It has been quite a while since I have posted, but don't fear...it was just because I was so busy having fun and experiencing so much! Today is Sunday and I finally had some down time to sit and write a great blog post to share with everyone :) I woke up a little late today and my plan to get so much done was interrupted by a strike going on outside my apartment building! Spain is a crisis right now, along with many parts of Europe. The president just announced he was going to cut some jobs in order to save the government money so that they could build the economy back up. I don't know a lot a lot about it but I know the basic, surface problems. But, as you can imagine this has made a lot of people angry...especially those losing their jobs or that have been without jobs for some time. The strike was big, I watched it from my balcony at the very top of our apartment building :) -lol- My host mom, Cristina, told me it is the biggest strike she has seen in her whole life in Salamanca. The people were walking from the Plaza Mayor, up Calle Zamora, and kept going. They were chanting into microphones, singing, yelling, and carrying banners with many different sayings. I was sitting in my room about to start my blog post and I heard yelling and music, thinking it might have something to do with Carnaval that was this weekend, like a parade or something, so I went outside, and there it was, a big manifestation of angered, fed up, Spanish citizens, unemployed people, and people hopeful for something more, a change that will make life better, not make it worse. But I had read on a Spanish news site that President Rajoy said things are going to get worse before they get better. I'm not an expert on politics, the economy, or anything having to do with it, but seems to me there should be some solutions that don't leave people poor, jobless, and in misery.
This one says "Capitalism is the Problem"
The one in front says, "They are robbing us. Defend your rights."
"They are robbing us, defend your rights." -same sign just closer.
Aside from my morning of Spanish protest, I have had some exciting things happen in the past two weeks. I have learned a lot more at school, found new interests-things like new forming obsessions with Spanish authors, songs, history-stronger than before. Spanish poetry, I love it. The 80's in Spain are a definite new interest-after 40 some years living under the dictatorship of Franco, people were liberated and definitely took advantage! It is very interesting and somewhat comparable to the 60's and 70's in the U.S. I have a lot that I want to study :) Being the nerd I am...I will be buying more books and cannon balling into them!
I went out with some friends a couple of nights these past two weeks and have been meeting more people! Slowly but surely :) Spanish nights are pretty intense and people definitely like to party...too much for this 22 year old girl from small town Montana <3 I do have fun, but I don't think its gonna become a habit -lol- I want to concentrate on my Spanish and improving my language and learning/taking in as much as is humanly possible!
On a more serious note, I have been missing everyone a lot. I knew I would miss people, I just didn't know how different this experience would be. I have noticed that I am much more proud of the U.S. now that I have left it. I don't like it when people say something bad about my country because I would never say anything bad about anyone else's! And I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a free country where I can express myself freely. I also miss Montana, a lot. So, don't think I am over here not thinking about where I came from, the family that has helped shape who I am, and my awesome friends. I miss everyone so much. I even miss my little blue car and all the good times we have had together :) (Dad you better be taking extra special care of it for me-just saying!) Despite missing everyone, I think I am very lucky to have the best host family ever. Cristina and Maruja take the absolute best care of me! I couldn't ask for a better situation- I love them! I also think I am at the best school here because it is full of the best people I could have met in Spain. They are always willing to help me with anything, make me more comfortable and teach me interesting things! I love Spain, it is absolute breathtaking and I love the way of life here. I am enjoying every second of this and I think I have been put in the best Study Abroad option I could have ever asked for. I would never trade this experience for anything else in the world - I just miss everyone back home too :)
Ok, let's talk excitement! The two most important things of my past two weeks happened on both Saturdays. First, last Saturday. I took an adventure around Salamanca. It had been a rough week getting used to Hanna being gone and I was still fighting my sickness. I spent time sleeping, studying, and I went out a couple times. Saturday came and I was ready to go out and explore by myself. I decided I wanted to go see the river that runs through Salamanca, Rio Tormes. I also wanted to see the bridges, there is an old Roman Bridge that is spectacular. And my destination after my exploring of Salamanca? El Centro Commercial Tormes...which just so happens to be a mall :) -lol- I could have easily walked out my apartament, went to blocks, and gone shopping at the same stores that the mall had, but I wanted to see the mall! And I wanted to shop inside haha, so particular! I wanted to take advantages of Rebajas-which are the sales that have been going on since the beginning of January-before they end! So, camera around my wrist, map in hand, and curiosity in my heart, I headed out the apartment building towards the river :) I saw a new side of Salamanca I had yet to see! I fell in love. Salamanca has so much history! And once I reached the river I saw more beauty that Salamanca holds. Miguel Unamuno (Spanish author, lived in Salamanca, was the chancellor of the university, very well known) definitely knows the best way to describe the perfection of Salamanca in his poem about the city :) There is a walking/running/biking trail next to the river which is awesome-so I definitely know where I will be going to run! I took a lot of pictures, which I will share in a moment. I got to the mall after about an hour of leisurely walking around taking in everything slowly. At the mall I shopped :) Bought some cute dresses I am anxiously waiting to wear! Then when I left the mall it was about 7:30 (I started the journey at about 4:15). I had a plan mapped out to just walk towards the restaurant so I could eat dinner, which I did make it there, but the way I thought I was going turned out to be completely the wrong way. I am not the best map reader-but I am getting better! haha But, getting a little disoriented turned out to be okay. I ended up right by the Cathedral so, I just headed down the road to go towards the restaurant. On my way I ran into a religious procession. There was a statue of Jesus that men were carrying, priests, bishops, people holding candles, and a band. The sign said Salamanca together with Semana Santa, which is Easter week, so it had to do with that, still not completely sure why it was happening that day, but it was a very interesting, great thing to see! So my adventure led me to running into more things that I had really wanted to see! It made me not worry so much about being alone and it gave me motivation to go explore more!
I have started to become a great photographer taking advantage of great moments to capture-a couple overlooking the river.
running trail!
MALL!
Roman Bridge
Snappin pics like a professional :) haha
use of my timer on my camera!
La Casa Lis
Casa de Las Conchas
The Beginning of the procession
This week consisted off studying and resting as well. I can't seem to shake the cold, it just keeps coming back! Today I woke up again with a sore throat and a cough from hell, but oh well. I found medicine that i can take that works well-Frenadol, in case your ever in Spain! We had a couple of excursions with the school during the week. We visited the Casa Museo de Miguel Unamuno, who I mentioned above. He lived in a house right next to the University, which makes sense since he was chancellor and had to go to work there! The house was very interesting. So many photos to look at, we say his library, where he worked, and his bedroom! He had a cool desk thing that he would use to work with in bed! I want one! He had a lot of friends that were also authors and he had a book of Antonio Machado that was signed by him! It was all really cool to see considering we are studying him right now in our Literature class! The other thing we did was go and see our grammar professor, Juan's, art gallery! It is a smaller art gallery and was full of really creative interesting art! There is an artist that does portraits of not so common people and she had a picture of a guy that lives in this boat. The boat no longer works, but the guy lives there to maintain the boat-or something along those lines. It was a marvelous photo! Genius :) I can't wait to see the artist's other photos! It is a great experience seeing the work professors do outside of the classroom!
Despite all of these wonderful experiences, I think the one I had yesterday is the most interesting and one of the greatest I have been able to have! This weekend was the weekend of Carnaval, therefore there were many festivals going on! I went to Ciudad Rodrigo, which is about an hour west-ish from Salamanca. I took a bus and Greg came with me. There were a lot of people going to Ciudad Rodrigo! We left at about 10am and when we arrived there we sat in the bull arena for a bit and had our bocadillos! This weekend is full of activity in C.R. (ciudad rodrigo), they have been partying/celebrating since Friday. Saturday is particularly special because it is the day they have the running of the bulls and the bull fight! After we filled our hungry tummies we headed to the street where the bulls run. The whole street was lined with fences that protect the people watching from the bulls and also so the bulls follow the road! We were walking down the road checking it all out and ran into Florian, the guy that lives in the residence and eats at the restaurant with me almost everyday. He was with some friends from his school and they were telling us how they were going to run and asked if we wanted to and I had already been thinking about how I did want to! Despite what Maria at school had told me, that it was dangerous, but the way I saw it, even though it was a bull fight in a little town, I probably wouldn't get the chance to run with the bulls in a Spanish town again any time soon! So I was like heck yeah! Let's do this :) So I joined them and we situated ourselves at the entrance of the tunnel which was a straight shot into the Plaza, which was the end of the run. The bulls would have been running for at least the length of 3 football field or so before getting to us. We wanted to run into the Plaza, so we had the perfect place and wouldn't have to run too far to safety! We waited by the tunnel until everyone around us started running, so that obviously meant bulls were coming, so we started running! It was such an adrenaline rush! I didn't know how close they were, we stopped mid-way through to look back and see if they were close or not, and then people started freaking out and yelling so we continued running....and we entered into the plaza and had to run to one of the fences, climb/jump, at get into the stands. When we did this...we looked behind and found out the bulls were only about 5 yards behind us! It was a wonderful experience! I'm so glad I did it :) We got to be in the stands and watch the other bulls run in and more people. The first bulls were white and brown and they apparently are the leaders of the big black bulls that came in next! Then the arena was full of guys that were taunting the bulls and one guy got hooked by a bull! It looked painful, but fortunately he got up and to safety! It was AWESOME (me running with the bulls). You can see a video that the girl, Abbi, took while we were running at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP0j30jBxsI on youtube!!
The next exciting part of the day was La Corrida, which is the bullfight. I would have to say I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand it is a very beautiful tradition, the act as a whole. I say beautiful because watching the bullfighters (matadores) is like watching a dance. They have special moves, special stances, and they can read the bull so well. It is somewhat magical how they can go up against such a fierce animal and at moments make it calm. However, on the other hand, the killing part is quite morbid and sad. It isn't a quick death and the bull undergoes many stabs, first from a guy on a horse, then on the two guys on the ground, and then after the matador wears the bull down, he takes the final plunge. But, if the matador doesn't kill the bull right away, he has to do it again, either with his sword that they pulled back out of the bull or with another sword that has like a little poker on the end. It is really morbid. The bull didn't do anything to ask for this! And I know in the circle of life everyone dies, but does it have to be such a prolonged painful death? I think I came to the conclusion that they should do bullfights but not kill the bull...but I don't know how much against the tradition that would be? Killing the bull is a big part of it. So I have mixed emotions, but all in all I am thankful I got to see one in my lifetime...will I see another? I don't know, hard to say, if the situation did arise, if I would go? I think part of me would, because its not all about the bullfight but the surrounding experiences also. It was a great experience. The day was very and the sun was shining so it was nice out too! By the end of it all I was so sleepy and ready to get on the bus to head back to Salamanca!
If you look all the way back by the door/gate and straight up from the guy in a black shirt and white pants you can see Florian and I am right next to him! This is where we climbed up after running!
This was right after we had climbed up and realized how close the bulls were!
they don't look too big?? or mean??
and the survivors!
this is where we started running and the pictures above are the road we went on until the arena!
The past two weeks have been great. There have been ups and downs in my emotions, but considering the velocity at which my thoughts can change and the amount of thoughts I have going through my mind all at one time, I feel as if ups and downs are normal. I have nothing but positive thoughts about the time ahead! Nothing but great times and good experiences! I'm obviously missing all my friends and family, but staying positive and busy and nobody can silence my music in my soul...no matter how hard they try :) Until next time!!!
<3 Tana
This is my lovely bathroom :)
The kitchen which is right outside my room.
The living room!
The hallway full of paintings!
the entrance :)
The elevators and the lobby of the apartment building.
The entrance to the apartment building from the inside.
The entrance from the outside!
Calle Zamora looking down
Calle Zamora looking up
and the partment complex..if you look super close up top there are flowers and they are coming from the balcony of our apartment!
this is the round church on the corner of the Calle Zamora
this is the round about and fountain at the end of Calle Zamora
Another view looking down Calle Zamora from the tip top.
The street my school is on.
the street looking from the other side, the way i walk every morning to school!
Letra Hispanica! The best language learning school!
Looking from Letra in the other direction.
A lovely little tavern that has typical food from Galicia, in Northern Spain
