Travel Day
I went to bed the night before at about 3, got up at about 4:45. Micah left at that time, so we said our goodbyes then. I’ll miss Micah, he’s a great guy, roommate and friend. Our sarcasm and personalities are very similar, although we’ve agreed that we would prolly swim in different circles if at the same University. I left at 5:30 for the bus stop. I have taken about five airport buses (to the airport obviously) and each one first goes to the train station. Just to be careful, I asked the bus driver if it went to the train station and he said no. Awesome. With about 5 euros left it wasn’t sufficient for a cab so opted to walk. It was now about 6:10. I was hoping to change to a 7:15 train. I walked about 40 minutes, dragging my luggage, sweating profusely, but I made it. Train ride was nice, for the 10 minutes or so that I was actually awake :)
Arrived at 10 in Madrid. Took me an hour to wind through the metro system to the airport terminal. So I got to the airport at 11 for my 1240 flight – talk about cutting it close. I ran into two Americans from my program that paid for a taxi to the train station in Seville, as well as taxi train station to airport in Madrid. Lots of money. I made it through the airport without any glitches. I’m enjoying my window seat, neck pillow on, preparing for a nap. Oh, and my bag was 22 kg, and I’m allowed 23! Perfect. No adjustments needed. I’m reading a great book that Micah gave me Civil Action by Jonathan Harr. I recommend it. I should land at about 2:30 London time for my 3:45 flight. Won’t have to go through security or recollect my bag so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Oh! And I got a B+ in my history class! It was originally a B but VERY close to a B+ so I asked him if he could raise it and he basically said no problem! He said I participated more than anyone else so I deserve it :)
Writing this portion on my second flight:
I think I’m fairly smelly. I’ve broken out into a good sweat about 4 times by now, a long-sleeve shirt was a bad choice. I got off the Madrid to London flight and rushed to make my 3:45 flight. I got off the plane at about 2:55. I managed to beg my way into the business class lines to make it through security faster, and made it to my terminal just as we were boarding. My seat on the long flight is okay. I have more leg room than normal, but my window seat is windowless. Also, I have no place to put my bag under the seat in front of me (because there is no seat in front of me), so I had to put it above. Nothing is allowed on the floor so it’s difficult to switch off reading the bible, my book, using the computer, and snacking. A Civil Action, Micah’s book, is really good. I’m already on page 100.
I may try to nap a bit if I can. Overall, I just want to try and make it home tonight, not stay in a hotel. I’ve stayed in enough hotels. It’s now 12:10 Minnesota time (7 PM for me) and I’m going back to my book.
Writing this portion at HOME:
I made it through the flight just fine, passed by customs and saw my parents. I see my dad from afar and just give the old fist raise that I made it! It was great seeing my parents. The drive back went smoothly. We left at 7 and made it home at 2. Well done Mom and Dad. I slept 11-2. It’s good to be home.
There’s a big Welcome Home Austin sign in the living room. I’ll post again soon. It was a good trip.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Final Day Part II
The sadness has set in. I am sad to leave Seville. It was hard to say goodbye to Ana and Thiago. I spoke to Gustavo on the phone. I love the family.
Ana is planning on buying a Bible and reading it, things she brought up, not me. She has questions and is really eager to check out an evangelical church! Praise God for his influence! I laugh that she brings this up on the last night, I could have been such a good resource! Well, we're now facebook friends and I will do everything I can to answer her questions - she knows that.
I have said goodbye to all American friends except for Micah. They'll be missed greatly. I hope I can see them again soon. We went down by the river to hang out until 1 am. One last bike ride through the beautiful streets of Seville. I'd love to come back some day. This is the one city I spent months in but the one city I'll need to revisit.
After some minor flight problems (the times were different than I had been informed), things will hopefully work out. I will be taking a 7:15 AM train from Seville and hope to arrive in Shoreview at 1 AM Minnesota time (8 AM seville time). Yes, 25 hours of travelling. I love you all, see you soon!
Austin
Ana is planning on buying a Bible and reading it, things she brought up, not me. She has questions and is really eager to check out an evangelical church! Praise God for his influence! I laugh that she brings this up on the last night, I could have been such a good resource! Well, we're now facebook friends and I will do everything I can to answer her questions - she knows that.
I have said goodbye to all American friends except for Micah. They'll be missed greatly. I hope I can see them again soon. We went down by the river to hang out until 1 am. One last bike ride through the beautiful streets of Seville. I'd love to come back some day. This is the one city I spent months in but the one city I'll need to revisit.
After some minor flight problems (the times were different than I had been informed), things will hopefully work out. I will be taking a 7:15 AM train from Seville and hope to arrive in Shoreview at 1 AM Minnesota time (8 AM seville time). Yes, 25 hours of travelling. I love you all, see you soon!
Austin
Final Day Part I
Lot of emotions running through me. I am sad to leave this beautiful city, but I am happier that I was blessed with the opportunity and that I chose Seville over other cities. The decision was purely academic - it's the only one that fit what I needed, but if I were to choose now, it still would be Seville... EASILY
We got up a bit late, at about 1045 and went out with Rob to Puerta Jerez in El Centro near the cathedral. We went in a couple of stores around there, circled the cathedral, and just sat around. We also went into a cafe and they had their last helado (ice cream) while I had a fanta.
It's so hot in Seville. People are very intentional about being in shade while walking on sidewalks or waiting at stoplights.
Mathias: I gave him my Vikings hat! He was so happy - he's a great guy. He told me that he called his family yesterday and told them about me. I also showed him my Minnesota ID, he'd never seen one before. So I said goodbye to him and wished him luck.
After lunch, we're headed to Isla Magica (Magic Island), which is a theme park to do some rides this afternoon. I'll finish the night off with packing, checking-in for my flight, saying goodbye, and taking one last night bike ride. I'll keep you posted as always. Love you all.
Aust
We got up a bit late, at about 1045 and went out with Rob to Puerta Jerez in El Centro near the cathedral. We went in a couple of stores around there, circled the cathedral, and just sat around. We also went into a cafe and they had their last helado (ice cream) while I had a fanta.
It's so hot in Seville. People are very intentional about being in shade while walking on sidewalks or waiting at stoplights.
Mathias: I gave him my Vikings hat! He was so happy - he's a great guy. He told me that he called his family yesterday and told them about me. I also showed him my Minnesota ID, he'd never seen one before. So I said goodbye to him and wished him luck.
After lunch, we're headed to Isla Magica (Magic Island), which is a theme park to do some rides this afternoon. I'll finish the night off with packing, checking-in for my flight, saying goodbye, and taking one last night bike ride. I'll keep you posted as always. Love you all.
Aust
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Bailando y Cocinando!
Dancing and cooking! What a day. So many things I am trying to remember to write down. I got a book for the ride home: A Civil Action by Jonathon Harr. Micah gave it to me.
After lunch we were planning on exploring the city, but it's just sooooo hot. We napped instead. At about 7 we went with Rob to the river to hang out and relax. Phil met up with us. Afterwords, at about 9 Micah and I made it back to cook for Ana. After getting some supplies earlier in the day, I made a salad with lettuce, spinach leaves, nuts, carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, and turkey. The only problem is that Spanish grocery stores don't have any type of American dressing. We used a mixture of vinagre and olive oil. It was delicious. Micah is the better chef, he cooked sliced eggplants, with tomatoes on top with mozzerela and tomato sauce on top. It was incredible. Ana was impressed.
Ana received the thank you card that Joel and Dawn sent today. I read it to her, she loved it!
Anne made it safely to Florence, is loving it, and has already consumed gelato.
After dinner Micah and I joined Rob, Andree and Phil to grab some tapas at a nearby place I'd never visited. They had two Spanish guys and four spanish girls with them. It was a great interchange of Spanish and English all around. Where else in my life will I find this kind of experience?...Where ten people can speak in either language and all can understand? At about midnight we wandered over to a club I hadn't been to, for salsa dancing! I didn't really dance very much, I don't know salsa. But some members of the group taught me the basics. Also, each night they have a "birthday dance" where if it's your birthday you go the center of the dance floor while everyone watches. There were two men who had birthdays, and therefore women would wait in a line to dance with the birrthday guys until the song ends. It was great.
I left at about 1:45 and walked 25 minutes home, by myself! And it's crazy, you feel completely safe! There were couples or individuals in front of me and behind me all over the streets. You don't see that in the US.
Oh yeah! And, Ana out of the blue told me she knew an evangelical christian. She then told me that she was going to buy a Bible and read it! She said she'd tried before but didn't really understand it. I don't think she knows much about Catholicism, even though she weekly attends mass. Catholics, I think, believe Mary's mother was also a virgin. Ana didn't know this. Good for her! Praise God allowing her to have a heart and motivation and thirst for his Word!
That's all I can remember. Goodnight!
Austin
After lunch we were planning on exploring the city, but it's just sooooo hot. We napped instead. At about 7 we went with Rob to the river to hang out and relax. Phil met up with us. Afterwords, at about 9 Micah and I made it back to cook for Ana. After getting some supplies earlier in the day, I made a salad with lettuce, spinach leaves, nuts, carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, and turkey. The only problem is that Spanish grocery stores don't have any type of American dressing. We used a mixture of vinagre and olive oil. It was delicious. Micah is the better chef, he cooked sliced eggplants, with tomatoes on top with mozzerela and tomato sauce on top. It was incredible. Ana was impressed.
Ana received the thank you card that Joel and Dawn sent today. I read it to her, she loved it!
Anne made it safely to Florence, is loving it, and has already consumed gelato.
After dinner Micah and I joined Rob, Andree and Phil to grab some tapas at a nearby place I'd never visited. They had two Spanish guys and four spanish girls with them. It was a great interchange of Spanish and English all around. Where else in my life will I find this kind of experience?...Where ten people can speak in either language and all can understand? At about midnight we wandered over to a club I hadn't been to, for salsa dancing! I didn't really dance very much, I don't know salsa. But some members of the group taught me the basics. Also, each night they have a "birthday dance" where if it's your birthday you go the center of the dance floor while everyone watches. There were two men who had birthdays, and therefore women would wait in a line to dance with the birrthday guys until the song ends. It was great.
I left at about 1:45 and walked 25 minutes home, by myself! And it's crazy, you feel completely safe! There were couples or individuals in front of me and behind me all over the streets. You don't see that in the US.
Oh yeah! And, Ana out of the blue told me she knew an evangelical christian. She then told me that she was going to buy a Bible and read it! She said she'd tried before but didn't really understand it. I don't think she knows much about Catholicism, even though she weekly attends mass. Catholics, I think, believe Mary's mother was also a virgin. Ana didn't know this. Good for her! Praise God allowing her to have a heart and motivation and thirst for his Word!
That's all I can remember. Goodnight!
Austin
Mathias
That's the name of the man that works from 7 AM until 8 PM selling kleenex, necklaces and lottery tickets to traffic during each red light at the same intersection every day. He's from Uganda and Nigeria and came here because of wars going on in Africa.
I initially approached him to give him 20 Euros. I had been planning on doing this for a while. Can you imagine working 13 hours a day in the Sevillian sun, selling with a VERY low success rate, and a sale gets you maybe a euro? I sit with plain view of him every day I have coffee at my favorite coffee place. He's always working hard and has a great relationship with stopped traffic. He speaks English and Spanish very well but couldn't understand why I had 20 euros in my hand. Finally, after I explained it twice, he said "Quieres cambio?" which means, do you want change? (Break the twenty) No I said, take it. It's for you. He was so happy! We talked for about 20 minutes. I learned that he has to hit a quota before going home each night. He explained why he was in Spain, to avoid the wars in Africa, and that he doesn't want to do anything wrong, he just tries to earn what he can. I was shocked, but apparently he sends some money home. I don't know how he makes enough to send some home, but yeah. He said that God brought us together. He said that God made us know each other. He said that he works hard every day because God is eventually going to open up an opportunity for him. 1 Peter 2:19. I told him - I believe all of those things as well. What I find interesting is always the homeless or very poor will say "God bless you" when you do something nice. Jesus was poor and sought to help the poor.
He asked if he could see an ID card of mine, because he'd never seen one before. He was just so happy to talk to an American. I clarified that one of the reasons I mor or less randomly gave him this money is because I see him work so hard every day. That meant a lot to him. Anne - I'm prolly going to give him my Vikings hat. I wasn't wearing one or anything, but when he was talking about America he said that's the one thing he has always wanted. He definetly wasn't taking advantage of me or anything - just a genuine guy. He told me, "I have caps(he was wearing one), but they're no good in Europe. I have always wanted an American hat."
We swapped names, phone numbers and emails. I look forward to hearing from him. Pray for Mathias if you can!
Today I went to Al Campo, a huge mall, in search of reading materials for the trip home. No luck. Two rows of books with nothing in English. Sure I can read Spanish, but it takes waaaaaaay too long and too much brain power. No magazines in English either. A business week at the airport costs about 5 euros, I do not want to spend that much. It's now 1 and I am going across the street to get a nice cold juice and to read my bible. I still haven't heard if Anne has made it to florence!
I initially approached him to give him 20 Euros. I had been planning on doing this for a while. Can you imagine working 13 hours a day in the Sevillian sun, selling with a VERY low success rate, and a sale gets you maybe a euro? I sit with plain view of him every day I have coffee at my favorite coffee place. He's always working hard and has a great relationship with stopped traffic. He speaks English and Spanish very well but couldn't understand why I had 20 euros in my hand. Finally, after I explained it twice, he said "Quieres cambio?" which means, do you want change? (Break the twenty) No I said, take it. It's for you. He was so happy! We talked for about 20 minutes. I learned that he has to hit a quota before going home each night. He explained why he was in Spain, to avoid the wars in Africa, and that he doesn't want to do anything wrong, he just tries to earn what he can. I was shocked, but apparently he sends some money home. I don't know how he makes enough to send some home, but yeah. He said that God brought us together. He said that God made us know each other. He said that he works hard every day because God is eventually going to open up an opportunity for him. 1 Peter 2:19. I told him - I believe all of those things as well. What I find interesting is always the homeless or very poor will say "God bless you" when you do something nice. Jesus was poor and sought to help the poor.
He asked if he could see an ID card of mine, because he'd never seen one before. He was just so happy to talk to an American. I clarified that one of the reasons I mor or less randomly gave him this money is because I see him work so hard every day. That meant a lot to him. Anne - I'm prolly going to give him my Vikings hat. I wasn't wearing one or anything, but when he was talking about America he said that's the one thing he has always wanted. He definetly wasn't taking advantage of me or anything - just a genuine guy. He told me, "I have caps(he was wearing one), but they're no good in Europe. I have always wanted an American hat."
We swapped names, phone numbers and emails. I look forward to hearing from him. Pray for Mathias if you can!
Today I went to Al Campo, a huge mall, in search of reading materials for the trip home. No luck. Two rows of books with nothing in English. Sure I can read Spanish, but it takes waaaaaaay too long and too much brain power. No magazines in English either. A business week at the airport costs about 5 euros, I do not want to spend that much. It's now 1 and I am going across the street to get a nice cold juice and to read my bible. I still haven't heard if Anne has made it to florence!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Senior Year Begins
I'm done with all of my finals!! It feels great!! I'm going home in a few days!!
As a preview of all of the gifts I have for you guys back home, this photo is the first one. The Joel Savat in Mallorca photo.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Notable!
Javier, my Contemporary History of Spain professor gave me a grade of "Notable!" with an 8.2 (Anything between 8 and 9 is notable). After receiving a 6 on my midterm (equivalent of a C+), I earned an overall grade of 8.2 which translates to a B! Woo hoo! The slight bummer: an 8.25 is a B+ haha.
Anyways, my final final exam is tomorrow at 12:30 and them, literally, home free! Because of Mom and Dad's hype and recommendation, I will be buying a train ticket for Seville to Madrid Saturday morning, rather than take an overnight bus. A full night's rest would prolly be beneficial for my long day of traveling.
I still do plan on creating a post on the family's habits and traditions that you'll all... umm... both enjoy. I figure it'd be better to post that one after I return :)
It's 2 and I'm eagerly awaiting lunch. Micah and I decided to cook for Ana this coming Thursday. I'm going to make a traditional Savat salad and Micah is making burgers or omelettes, I don't remember.
Some photos! Not working right now, will post shortly
Thiago eating milk, rice and cinnamon desert.
Micah and Thiago
Getting the bull fight arena ready
The really comfortable seats
My shoe in comparison to the depth of these seats
Monday, May 17, 2010
Scorching Heat
This...heat...is...unbelievable.
I went to study in the shade at a cafe with jeans (first mistake) and a t-shirt. It was too hot. I went inside where there was slight AC. Still to hot. I went home and went down to just sandals, shorts and a white tshirt. Whew.
I had a great skype chat with Anne and continue to look forward to good old USA!
USA countdown: 5
I went to study in the shade at a cafe with jeans (first mistake) and a t-shirt. It was too hot. I went inside where there was slight AC. Still to hot. I went home and went down to just sandals, shorts and a white tshirt. Whew.
I had a great skype chat with Anne and continue to look forward to good old USA!
USA countdown: 5
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Bull Fight
I went to the bull fight today. It was basically what you would expect, men ganging up and killing a bull. I wasn't ready to leave because of the blood or the fact that they're killing a bull. I'm very glad I saw this Spanish tradition today. I don't really need to see it again. Not because I am opposed to it, but it wasn't overly entertaining. After about the 4th killed bull (6 were killed), I'd seen it all. Probably the most interesting part is what you see on the video. Here's what happens in a bull fight. The bull enters the ring alone. A bunch of guys come out and mess with the bull (none of them are THE "bullfighter"). Two guys on horseback come out and one of them will stab the bull in the back and draw blood. Then the bull is played with by the group of men again. Afterwords, three guys stab the bull with two long sticks (video). Then, the bullfighter messes with the bull alone. After about 5 minutes, he switches swords and stabs the bull in the back. A good fighter should only need to stab him once. One fighter had to do it four times. That's bad. Then the bull is dragged out of the ring by a group of three horses.
The seats in the bull ring were less comfortable than bleachers. They were skinnier, and made of brick. The heat was incredible. I wore jeans and a shirt. I was boiling. Such a mistake to wear pants. I figured it wouldn't end until 930 so it'd get chilly. I forgot I was in Seville.
A woman offered us a vanilla wafer-type snack. We politely said no about seven times. She refused to take no for an answer - it wasn't bad. Just something you don't experience in the USA.
It's hard to believe that today I was watching a bull fight in the heat and next week I'll be watching LOST, eating cereal in the basement.
I have my business spanish final tomorrow afternoon. Then, on Wednesday, I have my Managing Cultural Diversity final and... eso es. I'm done. I'm going to study a bit tonight, a bit tomorrow morning and the final will go well. I've received near perfect scores on both midterms so no pase nada.
The seats in the bull ring were less comfortable than bleachers. They were skinnier, and made of brick. The heat was incredible. I wore jeans and a shirt. I was boiling. Such a mistake to wear pants. I figured it wouldn't end until 930 so it'd get chilly. I forgot I was in Seville.
A woman offered us a vanilla wafer-type snack. We politely said no about seven times. She refused to take no for an answer - it wasn't bad. Just something you don't experience in the USA.
It's hard to believe that today I was watching a bull fight in the heat and next week I'll be watching LOST, eating cereal in the basement.
I have my business spanish final tomorrow afternoon. Then, on Wednesday, I have my Managing Cultural Diversity final and... eso es. I'm done. I'm going to study a bit tonight, a bit tomorrow morning and the final will go well. I've received near perfect scores on both midterms so no pase nada.
Last Sunday in Seville
I leave in 6 days! I've become a little sadder to leave - realizing, oh man I am not just going on a weekend trip, but leaving for good! However, I am very excited to return home and see everyone.
I am off to study until lunch, where I will try yet again to get my mother her precious Andalucian coffee cup :) I will then be having lunch with the fam, studying a bit more, and then meeting Reagan at 6 near the bull ring for the 630 bullfight!
Sevilla qualified for the top 4 spots in "La Liga" (The league) to advance to a tournament. Bascially, did well enough in the regular season to advance to the playoffs. They did so on the last game of the season, pretty impressive. Barcelona and Real Madrid each have games tonight (not against each other) to determine who will be the number 1 seed. Also, Seville plays Atletico Madrid in the championship for Copa del Rey (King's Cup) on Wednesday. Anyways, hasta luego!
Aust
I am off to study until lunch, where I will try yet again to get my mother her precious Andalucian coffee cup :) I will then be having lunch with the fam, studying a bit more, and then meeting Reagan at 6 near the bull ring for the 630 bullfight!
Sevilla qualified for the top 4 spots in "La Liga" (The league) to advance to a tournament. Bascially, did well enough in the regular season to advance to the playoffs. They did so on the last game of the season, pretty impressive. Barcelona and Real Madrid each have games tonight (not against each other) to determine who will be the number 1 seed. Also, Seville plays Atletico Madrid in the championship for Copa del Rey (King's Cup) on Wednesday. Anyways, hasta luego!
Aust
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Reflection Post II
What I miss most about USA (no particular order):
1. Family and Friends
2. Convenience and efficiency
3. Having a car
4. Open roads
5. Cabin
6. Snacking
7. Tables to do homework on/my desk chair
8. SAMMY
9. Watching American TV/movies
10. Open stores
11. Quality showers
What I will miss about Spain:
1. Easy classes
2. Ana, Gustavo and Thiago
3. American friends that I have made
4. Nice weather
5. Siestas
6. Speaking in Spanish
7. Ability to travel around Europe
What I WON'T miss about Spain:
1. Bad service
2. Bad showers
3. Doing homework on my bed
4. Not knowing ahead of time what is for dinner
5. Language barrier
6. Questionable meat that Ana typically serves
What I have learned:
1. Confidence
2. To always be mentally awake
3. Put yourself in scenarios where you have control over your own fate
4. How to plant seeds for Christ
5. People are the same all over the world
How I have changed:
1. More confident
2. More spiritually awake
3. More grateful
4. I drink coffee
Things I want to do when I get home:
1. Jordan/Alex's wedding
2. Go to the cabin
3. Catch up with friends/family
4. Go hiking
5. Go fishing
6. Work out
7. Do watersports
8. Scrapbook
9. Casino
10. Biking
11. Movies and videogames
Did I absolutely love it? Yes. Would I do it again? Most likely no.
1. Family and Friends
2. Convenience and efficiency
3. Having a car
4. Open roads
5. Cabin
6. Snacking
7. Tables to do homework on/my desk chair
8. SAMMY
9. Watching American TV/movies
10. Open stores
11. Quality showers
What I will miss about Spain:
1. Easy classes
2. Ana, Gustavo and Thiago
3. American friends that I have made
4. Nice weather
5. Siestas
6. Speaking in Spanish
7. Ability to travel around Europe
What I WON'T miss about Spain:
1. Bad service
2. Bad showers
3. Doing homework on my bed
4. Not knowing ahead of time what is for dinner
5. Language barrier
6. Questionable meat that Ana typically serves
What I have learned:
1. Confidence
2. To always be mentally awake
3. Put yourself in scenarios where you have control over your own fate
4. How to plant seeds for Christ
5. People are the same all over the world
How I have changed:
1. More confident
2. More spiritually awake
3. More grateful
4. I drink coffee
Things I want to do when I get home:
1. Jordan/Alex's wedding
2. Go to the cabin
3. Catch up with friends/family
4. Go hiking
5. Go fishing
6. Work out
7. Do watersports
8. Scrapbook
9. Casino
10. Biking
11. Movies and videogames
Did I absolutely love it? Yes. Would I do it again? Most likely no.
Reflection Post I
Best Moments Studying Abroad (No particular order):
1. Laying on the grass, staring up at the eiffel tower on our final night in Paris. Being amongst friends.
2. My first bike ride through the streets of Seville.
3. Hiking from the city down to the river in Ronda
4. Meeting my host family
5. The long bike ride with my parents through all of Seville.
6. The Moroccan Hammam with the guys and getting scrubbed down
7. Watching fireworks during Feria de Abril
8. Reaching the secluded Faro beach in Portugal with Micah
9. Seeing my parents in the Seville train station
10. Spending time with Zach, Peter, Nels and Janet in London and Bath
11. The shower power in Faro
12. Arriving in Venice and seeing it's beauty
13. Climbing the wall in Granada and really realizing that I am ABROAD
Worst Moments Studying Abroad:
1. Leaving my parents and Anne in Wisconsin Rapids (drive to airport included)
2. Getting a C+ on my first test
3. Leaving London (I was very nervous)
4. Vikings losing while I was in Granada watching the game until 4 AM outside the windows of a bar.
5. Being sick in Venice and Slovenia
6. Getting sunburned in Cagliari
7. Parents leaving Madrid for USA
8. Alicante - still enjoyable but definitely the worst weekend trip I did.
9. Going out until 3 AM to nightclubs the first weekend in Seville. Never did again - just not my lifestyle.
Food Cravings:
1. Chocolate milk
2. Regular milk
3. Pancakes
4. Waffles
5. Scrambled Eggs
6. Cereal
7. Mountain Dew
8. Bacon
9. Hashbrowns
10. Salads
11. Having the ability to CHOOSE my meal.
1. Laying on the grass, staring up at the eiffel tower on our final night in Paris. Being amongst friends.
2. My first bike ride through the streets of Seville.
3. Hiking from the city down to the river in Ronda
4. Meeting my host family
5. The long bike ride with my parents through all of Seville.
6. The Moroccan Hammam with the guys and getting scrubbed down
7. Watching fireworks during Feria de Abril
8. Reaching the secluded Faro beach in Portugal with Micah
9. Seeing my parents in the Seville train station
10. Spending time with Zach, Peter, Nels and Janet in London and Bath
11. The shower power in Faro
12. Arriving in Venice and seeing it's beauty
13. Climbing the wall in Granada and really realizing that I am ABROAD
Worst Moments Studying Abroad:
1. Leaving my parents and Anne in Wisconsin Rapids (drive to airport included)
2. Getting a C+ on my first test
3. Leaving London (I was very nervous)
4. Vikings losing while I was in Granada watching the game until 4 AM outside the windows of a bar.
5. Being sick in Venice and Slovenia
6. Getting sunburned in Cagliari
7. Parents leaving Madrid for USA
8. Alicante - still enjoyable but definitely the worst weekend trip I did.
9. Going out until 3 AM to nightclubs the first weekend in Seville. Never did again - just not my lifestyle.
Food Cravings:
1. Chocolate milk
2. Regular milk
3. Pancakes
4. Waffles
5. Scrambled Eggs
6. Cereal
7. Mountain Dew
8. Bacon
9. Hashbrowns
10. Salads
11. Having the ability to CHOOSE my meal.
Two Finals Later...
Only two finals left, one Monday and one Wednesday. These two went pretty well. It feels great to havae gotten the hardest day out of the way.
After a nap and lunch, I went down to the river in the city center with Rob, Micah and Phil and we just hung out for a few hours. Micah and I then wandered back towards teh Cathedral, picking up family gifts along the way. We had a 9:00 PM CIEE reunion there for all of us 71 students. It was fun! My Managing Cultural Diversity prof was there along with some of the original orientation students like Ricardo so catching up with them was great. We got some good group photos, had some good convos, etc. I prolly left at 11:30 because my throat still kind of hurts. Brynn and I walked back from Flahrety's, where our reunion was. WHY host it at an IRISH BAR for the last meal with everyone?? Anyways, the walk was great as it was perfect weather (prolly 70, no wind). We meandered through a series of shops on the way back. There's SO many people still on the streets at midnight, I'd say the same number as you would find at noon.
I haven't been getting in the Word as much as I would like to be. I hope to finish John before I leave.
Today I may do a little more shopping, relax by the river, and find some time for studying. Tomorrow, Sunday, I go to a bullfight!!
After a nap and lunch, I went down to the river in the city center with Rob, Micah and Phil and we just hung out for a few hours. Micah and I then wandered back towards teh Cathedral, picking up family gifts along the way. We had a 9:00 PM CIEE reunion there for all of us 71 students. It was fun! My Managing Cultural Diversity prof was there along with some of the original orientation students like Ricardo so catching up with them was great. We got some good group photos, had some good convos, etc. I prolly left at 11:30 because my throat still kind of hurts. Brynn and I walked back from Flahrety's, where our reunion was. WHY host it at an IRISH BAR for the last meal with everyone?? Anyways, the walk was great as it was perfect weather (prolly 70, no wind). We meandered through a series of shops on the way back. There's SO many people still on the streets at midnight, I'd say the same number as you would find at noon.
I haven't been getting in the Word as much as I would like to be. I hope to finish John before I leave.
Today I may do a little more shopping, relax by the river, and find some time for studying. Tomorrow, Sunday, I go to a bullfight!!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Relajado
Relaxed. I'm really not stressed about my finals tomorrow. I am moreso just excited to finish with them. I am certain I will receive an A in Finance, and my performance on the History Final really can't adjust my overall grade. I'm sure I'll get like a B- or something.
Today I once again dealt with bad service/inconveniences in Spain. I biked 30 minutes to CIEE to print and found out the ONE printer they use was broken. So I biked thirty minutes back and waited in line for 30 minutes to pay 5 euros to print my materials. I went to the cafe before and after lunch to study. It's now 10:45 PM and I am going to study for a few more hours and then sleep. The tests will be just fine.
By the way, Thiago knows every bad word in the book. He keeps saying things and then I ask Ana what he's saying and sure enough its another curse word. Crazy.
Only 9 days until I leave!!!
Aust
Today I once again dealt with bad service/inconveniences in Spain. I biked 30 minutes to CIEE to print and found out the ONE printer they use was broken. So I biked thirty minutes back and waited in line for 30 minutes to pay 5 euros to print my materials. I went to the cafe before and after lunch to study. It's now 10:45 PM and I am going to study for a few more hours and then sleep. The tests will be just fine.
By the way, Thiago knows every bad word in the book. He keeps saying things and then I ask Ana what he's saying and sure enough its another curse word. Crazy.
Only 9 days until I leave!!!
Aust
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Reflection Paper
I am submitting a paper to CIEE to try to win a cash prize by reflection on my time in Sevilla. Here goes:
Define: Home
As all twenty-something Americans encounter, leaving home for a foreign culture, language and home is nerve-racking. I was confident that I left less-confident than most American students on their way to Spain. So many questions flooded my mind… How can I leave the place where I’ve lived for the past twenty years? How can I say goodbye to family and friends for a seemingly eternal period of time? How can I leave home?
My time in Seville was a success through and through. After arriving and settling in my “home-away-from-home”, I realized that my Spanish was better than most, along with my confidence. I developed an immediate bond with my Spanish family, both the parents and two-year-old Thiago, often called “Gordito”. Although I was initially opposed to the idea, I was lucky enough to have an American roommate. Micah was great at Spanish, was eager to travel through Europe, and knew how to be a good roommate and friend. He became my best friend in Seville as we traveled together to Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Ronda and Cordoba while also visiting Portugal, Morocco, Italy and Slovenia. We became a dynamic duo. Whenever Thiago would see me alone in the apartment, he would quickly ask “Y Micah?” Micah would get a similar question. I imagine you know what it would be.
Initially, I missed my bed and having the ability to return home. After I couple of bare-bone meals and hostel stays outside of Seville, I couldn’t wait to return to my home¬ in Seville. By early February, this is the one and only home I yearned for when traveling outside of Seville. One of my fondest, repeated memories is returning from trips outside of Spain and thinking, “ah, my hometown. I can once again speak the language, eat and catch up with my family and sleep in my own bed.”
My time in Seville is coming to an end. It’s now mid-May and my perspective has changed from that of pre-Seville January. I’ll leave you with my final thoughts:
How can I leave the place where I’ve lived for the past five months?
How can I say goodbye to my friends and family for a potentially eternal period of time?
How can I leave home?
Austin Savat
Define: Home
As all twenty-something Americans encounter, leaving home for a foreign culture, language and home is nerve-racking. I was confident that I left less-confident than most American students on their way to Spain. So many questions flooded my mind… How can I leave the place where I’ve lived for the past twenty years? How can I say goodbye to family and friends for a seemingly eternal period of time? How can I leave home?
My time in Seville was a success through and through. After arriving and settling in my “home-away-from-home”, I realized that my Spanish was better than most, along with my confidence. I developed an immediate bond with my Spanish family, both the parents and two-year-old Thiago, often called “Gordito”. Although I was initially opposed to the idea, I was lucky enough to have an American roommate. Micah was great at Spanish, was eager to travel through Europe, and knew how to be a good roommate and friend. He became my best friend in Seville as we traveled together to Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Ronda and Cordoba while also visiting Portugal, Morocco, Italy and Slovenia. We became a dynamic duo. Whenever Thiago would see me alone in the apartment, he would quickly ask “Y Micah?” Micah would get a similar question. I imagine you know what it would be.
Initially, I missed my bed and having the ability to return home. After I couple of bare-bone meals and hostel stays outside of Seville, I couldn’t wait to return to my home¬ in Seville. By early February, this is the one and only home I yearned for when traveling outside of Seville. One of my fondest, repeated memories is returning from trips outside of Spain and thinking, “ah, my hometown. I can once again speak the language, eat and catch up with my family and sleep in my own bed.”
My time in Seville is coming to an end. It’s now mid-May and my perspective has changed from that of pre-Seville January. I’ll leave you with my final thoughts:
How can I leave the place where I’ve lived for the past five months?
How can I say goodbye to my friends and family for a potentially eternal period of time?
How can I leave home?
Austin Savat
Last Day of Class at UPO
I finished the final week of class strong, giving a good presentation to support our well--written paper on the Spanish and American Dreams for Managing Cultural Diversity. After my classes today, I watched the new episode of LOST and then napped 5-8. It's possible that I have strep throat. My throat's been hurting for about two days. I will see how I feel tomorrow and go from there.
I have two finals on Friday:
1. International Finance
2. Contemporary History of Spain (in spanish)
Here is how I currently think my semester grades will go over:
Intensive Spanish: A (already got this, for first 2 weeks of semester)
Finance: A
Business Spanish: A or A- (group was not helpful for final presentation)
Managing Cultural Diversity: A-
Cont. History of Spain: B- or C+ (at worst, C+)
In my finance class we had an investing challenge where we have a given amount of money and have the semester to earn. We won out of 16 groups. So basically it raises my grade a whole letter grade, on top of the fact that I already have almost 100% in the class.
I have a couple of hours tonight to study for my Friday finals and then ALL DAY tomorrow to study. Our Cont. History of Spain test is open note so I am going to print out all the slides and notes from the semester to bring for the test. Thiago is approaching the top of my bed with my laptop and he has crackers. He's slow but need to shut down haha. love you all. See you in ten days.
I have two finals on Friday:
1. International Finance
2. Contemporary History of Spain (in spanish)
Here is how I currently think my semester grades will go over:
Intensive Spanish: A (already got this, for first 2 weeks of semester)
Finance: A
Business Spanish: A or A- (group was not helpful for final presentation)
Managing Cultural Diversity: A-
Cont. History of Spain: B- or C+ (at worst, C+)
In my finance class we had an investing challenge where we have a given amount of money and have the semester to earn. We won out of 16 groups. So basically it raises my grade a whole letter grade, on top of the fact that I already have almost 100% in the class.
I have a couple of hours tonight to study for my Friday finals and then ALL DAY tomorrow to study. Our Cont. History of Spain test is open note so I am going to print out all the slides and notes from the semester to bring for the test. Thiago is approaching the top of my bed with my laptop and he has crackers. He's slow but need to shut down haha. love you all. See you in ten days.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Happy Mother's Day Mom!!
I love you so much! This was made on Mother's Day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnc8TVK--HU&feature=youtu.be&a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnc8TVK--HU&feature=youtu.be&a
Last Monday Class
After getting abck to the apartment at about 10 AM from the airport, I opted to attend my final two classes and complete my finance and business spanish presentations. The finance presentation went great and the business spanish presentation... could have gone smoother. I think my part went alright but the group wasn't very prepared. Yeah.
I took a four hour nap between lunch and dinner, then finished the night off watching Enemy of the State before bed. I needed a chill day. It's now 10:35 AM on Tuesday, I'm going to have some breakfast and head to a nearby cafe to get some work done. I have a paper and powerpoint due Wednesday that are basically done, and then I have two finals on Friday. My last week should be pretty easy. This is the tough week.
I'll be home soon! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. I leave in 11 days!
Aust
I took a four hour nap between lunch and dinner, then finished the night off watching Enemy of the State before bed. I needed a chill day. It's now 10:35 AM on Tuesday, I'm going to have some breakfast and head to a nearby cafe to get some work done. I have a paper and powerpoint due Wednesday that are basically done, and then I have two finals on Friday. My last week should be pretty easy. This is the tough week.
I'll be home soon! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. I leave in 11 days!
Aust
Monday, May 10, 2010
Home Safe from Paris
Saturday: May 8th.
Started off grabbing a late free breakfast at the hostel. We planned on leaving at ten, and Rob and I went early to pick up phil some medicine at the pharmacy (he may have strep throat). It was closed, and we waited until 1025 for the gange at the metro station. We were trying to make an 11:00 AM bike tour, which is why I planned on leaving at about 10:05. Rob and I decided to leave at 10:25 so that we wouldn't miss the tour. Well, the gang took a better metro route and beat us there, leaving a couple minutes after us.
I haven't appreciated the Eiffel tower beauty just yet. The tour meeting point was the eiffel tower, in which afterwords a guide walked you about a mile to the bike tour office. We got off the final metro stop near the eiffel and SPRINTED to the tower, found Armando waving for us to catch up. The gang was smart by forming a line, all within site of each other, so that we could catch up with the tour group that was probably about half a mile away still. Whew. We made it.
The bike tour: It was AWESOME. We left at about 11:30 and returned at 3:00. We caught a view of the Eiffel tower, on the other side their military school where Napolean was educated in the artillery half, not the calvary. (ALL of his paintings he is on horseback: could be for his love for horses, could be because he was so short, could be because he's mad about not being admitted to calvary school.) Also, this church we saw, where he was buried, according to his SPECIFIC direction, he wanted to be buried below ground so people have to bow to see his burial. Or, you can take stairs down and look up at his body. So, you bow or look up at him haha. At the church of Napolean's body, Hitler came to visit him during the war. He asked that none of his guards or anyone join him. He had GREAT respect for Napolean and wanted time alone. No one knows what went on, but he was in there for four hours. What was discovered later, is that there were French anti-Hitler fighters in the attic. They didn't realize Hitler was inside. Hmmm how history could have played out differently… We also went through some awesome, huge circles where we were actually on the roads. In fact, one circle (around Arc of Triumph) is one road where you're NOT insured if you get in a crash. We went there at night, it's crazy and dangerous. (I have a video). Back to the tour, we then stopped at a nearby café for a break, then went to the Louvre. Facts: It's on 40 acres of land. There's small orange dots on a few windows here and there. If there's a fire or emergency, the crew know which windows they can crash in. It's 8 miles of walking to go through everything. If you spent ONE MINUTE at every piece of artwork inside, you'd be inside for over two years. We also went to see a cool obelisk, a plaza/circle where many have been beheaded in the city that invented the guillotine. I was also able to talk to our guide Emma a bit and converse about the positives and negatives of being a tour guide. 26 Euros.
After stopping at a grocery store and having lunch in a grass patch with views of the Eiffel Tower we took the Metro to Notre Dame (Fair Lady I think). It was beautiful both inside and out. I love having the opportunity to see and pray in the most beautiful and grand churches in the world. Praise God. I was able to have some good conversations with Brayden and Lauren about their Catholic upbringing afterwards. We then wandered throgh some streets and eventually went to the bottom of the hill going up to Arc of Triumph via Metro. There's some nice shops on the way including a great Disney store and Adidas. From about 5 onwards for the rest of the night it rained. The arc was pretty impressive, with a gigantic flag hanging from the top of the arch.
I've been having a very sore back and neck. I think it's a combo of being on my feet all day, having old shoes, not sleeping great in my homestay bed (I know this because I always sleep like a rock in hostels).
Bedtime, love Paris.
Austin
Sunday, May 9th:
What a wonderful day in Paris! We left the hostel and checked out after a nice breakfast of bread, cereal and orange juice on a patio overlooking the water which reminded me of Venice. We stopped off at the farmer's market - I got apples which were big, ripe and delicious. We then made the Eiffel Tower our first priority. When you get off the metro coming up the stairs, you can't see it until you turn the corner and BOOM, it's there. It's just so beautiful (even through many french didn't think so for such a long time).
Note on street venders: It's worse at the eiffel tower than anywhere else in Europe that I've seen. They ALL sell the same products: a minitaure eiffel tower of varying sizes. They carry around hundreds of them on a big metal ring and shake them like keys trying to get you to buy. There were also many gypsies that would approach you and say "do you speak english? They would then hand you a card and it would tell you all the reasons to give them money. There's not much diversification, methods are copied by everyone.
What I love about the eiffel tower is that you can walk to it and under it with ease. With a normal famous building, it's super crowded because you can only walk around it or enter. Hard to explain, but its nice.
We waited in line to climb the stairs to the first and second levels for 3.50. After about 20 minutes of waiting and 5 minutes of stair climbing, we made it to the first floor. Breathtaking. Second floor: more breathtaking. We then took an elavator (Aaron I remember your video) to the very top of the eiffel tower which was amazing!! Not really much to say, but Paris is beautiful.
After 2-3 hours doing Eiffel tower stuff we headed over to find some food and then the Louvre. We entered the Louvre at 5:26. It closed at 5:30. I didn't see one painting. No I didn't see the Mona Lisa. I should note that I really had no interest in seeing another art museum, my body ached and I was exhausted, but I would have liked to at least enter one of the galleries. Next time ;)
Next, we went to a sit down restaurant where I had my most expensive meal in Europ: 14 euros. I had a beef stake with french fries and beans. Delicious.
Homeless man: I saw a man digging through the trash and eating what was in there. I've never seen someone actually independently working to provie for themselves, normally it's begging for money on a sidewalk. I walked up to him and offered him my 2 liter orange juice. He laughed at me and said "Orange juice haha" and didn't want it and walked away. I don't know.
After dinner we went back to the hostel, where our bags were locked up and we grabbed those, looked up a couple things on the internet and then went back to the eiffel tower. We made it to the tower at about 10:50 pm. It is sooooo beautiful at night. City of love and city of lights. Every hour (we saw it at 11 and 12), it sparkles for about 2 minutes. It's always lit up, but the sparkling is just something extra. We walked underneath the tower to the other side and laid in the park just staring at the tower for about 40 minutes. This will probably be the most memorable image I have from the Europe trip.
We then caught some trains until we fell about 5 miles short of the Orly Airport because the metro and train stations closed at 1 AM. We took a taxi to the airport (our flight was at 6:30 AM) and slept for a few hours. I slept all right, probably almost 3 hours of sleep and I was finally able to use my sleeping bag and pillow. I woke up freezing, as does everyone when sleeping on a tile floor. I'm now on the plane as I write to you. Everyone else is sleeping as I write this - I have two powerpoint presentations today so I'm chugging along. Armando has a test today - he's asleep, sitting up, book open, pencil in hand. We're all exhausted. Now we're on the HOME stretch. Pun.
I heard that the French are overly proud of their language and culture and don't like English-speaking Americans. I didn't get that vibe. All Europeans have thus far been very kind and helpful for the most part.
The weather really worked out for us. It only rained one evening for us and besides that was fairly warm and sunny.
Metros were pretty dirty. One car was filled with vomit - the man responsible still folded over in his chair, clearly not feeling well. Rob and Armando opted to sing in most metros at a somewhat loud voice in which all passengers could here. I have mixed feelings about the ordeal. Good for them, their passion is music and some people smiled as they sang. I feel like we're known for being loud as Americans and just didn't want to take part.
Time to rest or study. Hasta luego.
Aust
Started off grabbing a late free breakfast at the hostel. We planned on leaving at ten, and Rob and I went early to pick up phil some medicine at the pharmacy (he may have strep throat). It was closed, and we waited until 1025 for the gange at the metro station. We were trying to make an 11:00 AM bike tour, which is why I planned on leaving at about 10:05. Rob and I decided to leave at 10:25 so that we wouldn't miss the tour. Well, the gang took a better metro route and beat us there, leaving a couple minutes after us.
I haven't appreciated the Eiffel tower beauty just yet. The tour meeting point was the eiffel tower, in which afterwords a guide walked you about a mile to the bike tour office. We got off the final metro stop near the eiffel and SPRINTED to the tower, found Armando waving for us to catch up. The gang was smart by forming a line, all within site of each other, so that we could catch up with the tour group that was probably about half a mile away still. Whew. We made it.
The bike tour: It was AWESOME. We left at about 11:30 and returned at 3:00. We caught a view of the Eiffel tower, on the other side their military school where Napolean was educated in the artillery half, not the calvary. (ALL of his paintings he is on horseback: could be for his love for horses, could be because he was so short, could be because he's mad about not being admitted to calvary school.) Also, this church we saw, where he was buried, according to his SPECIFIC direction, he wanted to be buried below ground so people have to bow to see his burial. Or, you can take stairs down and look up at his body. So, you bow or look up at him haha. At the church of Napolean's body, Hitler came to visit him during the war. He asked that none of his guards or anyone join him. He had GREAT respect for Napolean and wanted time alone. No one knows what went on, but he was in there for four hours. What was discovered later, is that there were French anti-Hitler fighters in the attic. They didn't realize Hitler was inside. Hmmm how history could have played out differently… We also went through some awesome, huge circles where we were actually on the roads. In fact, one circle (around Arc of Triumph) is one road where you're NOT insured if you get in a crash. We went there at night, it's crazy and dangerous. (I have a video). Back to the tour, we then stopped at a nearby café for a break, then went to the Louvre. Facts: It's on 40 acres of land. There's small orange dots on a few windows here and there. If there's a fire or emergency, the crew know which windows they can crash in. It's 8 miles of walking to go through everything. If you spent ONE MINUTE at every piece of artwork inside, you'd be inside for over two years. We also went to see a cool obelisk, a plaza/circle where many have been beheaded in the city that invented the guillotine. I was also able to talk to our guide Emma a bit and converse about the positives and negatives of being a tour guide. 26 Euros.
After stopping at a grocery store and having lunch in a grass patch with views of the Eiffel Tower we took the Metro to Notre Dame (Fair Lady I think). It was beautiful both inside and out. I love having the opportunity to see and pray in the most beautiful and grand churches in the world. Praise God. I was able to have some good conversations with Brayden and Lauren about their Catholic upbringing afterwards. We then wandered throgh some streets and eventually went to the bottom of the hill going up to Arc of Triumph via Metro. There's some nice shops on the way including a great Disney store and Adidas. From about 5 onwards for the rest of the night it rained. The arc was pretty impressive, with a gigantic flag hanging from the top of the arch.
I've been having a very sore back and neck. I think it's a combo of being on my feet all day, having old shoes, not sleeping great in my homestay bed (I know this because I always sleep like a rock in hostels).
Bedtime, love Paris.
Austin
Sunday, May 9th:
What a wonderful day in Paris! We left the hostel and checked out after a nice breakfast of bread, cereal and orange juice on a patio overlooking the water which reminded me of Venice. We stopped off at the farmer's market - I got apples which were big, ripe and delicious. We then made the Eiffel Tower our first priority. When you get off the metro coming up the stairs, you can't see it until you turn the corner and BOOM, it's there. It's just so beautiful (even through many french didn't think so for such a long time).
Note on street venders: It's worse at the eiffel tower than anywhere else in Europe that I've seen. They ALL sell the same products: a minitaure eiffel tower of varying sizes. They carry around hundreds of them on a big metal ring and shake them like keys trying to get you to buy. There were also many gypsies that would approach you and say "do you speak english? They would then hand you a card and it would tell you all the reasons to give them money. There's not much diversification, methods are copied by everyone.
What I love about the eiffel tower is that you can walk to it and under it with ease. With a normal famous building, it's super crowded because you can only walk around it or enter. Hard to explain, but its nice.
We waited in line to climb the stairs to the first and second levels for 3.50. After about 20 minutes of waiting and 5 minutes of stair climbing, we made it to the first floor. Breathtaking. Second floor: more breathtaking. We then took an elavator (Aaron I remember your video) to the very top of the eiffel tower which was amazing!! Not really much to say, but Paris is beautiful.
After 2-3 hours doing Eiffel tower stuff we headed over to find some food and then the Louvre. We entered the Louvre at 5:26. It closed at 5:30. I didn't see one painting. No I didn't see the Mona Lisa. I should note that I really had no interest in seeing another art museum, my body ached and I was exhausted, but I would have liked to at least enter one of the galleries. Next time ;)
Next, we went to a sit down restaurant where I had my most expensive meal in Europ: 14 euros. I had a beef stake with french fries and beans. Delicious.
Homeless man: I saw a man digging through the trash and eating what was in there. I've never seen someone actually independently working to provie for themselves, normally it's begging for money on a sidewalk. I walked up to him and offered him my 2 liter orange juice. He laughed at me and said "Orange juice haha" and didn't want it and walked away. I don't know.
After dinner we went back to the hostel, where our bags were locked up and we grabbed those, looked up a couple things on the internet and then went back to the eiffel tower. We made it to the tower at about 10:50 pm. It is sooooo beautiful at night. City of love and city of lights. Every hour (we saw it at 11 and 12), it sparkles for about 2 minutes. It's always lit up, but the sparkling is just something extra. We walked underneath the tower to the other side and laid in the park just staring at the tower for about 40 minutes. This will probably be the most memorable image I have from the Europe trip.
We then caught some trains until we fell about 5 miles short of the Orly Airport because the metro and train stations closed at 1 AM. We took a taxi to the airport (our flight was at 6:30 AM) and slept for a few hours. I slept all right, probably almost 3 hours of sleep and I was finally able to use my sleeping bag and pillow. I woke up freezing, as does everyone when sleeping on a tile floor. I'm now on the plane as I write to you. Everyone else is sleeping as I write this - I have two powerpoint presentations today so I'm chugging along. Armando has a test today - he's asleep, sitting up, book open, pencil in hand. We're all exhausted. Now we're on the HOME stretch. Pun.
I heard that the French are overly proud of their language and culture and don't like English-speaking Americans. I didn't get that vibe. All Europeans have thus far been very kind and helpful for the most part.
The weather really worked out for us. It only rained one evening for us and besides that was fairly warm and sunny.
Metros were pretty dirty. One car was filled with vomit - the man responsible still folded over in his chair, clearly not feeling well. Rob and Armando opted to sing in most metros at a somewhat loud voice in which all passengers could here. I have mixed feelings about the ordeal. Good for them, their passion is music and some people smiled as they sang. I feel like we're known for being loud as Americans and just didn't want to take part.
Time to rest or study. Hasta luego.
Aust
Friday, May 7, 2010
Safe in Paris
Hey all! I wrote this portion on the airplane:
"As much as I'm used to having small confined spaces on airplanes, it's tough when the girl in front of you leans all the way back and then the guy behind me tried to sleep by leaning forward onto my seat. Bahhhh.
I woke up feeling a bit better, but am hoping to get lots of sleep tonight. Transavia was pretty smooth - we can actually check a bag which is handy. Braden, Amy and Lauren went to Paris the night before, while Phil, Rob, Armando and myself left Friday morning."
So we checked into our hostel and hit the town today. We saw a church on top of a hill overlooking the city. We also walked by Moulin Rouge and a pretty cool park. It's now midnight in the hostel and I still have to finish homework... a powerpoint for Monday. Fun huh?
Tomorrow we're doing a bike tour, as well as hopefully seeing both Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower.
Countdown to USA: 15
Austin
"As much as I'm used to having small confined spaces on airplanes, it's tough when the girl in front of you leans all the way back and then the guy behind me tried to sleep by leaning forward onto my seat. Bahhhh.
I woke up feeling a bit better, but am hoping to get lots of sleep tonight. Transavia was pretty smooth - we can actually check a bag which is handy. Braden, Amy and Lauren went to Paris the night before, while Phil, Rob, Armando and myself left Friday morning."
So we checked into our hostel and hit the town today. We saw a church on top of a hill overlooking the city. We also walked by Moulin Rouge and a pretty cool park. It's now midnight in the hostel and I still have to finish homework... a powerpoint for Monday. Fun huh?
Tomorrow we're doing a bike tour, as well as hopefully seeing both Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower.
Countdown to USA: 15
Austin
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bahhhh Sick Again
Feeling a bit weak the night before heading off to Paris. I'm definitely going but will take it easy if not feeling up to par.
Our flight leaves at 10:30 tomorrow morning (Friday). We are supposed to land at 8:45 Monday morning in Seville.
I have been pretty uninvolved in the Paris planning process. Although it's prolly the coolest city I will see during my 5 months, I am just so tired from all of my travels haha. I know that looking back I will be very happy I went. One thing I know we're doing is a 4-hour bike tour of the city.
I'm currently working on a couple powerpoint presentations that I have on Monday. I think I'm going to bring my laptop on this trip. We can actually check a bag on this trip, which is a first. Looking forward to finally packing and using my REI sleeping bag as we will be spending Sunday night in the airport.
List of participants: Amy, Lauren, Phil, Rob, Braden and me.
Days to Paris: 1
Days to USA: 16
Our flight leaves at 10:30 tomorrow morning (Friday). We are supposed to land at 8:45 Monday morning in Seville.
I have been pretty uninvolved in the Paris planning process. Although it's prolly the coolest city I will see during my 5 months, I am just so tired from all of my travels haha. I know that looking back I will be very happy I went. One thing I know we're doing is a 4-hour bike tour of the city.
I'm currently working on a couple powerpoint presentations that I have on Monday. I think I'm going to bring my laptop on this trip. We can actually check a bag on this trip, which is a first. Looking forward to finally packing and using my REI sleeping bag as we will be spending Sunday night in the airport.
List of participants: Amy, Lauren, Phil, Rob, Braden and me.
Days to Paris: 1
Days to USA: 16
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Happy Birthday Aaron!
Happy Birthday Aaron! Hope this video is a worthy gift. I'll have some things for you when I get home!
I had a great Bible study - we learned more about trusting in God. I have two chapters left in Matthew, then on to John. Man, Jesus was just brilliant. I mean, yeah, he is/was God and is/was perfect but studying him carefully in Matthew has been great.
Last night was a long night - I finished my paper for the coming morning at 3:15 AM. Although my prof already emailed back and said she loved it, I definitely saw some grammar errors when rereading it this morning. Haha. It was a good night though, Anne and I spoke for over an hour on Skype and were able to catch up.
Today after class, I think I napped longer (4 hours) than my actual sleep last night (3.5 hours). I'm now watching Madrid and Mallorca playing soccer on tv. Thiago is watching me carefully and continuing to touch anything that seems of even minor importance to me. He continually turned off the tv tonight and tried to write all over me and my stuff with a marker. Tomorrow may be my last time with my 4-year olds class, not sure.
Anyways, happy birthday Aaron!!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
See You Soon Sammy
Today was an unproductive day. I got up at about 1030ish and managed to accomplish very little before 2:30 lunch. Afterwords I sent out some emails and went to Bible Study at 5. It's now 8:00 PM and I have to start and finish a 3-5 page paper due tomorrow. Yikes.
Anyways, after this coming Monday things will get a bit easier. I won't have any assignments left, I'll just have to study for finals.
3 days until Paris, 18 days until home.
Soccer w/ Micah
We biked over to a park that I have never been to before last night. What I noticed upon arriving was a decent amount of segregation. There was a nice fenced-in turf field with Spanish teams playing and practicing. On a big dirt field was a big group of all Africans. On the other dirt field there were a couple Spaniards. And finally on a cement court (still had goals) was made up of I think most if not all Central Americans. We played with these guys on cement. It was really fun, they didn't take it too seriously but it was pretty good competition. For example, if someone was fouled, they wouldn't stop play and give the ball back, they'd just laugh it off and keep playing, because fouls go both ways.
My 't' key I virtually have to slam down on this laptop and I don't know why. It's going to be really tough to write my 5 page paper tonight. Good thing t is a rarely used letter.
I have 3 presentations on Monday and need to get those going. With all this work, I expect these last 18 days to fly by.
My 't' key I virtually have to slam down on this laptop and I don't know why. It's going to be really tough to write my 5 page paper tonight. Good thing t is a rarely used letter.
I have 3 presentations on Monday and need to get those going. With all this work, I expect these last 18 days to fly by.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Presentation went well...
The 15-minute spanish presentation went really well today. After a delicious lunch I'm going to take a nap (didn't sleep much last night) and am then going to play soccer with Micah.
I actually have THREE presentations on Monday, May 10th, starting at about 11:30ish. My flight from Paris will land at 8:45 Monday... so hopefully there aren't delays ;)
4 days until Paris, 19 days until USA
Aust
I actually have THREE presentations on Monday, May 10th, starting at about 11:30ish. My flight from Paris will land at 8:45 Monday... so hopefully there aren't delays ;)
4 days until Paris, 19 days until USA
Aust
Sunday, May 2, 2010
20 Days Left
Less than three weeks to go... I'm trying to enjoy every last bit of Seville, the best city I've been in all semester, but am also anxious for home. I have 4 class periods left, Mondays and Wednesdays for the next two weeks, and then 4 finals.
I have a big presentation tomorrow, 15 minutes, IN SPANISH! This will discuss my essay on Franco and his impact on democracy in Spain.
Yesterday was some sort of labor day for Spaniards, which Ana said she thinks is universal. No one works on May 1 every year. Well, I explained, this isn't the case for us.
Thiago continues to be wild. He was coloring, and I was trying to teach him colors. As soon as I did so, he looked up and started throwing his pencils at me. He then broke 2 of them, then threw the rest all over the room and some behind the couch. Well, no more coloring...
Time in the Bible has been going great. I drew up a plan on the 15th of January and haven't fallen behind: two chapters a day in the New Testament. I have read, studied and taken extensive notes on Acts-Revelations and am now nearing the end of Matthew. John's coming next.
Yesterday I basically worked all day on my Managing Cultural Diversity and wrote seven pages. I basically have now handed it off to Andree, my partner, to write some, edit, and finalize. I capped off the night by watching Barcelona destroy Villareal 4-1. I think I'm becoming a Barca fan...
I have a big presentation tomorrow, 15 minutes, IN SPANISH! This will discuss my essay on Franco and his impact on democracy in Spain.
Yesterday was some sort of labor day for Spaniards, which Ana said she thinks is universal. No one works on May 1 every year. Well, I explained, this isn't the case for us.
Thiago continues to be wild. He was coloring, and I was trying to teach him colors. As soon as I did so, he looked up and started throwing his pencils at me. He then broke 2 of them, then threw the rest all over the room and some behind the couch. Well, no more coloring...
Time in the Bible has been going great. I drew up a plan on the 15th of January and haven't fallen behind: two chapters a day in the New Testament. I have read, studied and taken extensive notes on Acts-Revelations and am now nearing the end of Matthew. John's coming next.
Yesterday I basically worked all day on my Managing Cultural Diversity and wrote seven pages. I basically have now handed it off to Andree, my partner, to write some, edit, and finalize. I capped off the night by watching Barcelona destroy Villareal 4-1. I think I'm becoming a Barca fan...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
