Today is a very special day! In about 12 hours, my Mom will be boarding an airplane headed for Europe! She's traveling with her best friend, Donna and Donna's daughter, Cory. They will first stop in London for a day and then come here to Granada for the first half of the week and after that I am going with them back to London for a few days. I have never been in England, but I am excited to see the city that enchants so many people and I'm excited to be able to show Mom a little bit of Spain. It's so great to be able to share a piece of the life I've been living (aside from pictures and stories) with someone important in my life. They are sure to be tired and it's only a short visit, but the good thing is that Spanish life isn't stressful and nothing moves very fast...except for the cars...so hopefully their time in Spain will be a little more relaxed.
I'll be sure to update on both their visit here and our time in London. And a crazy little fact is that I will be home in exactly two months today...oh my goodness the past two and half months have flown by! I'm sure the next two won't go by any slower; already I think I have every weekend planned with something to do until I go home, wow.
Hasta luego!
26 March 2011
09 March 2011
Flash Forward
Lately, my eyes have been focused on the future a bit...I know it's bad, I need to constantly be living in the moment, but I'm looking forward to so many things this summer! Certainly there are things I'm dreading as well like finding a job and figuring out where to live, but then there are the great things like getting to actually spend time with my boyfriend and going to the Avett Brother's concert in July!
In thinking about the future, I also think about leaving Spain and going back to life in the States and that's obviously a bittersweet move. Last semester I wrote about all the things I missed about the States and home (here) and even though I haven't left Spain yet and don't know exactly what I'll miss, there are a few things that have been on my mind.
1.) I think the number one thing I will miss about being in Spain is living a bilingual lifestyle. It's really cool to go to class or be at my apartment and speak and hear Spanish, to go out on the streets and hear Spanish and at the same time have friends who speak English and who I can relate to well. I enjoy the constant challenge that every day presents with language and culture.
(Today is the first day of the rest of your life)
2.) A big part of being abroad in general that I will miss will be the abundance of history that surrounds me here everyday. I can take a stroll around the city and see buildings that were once occupied by kings and queens or historical religious figures and it is just fascinating to me that I can still be a part of that in a very small way.
Cathedral of Granada
3.) This may seem like a silly thing to miss, but I really love how easy it is to buy locally made and grown products here. "Big box" stores aren't common at all and it's really nice to go to a fruitería (or any other locally owned store) and know that the produce there is majorly grown in Spain, if not in the region of Andalucía.
Me with a fresh barra from a panadería in Bilbao. (Oct 2010)
4.) I will also miss the laid-back lifestyle here in Spain. Everyone takes their time and enjoys the simple things in life more often here than anyone in the States. It's kind of nice to go to a café and know that you actually can't get your coffee "to-go" because it's the custom to sit, enjoy your drink and relax; no one is in a rush to get to places and there's not much waiting in line behind ten people getting non-fat mocha cappuccino sundaes! Sometimes things are a little too simple and a little more efficiency would be nice, but it's some of those everyday things that really affect the quality of life here and make people less stressed.
The best café con leche! Vitoria.
When the time finally goes come for me to leave Spain and return to real life, I will be sure to update on what things I actually miss. For now, I need to focus my eyes on the present, so I don't miss a second of my experience!
Ciao ciao!
In thinking about the future, I also think about leaving Spain and going back to life in the States and that's obviously a bittersweet move. Last semester I wrote about all the things I missed about the States and home (here) and even though I haven't left Spain yet and don't know exactly what I'll miss, there are a few things that have been on my mind.
1.) I think the number one thing I will miss about being in Spain is living a bilingual lifestyle. It's really cool to go to class or be at my apartment and speak and hear Spanish, to go out on the streets and hear Spanish and at the same time have friends who speak English and who I can relate to well. I enjoy the constant challenge that every day presents with language and culture.
2.) A big part of being abroad in general that I will miss will be the abundance of history that surrounds me here everyday. I can take a stroll around the city and see buildings that were once occupied by kings and queens or historical religious figures and it is just fascinating to me that I can still be a part of that in a very small way.
3.) This may seem like a silly thing to miss, but I really love how easy it is to buy locally made and grown products here. "Big box" stores aren't common at all and it's really nice to go to a fruitería (or any other locally owned store) and know that the produce there is majorly grown in Spain, if not in the region of Andalucía.
4.) I will also miss the laid-back lifestyle here in Spain. Everyone takes their time and enjoys the simple things in life more often here than anyone in the States. It's kind of nice to go to a café and know that you actually can't get your coffee "to-go" because it's the custom to sit, enjoy your drink and relax; no one is in a rush to get to places and there's not much waiting in line behind ten people getting non-fat mocha cappuccino sundaes! Sometimes things are a little too simple and a little more efficiency would be nice, but it's some of those everyday things that really affect the quality of life here and make people less stressed.
When the time finally goes come for me to leave Spain and return to real life, I will be sure to update on what things I actually miss. For now, I need to focus my eyes on the present, so I don't miss a second of my experience!
Ciao ciao!
04 March 2011
Córdoba
Last Saturday, my friend Olivia and I went to Córdoba for the day (sorry for writing this a little after the fact) and had a wonderful time! It takes longer to get to Córdoba from Granada than I expected, on the bus it was just about three hours, but the road also doesn't go straight there. On the highway it's just over 120 miles to Córdoba, but as a crow flies it's about half of that.
The landscape there is not much different than here, obviously because it's not very far away, but I noticed that there were more palm trees than here in Granada...could just be a design feature.
We started our morning very early, 6:30am, in order to catch the 7:30am bus and when we arrived at 10:30am we were delighted to find that it was a beautiful, clear day without a cloud in sight. The only place that I knew to visit in Córdoba was the infamous Mezquita, so we headed there first. On the outside, the Mezquita doesn't apprear to be much, but once you are inside, it blows you away!
The mosque was built in the 700's and as follows with Islamic tradition, was not ornamented extravagantly, nor with pictures on the walls; the only decoration was red stripes in the archways. When you first walk in the Mezquita, it appears very much as the Muslims made it; rows upon rows of archways with dark wood ceilings and a feeling of vast, emptiness (despite the hundreds of people also touring the building).
As you walk through the temple, little things begin to change and you can start to see more and more light coming from windows in the ceiling and white ornamentation. Then all of a sudden you come upon one of the more ornate Cathedrals I have ever seen! A ceiling of white and gold with figures and faces popping out and an alter two stories high filled with images of Saints and Christ.
The Cathedral was built starting in the 1200's during the Reconquest of Spain by the Visigoths and since then many shrines have been added by different Kings and religious leaders.
Directly across from this, is the alter containing the Bishop's throne, which is decorated in beautiful, dark carved wood and golden organs. The wood carvings surround the entire Bishop's alter, depicting many scenes from the Bible in great detail, so much detail, I think I could have spent two hours just looking at those carvings alone.
The Mezquita is very interesting because at times it is purely Catholic and others strictly Muslim and then there are areas where the two world mix and you realize how different their design and architecture really is.
The Muslims kept everything very simple and organized, to me it feels like there is more of an emphasis on the pilgrimage and prayer, the reason for going to the temple. While the Catholics made everything over the top and, in my opinion, too detailed because with the amount of detail present in the Cathedral, there's no way it could all be appreciated; it's completely overwhelming! But overall, the Mezquita is one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen!
The next sight we visited was the Alcazár de los Reyes Christianos (Gardens of the Christian Kings), which is the place where Christopher Columbus first petitioned for money from the Kings to discover the Americas.
The Gardens at the Alcazár were extensive and gorgeous; plenty of room for royalty to stroll around in privacy. Right now all of the ponds are in the process of being rebuilt and reconstructed to have, in the future, what appeared to be an elaborate fountain and light show.
Finally, we went to the Synagogue of Córdoba, which turned out to be just a single room, but is of significance because during the Reconquest almost all of the Jewish Synagogues and monuments were destroyed except for three; one in Córdoba and two in Toledo.
In our wandering around that day, we discovered that Córdoba is presumably going to be the European Capital of Culture in 2016, which means that in that year they will hold cultural festivals and events to support tourism and an international status.
Overall Córdoba was an enchanting city, both Olivia and I really enjoyed the day we spent there! It was s beautiful sunny day with good culture and good company! :)
Ciao!
The landscape there is not much different than here, obviously because it's not very far away, but I noticed that there were more palm trees than here in Granada...could just be a design feature.
We started our morning very early, 6:30am, in order to catch the 7:30am bus and when we arrived at 10:30am we were delighted to find that it was a beautiful, clear day without a cloud in sight. The only place that I knew to visit in Córdoba was the infamous Mezquita, so we headed there first. On the outside, the Mezquita doesn't apprear to be much, but once you are inside, it blows you away!
The mosque was built in the 700's and as follows with Islamic tradition, was not ornamented extravagantly, nor with pictures on the walls; the only decoration was red stripes in the archways. When you first walk in the Mezquita, it appears very much as the Muslims made it; rows upon rows of archways with dark wood ceilings and a feeling of vast, emptiness (despite the hundreds of people also touring the building).
As you walk through the temple, little things begin to change and you can start to see more and more light coming from windows in the ceiling and white ornamentation. Then all of a sudden you come upon one of the more ornate Cathedrals I have ever seen! A ceiling of white and gold with figures and faces popping out and an alter two stories high filled with images of Saints and Christ.
The Mezquita is very interesting because at times it is purely Catholic and others strictly Muslim and then there are areas where the two world mix and you realize how different their design and architecture really is.
The Muslims kept everything very simple and organized, to me it feels like there is more of an emphasis on the pilgrimage and prayer, the reason for going to the temple. While the Catholics made everything over the top and, in my opinion, too detailed because with the amount of detail present in the Cathedral, there's no way it could all be appreciated; it's completely overwhelming! But overall, the Mezquita is one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen!
The next sight we visited was the Alcazár de los Reyes Christianos (Gardens of the Christian Kings), which is the place where Christopher Columbus first petitioned for money from the Kings to discover the Americas.
The Gardens at the Alcazár were extensive and gorgeous; plenty of room for royalty to stroll around in privacy. Right now all of the ponds are in the process of being rebuilt and reconstructed to have, in the future, what appeared to be an elaborate fountain and light show.
Finally, we went to the Synagogue of Córdoba, which turned out to be just a single room, but is of significance because during the Reconquest almost all of the Jewish Synagogues and monuments were destroyed except for three; one in Córdoba and two in Toledo.
In our wandering around that day, we discovered that Córdoba is presumably going to be the European Capital of Culture in 2016, which means that in that year they will hold cultural festivals and events to support tourism and an international status.
Overall Córdoba was an enchanting city, both Olivia and I really enjoyed the day we spent there! It was s beautiful sunny day with good culture and good company! :)
Ciao!
21 February 2011
100%
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about motivation in my life, especially in the areas of health and fitness. The other day I was having a conversation with some friends who want to start a running group. Each one of them kept reminding all of us that they don't run very fast and just want to go for mileage and not speed. I got me thinking that so often in our lives, especially concerning fitness, we give the bare minimum of what we feel we have to give and nothing more, but how does any improvement come from that? While I was working out the other day a quote came to mind: "If you're not giving 100%, you're not doing it right." Why is it so comfortable to just do the minimum and not completely challenge one's self? And living a healthy lifestyle really is uncomfortable; it's uncomfortable to not be able to eat or drink what you want, when you want or how much you want. It's uncomfortable to push through the pain that workouts can cause and it's most definitely uncomfortable to be judged by others because you live a different lifestyle than they do...a not always socially accepted lifestyle. But how will you ever see results or progress, in any area of your life, if you don't give 100%?
In the past couple months, I have been following the workouts from a blog called BodyRock.TV and I have been loving every minute of it! They use a Hiit (High intensity interval training) approach to fitness and the majority of the workouts are 30 minutes or less! I've not only been getting progressively stronger and more flexible, but my mental stamina to get through tough workouts has increased tremendously! The people on the site do a really good job of motivating and encouraging everyone with the workouts and showing beginners the correct modifications to gradually build strength.
Anyway, I'm trying to implement the 100% mentality into every aspect of my life, school, relationships, time for myself and pursuing what I want/need. But personally, starting with my health has been the best place and everyone who knows me, knows that I've been a workout addict for quite some time, but I've never felt this good about working out before. I feel really great physically and mentally, I have a new sense of self confidence and most days, I surprise myself at how proud I am of myself! That's a whole different topic in itself, but it's a great feeling to realize that you make yourself proud of who you are and what you are doing.
So to continue that feeling and the personal progress I have made, I'm choosing to always give 100%.
Adios
In the past couple months, I have been following the workouts from a blog called BodyRock.TV and I have been loving every minute of it! They use a Hiit (High intensity interval training) approach to fitness and the majority of the workouts are 30 minutes or less! I've not only been getting progressively stronger and more flexible, but my mental stamina to get through tough workouts has increased tremendously! The people on the site do a really good job of motivating and encouraging everyone with the workouts and showing beginners the correct modifications to gradually build strength.
Anyway, I'm trying to implement the 100% mentality into every aspect of my life, school, relationships, time for myself and pursuing what I want/need. But personally, starting with my health has been the best place and everyone who knows me, knows that I've been a workout addict for quite some time, but I've never felt this good about working out before. I feel really great physically and mentally, I have a new sense of self confidence and most days, I surprise myself at how proud I am of myself! That's a whole different topic in itself, but it's a great feeling to realize that you make yourself proud of who you are and what you are doing.
So to continue that feeling and the personal progress I have made, I'm choosing to always give 100%.
Adios
20 February 2011
Just Keeps Getting Better
I can't express enough to everyone how happy I am about my change in cities! Deciding to come back to Spain and transfer to Granada was the best decision of my life! I really appreciate everyone's encouragement throughout the whole process of me being abroad...especially when I wanted to go home. I'm so glad now that I didn't go back to Colorado this semester, but I am even more glad that I am not back in the Basque Country again.
The atmosphere down here is so friendly and lively; my classes are going great and my professors are awesome! I have met some really great girlfriends too, who are really laid back and have just as much of a heart for adventure and culture as I do.
Yesterday I went on a hike with my friend, Olivia, and some of her friends and had the best day! We took the city bus out of town to this tiny suburb of Granada called Monachil; it's an adorable town at the foot of the mountains. We didn't really know where we were going, but we found this trail and followed it in a big loop. The last few days have been rainy and when we were about half way through the trail, it became incredibly muddy! The ground was clay, wet soggy clay, and it clumped on the bottom of our shoes and made it almost impossible to walk! It was pretty funny actually and we all were sliding around, almost falling in the mud. On that muddy path, we came across a wild (we're not sure how wild it actually was) boar...after seeing how it was going to react to us, we decided to just go off the path and walk around the olive orchard it was in and he didn't bother us.
It was a really great day, it was such a pretty place...reminded me of Colorado with the mountains so close and the company was so much fun! It was a great day to get out of town and do some adventuring with friends! Next weekend, Olivia and I are thinking of going to Cordoba and spending the night there, looking forward to that!
Ciao!
Monachil
Beautiful girls (Audrey, Hannah, Lexi, Olivia)
Our muddy shoes!
This is a picture from a hill above Granada...the apple trees are blooming :)
The atmosphere down here is so friendly and lively; my classes are going great and my professors are awesome! I have met some really great girlfriends too, who are really laid back and have just as much of a heart for adventure and culture as I do.
Yesterday I went on a hike with my friend, Olivia, and some of her friends and had the best day! We took the city bus out of town to this tiny suburb of Granada called Monachil; it's an adorable town at the foot of the mountains. We didn't really know where we were going, but we found this trail and followed it in a big loop. The last few days have been rainy and when we were about half way through the trail, it became incredibly muddy! The ground was clay, wet soggy clay, and it clumped on the bottom of our shoes and made it almost impossible to walk! It was pretty funny actually and we all were sliding around, almost falling in the mud. On that muddy path, we came across a wild (we're not sure how wild it actually was) boar...after seeing how it was going to react to us, we decided to just go off the path and walk around the olive orchard it was in and he didn't bother us.
It was a really great day, it was such a pretty place...reminded me of Colorado with the mountains so close and the company was so much fun! It was a great day to get out of town and do some adventuring with friends! Next weekend, Olivia and I are thinking of going to Cordoba and spending the night there, looking forward to that!
Ciao!
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