Tuesday, March 28, 2006

un poquito español

Yo siento que está tiempo escribir una entrada en español. Es que estoy estudiando, no? Espero que mi español estaría mejor, pero hablar en una lengua otra de tú primero, es muy difícil, especialmente cuando tienes amigos americanos que hablan inglés. Cada semana que encuentro con amigos españoles y nosotros practicar la otra idioma. Me encanta hablando con ellos, porque tiene opiónes muy interesantes y me dicen cosas sobre sus vidas que están muy differentes de mia. Mis clases están bien. Literatura es mi favorita y ¿quien adivinaría esto? Manaña será examenes, entonces, esta noche dedicará a estudiando. Hasta luego, me voy.

I wish I hadn´t known

So in culture class today we started the gastonomy section. We started talking about morcilla. Do you know what morcilla is? Yeah, I didn´t either. About twice a week at my host family´s house, we get this sausage in our soup. Sausage I can handle. Sure I don´t like the taste but I can smile and get it down my throat. Only morcilla isn´t sausage. I have been eating congealed blood. Yes, blood, curdled, thick, nasty blood wrapped in an intestine or who knows what. That is it. I can eat it no more. It was better when I didn´t know what it was. I feel queasy just thinking about it.

morcillaHere´s what wikipedia had to say about morcilla: "Blood sausage or black pudding or blood pudding is a sausage made by cooking down the blood of an animal with meat, fat or filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled." I´ve been eating this for the 2 months! Everyone said my face turned pale in class when I found out what is was.

I think I need to lie down.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Barcelona

sagrada familiaBarcelona was fun. It is a HUGE city. I can´t even begin to tell of all the things we did. We visited Gaudi stuff like the Sagrada Famalia, Parque Guell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. We went on a boat ride around the port, shopped along Las Ramblas, took one of those cheesy sight seeing buses around the city (that was actually fun), ate in coffee shops, stayed in a hostal, saw two parades with statue that look like the king from the Burger King commercials(a scary sight when they are spinning and about to fall on you), witnessed a Cataluñya independence demonstration, and laughed at a bunch of crazy people dressed up as statues on the street. Barcelona Street StatueMy favorite on was one that would stick out his cane and hit people on the butt as they passed by, but then went back to standing stone-statue-still so they would turn around and be like, "who did that?" I carried my umbrella along with me everywhere since it was calling for rain, but then felt like an idiot because the skies were as blue as could be. I bought one of the cool España jackets with my mad bargaining skills and hung out in the airport for 7 hours without sleep. We just plain had a fun time.

Monday, March 20, 2006

Sevilla

Sevilla, Plaza de EspanaSevilla, Sevilla, Sevilla: the capital of Andalucia. We had soooo much fun. We got there and even though it was raining, the touring was still pretty. We saw the cathedral, climbed to the top of the Giralda, saw the Jewish Quarter, the Jardin Maria Louisa, Plaza de Americas, Rio Guadalquivir and so much more. AND we took a thousand photos in the Plaza de España where George Lucas filmed Planet Naboo in a little movie known as Star Wars. We searched down a StarBucks and ate at a KFC in the spirit of America. I did notice that a lot more English speaking there and more good places to shop. Nevertheless, I am a friend of Málaga first. We stayed at a hotel which was sooo nice, with free little shampoos that is a stupid thing, but it made me happy. Sevilla, fun.

Torremolinos

Torremolinos, palm treesWe went Torremolinos a few weekends ago and had lots of fun. It is known for its beaches and little shops that zig zag down to the playa. Beautiful little city.

Funny story: Melissa and I laid down on the beach in the afternoon during siesta time when nothing was open and fell asleep. Later when we woke up we realized we were laying on a nude beach. Apparently, Europeans are much more open (even in their dirty tv commericals too). So anyway,girls were walking around and tanning half naked. Lets just say, awkward moment.

Torremolinos half-naked beach

Thursday, March 16, 2006

My faith is restored in Blogger.com

Yay, and the crowd rejoiced! I was all sad and depressed that my blog was gone forever since I´m such a moron. I pushed the word "suprimir" to republish my blog, only to find out that suprimir is the Spanish word for delete.
But...the wonderful blogger staff helped me out. I am back to loving blogger, thanks guys.

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Me encanta españa

The weather in Málaga is officially awesome now, the little cold spell we were having is over. The sun is my friend; we like to take long walks on the beach and spend long hours together, oh yes, the Mediterranean sun.

I love Spain. I love the people, I love the lifestyle, and basically, I just love everything.
Everday so many things happen. Everyday I learn so much.
While I like my classes, I think the real learning comes from interacting with other people.
Studying abroad is one of the best decisions that I´ve ever made.

While I am here, I don´t want to be (or don´t think I am) the same person as at home. Here I am much more open minded as you must be when experiencing a new culture. Here I am much more independent. Here I am much more assertive, I guess, than at home. Here I just want to take a few months break from the person I am in the states. It is good to know that the world in open to me. It is good to be aware of currents that happen on a global scale instead of the little bubble that inevitably follows us whereever we go.

Monday, March 6, 2006

Córdoba

Animated Penguin Push OverHow cute. The animation to the left has nothing to do with anything except that it cracked me up. ha ha ha.

 la mezquitaThis weekend we went to Córdoba. We visited the Mezquita (3rd largest in the world), which is very cool. All the streets outside are so tiny and cute, and there are all the touristy shops along the streets too. At every turn a gypsy would come and say "guapa," some money por favor, in the most pathetic voice you´ve ever heard. Get a job at Burger King, for goodness sakes. They were even carrying around these nice leather purses. Where did they get those?

ISA Cordoba
I´m pretty sick. Last night I had an excruciating ear ache, today I am feeling better though, so things are looking up.

Still laughing at the penguin thing. He he he.

Friday, March 3, 2006

Alcazaba

AlcazabaThis week we visited the famous Alcazaba castle that rests on a hill overlooking the city of Málaga. Awww, so nice. And good history too.
Tea. I have discovered tea. It is so good for a sore throat such that I have. My favorite is warm tea con leche (milk). Flavor? Manzanilla con Anis (Whatever Manzanilla is with Licorice) mmmmmm, heaven.