My family visited me for Thanksgiving! Unfortunately I didn't get time off, but I still got to see them for a few days. On Thanksgiving day we went to Corral de la Moreria for dinner and flamenco; it was a great show and it was nice to share with everyone.
The day after my family was able to come with my program to a day trip to Segovia. It was a nice small historical city, and we had a really traditional lunch. They brought us to a place famous for its roast suckling pig.. yeah. They bring them out, head and all, and have a girl come up and cut it with a plate to demonstrate its tenderness. I couldn't stomach all of mine, but it was nice that the program took us, and it was definitely a valuable cultural experience for my family.
The next day we spent hours in the Prado, which was nice, because now I finally think I am done with that museum.. My dad went to the Thysseun on his own because he is even more of a rally-er than me, and I just hung out with my mom and brother in their hotel room.
In general I ate a lot of awesome food; one of the best things about family visiting is being able to go to nice restaurants with an unlimited budget.. We had great paella and tapas and a lot of seafood ..
It was great to see my family, especially because it is holiday season.. It is hard to notice in Madrid; there are some lights, but in general it is nowhere near Rockefeller Center or even Macys. I am super excited to get back and revel in spectacular secular decorations : )
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Morocco
This past weekend I went to Morocco! We landed in Casablanca, and had planned to take a train overnight to Marrakech. However, when we got there, they told us the trains were not running. We scrambled around for a little bit, then we finally found out a bus that would get us there that night. We quickly went to the Hassan II Mosque, the second biggest in the world after Mecca. It was absolutely gorgeous; I could only use my disposable camera as my canon is not working : (
With our changed plans we could not spend that much time there, and we got to Marrakech a little after midnight. We took a taxi (which, by the way, you negotiate prices with, as you do with everything here) to what we though was close to where we were staying. After walking around a little, though, it was clear that we were in fact not. So, we took another cab to where we actually were supposed to be. None of us know French, but luckily, one person traveling with us speaks Arabic; he is Lebanese, so the dialect is significantly different, but it is enough to get by. The taxi could not go through the narrow streets so it dropped us off where the central market is held. We were instantly approached by little local boys doing cartweels and asking us for payment. We were supposed to try to call our Riad to have them bring us to them, but none of our cell phones work and all the pay phones required a calling card. We tried asking a local if we could use his phone in exchange for a few Dirham (Moroccan currency); that didn't work either, and he insisted on bringing us where we needed to be. It was pretty shady, and we knew that we would have to end up paying him, but at this point we had no choice. We were led through tons of turning tiny streets, and finally made it there. We gave him and some other local that had tagged along a few bucks, and went to our Riad. A Riad is exactly like a hostel, but it has a little central courtyard. It was super nice and pretty, and we got unlimited hookah and awesome mint tea. We were also lucky that we were able to stay the first night, was we weren't supposed to arrive until the next.
In the morning, the manager of the Riad showed us around the area and taught us exactly how to find our way back, which was really nice. We walked around the old city, saw the mosque, and shopped. I bought a lot at the markets; haggling is a part of their culture, and most were happy to. The food was great and cheap.. we ate a lot of cous cous and eggplant and kebabs from street vendors. At night, the center square is full of food stalls, and everyone begs you to come to theres.. Some get actually angry when you end up at another stall. The sweets were also awesome. Everyone asks you for one thing or another; they are either selling things, or want to paint henna on you, or let you take a picture with their snake or monkey.. Luckily, unlike a group of girls I know who went before, we didn't receive crude cat calls. We were with a couple guys, which definitely made the difference; I think the worst I got were constant hellos in Chinese and Japanese and being called flower.
That afternoon we went to Palais Bahia; it was nice, but the market was more impressive.. We were going to go out in the new city that night, but we didn't feel the need to, and were spending so much on shopping and our excursion the next day that we decided to wait until Madrid for nightlife.
The next day, we took a trip to the Atlas mountains. We saw a traditional Berber home and rode camels! Then we went on a hike, which we expected to be low key, but turned out being for real.. Of course, none of us had proper shoes.. But is was still awesome and gorgeous; it was nice to be out of a city.
That night we did more eating and shopping, and scrambled around a little trying to find out how to get back to Casablanca the next morning. We were able to figure out the bus, and everything went smoothly on our return. Coming back was difficult, though; all of these little trips are such a tease! I get a small taste of vacation, then I'm back to school.
School, by the way, is horrible right now. It has not gotten easier, and by now, I am at a loss. I don't know how to do better, and I don't really think I care. It is a shame that this is really putting a damper on things. As much as I love it here, I am ready to go home and not have to deal with Spanish class. It is also a shame that I usually love school; I am used to being enthusiastic about class, and here, it is simply a chore. I just hope this doesn't drag down my gpa; it is really not something I obsess over, but this seems like a silly thing to mess it up over.
With our changed plans we could not spend that much time there, and we got to Marrakech a little after midnight. We took a taxi (which, by the way, you negotiate prices with, as you do with everything here) to what we though was close to where we were staying. After walking around a little, though, it was clear that we were in fact not. So, we took another cab to where we actually were supposed to be. None of us know French, but luckily, one person traveling with us speaks Arabic; he is Lebanese, so the dialect is significantly different, but it is enough to get by. The taxi could not go through the narrow streets so it dropped us off where the central market is held. We were instantly approached by little local boys doing cartweels and asking us for payment. We were supposed to try to call our Riad to have them bring us to them, but none of our cell phones work and all the pay phones required a calling card. We tried asking a local if we could use his phone in exchange for a few Dirham (Moroccan currency); that didn't work either, and he insisted on bringing us where we needed to be. It was pretty shady, and we knew that we would have to end up paying him, but at this point we had no choice. We were led through tons of turning tiny streets, and finally made it there. We gave him and some other local that had tagged along a few bucks, and went to our Riad. A Riad is exactly like a hostel, but it has a little central courtyard. It was super nice and pretty, and we got unlimited hookah and awesome mint tea. We were also lucky that we were able to stay the first night, was we weren't supposed to arrive until the next.
In the morning, the manager of the Riad showed us around the area and taught us exactly how to find our way back, which was really nice. We walked around the old city, saw the mosque, and shopped. I bought a lot at the markets; haggling is a part of their culture, and most were happy to. The food was great and cheap.. we ate a lot of cous cous and eggplant and kebabs from street vendors. At night, the center square is full of food stalls, and everyone begs you to come to theres.. Some get actually angry when you end up at another stall. The sweets were also awesome. Everyone asks you for one thing or another; they are either selling things, or want to paint henna on you, or let you take a picture with their snake or monkey.. Luckily, unlike a group of girls I know who went before, we didn't receive crude cat calls. We were with a couple guys, which definitely made the difference; I think the worst I got were constant hellos in Chinese and Japanese and being called flower.
That afternoon we went to Palais Bahia; it was nice, but the market was more impressive.. We were going to go out in the new city that night, but we didn't feel the need to, and were spending so much on shopping and our excursion the next day that we decided to wait until Madrid for nightlife.
The next day, we took a trip to the Atlas mountains. We saw a traditional Berber home and rode camels! Then we went on a hike, which we expected to be low key, but turned out being for real.. Of course, none of us had proper shoes.. But is was still awesome and gorgeous; it was nice to be out of a city.
That night we did more eating and shopping, and scrambled around a little trying to find out how to get back to Casablanca the next morning. We were able to figure out the bus, and everything went smoothly on our return. Coming back was difficult, though; all of these little trips are such a tease! I get a small taste of vacation, then I'm back to school.
School, by the way, is horrible right now. It has not gotten easier, and by now, I am at a loss. I don't know how to do better, and I don't really think I care. It is a shame that this is really putting a damper on things. As much as I love it here, I am ready to go home and not have to deal with Spanish class. It is also a shame that I usually love school; I am used to being enthusiastic about class, and here, it is simply a chore. I just hope this doesn't drag down my gpa; it is really not something I obsess over, but this seems like a silly thing to mess it up over.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Amsterdam
Two weekends ago I took a weekend trip to Amsterdam. We arrived on Thursday night; our hostel was in the center of town, on a street lined with coffeeshops.. Unfortunately we didn't realize that unlike Madrid, this city doesn't stay up all night; everything was pretty much closed by 2am.
Friday morning we walked around mostly, saw Dam Square and Nieuwe Kerk. Although it is a small city, we got lost often; I had a moment of hilarious realization that Amsterdam is a city of concentric circles. When we thought we were walking in a straight line, we would end up where we started. effing confusing.
That afternoon we saw Wester Kerk, and went through the Anne Frank house. It was not much, but it was cool to see and remember the book.
We went out that night to some club/bar, which was fun, but nothing too crazy.
In the morning we got pancakes, which were awesome.. It was the only Dutch food we ate I think; the city has mostly international food. We went to the Van Gogh Museum; I really liked it but there was not much to see and it was pretty expensive. Later we went on a canal cruise, but we were all so tired most of us pretty much napped through the whole thing.. That night we walked through the red light district. Prostitutes stand in big windows with red lights above them all down the street; it was pretty gross and sad so we left that area quickly. Otherwise, we had a pretty chill evening at a few coffeeshops, and the next morning we went bike riding.
Amsterdam is an awesome city to bike through, and absolutely adorable.. The canals and colors are gorgeous, and the houses are all narrow because rent is paid by width. We passed by Bloemenmarket, the flower market, and ran into their winter holiday parade. They have a slightly different version of Christmas, that includes a Sinterklaas that has black slaves as elves, although I think they give a slightly more pc account to their kids.. However, in the parade, there were tons of Dutch people as the elves, in blackface! It made me uncomfortable in general, and although I know that it is not intended to be racist, I can't help but wonder how they don't see anything wrong with that. Race relations in Europe are just a little weird; there seems to be an overall insensitivity.. It might not be as bad as I think; I don't know how many hate crimes are committed or how much outward racism occurs, but as a minority coming from America, I think I am just hypersensitive to it.
We left Amsterdam that afternoon; it was a nice trip because we didn't feel pressured to see tons of sights, it was mostly just a city to experience..
Also, during the trip, my camera broke : ( : ( : (
This time I actually didn't do anything! It just stopped working. ugh.
Friday morning we walked around mostly, saw Dam Square and Nieuwe Kerk. Although it is a small city, we got lost often; I had a moment of hilarious realization that Amsterdam is a city of concentric circles. When we thought we were walking in a straight line, we would end up where we started. effing confusing.
That afternoon we saw Wester Kerk, and went through the Anne Frank house. It was not much, but it was cool to see and remember the book.
We went out that night to some club/bar, which was fun, but nothing too crazy.
In the morning we got pancakes, which were awesome.. It was the only Dutch food we ate I think; the city has mostly international food. We went to the Van Gogh Museum; I really liked it but there was not much to see and it was pretty expensive. Later we went on a canal cruise, but we were all so tired most of us pretty much napped through the whole thing.. That night we walked through the red light district. Prostitutes stand in big windows with red lights above them all down the street; it was pretty gross and sad so we left that area quickly. Otherwise, we had a pretty chill evening at a few coffeeshops, and the next morning we went bike riding.
Amsterdam is an awesome city to bike through, and absolutely adorable.. The canals and colors are gorgeous, and the houses are all narrow because rent is paid by width. We passed by Bloemenmarket, the flower market, and ran into their winter holiday parade. They have a slightly different version of Christmas, that includes a Sinterklaas that has black slaves as elves, although I think they give a slightly more pc account to their kids.. However, in the parade, there were tons of Dutch people as the elves, in blackface! It made me uncomfortable in general, and although I know that it is not intended to be racist, I can't help but wonder how they don't see anything wrong with that. Race relations in Europe are just a little weird; there seems to be an overall insensitivity.. It might not be as bad as I think; I don't know how many hate crimes are committed or how much outward racism occurs, but as a minority coming from America, I think I am just hypersensitive to it.
We left Amsterdam that afternoon; it was a nice trip because we didn't feel pressured to see tons of sights, it was mostly just a city to experience..
Also, during the trip, my camera broke : ( : ( : (
This time I actually didn't do anything! It just stopped working. ugh.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Rome
Our flight to Rome was early Friday morning, so we spent last Thursday night in the Madrid airport, in favor of taking the Metro instead of a cab. After dropping our stuff off at our Hostel, we went to the ancient city. We took a tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, which I'm glad we did because we wouldn't have known what we were looking at otherwise.. Palatine Hill was gorgeous, and it was crazy to see the ruins of one of the first cities of western civilization. Afterwards, we walked down Via del Corso and saw Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We had a long dinner but didn't go out after because we were all pretty exhausted.
Saturday, we went to the Vatican; the museum was great, but it took hours to get through and a lot of frescoes and tapestries just started blending together. It was worth going through though, to get to the Sistine Chapel. It was beautiful, and amazing to finally see in person. Afterwards, we went to St. Peter's Basilica, which was nice, but the experience was a little clouded by my general disinterest in the papacy. I have to admit that grandiose gestures in architecture don't really impress me; instead of invoking a feeling of god's greatness, it makes me think of man's greed. I tried to think of it on a strictly artistic way, and of course it is beautiful; I guess I was just being cynical..
After the Vatican, we walked by Castel Sant' Angelo, on our way to the Pantheon. We never made it, though- we ran out of time, and I guess we weren't interested enough in rushing there. Instead, we walked towards Campo de Fiori. I really liked this area; there were a lot of small shops a tea houses. Campo de Fiori itself was also really lovely at night. We had an awesome dinner in Trastavere; the weekend in general was full of food.. It took us a few tries to find good pizza; unfortunately, we were always in a really touristy area for lunch so we got the kind that you might expect.. We finally did find a good vendor though, and it was amazing : ) Dinners were full of pasta and wine; there was not enough time for it all!
Saturday night we went to Testacchio, an area of bars and clubs. It was fun, but Italian men are even more aggressive than Spaniards.. We actually brought out one guy with us who we had met in the hostel, so we weren't bothered that much, but at one club, when were were dancing and our new friend left for a minute to get a drink, a circle of creepers formed around us. We fled that corner of the dance floor and were happy to see our friend come back. Something funny- I have found that Barack Obama has inspired some new ways for guys to pick up American girls abroad. They seem to think that by mentioning his name I will simply jump into their arms out of ecstasy. no thank you. But maybe if you mention Rahm Emanuel.. :p
Saturday, we went to the Vatican; the museum was great, but it took hours to get through and a lot of frescoes and tapestries just started blending together. It was worth going through though, to get to the Sistine Chapel. It was beautiful, and amazing to finally see in person. Afterwards, we went to St. Peter's Basilica, which was nice, but the experience was a little clouded by my general disinterest in the papacy. I have to admit that grandiose gestures in architecture don't really impress me; instead of invoking a feeling of god's greatness, it makes me think of man's greed. I tried to think of it on a strictly artistic way, and of course it is beautiful; I guess I was just being cynical..
After the Vatican, we walked by Castel Sant' Angelo, on our way to the Pantheon. We never made it, though- we ran out of time, and I guess we weren't interested enough in rushing there. Instead, we walked towards Campo de Fiori. I really liked this area; there were a lot of small shops a tea houses. Campo de Fiori itself was also really lovely at night. We had an awesome dinner in Trastavere; the weekend in general was full of food.. It took us a few tries to find good pizza; unfortunately, we were always in a really touristy area for lunch so we got the kind that you might expect.. We finally did find a good vendor though, and it was amazing : ) Dinners were full of pasta and wine; there was not enough time for it all!
Saturday night we went to Testacchio, an area of bars and clubs. It was fun, but Italian men are even more aggressive than Spaniards.. We actually brought out one guy with us who we had met in the hostel, so we weren't bothered that much, but at one club, when were were dancing and our new friend left for a minute to get a drink, a circle of creepers formed around us. We fled that corner of the dance floor and were happy to see our friend come back. Something funny- I have found that Barack Obama has inspired some new ways for guys to pick up American girls abroad. They seem to think that by mentioning his name I will simply jump into their arms out of ecstasy. no thank you. But maybe if you mention Rahm Emanuel.. :p
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
OBAMA
I am so proud of my lovely country. It feels so good to have elected a president that I completely support. Even if I look at it from a "two sides of the same coin" perspective (which I often do), we at least have a figurehead of progressive ideals, and I truly believe we can now start to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the global community.
And he is just so classy : )
So much love for America right now!
And he is just so classy : )
So much love for America right now!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Córdoba y Granada
This past weekend we took a trip with our program to Córdoba and Granada in Andalucia, southern Spain. We took a bus down, and arrived on Thursday evening. We walked around a little bit, but didn't do much touring because of the rain. At night we went to a flamenco show, which was really lovely..
Friday we saw the Mezquita and mostly just walked around; it was very nice even though it was rainy.. We then took a bus to Granada. When we got there, we toured la Capilla Real, where Ferdinand and Elizabeth are buried, as well as la Catedral. We were going to tour more, but again, the rain.
At night we went to a teteria with amaazing tea, and we got kebabs and peeked in some middle eastern stores; overall it made me excited for Morocco! Later, we went to a club; it was actually Halloween night so some people were dressed up, although it is a fairly new thing in Spain and we have decided that they don't really get it yet. People were actually just dressed a little scary or bloody; there was nothing creative or anything.. It was a fun night, but a lot of us went at it a little too hard, as evidenced by how people were looking the next morning at the Alhambra.
The Alhambra was really gorgeous, the buildings, gardens and views were awesome. The detailing on the arches and ceilings is outrageous; it is all so meticulous and beautiful!
We came back Saturday night and had to spend Sunday night studying.. at least my midterms are all done in time for ELECTION NIGHT!
Friday we saw the Mezquita and mostly just walked around; it was very nice even though it was rainy.. We then took a bus to Granada. When we got there, we toured la Capilla Real, where Ferdinand and Elizabeth are buried, as well as la Catedral. We were going to tour more, but again, the rain.
At night we went to a teteria with amaazing tea, and we got kebabs and peeked in some middle eastern stores; overall it made me excited for Morocco! Later, we went to a club; it was actually Halloween night so some people were dressed up, although it is a fairly new thing in Spain and we have decided that they don't really get it yet. People were actually just dressed a little scary or bloody; there was nothing creative or anything.. It was a fun night, but a lot of us went at it a little too hard, as evidenced by how people were looking the next morning at the Alhambra.
The Alhambra was really gorgeous, the buildings, gardens and views were awesome. The detailing on the arches and ceilings is outrageous; it is all so meticulous and beautiful!
We came back Saturday night and had to spend Sunday night studying.. at least my midterms are all done in time for ELECTION NIGHT!
Madrid last week
The past couple weeks were pretty stressful, which I didn't expect from my classes abroad. I'm not doing as well as I want, which is more disheartening than anything, and occasionally I have 'what am i doing here' kind of moments. I was really more exhausted than anything; a lot of work and midterms were really packed into just those couple weeks and I was tired from traveling, so I just got pretty burnt out.
Aanyways.. I'm better now.
Last week, after Berlin, Nick and his friend Abby came to Madrid for a couple days for their fall break. This is one of the several issues that I hope to bring up in an evaluation of some sort for this program. I think fall break would have been very beneficial so I could have spent more weekends in Madrid, and spent less money as traveling on weekdays is much cheaper. It would have also helped with the fact that everyone at this point is tired!
But again, aanyways.. Last Sunday afternoon we went to the Retiro; it was really great, there were tons of people hanging out, drum circles, botellón, etc.. We went out Sunday night but Madrid, I have found, is really great thurs-sat nights only. Still it was nice to see a friend from home!
slash
TODAY IS NOVEMBER 4TH. I really wish I was in the states right now, but at least I'm going to an OBAMA victory party tonight with a live cnn feed : ) I am super excited, perhaps over-confident.. All of us over here sent in our ballots, I hope all of you have done the same!
Aanyways.. I'm better now.
Last week, after Berlin, Nick and his friend Abby came to Madrid for a couple days for their fall break. This is one of the several issues that I hope to bring up in an evaluation of some sort for this program. I think fall break would have been very beneficial so I could have spent more weekends in Madrid, and spent less money as traveling on weekdays is much cheaper. It would have also helped with the fact that everyone at this point is tired!
But again, aanyways.. Last Sunday afternoon we went to the Retiro; it was really great, there were tons of people hanging out, drum circles, botellón, etc.. We went out Sunday night but Madrid, I have found, is really great thurs-sat nights only. Still it was nice to see a friend from home!slash
TODAY IS NOVEMBER 4TH. I really wish I was in the states right now, but at least I'm going to an OBAMA victory party tonight with a live cnn feed : ) I am super excited, perhaps over-confident.. All of us over here sent in our ballots, I hope all of you have done the same!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Berlin
Two weekends ago I met up with Nick and his friend Abby in Berlin. They are both studying in Rome, and we were all unprepared for the frigid weather in Germany. Thursday night we met up at the hostel, and we went out to find a club called Weekend. We assumed that even if we didn't want to go in, there would be bars or something in the area. However, we found Alexanderplatz to be totally deserted. Maybe it was just because it was East Berlin, but it felt very "brave new world".. We decided to just call it a night and on our way back, we passed through the Brandenburg Gate and saw the Reichstag.
The next morning we started walking from Potsdamer Platz, and first saw the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It was a very different memorial; the varying heights and slopes are supposed to be disorienting and create an uneasy atmosphere. It has created controversy, but personally, I really liked the concept.
We then saw the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag; the amount of history these invoke is insane. We passed by some other sights- the Berliner Dom, Museum Island, Alexander Platz and the TV Tower. And of course we ate Bratwurst..
We finally made it to the East Side Gallery; a section of the Berlin Wall that artists were commissioned to work on after the wall fell. This was probably my favorite part of Berlin- again, that overwhelming history.
We crossed the river into Kreuzberg, a less sterile-feeling, busier part of town. We finally got to our final stop before going back to the hostel, Checkpoint Charlie. We didn't go into the museum, but from what we could see, it was the checkpoint to get into the American sector of Berlin.
That night, we were rejected from a couple clubs; we assumed it was because we are American, but we couldn't say for sure.. We did end up at one club, which was fun, but far from crazy..
Saturday we took it pretty easy; we went to the top of the Reichstag and saw a view of Berlin. It was probably just the cloudy weather, but it all seemed sad.. We then just walked around; we almost went into a museum, we almost went into the Berliner Dom.. We saw a small market and watched German kids street dance. They were practicing techtonique and we just sat there for a while laughing at them..
That night we went to a couple bars in Kreuzberg, including a gay kitschy one with fuzzy walls and chandeliers. We then club went to a club; it looked fun from the outside but the inside was filled with awkward people. I think Abby described the dancing as looking like the Sims. It was so true- everyone was dancing strangely on their own; no one looked like they were with anyone. So again, we sat there and laughed.
Our planes to Madrid were early Sunday morning, so we actually had to leave our hostel at 3:30am, which was not the most fun.
I didn't really know what to expect from Berlin, but it pretty much surprised me. The history is fascinating, but I'm not sure how I feel about it otherwise.. It is a huge city, so there is a chance I just didn't get to discover the really great parts. Next time I guess..
The next morning we started walking from Potsdamer Platz, and first saw the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It was a very different memorial; the varying heights and slopes are supposed to be disorienting and create an uneasy atmosphere. It has created controversy, but personally, I really liked the concept.
We then saw the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag; the amount of history these invoke is insane. We passed by some other sights- the Berliner Dom, Museum Island, Alexander Platz and the TV Tower. And of course we ate Bratwurst..
We finally made it to the East Side Gallery; a section of the Berlin Wall that artists were commissioned to work on after the wall fell. This was probably my favorite part of Berlin- again, that overwhelming history.
We crossed the river into Kreuzberg, a less sterile-feeling, busier part of town. We finally got to our final stop before going back to the hostel, Checkpoint Charlie. We didn't go into the museum, but from what we could see, it was the checkpoint to get into the American sector of Berlin.
That night, we were rejected from a couple clubs; we assumed it was because we are American, but we couldn't say for sure.. We did end up at one club, which was fun, but far from crazy..
Saturday we took it pretty easy; we went to the top of the Reichstag and saw a view of Berlin. It was probably just the cloudy weather, but it all seemed sad.. We then just walked around; we almost went into a museum, we almost went into the Berliner Dom.. We saw a small market and watched German kids street dance. They were practicing techtonique and we just sat there for a while laughing at them..
That night we went to a couple bars in Kreuzberg, including a gay kitschy one with fuzzy walls and chandeliers. We then club went to a club; it looked fun from the outside but the inside was filled with awkward people. I think Abby described the dancing as looking like the Sims. It was so true- everyone was dancing strangely on their own; no one looked like they were with anyone. So again, we sat there and laughed.
Our planes to Madrid were early Sunday morning, so we actually had to leave our hostel at 3:30am, which was not the most fun.
I didn't really know what to expect from Berlin, but it pretty much surprised me. The history is fascinating, but I'm not sure how I feel about it otherwise.. It is a huge city, so there is a chance I just didn't get to discover the really great parts. Next time I guess..
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Paris
Last weekend I went to Paris; my señora was really sweet and drove me to the Madrid airport at 4am Friday morning. I flew into the Beauvais Airport, which was actually at least an hour outside the city. It was a strange flight; I had never taken Ryanair before, and I was confused when I found out you just kindof chose whatever seat. I took a bus from the airport and finally arrived in Paris..
After dropping my stuff off at the hostel I met up with everyone I was traveling with at the Eiffel Tower. We took 82384761 pictures, then walked up about two thirds of the tower; the view was gorgeous. We then walked to the Arc de Triumphe then through Jardin des Tuileries to get to Museé Louvre. We decided to return to the museum at night when it was free for students.
In the Louvre, I was surprised to find out that you could take pictures. Of course we saw the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, and the countless renaissance sculptures and paintings. There was also a Picasso exhibition, which I later found out was one that is spread out through the Louvre, Grand Palais, and D'Orsay; it was called "Picasso and the Masters." In these museums, especially at the Louvre, Picasso was seemingly out of place; I really loved seeing the original painting he took inspiration from and the many ways he interpreted it. I had never really heard of him doing this so seeing it in a couple exhibitions was really cool.
After the Louvre, we went back to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night..
On Saturday, we went to Montmarte, and saw Sacre Coeur, as well as a great view. There was also a small Dalí museum, which I loved. It had a lot of his etchings and sculptures; I could have sat there all day and contemplated this stuff..
We hit another couple important sights- Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, the Pantheon.. We had a picnic lunch in Jardin du Luxembourg, which is lovely; the flowers and scenery are really gorgeous.
We went one more time to the Eiffel Tower, meaning to catch the sunset, but not realizing how early it would be. When we did get there though, we were just in time for the hourly light show.
We went out for a little bit at night near Bastille, but I am pretty convinced that in order to do nightlife in Paris, you need mucho dinero.
On Sunday, I went to Museé D'Orsay and Museé Rodin. D'Orsay was really great; they had a Picasso/Masters exhibit as well. What I loved most I think is realizing how just about every painting in my house has its original in the D'Orsay. My parents have said how they love Paris; they spent their honeymoon there and even gave me a French name because of it.
The Rodin Museum was really great; I usually don't appreciate sculptures that much, but works like The Thinker and The Cathedral really struck me..
Before leaving Paris in the Afternoon, I had coffee with my friend Evelyn, who is currently studying there; meeting up with people in a totally different context is always cool, it was a nice send off for my trip
: )
All in all, I feel like a lot of Paris has really been fetishisized- the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, etc.. It has all the big names in museums and sights; however, I found the the things that impressed me the most were the small surprises.. I was at first a little disenchanted by the city and worried that I wouldn't love it all that much, but I think there's a lot more to discover..
After dropping my stuff off at the hostel I met up with everyone I was traveling with at the Eiffel Tower. We took 82384761 pictures, then walked up about two thirds of the tower; the view was gorgeous. We then walked to the Arc de Triumphe then through Jardin des Tuileries to get to Museé Louvre. We decided to return to the museum at night when it was free for students.
In the Louvre, I was surprised to find out that you could take pictures. Of course we saw the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, and the countless renaissance sculptures and paintings. There was also a Picasso exhibition, which I later found out was one that is spread out through the Louvre, Grand Palais, and D'Orsay; it was called "Picasso and the Masters." In these museums, especially at the Louvre, Picasso was seemingly out of place; I really loved seeing the original painting he took inspiration from and the many ways he interpreted it. I had never really heard of him doing this so seeing it in a couple exhibitions was really cool.
After the Louvre, we went back to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night..
On Saturday, we went to Montmarte, and saw Sacre Coeur, as well as a great view. There was also a small Dalí museum, which I loved. It had a lot of his etchings and sculptures; I could have sat there all day and contemplated this stuff..
We hit another couple important sights- Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, the Pantheon.. We had a picnic lunch in Jardin du Luxembourg, which is lovely; the flowers and scenery are really gorgeous.
We went one more time to the Eiffel Tower, meaning to catch the sunset, but not realizing how early it would be. When we did get there though, we were just in time for the hourly light show.
We went out for a little bit at night near Bastille, but I am pretty convinced that in order to do nightlife in Paris, you need mucho dinero.
On Sunday, I went to Museé D'Orsay and Museé Rodin. D'Orsay was really great; they had a Picasso/Masters exhibit as well. What I loved most I think is realizing how just about every painting in my house has its original in the D'Orsay. My parents have said how they love Paris; they spent their honeymoon there and even gave me a French name because of it.
The Rodin Museum was really great; I usually don't appreciate sculptures that much, but works like The Thinker and The Cathedral really struck me..
Before leaving Paris in the Afternoon, I had coffee with my friend Evelyn, who is currently studying there; meeting up with people in a totally different context is always cool, it was a nice send off for my trip
: )
All in all, I feel like a lot of Paris has really been fetishisized- the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, etc.. It has all the big names in museums and sights; however, I found the the things that impressed me the most were the small surprises.. I was at first a little disenchanted by the city and worried that I wouldn't love it all that much, but I think there's a lot more to discover..
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Barcelona
Last Thursday several people from the program and I took the overnight bus to Barcelona. When we got there in the morning and couldn't check into the hostel, we started our tour of the city. We walked through Parc De La Ciutadella and went to the Olympic village on the beach. We also made it to the Picasso Museum; they had a lot of his early work, which is not my favorite, but it was quite interesting. We walked up and down Las Ramblas and went to the Market La Boqueria, which had amazing fruit.
Our hostel was in Placa Reial, on La Rambla; it was fine except for a couple really unpleasant British girls in our room.. The best part of the hostel was definitely the location. They had free breakfast and first come first serve free dinner, but it consisted of "meat and potatoes. don't ask us what the meat is because we don't know. watch out for bones." No thank you.
We had lunch in the Placa and I finally ate paella here, but I was pretty underwhelmed. We did more walking, around the Barri Gotic area. Btw they speak Catalán here which is muy bonita pero no lo entiendo.
That night we went to the Magic Fountain, which, just around sunset, has a fountain/light/music show. It was really lovely; I highly recommend it : ) Later, we went around to find nightlife, and we just ended up at this one big club that was supposed to be quite touristy. We go there around 1, which of course by Spanish standards was much too early, so it was quite empty. Soon it was packed though, and we were elatedly surprised by the arrival of Grandmaster Flash! I had seen posters for his tour in Madrid, and I was bummed that I would be missing him there, but I had no idea he was in Barcelona in the same weekend.. que suerte! His set was fantastic; it was one of the most fun nights I've had in Spain so far.
Even though we got just about no sleep, we got up early for more sight seeing. We saw the major Gaudi edifices- Casa Batllón, Casa Mila La Pedreda, and La Grada Familia. His architecture is fascinating, and definitely what I think of when I think of Barcelona.
My favorite sight by far was Parc Guell. Designed by Gaudi, it was so fantastical and had the most amazing details. Someone was playing the trumpet in the park, and we just sat there for almost an hour; the whole place was just unreal.
The next morning before we left, we took the gondola up MontJuic. It was the perfect way to end the trip; we had a great view of the city from the top. One thing that I would have like to do was rent a bike while I was there; for that reason and for Parc Guell, I would love to return.
Our hostel was in Placa Reial, on La Rambla; it was fine except for a couple really unpleasant British girls in our room.. The best part of the hostel was definitely the location. They had free breakfast and first come first serve free dinner, but it consisted of "meat and potatoes. don't ask us what the meat is because we don't know. watch out for bones." No thank you.
We had lunch in the Placa and I finally ate paella here, but I was pretty underwhelmed. We did more walking, around the Barri Gotic area. Btw they speak Catalán here which is muy bonita pero no lo entiendo.
That night we went to the Magic Fountain, which, just around sunset, has a fountain/light/music show. It was really lovely; I highly recommend it : ) Later, we went around to find nightlife, and we just ended up at this one big club that was supposed to be quite touristy. We go there around 1, which of course by Spanish standards was much too early, so it was quite empty. Soon it was packed though, and we were elatedly surprised by the arrival of Grandmaster Flash! I had seen posters for his tour in Madrid, and I was bummed that I would be missing him there, but I had no idea he was in Barcelona in the same weekend.. que suerte! His set was fantastic; it was one of the most fun nights I've had in Spain so far.
Even though we got just about no sleep, we got up early for more sight seeing. We saw the major Gaudi edifices- Casa Batllón, Casa Mila La Pedreda, and La Grada Familia. His architecture is fascinating, and definitely what I think of when I think of Barcelona.
My favorite sight by far was Parc Guell. Designed by Gaudi, it was so fantastical and had the most amazing details. Someone was playing the trumpet in the park, and we just sat there for almost an hour; the whole place was just unreal.
The next morning before we left, we took the gondola up MontJuic. It was the perfect way to end the trip; we had a great view of the city from the top. One thing that I would have like to do was rent a bike while I was there; for that reason and for Parc Guell, I would love to return.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Marbella
Last a few people from my program and I went on our first self-organized trip : ) We decided we had to go to Costa del Sol while it was still warm enough to go to the beach. The bus ride there, which we took overnight on a Thursday, was a little hectic. A man had a seizure on the bus; there was some kind of doctor on the bus, and when we pulled over to meet an ambulance, he refused care so everything was fine, but still a shaky start to our vacation, haha.. The rest of the night was like a deathride; no one could sleep because our driver was going so fast. We got there ahead of schedule, as the sun was rising.
After finding our Hostal we went to the Mediterranean; the water was cold, but the scene was gorgeous. We spent a lazy day at the beach, and honestly, there is not much else to see in Marbella, so I was just fine with that.
That night some British guys in the hostal took us to a nightlife area in Marbella. And oh, by the way, EVERYONE here was from Great Britain. We even went into a bar and started speaking Spanish, until the bartender informed us that she didn't know a word. Most people seemed to be older than us, but everywhere at least gave us free drinks; they give out cheap champagne like water to a group of girls. Except it was free, unlike water. eh.
The next day we had a lazy lunch and more lazy beach time. We didn't do much at night except have a huge dinner that took foreever. The meals here take so long, and I'm all for being tranquila, but sometimes it is just ridiculous how inefficient they are.
Which I guess brings me to another point- being abroad is amazing, but I kind of love America. ha. Whenever I find myself having to explain myself because of where I'm from, whether it's Jersey or America in general, I realize how much I totally dig where I grew up. I don't want to siesta, I want to work, I want racial integration and spicy food!
..Anyways, the bus ride back on Sunday was much more pleasant, and I was glad to return to Madrid. This week has been pretty stressful with work, which I did not expect.. I'm looking forward to Barcelona this weekend though!
After finding our Hostal we went to the Mediterranean; the water was cold, but the scene was gorgeous. We spent a lazy day at the beach, and honestly, there is not much else to see in Marbella, so I was just fine with that.
That night some British guys in the hostal took us to a nightlife area in Marbella. And oh, by the way, EVERYONE here was from Great Britain. We even went into a bar and started speaking Spanish, until the bartender informed us that she didn't know a word. Most people seemed to be older than us, but everywhere at least gave us free drinks; they give out cheap champagne like water to a group of girls. Except it was free, unlike water. eh.
The next day we had a lazy lunch and more lazy beach time. We didn't do much at night except have a huge dinner that took foreever. The meals here take so long, and I'm all for being tranquila, but sometimes it is just ridiculous how inefficient they are.
Which I guess brings me to another point- being abroad is amazing, but I kind of love America. ha. Whenever I find myself having to explain myself because of where I'm from, whether it's Jersey or America in general, I realize how much I totally dig where I grew up. I don't want to siesta, I want to work, I want racial integration and spicy food!
..Anyways, the bus ride back on Sunday was much more pleasant, and I was glad to return to Madrid. This week has been pretty stressful with work, which I did not expect.. I'm looking forward to Barcelona this weekend though!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
La semana pasada
Last Tuesday I went to Palacio Real in Madrid; it was nice, and the view was fantastic, but there was not that much to see. The part you could tour inside was much other palaces I've seen- ornate, gaudy, and rooms upon rooms that seemed to be used for nothing.. very gorgeous though.
Palacio Real
On Wednesday I saw the Kiev Modern Ballet troupe perform to Bizet's opera, Carmen. It was amazing; engaging and interpretive and totally beautiful.
On Thursday I went out with some people from another program; they stay in an apartment without a host family. It was so nice, and I was a little jealous, but I'm sure they barely use their Spanish.. We went to Malasaña for a couple drinks at the bar Ocean and a quasi-dance bar called Nasti, heh. They actually played really fantastic music, so that was fun. We did call it an early night, though, because on Friday, we had a day trip with the program to Toledo, Spain's old capitol city.
Toledo was adorable; it is full of narrow streets and beautiful buildings. They have amazing Mazapan.. soo good. We went to the High Gothic Cathedral; a super gaudy Catholic church, as well as the Synagogue of El Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca, which was originally a Jewish temple, and was converted to a church because Spain is like that.. This building was gorgeous; I couldn't take pictures inside, but there were wonderful white arches throughout..
Toledo
Friday night was another botellón night; we had fun "callejar"-ing.. apparently this is what you call drinking and walking around streets in Madrid.
Saturday night we watched a taping of the Presidential debates at Casa America.. it was nice to be in a room full of people who cared about the same political situation (most of whom were very pro-Obama). Later, we went out in Malasaña, and walked in and out of a couple funky bars, Tupperware and the MaderFacker.. We mostly just stood around and talked, per usual..
Sunday we went to El Rastro, a huge open market in Madrid where you can buy antiques, clothes, old cameras, books, etc etc.. I didn't end up buying anything, but there was much to see. I definitely want a pair of parachute pants.
El Rastro
Classes this week were a little stressful.. I had a grammar test Monday that totally kicked my culo; I think I have forgotten that I am actually in school and not extended summer..
Last night we went to an international night at Café Madrid.. I was a little skeptical of what people would be there, but we decided to check it out. It was pretty lame.. I think the median age was about 30 haha. Some Italian and Dutch people talked to us for a little, but we left pretty quickly. We then went to a few bars in the Sol area, which were surprisingly very empty. Even though it was Wednesday, I was under the impression that everyone partied constantly here.. We even went to one bar where ladies drank free.. not just one free drink, like you got a cup, and could drink as long as you stayed.. Even here, there was barely anyone. Getting up this morning was quite difficult, but I only had one class today, and then I got an empanada and some amazing helado, so all is well : )
Tonight I leave for Marbella, a town on the southern coast of Spain, on the Mediterranean.. soo excited to go to the beach!
Palacio RealOn Wednesday I saw the Kiev Modern Ballet troupe perform to Bizet's opera, Carmen. It was amazing; engaging and interpretive and totally beautiful.
On Thursday I went out with some people from another program; they stay in an apartment without a host family. It was so nice, and I was a little jealous, but I'm sure they barely use their Spanish.. We went to Malasaña for a couple drinks at the bar Ocean and a quasi-dance bar called Nasti, heh. They actually played really fantastic music, so that was fun. We did call it an early night, though, because on Friday, we had a day trip with the program to Toledo, Spain's old capitol city.
Toledo was adorable; it is full of narrow streets and beautiful buildings. They have amazing Mazapan.. soo good. We went to the High Gothic Cathedral; a super gaudy Catholic church, as well as the Synagogue of El Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca, which was originally a Jewish temple, and was converted to a church because Spain is like that.. This building was gorgeous; I couldn't take pictures inside, but there were wonderful white arches throughout..
ToledoFriday night was another botellón night; we had fun "callejar"-ing.. apparently this is what you call drinking and walking around streets in Madrid.
Saturday night we watched a taping of the Presidential debates at Casa America.. it was nice to be in a room full of people who cared about the same political situation (most of whom were very pro-Obama). Later, we went out in Malasaña, and walked in and out of a couple funky bars, Tupperware and the MaderFacker.. We mostly just stood around and talked, per usual..
Sunday we went to El Rastro, a huge open market in Madrid where you can buy antiques, clothes, old cameras, books, etc etc.. I didn't end up buying anything, but there was much to see. I definitely want a pair of parachute pants.
El RastroClasses this week were a little stressful.. I had a grammar test Monday that totally kicked my culo; I think I have forgotten that I am actually in school and not extended summer..
Last night we went to an international night at Café Madrid.. I was a little skeptical of what people would be there, but we decided to check it out. It was pretty lame.. I think the median age was about 30 haha. Some Italian and Dutch people talked to us for a little, but we left pretty quickly. We then went to a few bars in the Sol area, which were surprisingly very empty. Even though it was Wednesday, I was under the impression that everyone partied constantly here.. We even went to one bar where ladies drank free.. not just one free drink, like you got a cup, and could drink as long as you stayed.. Even here, there was barely anyone. Getting up this morning was quite difficult, but I only had one class today, and then I got an empanada and some amazing helado, so all is well : )
Tonight I leave for Marbella, a town on the southern coast of Spain, on the Mediterranean.. soo excited to go to the beach!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Madrid nights
Thursday night, we went to Club Kapital, multi-level discotheque. A few levels are lounges or karaoke bars, and the main level plays club music while another plays American hip-hop. People were dancing, but still, it seems that us Americans were the most enthusiastic about it, hah. Living up to expectations, the guys here are pretty forward; all the sudden I would look around, and just about all the girls I came with had been accosted by some Spaniard, haha.
Me, Laura, Emily, Katherine, Samantha at Kapital
On Friday, we went bar hopping around Sol, just walking around, tons of promoters will ask you to come into their bar/club. We only went into the ones that offered us a free shot, hah. Of course the shots were almost all sugar water, but it was still fun to go in, get our chupito, and leave. By the end of the night, when places were filling up, we did have to pay for a couple drinks, but still, a nice cheap night..
Saturday, we purchased a bottle of Smirnoff and some Fanta, and participated in botellón. The youth of Madrid gather in various plazas and sit in circles to drink and talk. We met some Madrileños who taught us some rude colloquial terms, heh.
botellón
As a result of staying out until 6 or 7, I definitely slept much of Friday and Saturday. Honestly, it seems like the norm here though, and I do not even feel guilty about it, haha.
Me, Laura, Emily, Katherine, Samantha at KapitalOn Friday, we went bar hopping around Sol, just walking around, tons of promoters will ask you to come into their bar/club. We only went into the ones that offered us a free shot, hah. Of course the shots were almost all sugar water, but it was still fun to go in, get our chupito, and leave. By the end of the night, when places were filling up, we did have to pay for a couple drinks, but still, a nice cheap night..
Saturday, we purchased a bottle of Smirnoff and some Fanta, and participated in botellón. The youth of Madrid gather in various plazas and sit in circles to drink and talk. We met some Madrileños who taught us some rude colloquial terms, heh.
botellónAs a result of staying out until 6 or 7, I definitely slept much of Friday and Saturday. Honestly, it seems like the norm here though, and I do not even feel guilty about it, haha.
museos y cine
On Friday I went to Museo Nacional Del Prado. It is a major art museum that has a lot of Rembrandt, Goya, Rubens, Greco.. It is huge, so I plan on going again.
The Prado
On Sunday I went to Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, a modern art museum. There was a machine/science/art exhibit that was very cool. I saw a lot of Picasso, including Guernica. I also went through a special Edward Steichen photography exhibit. You could definitely spend a whole day in this place, I was too tired to go through much, but I definitely want to return to at least see some works by Dali.
Sunday afternoon I saw Che: El Argentino, a Spanish movie about Che during the communist revolution in Cuba. I did not understand most of it, so it would be difficult for me to say whether I liked it or not. From what I could tell though, the movie painted Che in a fairly positive light. His violent actions were downplayed by his grand ideals and intentions for people; they really emphasized his role as a doctor to illustrate him as a caring man. I guess this is debatable..
The PradoOn Sunday I went to Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, a modern art museum. There was a machine/science/art exhibit that was very cool. I saw a lot of Picasso, including Guernica. I also went through a special Edward Steichen photography exhibit. You could definitely spend a whole day in this place, I was too tired to go through much, but I definitely want to return to at least see some works by Dali.
Sunday afternoon I saw Che: El Argentino, a Spanish movie about Che during the communist revolution in Cuba. I did not understand most of it, so it would be difficult for me to say whether I liked it or not. From what I could tell though, the movie painted Che in a fairly positive light. His violent actions were downplayed by his grand ideals and intentions for people; they really emphasized his role as a doctor to illustrate him as a caring man. I guess this is debatable..
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Primera Semana
Plaza MayorI arrived in Madrid exactly one week ago.. The first couple days we stayed at a hotel near Puerta de Sol, a very central, busy, and touristy part of town. We walked around Sol and Plaza Mayor; the only other landmarks we came across were Botin, the first restaurant ever, and Palacio Real, although we didn't go in for the tour.
Friday night we ate a tapas place in Sol, then went to a hole-in-the-wall bar in Chueca, where they had 3euro mojitos and kalimocho, half wine and half cola, a favorite among the youth here. Afterwards, we went to a pre-club bar. It's a bar with a small dance floor that's supposed to get you ready for clubbing, which usually starts around 2 at least. No one here goes out at all before 11. At these bars, they typically play Spanish or salsa music, but as soon as we got in front of the DJ, he played Bon Jovi, selected songs from Grease, and the Twist. No joke. At every bar here, they make their drinks strong, which I guess makes up for some of the prices. Any time you order a rum and cola, it is about half rum. We all went back to the hotel afterwards, because we were moving into our homestays the next morning.
I moved in with my Senora on Sunday morning; she lives near Calle de Atocha, a very typical part of Madrid, the "heart" of it. It's very very cute; there is a little terrace, and she is an interior decorator who does woodwork, so I think a lot of my furniture might have been made by her. The eating schedule is different here, and I kind of love it. I grab breakfast before class, just some bread or something, then lunch is at about 3, and it is the main meal of the day. Dinner is at 9, and it is much smaller.
the terraceSaturday night was La Noche en Blanco, an annual event that takes place in many cities around Europe. A bunch of museums and other exhibitions are open all night, and the major streets are closed for traffic until 6 or 7am for people to wander around. I only saw a couple exhibits and they were underwhelming compared to just the sight of all the people.
On Sunday I went to Parque Retiro, and not much else..
Monday through Thursday I had class; I am still in summer mode, so that was difficult. I'm taking grammar and conversation, and there are 3 people in my classes, which is kind of awesome, except for today, when I almost fell asleep. I take one civilization class, which is interesting.
Wednesday night, I went to a Real Madrid game! They were playing Belarus, I think. It was 2-0, so not that intense, but still so much fun.. Everyone here, as one would expect, so super passionate about the sport. After the game, I went to an American Bar, Maloney's. It was tiny and full of students, but they gave us tons of free drinks.. I actually think I didn't spend any money that night, heh.
Tonight is my first real weekend night out.. !
Thursday, September 11, 2008
En Madrid
Soo I got to Madrid today : ) It's gorgeous, although I haven't gotten to see much yet. There is a two day orientation period before I move in with my family, which I am pretty nervous about. Before I write an entry about here though, I realized I never finished writing about Korea.
After a couple days seeing family and friends with my mom in Seoul, we spent a few days in Jeju do, and island off the south coast of Korea. They had amazing clementines, and a lot of strange seafood. We went on a tour which was at time tiring; it would have been nice to have a day to just lounge on the beach.
Jeju do
We spent another couple days in Seoul, shopping and spending time my mom's uncle and his family. Our last meal was at a buddhist vegetarian place, a welcome break from Korean barbeque. Speaking of which, I just saw a Korean restaurant here; it's weird how Seoul now feels so much less foreign than Madrid does. When I came back from Korea, in a way it felt like I never left, like it always does. I had just a few weeks before leaving for Spain, so I just saw as many people as I could and visited Boston one weekend.
Now I am in Madrid, although it has barely hit me; I am excited, but still apprehensive about meeting my host family and my lack of Spanish vocabulary. I've done no official sight seeing yet, but we did walk around Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Sol, as well as the Royal Palace.
After a couple days seeing family and friends with my mom in Seoul, we spent a few days in Jeju do, and island off the south coast of Korea. They had amazing clementines, and a lot of strange seafood. We went on a tour which was at time tiring; it would have been nice to have a day to just lounge on the beach.
Jeju doWe spent another couple days in Seoul, shopping and spending time my mom's uncle and his family. Our last meal was at a buddhist vegetarian place, a welcome break from Korean barbeque. Speaking of which, I just saw a Korean restaurant here; it's weird how Seoul now feels so much less foreign than Madrid does. When I came back from Korea, in a way it felt like I never left, like it always does. I had just a few weeks before leaving for Spain, so I just saw as many people as I could and visited Boston one weekend.
Now I am in Madrid, although it has barely hit me; I am excited, but still apprehensive about meeting my host family and my lack of Spanish vocabulary. I've done no official sight seeing yet, but we did walk around Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Sol, as well as the Royal Palace.
Monday, August 4, 2008
last weekend of Yonsei
Last Friday was really fun; we just went out in Sinchon again, but everyone got a little crazier and before we knew it it was 6 or 7. I'm looking forward to being home, but as with any summer, just when you feel like you're getting close to people, it's time to leave..
My mommy came this weekend! I haven't seen her in soo long, we just had lunch and walked around Insadong; I'm excited to spend more time with her next week.
Sunday we went to a Dragon Hill Spa, a jjimjibang in Yongsan. It is open 24 hours, and entrance is 10 dollars. Then you get a wristband you scan whenever you want to buy food, a massage, etc, and you pay the balance at the end. They had really good patbinsu, but the massages were super expensive so we just spent some time in the massage chairs :) They had a bunch of hot rooms with different properties; we went in a jade "pyramid," and ochre pyramid, and a coal room. The coal room was the hottest; it also looked and smelled like a furnace. After sweating tons, you go in the cold room; there is ice on the walls, and even snowmen in a corner. These rooms are coed, as is the main hall, where everyone just lounges. There were a lot of families here; it is a popular place to relax. You can sleep over; there are even rooms for that. There are also saunas with different baths and showers, as well as an outdoor pool. So nice!
main hall of the jjimjibang
My mommy came this weekend! I haven't seen her in soo long, we just had lunch and walked around Insadong; I'm excited to spend more time with her next week.
Sunday we went to a Dragon Hill Spa, a jjimjibang in Yongsan. It is open 24 hours, and entrance is 10 dollars. Then you get a wristband you scan whenever you want to buy food, a massage, etc, and you pay the balance at the end. They had really good patbinsu, but the massages were super expensive so we just spent some time in the massage chairs :) They had a bunch of hot rooms with different properties; we went in a jade "pyramid," and ochre pyramid, and a coal room. The coal room was the hottest; it also looked and smelled like a furnace. After sweating tons, you go in the cold room; there is ice on the walls, and even snowmen in a corner. These rooms are coed, as is the main hall, where everyone just lounges. There were a lot of families here; it is a popular place to relax. You can sleep over; there are even rooms for that. There are also saunas with different baths and showers, as well as an outdoor pool. So nice!
main hall of the jjimjibangWednesday, July 30, 2008
2 more weeks left..
I am very close to the end of my SK journey! Unfortunately, I still do not know Korean :( Oh well, one day.. It hasn't really hit me that I probably won't be back for quite a while..
We've been trying to cram in a lot of going out this past week, and we've made a lot of plans for the weekend; I hope we get to do everything on our list. I will be sad to leave definitely, and I am sure I will miss it, but I am excited to be back home!
We've been trying to cram in a lot of going out this past week, and we've made a lot of plans for the weekend; I hope we get to do everything on our list. I will be sad to leave definitely, and I am sure I will miss it, but I am excited to be back home!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
More of the same
Did typical weekend stuff here: Bars in Sinchon, clubs elsewhere. We went to club Circle in Apgujeong; it was pretty nice, Apgujeong is in the same area as Gangnam and is known for being more ritzy than other parts of town..
Yesterday we went to Idae, another part of Sinchon that is closer to Ewha University. It was very cool, small alleys of little shops and vendors. It is actually the first time in Seoul that I've seen tattoo parlors; they are very uncommon in this typically conservative city. I wish I had pictures, but my camera broke!
I definitely have the worst luck with cameras, if you don't know.. I lost one on a trip to London in high school, then I broke both mine and someone else's on Marathon Monday this past spring. I just got this nice nice camera as a birthday present, and someone knocked it off the table Saturday night at noraebang :( The lens is pretty messed up; I got a warranty because I really just knew that something would happen, so I can get it fixed or replaced for free at Best Buy, but until I get back to the States, I'm not sure of what I'm going to do :( I might be able to borrow my Samchunharabuji's camera.
Every Sunday, I have lunch with my Samchunharabuji (great uncle). He barely speaks English, but he is really sweet to me; he always takes me to some nice place, and I was starting to get a cold last week and he could tell, so he bought me medicine.
I'm half way through my time here! eek!
Yesterday we went to Idae, another part of Sinchon that is closer to Ewha University. It was very cool, small alleys of little shops and vendors. It is actually the first time in Seoul that I've seen tattoo parlors; they are very uncommon in this typically conservative city. I wish I had pictures, but my camera broke!
I definitely have the worst luck with cameras, if you don't know.. I lost one on a trip to London in high school, then I broke both mine and someone else's on Marathon Monday this past spring. I just got this nice nice camera as a birthday present, and someone knocked it off the table Saturday night at noraebang :( The lens is pretty messed up; I got a warranty because I really just knew that something would happen, so I can get it fixed or replaced for free at Best Buy, but until I get back to the States, I'm not sure of what I'm going to do :( I might be able to borrow my Samchunharabuji's camera.
Every Sunday, I have lunch with my Samchunharabuji (great uncle). He barely speaks English, but he is really sweet to me; he always takes me to some nice place, and I was starting to get a cold last week and he could tell, so he bought me medicine.
I'm half way through my time here! eek!
Mud Festival
Last Friday I went to the Boryeong Mud Festival! It was pretty fantastic; we could paint ourselves with mud, take mudbaths, wrestle, go down slides, etc etc.. It was also on a beach, which was really nice. The mud from Daecheon Beach is said to be really good for your skin, and the purified mud that they use at the festival is the same expensive kind that they sell as masks, and make into other beauty products. Yummy!
I didn't want to take my camera, but I stole a couple pictures from Dylan..
painted with mud :)
Mud People!
I didn't want to take my camera, but I stole a couple pictures from Dylan..
painted with mud :)
Mud People!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
B-Boy show
Friday evening we went to a B-Boy show, "Ballerina loves B-Boy," featuring Extreme Crew, who won the 2007 Battle of The Year. Korean crews have won 4 out of the last 6 BOTYs! It was super sick; I've never been able to see breaking in person.. Breakdancing has def been reemerging in to popular culture around the world; documentaries such as "Planet B-Boy" and "Always Be Boyz," and tv shows like mtv's "dance crew" have recently popularized the artform.
We took pictures with them after the show; they were adorable!!
Gangnam
Friday night, we went to Gangnam, which is known for its rich beautiful people, ha. I didn't notice it too much, but we did see a couple nice cars and some plastic girls.. We first went to a bar, and paid 10 bucks for french fries.. I'm not sure how we justified this, hah. We didn't get to Club Mass until 2am, but the cover was still 30USD. ouch. We decided to make the most of it, though, and stay as long as possible. The clubs are open until dawn, generally.. The music was house, and there were several guys dancing tectonique, which was pretty funny to watch. It's a tecno-electronic dance that has become popular in Europe, especially France, and I guess it's spread to Asia, hah.
yeah, mightve been on stage
A little before 5, we were ready to leave, but we realized were very broke. We def didn't have enough for a cab back, especially since there were too many of us to take just one. So we waited for the subways and buses to open..
steph, sara, me, jesse ooppa, joanne
The bus ride was half an hour or something, and pretty uncomfortable in clubwear.. We finally got back, tho we missed our stop by one so we had to walk a ways before we finally got to sleeep! It was fun, and a funny memory, but I'm not so sure how quick I'd be to do it again..
yeah, mightve been on stageA little before 5, we were ready to leave, but we realized were very broke. We def didn't have enough for a cab back, especially since there were too many of us to take just one. So we waited for the subways and buses to open..
steph, sara, me, jesse ooppa, joanneThe bus ride was half an hour or something, and pretty uncomfortable in clubwear.. We finally got back, tho we missed our stop by one so we had to walk a ways before we finally got to sleeep! It was fun, and a funny memory, but I'm not so sure how quick I'd be to do it again..
Saturday, July 12, 2008
image
Thursday night, I went shopping in Dongdaemun. There are tons of street-vendor type shopping in these massive malls, and at night a lot of people go to buy wholesale to sell in their own stores. At 3am the malls are busy, and the sellers are willing to bargain prices with you. Most of the clothes are things I cannot see myself wearing in the States, which keeps me from buying too much, but I did get skinny jeans, two skirts, a dress, and leggings for 54USD..
The shoes here are cheap but also made cheaply and are pretty uncomfortable. The girls here manage to wear heels all the time, though! Most girls I see, at any point in the day, anywhere, seem to be wearing heels, and I don't know how they manage. After one night clubbing in pumps I am walking around the city barefoot.
The obsession with image in general is insane here. The girls are tiiny.. although I guess this is natural because of an overall difference in diet and lifestyle. I barely see any gyms though; I don't think they have the same obsession with the American ideas of beauty in muscles and tans.. Along with being tiny, most girls seem to like to stay pale. Also, rather than being "sexy," most would prefer to be "cute and pretty." The most popular pop stars (who are THE idols in Seoul culture) are very young. A popular girl group, the Wonder Girls, is made up of mostly high school girls; the youngest, and most popular, is in middle school! ick.
Plastic Surgery has become very popular in Seoul. S'sangkapul, or double eyelid surgery, is extremely common. I've heard that some girls here have even gotten surgery to lengthen their legs.. ouch. The most "beautiful" girls here have a small face and nose, and many get plastic surgery to get this way. An "ulzzhang" is someone with a very pretty face; apparently there are online contests to turn someone who isn't one into someone who is.. This is one I've seen online alot.. The circle lenses are creepy, right?! She wasn't looking so great before, but those are alien eyes..
The shoes here are cheap but also made cheaply and are pretty uncomfortable. The girls here manage to wear heels all the time, though! Most girls I see, at any point in the day, anywhere, seem to be wearing heels, and I don't know how they manage. After one night clubbing in pumps I am walking around the city barefoot.
The obsession with image in general is insane here. The girls are tiiny.. although I guess this is natural because of an overall difference in diet and lifestyle. I barely see any gyms though; I don't think they have the same obsession with the American ideas of beauty in muscles and tans.. Along with being tiny, most girls seem to like to stay pale. Also, rather than being "sexy," most would prefer to be "cute and pretty." The most popular pop stars (who are THE idols in Seoul culture) are very young. A popular girl group, the Wonder Girls, is made up of mostly high school girls; the youngest, and most popular, is in middle school! ick.
Plastic Surgery has become very popular in Seoul. S'sangkapul, or double eyelid surgery, is extremely common. I've heard that some girls here have even gotten surgery to lengthen their legs.. ouch. The most "beautiful" girls here have a small face and nose, and many get plastic surgery to get this way. An "ulzzhang" is someone with a very pretty face; apparently there are online contests to turn someone who isn't one into someone who is.. This is one I've seen online alot.. The circle lenses are creepy, right?! She wasn't looking so great before, but those are alien eyes..
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Second Weekend
This weekend I did more of the same: food & drinks and Noraebang (Karaoke) in Sinchon, clubbing in Hongdae.. I def haven't done as much as I want to while I'm here, so I'm making a list today of everything I haave to do in the next five weeks..
I haven't even been shopping much! I want to try to bargain on my own, but I'm clearly American so I'm afraid I'll be ripped off unless I bring along friends more proficient in Korean.. It is amazing though, the clothes are so cheap and although a lot is not what I would wear, most of it is pretty nice. The markets are like one big Forever 21.. actually that's probably exactly what it is? Except cheaper :)
At HO bar V in Hongdae
I haven't even been shopping much! I want to try to bargain on my own, but I'm clearly American so I'm afraid I'll be ripped off unless I bring along friends more proficient in Korean.. It is amazing though, the clothes are so cheap and although a lot is not what I would wear, most of it is pretty nice. The markets are like one big Forever 21.. actually that's probably exactly what it is? Except cheaper :)
At HO bar V in Hongdae
Friday, July 4, 2008
Cinema, Philosophy
This week in class..
In East Asian Cinemas, we watched the Korean film Sopyonje, which is centered around a traveling family and Pansori, traditional folk singing. It was a touching movie, but has been criticized as self-orientalizing and so romanticized that it is no longer believable.
In Philosophy in East Asian Literature, we are reading Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which I read some of at BU for Eastern Religions, but not as much in depth. In a way, a lot of what we talk about reminds me of Existentialism, but the way of thinking is very different. There is an emphasis on analogical thinking, and language is seen as insufficient for explaining concepts such as the t'ai-chi (the ultimate). Anything that can be defined is phenomenal, and is just a manifestation of the neumenal (metaphysical) world. The neumenal realm is considered what is real, and what is truth, and these things are therefore beyond perception. etc etc?
<-- Tao
In East Asian Cinemas, we watched the Korean film Sopyonje, which is centered around a traveling family and Pansori, traditional folk singing. It was a touching movie, but has been criticized as self-orientalizing and so romanticized that it is no longer believable.
In Philosophy in East Asian Literature, we are reading Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which I read some of at BU for Eastern Religions, but not as much in depth. In a way, a lot of what we talk about reminds me of Existentialism, but the way of thinking is very different. There is an emphasis on analogical thinking, and language is seen as insufficient for explaining concepts such as the t'ai-chi (the ultimate). Anything that can be defined is phenomenal, and is just a manifestation of the neumenal (metaphysical) world. The neumenal realm is considered what is real, and what is truth, and these things are therefore beyond perception. etc etc?
<-- Tao
Monday, June 30, 2008
Classes?
I had my first day of classes today! I'm taking East Asian Cinema, which I was thinking about dropping, but it seems really interesting I'll probably stick with it. I'm also in Philosophy of East Asian Literature which is pretty sweet. Everyone looked so bored when the prof was talking about nothingness and identity and such, but of course I love this stuff, ha. I took a Korean placement exam, and I realized just how little of the language I know. It all sounds so familiar, but I really can't communicate at all. Korean language will be 12 hours a week though! so hopefully I'll learn enough to get by..
The campus is so green, and full of monster hills.
The campus is so green, and full of monster hills.
Seoul: the first weekend
I had a lazy Saturday; we all woke up late and at ramen on campus. The food here is so cheap! I usually pay 2000 to 5000 Won (2 to 5 USD) for lunch, and all the food is so good! Even fast food American is better here. Coffee, though, is like 5 or 6 bucks. Anyways, I did just about nothing for the rest of the day; we went out later for dinner and drinks but it was rainy so we came back to the dorms pretty quick.
sara, jo, hana, steph
On Sunday, my Mom's aunt, uncle, and cousin took me to lunch in the countryside outside Seoul. The food was great, and I had the best coffee ever afterwards, and it came from a machine? so good. On the way back to campus I saw more protesters start to gather near the capitol. That night my friends and I met up with some other people we met in the dorms and we went to a couple bars. We had kiwi soju- it tastes like candy!
I think a majority of people here are from a UC; there are barely any East Coasters! It seems like the first time ever I haven't been surrounded by people from the tri-state area. I met a few people from nyc, but still no Jersey people!
sara, jo, hana, stephOn Sunday, my Mom's aunt, uncle, and cousin took me to lunch in the countryside outside Seoul. The food was great, and I had the best coffee ever afterwards, and it came from a machine? so good. On the way back to campus I saw more protesters start to gather near the capitol. That night my friends and I met up with some other people we met in the dorms and we went to a couple bars. We had kiwi soju- it tastes like candy!
I think a majority of people here are from a UC; there are barely any East Coasters! It seems like the first time ever I haven't been surrounded by people from the tri-state area. I met a few people from nyc, but still no Jersey people!
Seoul: the first Friday night
Friday night some of us went clubbing in Hongdaemun.. We were so overdressed and looked so lost trying to get there; even though we're all ethnically Korean we stick out so obviously as Americans here!
The club was one thing in Korea that was actually just as expensive as in the States. It was incredibly crowded; by 1 the staircases were even packed with people. I don't know if it was because it was crowded or what, but I felt like most people weren't even dancing, they were kindof just chillin. While my friends and I died in heels, we saw so many girls with baggy tees and Nikes. We left club NB2 to try to find somewhere else to go, but we were def ripped off and our wristbands didn't let us in anywhere else..
We found other kids in the program on the street and we all just stepped into a minimart to get some beers and sat around trying to figure out what to do. We ended up going to that same club and leaving not too long after, and tried to get a cab back to campus. None of the cabs wanted to take us though! The riots were still going on, and close to our school in Shinchon, so the roads were apparently blocked. (The riots are about the South Korean's President to import US beef even after reported cases of Mad Cow; http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/01/
skorea.usbeef/index.html).
We finally got a cab to take us back, and we took off our shoes and made it back to the dorms.
The club was one thing in Korea that was actually just as expensive as in the States. It was incredibly crowded; by 1 the staircases were even packed with people. I don't know if it was because it was crowded or what, but I felt like most people weren't even dancing, they were kindof just chillin. While my friends and I died in heels, we saw so many girls with baggy tees and Nikes. We left club NB2 to try to find somewhere else to go, but we were def ripped off and our wristbands didn't let us in anywhere else..
We found other kids in the program on the street and we all just stepped into a minimart to get some beers and sat around trying to figure out what to do. We ended up going to that same club and leaving not too long after, and tried to get a cab back to campus. None of the cabs wanted to take us though! The riots were still going on, and close to our school in Shinchon, so the roads were apparently blocked. (The riots are about the South Korean's President to import US beef even after reported cases of Mad Cow; http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/01/
skorea.usbeef/index.html).
We finally got a cab to take us back, and we took off our shoes and made it back to the dorms.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Hahoe Village --> Seoul
Before going back to Seoul, we went to one more folk village. People actually did live in this one, however. 
Grandmother Willows were considered the most sacred trees; the white papers have wishes written on them
Swings!Thursday night we went back to Seoul; I signed into my dorm and got lost while wandering around Shinchon, the area that Yonsei University is in. I spent today at orientation, exploring the area, and setting up my internet..
Gyeong Ju
In Ulsan, we first visited the Hyundai Car Factory, which was eh. I guess it was interesting because it is a huge Korean company; almost every car I see here is Hyundai. The factory has a town of itself; I think almost everyone there works in the assembly line.
Back in Gyeong Ju, we visited the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. This Buddhist temple was rebuilt in the 1970's to replicate the original, which was burned down by the Japanese in the 16th century.
At a folk village in Gyeong Ju, we watched a pottery demonstration and made sub-par pottery of our own.
A grave in Gyeong Ju, probably for a king.
Modern Gyeong Ju
In Buddhist tradition- you stack stones then make a wish. Not sure if the wish part was so traditional, but whatev.
Bulguksa Temple first gate
Back in Gyeong Ju, we visited the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. This Buddhist temple was rebuilt in the 1970's to replicate the original, which was burned down by the Japanese in the 16th century.
At a folk village in Gyeong Ju, we watched a pottery demonstration and made sub-par pottery of our own.
A grave in Gyeong Ju, probably for a king.
Modern Gyeong Ju
In Buddhist tradition- you stack stones then make a wish. Not sure if the wish part was so traditional, but whatev.
Bulguksa Temple first gate
Gyeong Ju arrival
Tuesday night we arrived in Gyeong Ju, the capital city of the ancient kingdom of Silla. Our hotel had an amazing spa, with massage baths and hot tubs that had different waters, like ginseng or jasmine. There was a hot tub with little fish that would eat off your dead skin! I didn't try that one, ha.
Those aren't lights; the spa water are actually those colors
Hotel party.. Koreans love games..
and pop songs.
Those aren't lights; the spa water are actually those colors
Hotel party.. Koreans love games..
and pop songs.
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