¡Vamos A La Playa!

I don't really like going to beaches and I also don't like getting burned by the sun but today was different. My Ecosystems class went on a trip to Cerra Gordo in Almuñecar. On our way there, we stopped a couple of times to discuss different types of rocks along the highway. You might say it's boring but for us it was everything but that. Or maybe it's just me... I love science and this class isn't in Spanish so you could feel my joy because I can understand everything. It's also interesting because in Almuñecar and the other parts of the Andalusian region, the Mediterranean and the mountains are so close to each other. I thought I'd be going on this trip and then going home not learning anything new but I was wrong. There are so many things to learn in this region when it comes to the geological point of view. Some rock formations that should only be persistent in the African continent, such as the red soil, could be seen mixed up with the grey, brown, and almost white types of soil here in Andalusia. The soil isn't bright red but there's a red hue present. If we could recall, the continents are all connected before the ice melted during the Ice Age and because of this many species, creatures, and everything else has a connection no matter how far they are from each other at this point in time... Amazing, isn't it? We also had a short hike before going down to the beach. My professor caught me taking a picture of Darkness (my bear) while he was discussing something about parasitic plants. Haha! Here's a picture of Darkness with my friend Inji:

Hello there!!!

We went to the beach to have a relaxing lunch and stayed there for a longer time because it's really beautiful! And because it's really beautiful, my friends and I had a mini pictorial. I also took the liberty of taking my shoes off so I could walk by the shore.

Walking barefoot felt so good...

Specially when you are walking here... So beautiful

With friends (Elizabeth an Alex)... What more could I ask for?

Perhaps an orange?... I guess..

To make me this happy... =)

It was an awesome class trip and there will be more! I cannot wait to go to Cabo de Gata now! I think I am starting to love the beach and the sun setting... ♥

Anyway, I have to go and finish packing for Madrid! I'll update as soon as I get back on Monday.

Hasta luego!!!

Pensando...

I have been living here in Spain for a month now and things are going great. I have repeatedly said that life here cannot get any better because I already love how it is now... although I cannot help but think about the people and the kind of life I had a month ago back in Chicago. I miss my parents, my siblings, and friends so much that I think it is safe to say that the "honeymoon stage" is finally wearing out. Well, maybe not entirely, but somehow I am starting to feel homesick. I miss the food my mom and my dad makes, Joy Yees, Panera, and even the cafeteria food at JST. I remember my room back at the dorms... I miss the Honors College lounge and the people that frequents it... I miss passing by UH even though the wind around there could potentially send me flying across campus... I miss going to the rec. center... I miss my brother and my sister... I miss my godson, Enzo... I miss my cousins and my cousin Gail's puppy, Chloe... I miss my job and my coworkers... I miss everything. And, on top of all of that, I miss the noise of downtown Chicago, the putrid smell of the Blue Line station, and the puddles of slush when snow melts and mixes with mud, which I never really thought I'd say... Oh, well... I have 6 months to go here in Spain and I should savor every moment that I'd be spending here such as the little chats over coffee with friends and the paseos (walks) with a little bit of rebajas (sales) like what I did today with my new friend, Elizabeth, who is also from Illinois. We talked about our lives, our goals, and what we expect to take from this experience here in Spain. We also had a little heart to heart chat about family stories, which almost got me a little emotional. I felt nostalgic and got a bit teary eyed while telling her snippets of my life story... but it also felt good because I haven't talked to anyone like that since I got here... =)

Here are some pictures with the people that I miss:

This picture was taken when I was, I think, 2 years old.

This is my little brother, Jericho.

This picture is one of my favorite... I miss you, daddy!

(L-R) My sister Marielle, my mom, and me! =)

This one here is taken from Spring '10. It was so nice outside we went out wearing shorts! It's gonna be this weather soon, Chicago!

My bro and I with our favorite dog, Chloe.

With Chole again!

Summer '10 with my friends Nienke and Brittany.

This is my godson, Enzo. He's so adorable! I can't believe how fast he's growing! He'll be a year old when I come back. I miss you, tabatchuy!

Ah.... my dear old single room at JST. I miss you soooo much!

The view everytime I wake up in the morning. It's not so spectacular but I still love it nonetheless.

My favorite HC lounge boys! (L-R) Bryan, D'feau, Alex, Akshay, Vishak, and Saif. Dan and Kevin aren't in the picture but they are included in my favorites too!

This was taken after one of our indoor soccer games. (L-R) Kripa, Tisa, and me.

With Monica and Ashley after my going away dinner at The Melting Pot.

Me and my gurlfraaaaaaans with Jared THE PIMP (our waiter for the night).

Awww... Cluster mates minus Bansri! (L-R) Estacia, Cece my love, me, and Amanda.

Well, now it's time for bed... I just had to say what I needed to say to let my dearest ones back in Chicago know that I miss them so much...

I MISS ALL OF YOU THERE BACK IN CHICAGO! I HOPE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU SOON! <3

Good night...

Los Paraguas Rotos

There's not a lot of new things that happened this week except that it rained a lot and that I am still sick. I have also broken two paraguas (umbrellas): one was my host mom's and the other one was mine. Oh, and by the way, I've only been here in Granada for almost a month. Two umbrellas broken... UH-MAY-ZING. Anyway, I know you aren't interested about my umbrella rant so I'll just head onto some other things here. Let's fast forward to last Thursday. And, yes, I know that that was an oxymoron.

Thursday is the last weekday for us IES students. We only have classes from Monday thru Thursday unless we have a class trip on a Friday. Certainly we will be using, if not already have, our three-day weekend to plan more trips to explore Spain or the rest of Europe. So, my friends and I decided to just take advantage of the wonderful weekends and cheap bus tickets and flights; We decided to go to Madrid and Toledo next weekend. I've also booked a flight to London to see my mentor, and good friend, Alyssa Sorresso. I've never gone farther than Canada before so I am pretty psyched about this and it wont' be the last time that I would be! I am still looking up possible trips for the spring break and the free week that we have when half of the IES-Granada group goes to the first Marruecos (Morocco) trip. I am going on the second trip that's why I almost have two weeks of spring break. That same month I am gonna be seeing La Furia Roja play against Czech Republic here at the Granada soccer stadium. I have no clue how much tickets are gonna be but I am willing to pay to see my Spanish boys. Speaking of Spanish boys, I found out who my intercambio would be. His name is Alvaro and he is a UGR student. I don't know how intimidating it would be because I could barely look at any guy in the eye (Yes... I am a poet and I don't even try). But we'll see how it goes. I might be able to break out of my tiny shell and speak perfect Spanish. (And NO, mom, he is not a prospect... Haha! I miss you and dad so much! I am glad we were able to videochat on Skype today.)

This weekend went by slow but I don't think I've done anything else aside from the usual paseo,
doing my homework, and eating. Talk about eating... I think this weekend was the fattest weekend of my life. I did a bit of binge eating this weekend with a bag of chips, clementines, cheese, yogurt, and digestive cookies. I always watch what I eat but since I've been trying out so many types of food at once, I think I might have gained a pound or two... Or the opposite. My host parents told me my face was much fatter when I came here than right now. They said, " Su cara es más gordo cuando vino aquí. Pero ahora es más delgada." Spanish people are brutally honest and I totally love that they are. People should say what they need to say and I should learn how to do just that. My roommate, Dani, is the same thing. She tells me what's on her mind and it's refreshing because it's different from hearing someone without a filter. She says what makes sense and matters. So, that's a shout out for you Dani! =)

Now, I've got to go back to watching Being Human and Dawson's Creek with Dani because this weekend is a lazy weekend. I just wanted to update all of you about how life is here in Granada. I am sure I will have other exciting things to talk about soon. But for now let's lay low a little and let things sink in because it still hasn't for me. I might have adjusted already but I keep on getting amazed at the new things I do or see.

I wanted this post to be picture-less but I can't resist posting them:

This is my roommate Dani. Our host-dad took this picture while we were at the park where the statue of Boabdil is.

This is Virginia. We call her Virgi. She is one of our host parents' grandkids. She is only 2 years old but she is very bright and talks like an adult. She kind of reminds me of myself when I was little. =)

Everyday when I walk to class, I pass by this building. I never get tired of looking up and taking a picture of it from different angles. I think I've got about 5 pictures already.

Here in Granada they like to keep their figures slim. So, they have this "poor man's gym" at almost every park for people to use. It's GRATIS so one day I went there with my friend Matt after eating at the pasteleria. The next picture is what we ate.



This is called Fresas y Nata. We weren't sure what nata meant so we asked the camarero (waiter) what it was. He said it was "como un ice cream... eh.. milkshake..." So we just took his word for it and ordered one to share. Turns out it was a butt-load of whipped cream and strawberries.... So we got another dessert cause this did not satisfy us.


Now, this baby here is called gofres. It was so rich and decadent... I think I am craving for one right now but the pasteleria is already closed. Some other day... maybe.

This is just a random picture of pigeons outside at Plaza Nueva. It was a nice day and the lighting was nice. The picture turned out awesome.

Well, dear friends, I will end my post here. Until next time...

Hasta la vista, baby!

P.S. Dani and I also watched a Spanish movie. We watched the Spanish version of Pan's Labyrinth which is El Laberinto Del Fauno. It was a little creepy and sadistic but a good movie nonetheless.

Hemihedral

¿Que es la significa de esa palabra en el "blog post" hoy? Vale...

Hemihedral- [ˌhɛmɪˈhiːdrəl]- adj- (Chemistry of a crystal) exhibiting only half the number of planes necessary for complete symmetry.

Still... that definition isn't good enough for it to make sense. Well, it's just that, I think, that's the right word to use when describing Granada, or Spain in general: it is hemihedral. I know I've described Spain as a place where you might say you've already seen the most beautiful but then, when you take a turn at a street somewhere, you find another place that makes you forget about the last. I've been to Ronda, Sevilla, Malaga, and other cities here in Andalusia, and I must say that the phrase "I think I am in love" is starting to become a cliche. Surely, I'd think the same of the other cities that I'll be visiting during the upcoming weekends. However, I am already thinking too far ahead, so, let me back up a little here...

First of all, before I start pouring a week's worth of memories here, I would like to apologize for the delay on posting a new entry. I've been extremely busy (or lazy) with the article readings for my Islamic Civilization class. I've also gotten a bit sick with sore throat and light coughing. The change in weather affected my health just a bit but I am all well now. My voice is still a little husky although I like it that way. Anyway, MOM, if you are reading this, please don't worry cause I am very well taken cared of here. My hostparents are very nice. They made soup for me and Dani the other day because we both had a sore throat. Most of the students in our program got sick as well so it's really just in the air... Virus and all... It's been raining here too. Yesterday, my shoes got soaked with the water and it felt like I was standing on a great puddle of water. The rain will continue for the entirety of this week but next week shall be better. I cannot wait to do "rebajas" shopping with my friend Emma and then take some professional photos while taking a paseo. Speaking of paseo, we had another one at Alhambra today for our Art and Architecture class. I was not too happy about having to walk up there again, specially that it was a little bit crowded today, but I guess the workout was worth it. Our class was bombarded with new information and I am just lovin' it!

Palace of Charles V

(pictured above)

The architect who designed this building was Pedro Machuca. According to history, Machuca became well renowned for building this palace because of the floor plan he designed. His floor plan solved the mystery of the "empty space" when the circle meets the square. In architecture, the circle in the middle of a square imposes a big a risk because the four points where they meet becomes empty. Machuca was the only architect clever enough to put staircases (second picture) so that there won't be any ugly voids.

This palace had many rooms although it was never really meant to be residential. This palace was built to serve as one of Granada's main attraction before the Renaissance period to become Spain's capital city. Madrid was not yet the capital before the Renaissance that's why most cities, if not all, made it a point to construct such palaces and buildings to make their city much more attractive than the others. In addition, Charles V never had an official home since he inherited so much territory from his father, Phillip the Handsome, and more from his mother, Joanna the Mad. When Phillip died, Charles became the ruler of Burgundy and his mother's co-ruler in Spain when his maternal grandfather, Ferdinand the Catholic, died. When his paternal grandfather passed away, he became the Holy Roman Emperor and the Archduke of Austria. From then on, his vast realm became know as "the empire on which the sun never sets." Charles V technically lived on tents all of his life while at war.

Phew! That was a lot of information! See what I mean now? I really like the way they teach here because it's more on the interactive side than hitting the books. We have countless field trips and I think that today won't be the last time I'd be making a trip to the Alhambra. Moreover, my other classes also have field trips. My Mediterranean Ecosystems class is going on a trip to the border of Malága and Granada next Friday. I really don't know what to expect but judging how enthusiastic my professor was yesterday while he was explaining the syllabus, I think I will have a lot of fun and there will be plenty more pictures to be taken!

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Hmmm... Maybe a pause from history by talking about sports is in need at the moment... Yes? Okay! Well, last Friday, the 11th of February, my friend Mariah and I went to a soccer game here in Granada. The teams that played were Granada C.F and Albacete. These teams both play in the Segunda División here in Spain. The game was not a high-end kind of game but it was cool watching nonetheless. The manic fans cheering and screaming for their teams made the vibe livelier and fun. It was amusing to see the "ooohs" and "aaaahs" of the fans whenever Granada scored; they scored 2 goals with another one from a player of the opposite team (how unlucky for Albacete). The game ended with a 3-0 win for Granada. Also, the "Pope" also made a special appearance at the game (you'll know what I mean when you see the pictures).

Javier, our IES director, has 2 season tickets for the Granada games. We are so lucky to have called dibs on these tickets although Mariah and I never got our seats cause 2 big guys were already sitting there. Oh, well... It was still fun watching even when standing up for almost 2 hours. =P

Crazy fans kicking and screaming during the game.



Oh, yes... The good ol' theatrics....

Turns out he was fine and there was no need for a stretcher.


Told ya! The POPE made an appearance and he brought a megaphone with him! How cool is that?!

Mariah and I downed this much pizza EACH. Oh, yeah... We were two hungry ladies going to a soccer game. Haha!

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This entry isn't done yet so I'll just add some more later after I am done with my readings.


Hasta pronto, chicos y chicas!

Just for AMIR

Dear Amir,

Because you are special,and because yo tengo una sonrisa ahora because of what you told me, you will get a chance to be a part of this tiny little post. ¡Por favor, visitarme! España es una pais maravillosa. You will love this place. I'll talk to you on Facebook. Okay?

♥ Besos y abrazos muy fuerte

Andrea

P.S. Granada tiene muchas heladerias. Enjoy this pic. Hahah!

Zumo de Naranja

I feel inspired to write more updates today although they might just be out of random. So, shall we begin?

Before anything else, reader, let me just tell you that my Islamic Civilization professor is one of the BOMBDIGGITY profs I have ever met in my college life. I cannot speak Spanish very well but I could understand it without much problems although sometimes the accent changes everything. My professor has an accent but he speaks to us clearly; word per word I understood everything he said. It was amazing how I was able to digest the topic we discussed in class today. We talked about the current situation happening in Egypt, the connection of the Arab world to Spain, and religious topics that I believe are sensitive but for the sake of learning it becomes objective. Anyway, moving on... After class my friend Erika and I went to the fotocopiadora to get our books. It's so nice that we do not have to buy lots of books and waste hundreds of dollars, or euros, for things we wont really be reading. The professors here just selects articles and compiles them so all we have to do is buy the selected articles together as a compilation. Obviously, not all professors here do that, but for the most part, at IES, they do. I have not spent more than 100 euros on books and papers at all. However, I had the mistake of buying some of my stuff at El Corte Ingles, which is a revamped Macy's here. It has most of the American products and other interesting things as well. The only thing that bothers me when going there is the fishy smell coming from the basement grocery store. My nose is just really sensitive to weird smells... Haha!




Speaking of smell, I think I've grown addicted to the smell of oranges mainly because I eat oranges everyday now. I eat it after lunch and during merienda time. I also drink freshly squeezed zumo de naranja a lot now. It's almost like living in a world full of orange. Everywhere I look, from the apartment where I live, beyond the bridge where I cross to go to school everyday... JUST EVERYWHERE! I swear there are orange trees! UH-MAY-ZING!!! I think when the time comes that I'd feel like buying a house, I will buy one here in Granada specifically at Sacromonte where my future house overlooks the city.

Well, well... I think I should take my siesta soon and then wake up to do my homework. Yes, I actually have homework to do.

Vale. Hasta luego, chicos y chicas. I'd be writing here again soon because I've got lots more stories to tell.

=)

Unchained Melody

There are many things in this world that we simply just cannot explain. Sometimes our thoughts escape us because there are no exact words to describe such things... Last week, on Friday and Saturday, we visited Ronda and Sevilla. Let me just say that I've never fallen in love with so many places at once. Seeing the beautiful cities here in Spain just got me falling head-over-heels over and over again. The scenic sites, the culture, the customs... You might think I use too much ellipses in all of my posts about Spain but that is just how much I adore this country! I have no exact description of the things I have seen and will be soon seeing!

February 4, 2011- Sevilla, Spain.

We came to Sevilla and started our tour at the Alcazares where we saw the different types of gardens. At the Alcazares they had sunken gardens and quadrilateral ones. The gardens were not just gardens, they were a symbol of wealth for the past inhabitants of the place. According to my Islamic Art and Architecture teacher, the gardens at the Alcazares, and much of the Andalucia, represents the people that owns it. A garden for them needs to have a purpose and not just for the sake of having a beautiful garden; they build gardens to have a place of tranquility while reading. In addition, a fun fact actually, the gardens have oranges planted so that if the owners are getting a little bit hungry, they could snack on something. We were told that having roses and other flowers are insignificant to Andalucians before. Yes, they are beautiful to look at but they have no use for them. After seeing the gardens, we went inside to take a look at the paintings and the beautiful walls and ceilings. They were well preserved and had so many intricate designs.





I cannot yet describe what the designs meant but as we progress along our architecture class, I will be able to. We left the Alcazares to eat lunch at the square near the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede just around the beautiful fountain. (Not posted here but you could check out my albums on Facebook.)



I do not know if it was just me but I could not eat properly because everywhere I turned I saw beautiful infrastructures and eating was not necessary after. However, my hostmom packed me lunch and so I had to eat it. At exactly an hour past our lunch time, we explored the inside of the church and then walked up the staircase at la Giralda. It was a 32 or 33-story tower. It felt like we have been climbing up for forever but once we got on the top of the tower, ah, everything was breathtaking again. (You can see it for yourself through the pictures I am posting on this entry.)



Our teacher Ana told us some of the history of the cathedral but it was a lot to digest and I cannot remember much of it. It's just that, for me, all of what I saw was good enough... At night we went to see a Flamenco show, which was amazing. It has been a long day for me and I felt so sleepy during the Flamenco show that I fell asleep while one of the guys was playing the guitar. I woke up when the dance started. It looked so hard tapping shoes and keeping the body as limber as it could be while being erect and full of facial expressions. I don't know how they were able to do it but I salute them nonetheless cause it's just so beautiful...








February 5, 2011- Ronda, Spain.

Again, my jaws dropped right when I saw the view outside my window when we arrived at Ronda. It's a city smaller than Granada but had different attractions. In Ronda we visited the Plaza del Torros where we saw the different outfits that the Torreadors wore and the dresses the women wore during matches. I took lots of pictures although we weren't really suppose to. What can I say? I can't just leave without taking a memento or a simple picture with me.



We also went to see the cliffs that defines Ronda's scenic places and after that we visited the Baño de Turcos, which translates literally as Turkish Baths. These Turkish Baths, of course, are old and are not being used anymore; they are there as tourist attractions. We walked around some more and just sat there absorbing the beauty of Ronda and the strong sun that day. We had delicious bocadillos (sandwich) and drank freshly squeezed orange juice. Can life get any better than this? Seriously... YES IT COULD!!! After our paseo around the streets in Ronda we bought ice cream/gelatto and walked around some more. At 6pm we headed back to our buses and left for Granada.

P.S. We really did not leave right away. Well... our bus didn't, at least. We had to wait for this one student who was left behind wandering on her own. It was irritating but then it was good to know she was not kidnapped or hurt. Enough said.











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In case you were wondering why I wrote "Unchained Melody" as the title of this entry, it is because the kind of beauty that I saw when I visited Ronda and Sevilla was similar to the meaning of the lyrics of the mid-1950's song Unchained Melody. The song was written by Alex North and Hy Zaret to be featured as the theme song of the movie "Unchained." For Hy Zaret, the song's lyrics focuses on someone who pines for a lover he hasn't seen in a "long, lonely time... So, for me, seeing Ronda and Sevilla felt like finally finding the "amor de mi vida" because it was so beautiful and magnificent... <3

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Vale. Today was the first day of classes and I have some homework and readings to do. Until my next entry, amigos...

¡Adios!