meal of the day! Then we went to DA 2, which I mentioned above! And after that we had some lunch and took the afternoon to rest, as is custom in Spain! Saturday night was when all the fun started! Hanna and I wanted to go to another museum, but sadly it was closed :( But our luck turned around because we found La RANA (the frog) on the wall of the University of Salamanca. There is a skull on the wall with a frog on its head and whoever finds it is said to have good luck in their studies and in life :) YAY! This rana is difficult to find because there are only so many skulls in this wall of insane detail! Since having found it, though, I can see every time I pass by the wall :) 

 You should feel lucky that I am even sharing a picture! -lol-

        The night continued to get better because we went to meet friends for tapas! We went to a zone in Salamanca known for having the best tapas and best prices, Calle Van Dyck. We met Daniel, Humberto, and Greg, a new guy that had just moved into the residence that Hanna lives in. We wandered a while up and down Calle Van Dyck because there was so many people in the bars that there wasn't a single one with a table and we wanted to sit down! After probably 30 minutes or so we found a nice bar to sit at and order some Spanish Tapas. We ordered Patatas Bravas, which are potatoes with a sauce over them and are very popular here, Calamari, which is different from the calamari I have had in the U.S. but so much better, and Croquetas, which are like little fried balls of a cheesy, potato-y, and a meat mixture, these ones were shrimp. We complimented our tapas with cerveza and vino! They were really yummy! And sharing was perfect! It was about midnight when we finished with tapas and headed out to have a drink at a bar closer to the plaza. Saturday's in Salamanca are loco! There are so many people and bars are packed! Nothing like Billings (and especially not Havre) that's for sure! My first sense of culture shock was this night because there were so many people out that it was mind boggling for a minute! I loved it, everyone is so festive! Great first Saturday night out in Salamanca!

 Hanna and I!

 Humberto, Hanna, Greg, and I.

     Those are the big adventures from the past two weeks! Other than that I have just been going to school, which I still love and have been learning more and more everyday! I have been eating at the restaurant and trying all sorts of typical Spanish food. I love Paella and Tortilla Espanola! Hanna and I also went out for tapas this Thursday and we tried Murcilla, which is made of pig or cow blood mixed with other stuff and it kind of looks like a sausage but has a softer texture. Yes, yes I said blood! I know, right? Sounds somewhat...uhhh gross? But...it was so good! And it was so cheap to get like one slice at a place called Cafe Max/House of Murcilla! We had murcilla and patatas bravas! So great! I like Spanish food, which is great, since I am in Spain for 3 more months!! 

     I am having the time of my life living and studying in Spain! I love it here, I love the culture and the way of life. This Friday and Saturday (January 27, 28) Hanna and I went to Segovia, her for the first time and me for the second! I will be writing about our trip in a different entry later in the week and from here on out I will keep on track! I am studying a lot, practicing with my new friends, and learning so much! I learned almost all of the Spanish cuss words thanks to Daniel and Humberto -lol- So helpful, right?? 

     Missing everyone tons! Besos (kisses) from Spain!!!

<3 Tana 

Mi Primera Semana y Primer Viaje! (My first week and first trip)

Hola Amigos y familia,

    It has been a week since I have posted and so much has gone on! First news, school! I love my school :) Everyone is so nice, caring, and helpful. I couldn't have asked for a better situation! My professors, Juan, Javi, and Carola are super smart, helpful, and fun! I have two hours of Grammar/composition everyday, 2 hours of a Cinema class every week, 3 hours of Spanish Literature every week, and 1 hour of Conversation everyday! I have already learned so much my first week here that there is no doubt in my mind that my Spanish will improve! My school is only about a 4 minute walk from my house, so for all the people who know I'm horrible at being on time, don't worry here because I can leave at the very last minute and be right on time! Its wonderful :) LOL I got placed in the upper level at the school and there are 4 other students in my class with me. One girl, Lei, is from China and has been in Spain for a year studying already. She is very nice, helpful, and smart! The other three students are from Brazil and they are in high school. They came with a group to study Spanish and they are only here for a month. I have had some frustrations in class because compared to everyone else I am behind on my conversation/speaking abilities. Brazilians speak Portuguese, which is very similar to Spanish, so it is a breeze for them with the vocabulary and speaking, and Lei has been here for a year! But, I realized, being a girl from Northern Montana, I don't have much experience with Spanish speaking people, and that's why I am here, to improve and learn! I love school :)
       Second news, I have made a friend from Korea, her name is Hanna. I first have to explain to you about my living/eating situation for you to understand how I came about meeting her. I live in an apartment building with my host mom, Cristina and her aunt, Maduja. But, I do not eat lunch and dinner at my house. Cristina owns a residence, like an apartment building, and a restaurant. People that rent from her at the residence also pay for included meals. The meals are eaten at the restaurant that Cristina owns, called Dominus. Being that my meals are already paid for, I go eat at this restaurant, also. It is a 10 minute walk from my apartment building, but for people at the residence it is just around the corner. The restaurant, Dominus, is where I met my friend Hanna, from Korea! -lol- She is super nice and we have a lot in common! She is studying at the University of Salamanca for a month and then goes to Madrid, I see some weekend trips to Madrid in my future! She speaks English! So we speak English and practice Spanish together also! I am very glad I met her :) We have been doing things around town together, like exploring Salamanca, trying restaurants, like a Vegetarian one we went to that was superb, trying churros con chocolate, which are the best invention ever, we tried them at one place called Valor, it is a Chocolateria, and it was to die for! We plan on sampling other Chocolateria's around town! We went out to a bar on Tuesday night with Hanna's friend Amanda from Brazil. Salamanca has a lot of foreign students that come to study, so we met a lot of people from other countries. A bar called the Irish Rover was having a welcome party so we checked that out and it was crowded, but fun! There is so much to do here! I live on Calle Zamora, which is about 5 minutes away from the Plaza Mayor, which is where everyone goes to meet, have lunch, etc. My street is always busy with people because it has a lot of shops, also. I have been placed at the heart of Salamanca!
    Third news, I went on a trip on Saturday! It was with my school, it is apart of the fee I paid to come study here :) I went with another Brazilian group that is at our school, different from the group from high school, they are studying law! It was the Brazilian group, Lei, and I. We met at the bus at 7:45am and headed to Segovia! We first went to a palace called, La Granja, it is a palace near Segovia where the kings and queens and royal families would live. It is huge! We didn't go inside the Royal Palace because it was about 15Euro to enter, so instead we went and walked around the garden, which was free. Now, when I say garden you are probably thinking, oh cute a little garden by the palace...WRONG! The garden is huge! It has its own roads, its own lake, and many fountains! We probably walked around for an hour and a half and didn't even see half? It was beautiful and I wish to return in the summer when the trees have their leaves back! Walking around the palace garden made me think of how it would have been to be a princess or a part of the royal family back in history!  There would definitely be a lot of room to play as a child! Many luxuries :) But, I know they had their hardships, too. Seeing places like this makes me want to learn even more about the amazing and indepth history of Spain!

In front of the fountain

 With the palace in the background

 road sign!

 The lake :)

      After La Granja, we headed to Segovia! I fell in LOVE with Segovia the minute we entered the city. It is serene and precious. In Segovia they have the Roman Aqueduct, which was built more than 20 centuries ago. It is a marvelous site! I have been interested in the Aqueduct ever since I learned about it in my Spanish Civilization class at MSU-Billings with Dr. Robinson. I was amazed that people so long ago could build something that withheld time and years of conflict. When I saw it yesterday, in that very first moment, my heart stopped and I lost my breath. It was beautiful and truly something that can't be compared to anything else. It was, by far, the best part of the trip. I just wanted to stay and hang out with the Aqueduct and have it be my best friend -lol-! It is my favorite thing I have seen in Spain. Segovia is a wonderful city and I plan to take a trip there again, soon. 

   

 Yeppp, that tiny person is me!

      After the Aqueduct, we headed to the Plaza of Segovia and saw the outside of the Cathedral there which was beautiful. We decided not to go inside because we wanted more time at The Alcazar, which is a castle in Segovia! Lei and I ran into a Spanish man and he gave us a local account of the castle. He told us that Walt Disney used it as his inspiration for Sleeping Beauty! How cool!!! It is very pretty and I went inside of the castle to look at the rooms and see how royal families lived. It definitely gave me an eerie feeling walking through such an old place, knowing the royal Spaniards used to walk in those same spots, eat dinner in the same room I was standing in, sit in their thrones, hold meetings, sleep, and pray. It is a wonderful feeling and made me feel like I was living, doing history! I luckily had my video camera and videoed the whole excursion I took inside of the castle. My favorite room was the throne room and the room where they must have prayed. Their were many paintings on the walls, knights armor, statues, rugs, desks, etc. I can't describe the feeling I experienced but it was like I was walking in a royal's footsteps. I saw where they used to write, even where they slept! It was an unforgettable experience! Segovia became my new love. I told Brian (my boyfriend) that I had fallen in love with someone else and he was going to have some competition. If he wants to compete he will just have to take me back, many times, to the city I have fallen in love with! :) 

 El Alcazar

 La Plaza en Segovia

 La Catedral

       After Segovia, we headed to Avila, which is famous for its walls! Why, you wonder, might a city have walls it's famous for??? I shall share :) The old part of the city is completely walled! These walls were built to protect the citizens from their enemies. The walls are about 40 feet tall, 10 feet thick, and they cover a perimeter of about 6 kilometers. That's pretty incredible if you ask me. We arrived to Avila right when it was about to get dark, and as we departed we were able to see the walls lit up in the night! It was magical. The city has since grown and there are people living outside the walls! Inside there are shops, apartments, and a cathedral! We didn't get to enter the cathedral but it was very beautiful! I also learned about Avila in my Civ class with Dr. Robinson and have been wanting to see them! I am so glad I did! I tried some chocolate while inside the walls that is called Chocolate de la Piedra, chocolate of the stone, it is hard when you first bite it, but when you do....it breaks apart like sand in your mouth! It tastes sweet and is full of flavor. It is very, very delicious! I love chocolate! And I had a magnificent trip! 

 The Cathedral

 The walls!!!

  My first week has been amazing! I am getting to know the city of Salamanca better every day, I am starting to get into a routine, and my Spanish gets better everyday!!! I miss my friends and family, but this is the best experience I could have ever wished for! It only gets better from here! Until next time :)

Tana <3