Barcelona

My Barcelona trek started with an overnight bus ride.  Unfortunately, there is not a low-cost airline flying from Alicante to Barcelona; thus, my options were the bus or the train.  I’ve had a lot of experience with buses lately and the times just worked a little better so the bus it was.  I was specifically looking forward to this weekend adventure because I was meeting my middle and high-school friend, Donna, who spent this semester studying in France and Switzerland.  Luckily, my bus took me straight into the center of the city very close to the Arc de Triomf where I was able to spot Donna.  It was so good to see her!  We had so much to catch up on after both being abroad for a semester. She was also traveling with a couple of friends she made from her program so we had a good tour group. 

As I only had two days in the city, we started with the important sites right away.  The first was Gaudí’s unfinished legacy, La Sagrada Familia.  It was breathtaking.  We could have spent hours just looking at the outside because of all the small details in the sculptures that adorned the façade of the church.  It was interesting to see a cathedral so modern in style.  My travels throughout Europe have taken me to a few churches, and there has not been one that has been quite as unique as this.  After, we went to the next famous Gaudí attraction Park Güell.  The walk was a little further than expected from the metro stop but well worth it.  What was cool about the park was that everything was art: the benches were mosaic, the stairs decorated with statues, even the paths were thought of.  We had a picnic lunch of some fruit we bought at a small frutería. 

After a long day of walking and touring the lively streets of Barcelona, we decided to take it easy and watch a Flamenco show in a square that was close to Las Ramblas which is the center of action in Barcelona with many stores and restaurants.  The show was excellent with a very moving vocalist that sang with so much emotion in her voice.  We went for paella afterwards: I couldn't let Donna and her friends come to Spain and not get the whole experience, right?

The next morning, we started early (after a little pit stop for churros and chocolate).  We toured the ‘gothic’ area around my hostel.  We next decided to take the metro to the water front where there were vendors right on the marina.  The weather was perfect for outdoor shopping!  Then, we went to the Picasso museum that houses most of his life’s work.  We specifically saved this activity for the afternoon because admission is free after three.  Well, as I have learned in Madrid, free entrance means long lines, but definitely worth it to save the money and still be able to see paintings you’ve seen referenced your entire life. Turns out, there was some really good shopping in that area, too.  Also, it put me over in the area where I needed to be to catch my bus back to Murcia.  It was certainly a whirlwind tour of one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to, but long enough to make a lasting impression: I can definitely say it’s one of my favorites. 

Pictures, pictures: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1718157999397.2079194.1401660433

Baile

A cool Bando de la huerta dance, and muchos pictures here:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1701966754626.2078216.1401660433

Fiestas de primavera

I was welcomed back to Spain with two weeks of celebration. “Semana santa”, or Holy Week, is cause for a bit of commotion in Murcia. On Good Friday, as I was walking home from the bus station, I was trapped on a street corner by a procession. There were people dressed in long purple gowns that reached their feet and tall pointy hats with an attached face mask that honestly struck fear in my heart. While this type of attire has an entirely different cultural connotation in the US, it was interesting to watch the small parade pass. There were men carrying a large station of Jesus carrying His own cross. There were more costumed people beating drums, others playing a horn so long they were pushed on the ground by attached wheels (that sounded akin to a vuvuzela), and others that were carrying crosses of their own.

Saturday was spent by my roommates and I preparing Easter dinner. I cooked my mom’s onion potato recipe. My roommate, Anna, and I went to the Easter Vigil mass that night. It was close to three hours long, but it was cool to see the baptisms and candle ceremonies in a Spanish style. After the mass was done, special Easter bread was served with the best hot chocolate I have ever had in my entire life. The next day we hosted nearly a dozen friends for dinner. The potatoes were demolished. I am also happy to say that the Easter bunny reached me all the way in Spain!

Tuesday brought Murcia’s biggest celebration: Bando de huerta. On this day, locals dress in matching white outfits with a colored vest and sash. I was lucky enough to have someone that let me borrow one! The parade on the day of Banda is mayhem. People throw food from trucks as they drive down the main road. My roommates and I caught enough for dinner!! I caught some bread, salchicha (sausage), a bag of lemons, some boiled eggs, and broccoli—not bad for a beginner. You just have to take care not to get hit by something like a beer can.

The parties continued with “Entierra de la sardina” which celebrates the return of meat on Fridays. There is another parade where children’s toys are thrown. (Now every niño in Murcia has a whistle…great.) People with torches dance around people dressed as fish: a little bizarre. There are also dancers with elaborate dresses and bands playing catchy tunes. All in all, the week was full of Spanish mayhem, but I must say they sure know how to party!

Good Friday processions

Easter dinner

Bando de la huerta outfits

Catching dinner

Italia

I must apologize for completely neglecting my blog. A combination of traveling without guaranteed internet access and computer troubles has postponed my most important post yet. I am referring of course to my spring break adventures in the beautiful country of Italy.

The adventures began with a delayed flight out of Alicante to Milan with my friend Sarah from California who is studying here in Murcia with me. We were flying on the budget airline Ryanair that is notorious for mishaps. We flew into an airport in Bergamo which is actually a 45 bus ride into the center of Milan, but everything went fairly smoothly. Upon arrival, Sarah begged a member of the Civil Guard for a stamp in our passports which were originally denied because we were only traveling between two Schengen countries, but when he saw our American passports, he asked his friend in customs to stamp them for us. (Victory!!) We had a few hours to kill in Milan before we met a few of Sarah’s friends in the train station to head on our way to Verona; so, Sarah and I took the metro to the center of town to tour the Duomo. We actually had the opportunity to climb to the top and see the city from the roof: it was expansive. After all the climbing (with luggage still in tow), we were ready for some real Italian food. We also had out first encounter with “coffee” which in Italy is synonymous with espresso: it took some getting used to.

We took a late train into Verona and checked into our hotel that we found on the awesome website www.hostelbookers.com. The way the site works is by promotion so you could end up in a really nice hotel for the same price as staying in a plain hostel. This happened to be our case! There was a free continental breakfast, and the hotel gave us bikes to ride around the town the next day. We couldn’t have asked for more! Riding a bike amongst crazy Italian drivers was a little nerve-wracking, but we managed just fine. We rode to the famous Verona sights such as Juliet’s house, Tore dei Lamberti, and the fresh fruit market. We also walked up the side of a hill to a sanctuary from where you could see the Alps. For dinner, Sarah had arranged for us to meet one of her parents' business partners who took us to the best pizza restaurant in Verona with his wife and two daughters. They enjoyed practicing their English, and we enjoyed the pizza and testing some red wine.

Early the next morning, we were off to Venice where we enjoyed the day exploring canals and doing touristy things in general. Fortunately, we were five total; so, it was affordable for us to take a gondola ride! We got some amazing pictures. Of course, it’s almost difficult to take a bad picture in Venice. Every square inch looks like a page from a travel book. I guess that explains the sky-high prices! We didn’t stay long (which is okay because I’m not sure I could afford staying there for a week). By evening, we were on our way to Florence.

Florence was probably my favorite city in Italy that we visited. We saw so many masterpieces and beautiful architecture around every corner. Here, we also tried Couch Surfing for the first time. The website www.couchsurfing.com hooks up people that are traveling with those that have a couch to spare. Well, we got a little more than a couch: try a real Tuscan dinner with homemade Ragu and each our own bed! Our host could not have been more hospitable, and the apartment where we stayed was a short walk from the tram that took us to the center of town. Before I left Spain, I bought a short tour book on Florence. It was pretty helpful in getting us to the sights, but it took a little effort sometimes because it was in Spanish of course. We spent two full days in Florence. There, I must say, I ate the best food of the whole trip. We went to a famous Panini shop where we had to wait on line for a good half an hour, but it was so worth it! After all the fun, we were on our way to Rome.

A word about our accommodations in Rome: I guess we couldn’t always be as lucky as we were in Verona. This “hostel” was actually a campground and our beds were in small cabins. Hey, at least the bathrooms were clean! It was a little ways from the center of Rome, but we took the bus without incident. We were pretty tired from so much traveling; so, we decided to take it a little bit easier on ourselves and take the double-decker tour bus. It turned out to be a great way to see the city! Rome is not as compact as the cities we had previously visited. We started at St. Peter’s Basilica and continued to the Vittonano, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum , and got out to tour the Coliseum. It was pretty warm—so we decided on an afternoon snack of gelato. In Rome, I fell in love with the gelato flavor nocciola (hazelnut). [I may have had it again the next day ;)] The hostel was next to a grocery store which was perfect for saving a little cash and making a picnic dinner to take back to the camp. The next morning we were off to the Vatican. It was so enormous! There is so much to see between all the museums and chapels…even the hallways are gorgeous. Unfortunately, one of the girls and I got separated from the rest of the group in the Sistine Chapel. It was last I saw of them because they were on to Naples and then Switzerland, but it worked out fine. We eventually found our way to our respective destinations: I was headed to another hotel because my flight left the next day from Ciampino, another Ryanair destination. My hotel accommodation was in a shared room with four single beds. I shared it with a girl from England and two from China. The girl from England had actually arrived before her friends; so, we spent the next day continuing to explore Rome. We did a little window shopping and ended up at a market where we bought a delicious lunch of bread, strawberries, and grapes: perfect for a picnic on the Tiber. After lunch I started my journey back to Murcia: a bus to Ciampino, a flight to Madrid, a night on the airport floor, a metro ride to bus station, a bus ride to Murcia, and a long walk back to my apartment after a long week of traveling. I was exhausted, but Italy was definitely worth every penny and minute!

Beautiful pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1692453796808.2075968.1401660433

Amante del mar

So, I realize I haven’t updated my blog very recently.  That may be because I have been outside enjoying the absolutely gorgeous weather here in Southern Spain.  It has been completely sunny and warm for about two straight weeks now.  I have been taking full advantage of the circumstances and exploring the beaches of Murcia.  This past weekend, I went with a friend to La Manga.  La Manga translates into English as “The Sleeve”; it’s a group of very narrow barrier islands that meet the Mediterranean on one side and the Mar Menor (similar to a bay) on the other.  (It kind of reminds me of the Outer Banks.)  We started the day on the seaside where we were too chicken to go all the way into the water as it was frigid.  Then, after eating our picnic lunch, we picked up our towels and walked across the island to the Mar Menor where we saw people sailing and kite-surfing in the breeze.  Before catching the bus back, we got some ice cream at one of the few businesses that were open.  We were definitely there before tourist season.  The weekend before my La Manga adventure, I went to another beach: Mazarrón.  I went with my roommates and about a dozen other people.  It was lucky that we all fit on the bus! We packed a backpack full of bocadillos with salchichón (which is similar to a salami sandwich) and lots of oranges.  This time I actually worked up the courage to go swimming in the Mediterranean which still hasn’t warmed up to my North Carolina standards.  The water here is so clear, though.  You can see your toes!  I think this is because the water is pretty calm and very shallow.  Anyways, I am headed to Italy this week for the start of Spring Break: I’ll keep you posted!

See Mazarrón pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1401660433&aid=2073003

See La Manga pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1401660433&aid=2073527

Locura

Las Fallas

This Saturday, I had the opportunity to travel to Valencia for one of Span's most famous festivals.  I had read about it in my tour book which had offered a warning somewhere along the lines of; “If you have never been to Valencia before, you will think this festival is complete chaos.”  What was in store for us when we arrived was nothing short of chaos.  The streets of Valencia, a gorgeous port city, were packed with thousands of people.  The main attractions, the actual “fallas”, were sprinkled throughout the city which led to an Easter egg hunt of sorts trying to find them on unfamiliar roads.  The fallas were huge sculptures that varied in size from one to six stories tall.  They are characterized by bright colors, a distinct whimsical design, and decorated with cartoonish characters called nimots.  In essence, it’s a competition with each block trying to outdo the next so the bigger the better.  The fallas are often telling a story or making a political statement, but unfortunately all of the signs were written in the dialect of Valenciano which is much more different from Castellano (traditional Spanish) than I ever could have imagined. 

Throughout the day, innocent victims are assaulted by children throwing fireworks at their feet, but the real craziness started in the early afternoon when “mascletas” began to sound throughout the streets.  Starting at the largest falla in the center of the city, loud fireworks were set off at each falla.  These fireworks were not the pretty, colorful ones but ones that were made with the intention of temporarily deafening anyone within a 100 meter radius.  After a day of finding fallas on every street corner, the real insanity began.  At dusk, we watched the fire parade where each region of Spain is represented by one chosen lady and her court dressed in old-fashioned attire.  After the ladies followed by marching bands pass, there are more fireworks.  Basically, men and boys run through the streets spewing sparks into the crowd from fireworks that they hold in their hands.  There is little to no discretion as to where the sparks are sprayed. 

By the end of the parade, the streets were dark enough to start the most important part of the festival: la crema.  Around midnight, the fallas are lit on fire.  The fires are staggered because the firefighters have to be present to spray surrounding buildings with water and flame retardant.  The cremas were breathtaking.  I was able to see a few, but due to large crowds I couldn’t get too close to a big one.  So, in order to see one burn up close, my friend Sarah and I decided to wait for a smaller one.  We were in the first row, and it was a little close for comfort.  The heat that the fire throws is enough to push the entire crowd back.  We also got damp from the fire hose because flames were dangerously close to the building we were standing near.  The funniest part about the whole festival was that nobody seemed to think that it was dangerous or out of control.  It fit perfectly with the oft repeated Spanish mantra: “No pasa nada.”
Pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1401660433&aid=2071460
And here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1401660433&aid=2071466

Madrid

This week, I was lucky enough to have my friends from ECU come visit! I took the midnight bus out of Murcia to meet them at the airport in Madrid.  From there, we took the metro to the hostel.  We bought a two-day tourist pass for the metro—best decision of the trip.  We were able to take it everywhere; fortunately, there was a stop very close to where we were staying.  The hostel was great: a repurposed palace with a stained glass ceiling and mosaic tiled walls for only 15 Euros a night.  Madrid is a city full of museums.  We went to two of the famous art museums: the more traditional Prado (El Greco, Velázquez, Goya) and the more modern Reina Sofia (Picasso, Dalí, Miró).  We were able to time our visits so that we didn’t have to pay entrance fees.  This meant extra crowds, but it certainly saved us some cash!  Jackie, Allen, and Tyler got to experience the bizarre Spanish eating schedule: lunch at three-ish and dinner at ten-ish.  We found some awesome tapas and cafes, but Madrid is so much more expensive than Murcia.  Food and drinks are generally three times the price! Thanks to gorgeous weather we were able to walk the streets of the city and see some of the famous sites: the cathedral, crypt, and royal palace were beautiful.  We also saw remains of the Arab wall, firefighters protesting, the river, and several parks.  We were certainly exhausted by the time we boarded the bus back to Murcia.  For the most part, we fit right in because there are thousands of tourists in Madrid.  Sometimes I would need to ask someone for directions, and it was hard to find a local! 

See pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?aid=2070308&id=1401660433

Flemenco

Granada

This past weekend was again spent traveling: this time a two-night trip to Granada.  It was a trip promoted through the university by a program called ESN (Erasmus Student Network); international students from all countries were invited.  We left early Friday morning to catch a charter bus that took us on a four-hour ride through the beautiful snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range.  Our accommodations at the hostel were more than anyone could have asked for! I stayed in a two-bed room with a friend, and we had our own bathroom.   There was even complimentary breakfast in the mornings. 

The first organized activity was a trek up the side of a mountain to view Granada’s largest tourist attraction: la Alhambra.  La Alhambra is a Muslim fortress that changed hands several times throughout Spain’s arduous history of wars and competing powers.  The next morning we got to experience it up close with a personal tour guide.  It was amazing!  Tired from walking a few of us Americans debated what to do next.  We ended up biting the bullet and climbing the mountain once again to catch a Flamenco show.  It was free with the purchase of dinner.  We decided to share the classic southern Spanish dish of Paella.  It was to die for: a mix of rice and assorted seafood (prawns, mussels, squid, and shrimp).   The next morning we had the chance to explore another part of town where we were able to enjoy leisurely tapas—for free! In Andalucía, the tapas are free with the purchase of a drink; it’s a pretty affordable way to eat out.  It was altogether a lovely trip, and traveling in a group was definitely a big money-saver; I can’t wait to do it again!

 See pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?fbid=1578448906757&id=1401660433&aid=2068744

Ocupada

I know it has been a while since my last post; this week has been a pretty busy one! I successfully made it through the first week of classes.  I am taking five classes total, and in each of them there are other international students so I don’t feel too alone.  From what I have heard from the students that have been here for a semester, it gets easier in about a month.  Some of my professors are definitely easier to understand than others.  My favorite course is “Political History of Latin America”.  The professor is so relaxed, and there are less than 20 students.  Basically, we just pick topics that we want to discuss that relate to Latin American politics.  My toughest course will probably be “Hispanic American Literature”.  The professor is so formal and old-fashioned: he threw someone out of the class for being late and yelled at another that took a sip of water from her water bottle.  He said the first day of class, “Don’t raise your hand if you don’t have something important to say.”  It’s a little intimidating, but I’m sure it will just take some getting used to. 

Needless to say, the weekend has been a welcome break from the excitement of school starting.  Last night, my roommates and I went to a concert.  The concert was supposed to start at 10:30pm which is late to begin with, but ended up not starting until 12:30am.  This is so typically Spanish: no one is ever on time or in a hurry.  Not even classes start on time! The professor walks in 10, 20, or 30 minutes after the scheduled start time.  It’s a bit of a culture shock for me because at my school if the professor isn’t there after 20 minutes, everyone gets up and walks out.  Likewise, I took my phone to the phone store to get it fixed, and they were like, “Oh, just leave it here and come back for it in two days.”  They didn’t even take my name or e-mail or anything.  I come back two days later, and they were like, “Oh, come back this afternoon.”  Long story short, I went to that darn store five times.  They weren’t even apologetic; it was like this was a completely normal situation.  I just need to learn how to chill out and be as relaxed as the natives. 

Primer día

Okay, the first week (maybe month) of classes is going to be tough.  I went to three classes today: History of the Spanish Language at nine, Political History of Latin America at ten, and Syntax and Semantics at noon.  I believe I am also going to add another class that would be for two hours at six in the evening.  The classes here are not on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday schedule; they are scattered throughout the week at different times.  For example, I have my History of the Spanish Language class for an hour on Monday morning, an hour on Tuesday morning, and for two hours on Friday afternoon.  It is a scheduling nightmare! It works for the students here because they do not usually take classes from different majors, but it presents a problem for the Americans because we are taking classes from different disciplines and years.  I am hoping that the classes provide the submersion that I need.  In my political history class, I am the only American so I hope I will be forced to speak Spanish there. 

Yesterday, I discovered my favorite Spanish tradition that I have yet to witness.  My roommates and I walked what's called "el Paseo" which is a walking path lined with benches and parks that follows the river through town.  On Sunday, Spanish families go to "el paseo" to walk aimlessly and socialize.  There are children playing everywhere, and people let their dogs run free.  Some people sit to read the paper, others sip coffee from a thermos.  At the end of the walk, there was a tiny tapas bar wtih people pouring out all of the doors.  Apparently, it is only open on Sunday.  I tried some local dishes such as ensaladilla rusa, empanadas, and croquetas.  They were delicious!

Cartagena

It is so beautiful!!! Today it was in the sixties and absolutely sunny: a perfect day for a day trip to Cartagena.  In the language class, the teacher mentioned Cartagena being full of history and sites to see; so, I looked up the bus schedule and sent out an invite to my friends on Facebook: over 13 people showed up!  Only 45 minutes away by bus, it was the best way to spend a Saturday in Spain.  The day began with a trip to the tourist center where the woman there mapped out a tour for us.  This was a trick we picked up in Lorca: the people that work at these places are good resources.  You tell them, “We’re students, and we don’t want to spend a lot of money.” Then, they tell you where you can get discounted rates and free entry!  The first attraction was a castle on top of a hill where there were great panoramic views of the Mar Menor and marina below.  An added bonus was that there was an elevator so we didn’t even have to climb the hill!  After that, we walked down closer to the water where there was a museum of shipwrecks and artifacts that had been found nearby.  It was really educational, and it had English translations so we weren’t completely lost.  By that time, we were hungry for lunch.  This tends to happen early because of the amount of walking required when you do not have a car!  We sat at a table that overlooked the harbor while a street performer played the Spanish guitar.  We sipped cafe con leche and had bocadillos (sandwiches) with tortilla.  Tortilla in Spain means something different than in the US.  It is a dish with mashed potatoes and eggs: kind of a potato omelet.  The lunch reenergized us so we headed to the main attraction: the Roman Theater.  The entry was steep at 4 Euros, but it was worth it! The views were breathtaking, and it was mindboggling to think how hold the structure that we were standing in was.   Afterward, we were able to catch a 4:00 catamaran ride out to the sea.  This was absolutely the best part of the day.  The views of the mountains and crystal blue waters were awe-inspiring.  We got back to shore just in time to take the 5:30 bus back to Murcia.  I am so glad that these weekend trips have been such great successes!  It is encouraging us to venture out more.  School starts Monday so it was good to have such a fun beginning to the weekend.

See my pictures from Cartagena here:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?fbid=1560205010671&id=1401660433&aid=2067338

Hace sol

It is beautiful during the day here! Today, it was in the upper 60’s and perfectly sunny.  I hope this means things are warming up for good!  (It’s a little chilly at night, and heat is not a common entity.)  It was a perfect day to go shopping.  My roommate and I went down Calle Gran Via which is Murcia's equivalent to 5th Avenue.  I am sad to say that I have replaced my pink monogrammed L.L. Bean backpack with a more European alternative.  I felt like when I wore it I had the word “American” on my forehead.  Now, I have a brown shoulder bag that I can use to carry my books.  Today, I also went to the local bull fighting museum with a tour group of international students.  I am not sure if I can stomach the real thing: the process is a little drawn-out, but it is a part of Spanish culture nonetheless. 



Traditional Iberian ham hanging in a restaurant! Yum!



The adventures in the kitchen continue.  I made some spaghetti yesterday.  (So Spanish, right?)  It turned out okay.  You cannot buy gallons of tomato sauce here like you can in the states, but I managed to find a little jar of it which was enough.  I considered using gazpacho because there is plenty of that.  Also, pure beef is actually expensive; the most common meat is ham.  So, I bought a mix of pork and beef.  Tomorrow, I am going to try a traditional Murcian recipe that we received in language class with onions, tomatoes, boiled eggs, vinegar, olive oil, and tuna.  I’ll let you know how it is!

The people here have a funny obsession with American music: new, old…it doesn’t matter.  At the discotecas, they play electronic versions of American pop music.  I heard a club version of Taylor Swift the other day!  This morning I was walking to class, and a cab driver was blasting Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry”.  I think I hear more Spanish music in the US by downloading “Canción de la Semana” each week from iTunes!

Lorca

Yesterday was a holiday for university students, so a few friends that I have met through ISEP and I took full advantage and took a daytrip to Lorca.  Lorca is a little smaller than the city of Murcia but is still in the region (like a state) of Murcia.  It was so pretty! We had to wake up rather early to catch the 6:45 bus, but it was well worth it!  I would like you all to know that I climbed not one but TWO mountains while I was there.  One had a church on top, and the other had a castle: both of them had spectacular views of the city below.  We also went to an archeology museum with some artifacts that had been discovered there; some of them dated back to Roman rule! One of the best parts of the trip was that the whole day cost me less than 20 Euros including food and transportation.  This daytrip was such a success that I cannot wait to plan the next one!

See pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2066642&id=1401660433#!/album.php?fbid=1551831401336&id=1401660433&aid=2066642

Side note: I have widened my repertoire of recipes.  I successfully cooked some chicken filets and made chicken salad.  I also used some to put on green salad.  This morning I made an omelet with onions and tomatoes. (Yes, I bought a tomato.  I don’t know why, but it looked so delicious in the market that I bought one.  It was actually decent!)  The price of produce is encouraging me to eat fresh food; it’s a win-win situation!

Piso

A quick tour of my apartment!!

The central hallway



My bedroom



The utility room

The kitchen

The living room

Clase

Oh, boy! It is so hard to wake up in the morning now that I have been on an eternal Christmas break.  I am liking this Spanish language course, though, because there are students from all over, mostly through the ERASMUS program which is the program that all of my roommates are here through.  It’s a program that allows European students to study in another European university for a year in their course of study.  There are really quite a few international students here!

I am beginning to feel a little more comfortable here in Murcia: at least I can tell where my apartment is in relation to where I am in the city.  I went grocery shopping again, today! This time I bought real food to cook…we’ll see how this goes!! I caved and bought some peanut butter, though….so American!  I am in the process of arranging my classes and possible weekend travel plans for this weekend.  Time on the internet is precious, so I will post later…hopefully some pictures.

Demasidas maletas...

Too many bags!! The backpack came in handy; it was
really easy to carry!

Vale

This weekend was spent getting accustomed to Spanish life.  "Vale" is the most common word here in Murcia.  I have heard it a million times per day; it can mean "it's ok", "I'm ok", “good”, "okay, sure", "yes", and "good bye"--it's kind of funny.  My apartment is not very well equipped; so, Saturday I met some friends for a shopping trip to the suburbs where we found the Spanish version of Wal-mart called "Alcampo" which is more clean but just as chaotic as the Wal-marts in the US.  I was able to buy some towels and a hairdryer that wouldn't burn my apartment down for a reasonable price.  Then, I ventured out for groceries; the produce here is so cheap!! There are oranges everywhere so they are basically free at the market.  My roommates are constantly cooking delicious looking food while I am eating American-style sandwiches; I need to come up with some American recipes that look a little more appetizing.  On Sundays, everything is closed: it's really a day of rest.  So, my roomates and I watched a movie on my laptop: When Harry Met Sally; they thought it was funny.  My language intensive course starts this weeks so it's back to the books for me!

¡Bienvenido!

So, I have officially made it to Spain! My day of traveling was super long, but luckily no big problems like missed connections or lost luggage.  My flight out of Raleigh was delayed over an hour, but thankfully my flight from JFK to Madrid was also delayed.  It was a close call, though; I was one of those lucky people that gets introduced to the entire airport over the intercom.  Needless to say, I got my exercise for the day running from one end of the terminal to the other.  When I arrived in Spain the next morning, I had a long wait in Madrid, but it went quickly, and I began to meet other students that were going to the same program.  We were able to travel together from that point.  We landed in Alicante which is on the Mediterranean and extremely sunny.  Customs did not even check my bag leaving the airport!  I then had to take a bus ride to Murcia and was extremely tired by this point, but the fun was just beginning.  I hailed a cab outside the bus station in Murcia, and found my apartment.  A nice girl that lives next store helped me call my landlord and he let me in to my apartment.  The area I live in is awesome; there are tons of things to do right down my street and mostly young people living here: the streets are alive until six in the morning.  I live so close to the university; all of the other kids in my program are jealous, but my apartment is...quaint.  There are a couple of features to be desired, like heat and hot water.  It's not too bad though because it will get warm here soon.  Well, I must go because I am at a cafe and my battery is dying, but I will post soon!!

¡Adiós!

"Am I 'under-freaking-out'?" I asked my mom yesterday as we were doing some last minute shopping.  "That's for sure!" she replied.  I have been gearing up for this trip for months, but it has yet to seem real.  Well, today's the day I leave for Spain for six months.  I head to the airport in little under an hour.  It feels weird to start a blog with goodbye, but I suppose that's how this journey begins.  I have three flights, a bus trip, and a taxi ride ahead of me within the next 24 hours.  I am a little nervous about the plunge into Spanish as I have had an extra-long break to forget everything I have learned! I have been taking Spanish for several years but never before been to a Spanish-speaking country.  It will be quite the adventure; I'm sure. 



A sweet going-away poster my family made me. 
An effort spear-headed by my 10-year-old sister. 
I will miss you guys, too!!



It was hard saying all my farewells, but hopefully it will be easy enough to keep in contact with everyone over the internet: e-mail, Facebook, Skype, Google chat (take your pick).  I do not know the specifics of my living arrangement over there except that it will be an apartment shared with other international students.  I am hoping there's a connection.  (I may be a little lost without it!)  Also, another predicament with leaving for such a long period of time was figuring out how much to pack.  I have an internal frame backpack, a carry-on rolling suitcase, and my pink school backpack.  They are all stuffed to capacity.  I hope that they all clear American Airlines' requirements for height and weight.  It will be an interesting game of "what-can-we-leave-in-Raleigh" if they don't.