BOYS NIGHT OUT! oh.... (Sept. 25)

You know, I've found that after living in an house with my sister and mom (and my poor father), going to an all girls high school, joining and all women's sorority, living on and off campus with somewhere between 6 and 47 of my closest girl friends, I actually do not really like girls. I always end up with just a few close friends, who likewise hate our gender. I'm not exactly sure if it's me or if I'm asking for it, but overall I've realized that girls can be just WICKED, and it's something I try to avoid on a regular basis. Here at IES Granada our 80 person program has 16 guys, leaving the rest of us 64 to fight over them, at each other, and more or less maintain a constant state of drama and PMS. As I'm constantly around girls, I've become a little immune to it, but there's something about being in a foreign country with a language barrier that for SOME REASON instensifies the situation. By the end of our first month in Granada, I was womaned out, and was in huge need of some male company... or silence maybe. Anyway I was luckily able to tag along with our three way bromance between Chris Clark, Chris Lash and Cy on a big expedition to Burger King, a tapas bar the Antiguedad, and off on more adventures. Most notably, I was able to go to the Chupiteria and Camborio, both foreign terms to me.

Now the chupiteria is a bar designed specifically and exclusively for the consumption of shots. Granted shots in Spain are half the size of an American shots (an added bonus for me as I am now drinking with three men), and SURPIRSE! are both flavored and divided in groups of difficulty. Shot names are also fun at this bar. For example, Chris Clark started our rounds with a "Clit" and a "Quik F***" (quite honestly the second one was my favorite but of course, that only applies to the shot). Furthermore, you get a ticket for each shot you take and, like Mr. Gatti's you can use your tickets to buy cool things from the bar, like a Sweatshirt, a shot glass, and thong.......... and other strange amenities. I'm really hoping to save up enough to get the sweatshirt, but that's only going to happen if I get other people's tickets.

After the chupiteria, we went to Camborio for an Erasmus (non-Spanish students studying in Granada) party. Camborio is a huge discoteca (club) in the Sierra Nevada caves that overlooks the Alhambra, the Generalife, and all of the Albaizin. It's absolutely gorgeous and so much fun! Usually in Spain, your entrance ticket gets you a free drink of your choice, which usually by the time you get to a discoteca it's already 3am, so you really only need one more. This night I had soooo much fun. So many American students from my program were there and we ended up screaming every old school 90's and Michael Jackson song that they played. It was so great. We ended up staying and partying in the caves until 6am, where upon returning we all stopped to get schawarmas (the 24 hours Spanish drunk food), and ran into more American student walking home. Needless to say I slept the entire next day. Totally worth it. Welcome to spanish style partying. :)

Chris, Cy, and Chris at the Chupiteria

UPDATE FOR TODAY! NOVEMBER 6, 2009

My parents are literally in Spain as I blog! I cannot possibly express how excited I am! And although I'm doing my absolute best to get everything in before they get here so that I can occupy all my time with them! I just had to throw in a little note to them! They're sitting in the Barcelona Airport, where I will be meeting them in one week, and will be arriving in Granada at 5:25pm!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. I made a list of things to do with them that include the Alhambra, the Cathedral, Realejo, the chupiteria, churros y chocolate, El Mirador, el parque de Federico Garcia Lorca, Granada10, tapas at (at least) la Bella y la Bestia and 380, exploring the rio and the centro, and el Restaurante Giratorio. I am SOOOOOO PUMPED!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG, I have the best parents in the whole world! Now all I have to do before they get here is pack half my things to go home, write a 4 page paper in Spanish and catch up on two months of blogging! Maybe shower too, I just don't know where the day is going to take me. Be prepared for the story of my victory dance upon their arrival muy muy pronto.

Until Soon!

Yours

Ronda y Sevilla: 9/18-9/19

So I guess if I could say one word to describe my attention to this blog it would be lacking. But, as I have been in bed for the last 3 days, and I need to get all previous thoughts out of my head before I head to Morocco, assuming that my varied amount of strange sicknesses cease to afflict me. Okay, but really, three weeks late is really unacceptable. Overview of Ronda and Sevilla, since it's honestly been so long now I can hardly remember (I feel like my brain is constantly on overload as I try to take in more and more information about Spain and Spanish culture!)

Ronda: We were only here for a few hours in the morning before leaving to go to Sevilla, but Ronda is a small ancient town in the south west corner of Spain. The city is tiny but it is all white washed, ancient, green, and beautiful. (Side note: we switched buses for this trip, partially because there is more room, and partially because Mariesa and I were too afraid to show our faces after making the first bus late by over an hour to Cabo de Gata.) We first got off the bus, on the pretense that it would be very warm. It was not. I wore my comfortable American yoga pants expecting to only wear them on the bus and then change into my only pair of shorts, but that did not happen. I stayed in my sweatpants, feeling like crap, and still sick from the IES cold thats been travelling around (symptoms include but are not limited to:  fever, sore throat, loss of hearing, loss of smell, headaches, tiredness, and loss of apetite). In Ronda, I walked around with Javier, our program director, and a group of students including, of course, my roommate Mariesa, Clare and Michi. We walked around the outskirts of the city, across bridges and out into the gorgeous rural landscape of Ronda. Ronda is definitely the most beautiful place I've seen in Spain so far, and for me to say that despite the cold weather is really saying something.

After walking around until almost 2, we stopped for lunch (I ate overlooking the above photo just in case you were wondering), and strolled about the city for a bit, luckily encountered a McDonald's! where I of course got french fries with Heinz ketchup despite the fact that I'd just had lunch and we walked back to meet the rest of IES at the teeny tiny plaza de toros. Around 4, when everyone had finally reassembled, we walked into the Ronda bullfighting ring, where our teachers explained to us (well, in English to me, I joined Smiley's group because 1. it's easier for me to tune in and out and 2, she is amazing) exactly what happens in a bullfight. Note that this tuning in and out thing would work to my great disadvantage later.

Here's Cy and Chris Clark, having fun at the Ronda Bullfighting Ring

After the bullfighting ring, we all boarded the buses to finally head to Sevilla, and also, thankfully to warm weather. Now you may be wondering (MEGHAN DARST) what's Sevilla like? Well, Sevilla is one of the oldest cities in Spain. It used to be the stronghold for major battles between the Christians and the Arabs and is a river city, much like Louisville. However, despite it's history it is also a fairly modern city, with lots to offer for tourists and locals alike. I absolutely loved this city, although I was very excited to get back to our hotel room, where I rested and slept until 8 o'clock. At 8:30, Clare Michi, Mariesa and I all got ready for dinner before the IES private flamenco dancing show! Of course being overwhelmed with the options of authentic American food. We decided that Clare and Mariesa would go to Burger King, and then bring their food to Domino's pizza to eat with Michi and I. Talk about the true cultural experience! Needless to say, the pizza was delicious and we at the whole thing (with beers! because you can get beer at fast food restaurants! -- now that is authentic). We hurridly met the rest of IES outside the hotel to walk to flamenco dancing.

And it was a show. I somehow luckily managed to find a seat in the front row, even though I was wandering aimlessly somewhere toward the back of the group for the whole walk over, and it was amazing. It certainly isn't like any kind of style we have in American, but I one day aspire to do what this female flamenco dancer did with her dress. It was incredible. And they also had a male dancer - who puts American cloggers and tap dancers to shame - a singer, and a guitarrist. Overall, a class A act. We finished off our wonderful evening by all of us (all 90) having champagne provided by IES to officially kick off the program.

After our champange, I can't say that a lot happened. We tried to go out, but we mostly spent the night walking up and down the same street in Sevilla, most people looking for bars, me looking for Smiley who occassionaly disapears. We ended up having so much fun at this discoteca that I cannot remember the name of but for some reason recall a blue tint to the lighting? Regardless, we danced the night away and didn't call it a night until 3am, a decision I seriously regretted in waking up at 8am the next morning.

After having our international breakfast, which is always interesting to say the least, we went on a group tour of the old Sevilla royal palace - just in case you were wondering this palace is the same place from which Christopher Colombus proposed the idea of exploring the "New World" to the King and Queen of Spain, and also where, years earlier, the Christians lauched their final successful battle against the Arab rulers of Spain to conquer... guess where, Granada. This place, called Real Alcazar, is soooooooo beautiful I can't possibly describe it. Where there's not a huge garden, there's a national monument, where there's not a national monument there is a beautiful collection of classical art from Europe, where there's not classical art there are the most elaborate equisit Arab wall and ceiling engravings, where there is not Arab decoration there is a huge 1000 year old stone wall still standing. It was absolutely incredible to be in a place with so much history. After that, Jane and I took a short snack break (beacuse even after almost three weeks here I still am not adjusted to waiting until 3pm to eat lunch. After that we met in front Sevilla Cathedral for a tour, one of the biggest in the world. It's huge and absolutely gorgeous. Of course we walked to the top of this huge tower and had a blast. Just to reiterate, this cathedral is so big that we stayed in it from 10am to 1pm and I still don't think saw it all. It was absolutely wonderful.

After the Cathedral, we had our lunch break, in which Chris Clark, Cy, Lucas and I ate outside at a little pub facing the Cathedral on an absolutely perfectly sunny day. I had chicken and fries -- you might be American when the most disgustingly unhealthy food on the planet nearly brings to you tears for reminding you of home. Walking back to our wonderful hotel we stopped for ice cream and then I started to prepare for my bike ride.

Now as you all know, my athletic coordination abilities outside of dancing are minimal to say the least. Add to that the fact that I can't remember the last time I rode a bike (although I do remember that it hasn't been in college or high school), and we're looking for at best free entertainment for my peers, at worst a traffic incident. However, aside from eating concrete in an attempt to run to meet the bike riding group in front of 30 American students right before the bike ride, I'd say it went pretty well overall. I got to see parts of Sevilla, like the parks, the market, the government center, and an old jewish neighborhood that lots of other students didn't get to see!! I am so cool! After the bike ride we came back just in time to grab our stuff and get back on the bus to return to Granada.

Some fun facts about Sevilla:

I love it there, it's such a beautiful city and has this amazing combination of history and moderninty. It's a lot newer than Granada, and caters much better to tourists (we pretty much just have the Alhambra). The feel of the city reminded me a lot of Louisville.

If you are going to Sevilla, (hehem, attention Meghan Darst) you should absolutely, go to the cathedral, go shopping, find a way to get a tour of Alcazar, recommend that they give free tapas at bars like we do in Granada.

the foundation of my spanish is crumbling beneath me!

Okay, so I know I am a little less than faithful to my blog, but I'm going to try to make it up to you in the coming week. BUT for now. You must know, yesterday in class I found out that the phrase I have been using for "I'm so excited for...." is incorrect. Now, let me clarify... in case you forgot I'm in Spain, and so I'm freaking excited about everything. However, the Spanish language has many "amigos falsos" (false friends) of English cognates. And so, to say "estoy exitante" means that you are sexually excited - a mistake many of my Spanish friends find highly amusing... Furthermore, the phrase "estoy emocionada" which I had been told meant and have been using to mean "I'm excited" means that one is so emotional they are on the verge of tears... the kind of excited you are for your wedding, for your child's first day of kindergarten, to see you truest friend after almost a year. Like THAT. However, this was unknown to me. Thus, my Spanish friends and senora have been thinking that I have been on the verge of tears - about you know, taking a shower, having a packed lunch, going to the grocery, starting classes - for nearly a month now. FML.

Furthermore! I just had tea with my senora, Trini, and 8 of her female family members - her mother, three cousins, two aunts, and a neice. Not to mention Diego, our screaming bumbling bundle of joy grandson who is about to turn one years old the 20th of this month. They talked about everything! And you know how families are... all talking at the same time, all talking at the speed of light, all bringing up different random things they forgot to mention the last time they all yelled to each other. And it was just the most overwhelming hour of my life! While it was absolutely amazing to sit with them and listen, most of the time I was only vaguely aware of the topic at hand and spent most of my listening skills trying to articulate their accents into real words and not really getting any meaning whatsoever.

You could definitely say I'm learning quickly....

Until very soon,

Yours

Primer Semana de Clases... Y Otras Cosas

WOOOHHH!!! FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES!!! I guess everyone already knows I'm a bit of a dork, but you know you're a dork when the highligh of your 5 month vacation to a foreign country is the studying... But you know, it's more than just that. I'm excited to actually have a schedule again. I've spent two weeks here, and I feel like we have things to do but nothing is mandatory, nothing is concrete, and nothing is like.... real life. Plus I've spent this week, well and all summer... doing basically nothing. So I'm excited to get back to being busy me again. Busy me is usually also a happier me, aside from the occasional emotional breakdown.

So my class schedule would ideally be, Grammar Class Monday Through Thursday 845-945 (Language), Class at the Universidad 1030-1130 (sexology -- don't ask)  and IES class 1230-2 (immigration class)  Monday Wedneday, IES class 11-1230 (Lorca Lit Class) Tuesday Thursday, IES class 630-8  (internship class) Wednesday Night, Internship 5-8 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday nights (Spanish and Latin American Government Municipal Group). NOW the odds of this happening right now are pretty much slim to none. Right now, all I have going for me is the Language class, the Immigration class and the Lorca class. I may or may not have an intership, a class at the University, or another IES class, or a functional schedule. But you know in Spain, nothing really stresses anyone out! For everything, "TRANQUILA GUAPA, no pasa nada." So I'm trying not to worry so much.... although if you know me at all, you know im freaking out.... a little... a lot....

Anyway the three classes that I am taking I'm really enjoying, the Language class is a good balance of easy and challenging, although now mostly easy for me. My grammar is what needs the work, not really my speaking, but I'm sure we're getting to it pronto (soon). Neither my Lorca or my Immigration classes are going to be easy, but its in the subject area of my major and what I want my career to be in, so you know I'm just eating it up. I'm still really hopeful about my internship, it would be so sweet, but as I can only work in the afternoons, it's not really as likely :( I'll certainly keep you updated on how everything works out.

On a more personal note, here are some things I would like to remember:

1. Schawarma: A Spanish food, known to most Spaniards as late night food, and is a combination of a pita, and a burrito, and is delicious.

2. We live in el barrio (neighborhood) Realejo, and it is an old Jewish neighborhood. For those of you who do not know your jewish history, they were hated in Spain for a long time too! And were discriminated against, treated poorly, couldn't get jobs etc. Ironically this is now the nice part of town, and so every time I walk home a statue of a Jewish prophet (all dark brown metal but with gold colored shoes?) greets me as a walk home. We always say, "I love that little Jewish man, he knows where I'm going."

3. I've lost weight here! Most of you are probably rolling your eyes at this but I'M excited, so whatever to you! Anyway they eat a lot of red meat here, especially pork, which I do not, and so I've been living mostly on fruit, vegetables, and freshly baked bread. I nearly cry for joy every time we have chicken, twice since I've been here.

4. If you asked me how I was adjusting to Spain your answer would vary depending on any of the following: if I'm out at a bar, if I'm dancing, if I'm hungry, if I'm in class, if I'm speaking Spanish, if I'm speaking English, what time of day it is, the general placement of the furniture in the room, the temperature outside, how many people I have talked to today. I go back and forth a lot. I obviously miss home, especially my family and friends from school and home, especially my sister, and meg, who I feel would love it here, and would certainly help me keep my sanity. Other times I am in love with this country and the language and the people, and can't imagine leaving. Other times I resent it for their lack of fast food restaurants, grass, and parking lots. Other times, I'd give anything to be home in the states doing what I already know how to do. Other times, I feel so lucky and special to have an opportunity like this, and that I'll learn so much, and I can't wait to explore. And other times, I am all of these, in which case I try to sleep, as it is far to trying on my brain to comprehend myself. To quote Harry Potter, "One person couldn't feel all that at once. They'd explode."

Although, ALL IS WELL and I am loving it here, and missing everything from home, but not letting it stop me from living it up. More soon, it's almost lunch time... and I thought I saw some patatas fritas!

Yours.

Can't read my pooooookkkkkerrrr faccceee!!!

Well, contrary to popular hopes, I'm still not feeling up to par today. I'm hoping that I don't have the swine flu, or en espanol, la Gripe A (Gree-pay), but as I've only been running a low grade fever, I think I'm in the clear. Although, we are supposed to have a group field trip this weekend, meaning tomorrow, to Ronda and Sevilla that I don't know if I'm going to make. Plus, I could use a little me time anyway. Regardless, I'm not sure what I want to do yet. I'll keep you posted.

Now to finish up last week....

Last saturday, I'm pretty sure I left this day out, we were all exhausted from the night before, and returning home at 6am, and I had my heart set on tapas and bed -- note, that this was my same plan the night before. Mariesa, Clare, Michi and I went to have tapas with Cristina, Maria, Alba, Jose and his girlfriend Natalia at a bar near the Plaza Trinidad, but I don't remember the name. After this we left to go to Hannigans Uno, near Plaza Nueva, and Cristina, along with all the other Spaniards left around midnight. I was about to turn in when I remembered I was supposed to meet Smiley, Abby, Rogo, and Robyn for the night, although the had been on their way for over an hour. We stood out in the street waiting for them until almost 1am, what are friends for huh Smiley?, and then Smiley and I had a heart to heart outside about how difficult it can be to adjust to a new culture, to miss home but not enough to impede you from having fun, how easy it can be to fall into the negativity of others around you, how easy it can be to become frustrated with those around you, especially when you're actually frustrated with yourself. Anyway, underneath this sob story is the fact that I am sooooo thankful to have Smiley here. Just the fact that we know each other from home and can be honest with each other about anything and know that there's no judgement, no sharing, no first impressions to be making is more comforting than I can possibly explain. Despite the crazy things that have already happened to us both with Kappa this year, I can honestly say that I know there's still quite a bit of love and caring in our sisterhood. And having a Kappa sister like her here, especially in this very difficult transition, is reasuring to say the least. When I see her, it's kind of like I've remembered halfway through the day that it's Christmas! And can't believe I've gone so long without remembering! How could I possibly forget it was Christmas?? THERE YOU ARE! Anyway long story short, Smiley rocks my world.....


Annnnnnndddd because of this, I let her talk me in to going to Granada10 for the night, where we rocked it solo with Rogo, Robyn and Abby from about 2-3 until a bunch of other American students showed up. In good form we staked our claim in the back left corner of the dancefloor, poker-facing it up Cy-Style and dancing in a combination of hip hop, salsa and the robot all night. Chris Lash, who helped me for about an hour while I looked for Christmas as she had disappeared with a Euro-boy temporarily (or so I'd thought at the time, this did not actually happen, although I feared that it had), was very nice to me and is a lot of fun, and I am very happy for the lucky girl who may be holding his hand the rest of this trip, if it should happen... and whoever she may be :) Anyway, we didn't end up getting home until 5:30am again! But it was totally worth it, I had an amazing time. Only problem was I spent all day charging my camera, took the battery out, through my camera in my purse, was totally ready to rock the film fest when I realized I never put the battery back in.... I found it sunday morning sitting smack in the middle of my desk.... some place obvious... where I would clearly remember it....

The Poker Face... Complements of Cy Mistry

Sunday we passed the entire day passed out. We slept until 12, got up and had lunch, I showered and we took a 5 hour siesta (on accident!) but the same. Anyway, I felt fine all day Sunday, and got ready for our first day of classes. Mariesa and I went out for dinner, as well as churros and chocolate, but called it an early night. It was the first day that it actually was cold at night. That's right folks, it get's C.O.L.D. in Spain. I had on my little black London cardigan and was freezing on the walk home! I could hardly believe it. It had been close to 85-90 throughout the week, and earlier that day. I had originally thought I'd brought way too many sweaters, but now I am nervous. It is interesting to try to dress for Spainish weather. It's 55 in the morning, 80 by 11, 90 from 2pm-6 and then back to 60 by 8, 50 or lower anytime after midnight. Also it may or may not rain. So basically, it you're prepared for every season every time you leave the house, you should be fine. Anyway more of the first week of classes soon!!! Until then,


Yours

Que Almuerzo Bueno!

Okay, so on a quick side note, Mariesa and I just got done with the coolest lunch ever! Our senora, Trini has a brother who lives in France , and we think he may have a boyfriend? who is also a frenchman, named Fransqua (France-swah). So Trini's brother, Antonio,  speaks only Spanish and French. And his friend, Frasqua, speaks only French and English. And Mariesa and I speak only Spanish and English. And Trini and her mother speak only Spanish! So whenever Trini or her mother said something, Antonio translated it into French. And whenever Fransqua asked something of Mariesa and I, we would translate it into Spanish for the rest of the table. And whenever Antonio would say something to us that we didn't understand, Fransqua would translate it into English for us. And then whenever Trini's mother spoke, Trini and Antonio would have to translate her horrible Granadino accent into real Spanish, and then we would translate it into English for Fransqua!! It was soooo coool!!! I felt very European amist everyone speaking three (or four if you count the Granadino Spanish as a language, which I do since I can hardly understand it) throughout the entire meal, everyone asking everyone else to pass something in one language or another. We communicated mostly by pointing and a variety of language names. For example "Can you pass me the water/ agua/  eau (ooh and ugh combined)?" Definitely something I'll never forget. I don't think I stopped smiling and laughing the entire meal, which in good Spanish tradition, lasted nearly 2 hours. Wooh! Viva la vida europea!