Three more days

Just 3 days left of class and then I'll be going to Santander in northern Spain, London, and Ireland. This may be one of my last posts so I should make corrections and some final comments. First of all, I made Mama Bear sound a lot worse than she is so I'll tell you all the things I will miss about her.

Today, I watched racing with her, probably the most boring sport, but seeing her into it and my ability to use random Spanish words that I thought I'd never use (like neumaticos-tires...in trying to explain hydroplaning) was pretty fun. The other day I ran into her at the grocery store at the exact moment I was leaving the wine/beer isle. I thought it may be an awkward situation, but she told my friends that I had really improved in Spanish...so probably the coolest she's been. This makes me look forward to meet the other mothers at the final dinner. Finally, I've really gotten used to the food and after coming back from Italy, I realized how much I missed the excessive olive oil, baguette in every meal, and strange Spanish concoctions (although I'll never miss the hotdog/egg/rice combo). So overall, it's been an experience living there and I can't expect much else, but to smile at the absurdity of a different environment.

There are some things that Spain should adopt from the U.S. and some things I should bring back with me that they are doing better than us. Spain should have at least 1 convenience store open 24 hours a day, more smiling, more vegetables eaten cold rather than pureeing or frying everything, hockey...okay I guess I thought there would be more, but they got a lot of things right...like super old architecture (the aqueduct, the alcazar, the cathedrals), great food, las faellas, flamenco, view of the mountains, tons of bars, and tapas. The U.S. needs to understand and embrace the concept of TAPAS! We should import more olive oil and their vinegrette (makes really good dressing on salad), more baguette so it's affordable rather than wonderbread (this would help Spain in this never-ending crisis I hear about). Our snacks should consist of wine, olives, and bread (maybe cheese too) and every cook should learn Tortilla Espana (basically like an omlette...but better). I wouldn't mind mixing paella and more fish into my diet either. Alright that should cover food (make your own opinions of meat intake in your diet). Being in Minnesota, everyone owns a scarf, but we don't use them. They are functional and classy, but then again, you'd probably have to class up the rest of the get-up for them to make sense. One other thing: they are very energy efficient. They always turn off lights, in our school there everything has sensors so they turn off when they aren’t used.

Other final comments? I wish we took classes with Spaniards, but with the structure of our semester, it didn't line up with their schedule. It has been fun meeting people here, practicing Spanish and learning so much about the English language (in the process). As does everyone, I highly recommend studying abroad if you can because it’s a nice change of pace from the Minnesota routine and its a chance to travel and experience a place outside of the U.S.

Learning the history of Spain has probably been the most substantial knowledge I could take away from the university. It covers the time period before Christ until the present and intertwines with the history of Europe. Knowing the depth of history Spain has gone through gives me perspective on how young our country is and how lucky we are/where we are going (reminds me of my summer job at MN 150 years...look up the DVD at the library, you may find me eating a turkey leg at the State Fair on the front cover). Well, know I'm just ranting...so if you've made it this far, you must really have nothing to do or actually care what I'm doing so thank you. Have a good one.

David

More Pictures

Okay, Trevi Fountain. Gorgeous. Glad we made it there, a must see in Rome.

This basically captures Venice. Gondolas are up to 120 euro so it better be your honeymoon or your from Dubai...me and adam just took the motor taxis to get around.

So the amount of motocycles in Italy reminded me of the movie Ratatouille. Although based in Paris, the girl in the movie was a replica of most of the people I saw riding motocycles and if I am not mistaken she wore purple, very popular in Spain/Italy right now. My signature is in the corner.

Famous bridge in Florence. Beautiful place. During the day, they sell a bunch of gold on the bridge.

Notice the sign. All stores/restaurantes in Spain/Italy are the product with eria at the end: Sideria (sidra is hard cider), spagetteria, ect. It's just outside the Vatican...good quanity and quality for cheap. Another must see in Rome.

Another fountain next to the Spanish steps in Rome.

This is in the Pantheon, I think a Roman judicial building or place to discuss politics...

Italy pt. 2

Sorry for the delay on this post. We have been suffering without internet at the school for 2 days…we don’t know what to do with ourselves. I’m sending this from a wifi bar. We were blessed with no rain in Italy, but we’ve had rain since I got back to Spain and I think it’s here to stay.

Anyway, ‘when in Rome do as Romans do’ and since all roads lead to Rome we figured we better explore Italy…why not go to the two most romantic cities without your girlfriend. Right?! We decided on Florence because we found a fair priced hotel with a central location with a sweetheart old lady hostess that helped us with the must sees. From that night on, I dubbed the trip with the theme “It’s a small world after all.” I ran into Caitlin Whaley (from grade school and high school, actually her aunt was my mom’s best friend and was there at my birth) and we spend some time with her. She even helped us discover the secret bakeries (actually she pointed them out on a map, but a random Leo on our way there was nice enough to end his phone call to walk us there…it was that important). The next day upon entering the long line for the art gallery, I ran into Megan Gode (Cortney’s good friend) who I thought was in Venice for the week. The morning of departure I saw Ryan Willwershid in passing. 3 coincidences…maybe I need an existential detective (I recommend seeing I Heart Huckabees). Anyway, the highlights of Florence were the art galleries with famous paintings like “The Birth of Venus,” “Spring,” and in the other gallery Michelangelo’s “David.” I got my host family a souvenir statue because a perfectly sculpted body of David seemed like the right memento to remember me. Other highlights included the view of the city, the river (and the famous bridge, very Epcot-esk), and Hemmingway’s (overpriced small portioned flourless chocolate cake…this was like the prime rib of cacao).

On Friday we made it to Venice. Again I was reminded of the Disney theme…my memories of the gondolas at Disney world and the bridges were a spot on recreation of what we saw. There wasn’t a whole lot to do in Venice, but it was fun taking the water taxis and seeing the city. Venice gets the Best Sandwich award: on fresh bread (hint of an herb like thyme or fennel seed), melted cheese (not your standard Cheddar or Swiss, but something heavenly), prochutto (or some kind of thinly sliced delicacy), and some foreign greenery (much prettier than iceberg lettuce). For 3.50 euro, it was almost filling, but nicely complimented with a giant pizza slice. Together they were still less than every sit-down restaurant.

Saturday afternoon we came back to Rome and we talked with a guy on the train. We could understand most of his Italian because it was so close to Spanish and he taught us some useful/fun phrases. I’ve learned that the people you meet are almost more memorable and entertaining than some of the attractions. While traveling, it really is an adventure not always knowing where you’re going, asking for directions. It’s like the amazing race, but instead of competing against others, you’re racing the clock to see as much culture as possible in a week.
So we got to Rome, ate at a terrible restaurant and learned to always ask if there is a service charge, and went to bed early so we could get up to attend Easter Mass at the Vatican. We got there at 6:25, gates didn’t open until 8:30 and mass didn’t start until 10:15 but it was worth getting a 10th row seat from the front! We also didn’t fancy the idea we’d be seeing the pope! The Vatican square was packed and it was cool so many nations represented with their flags.

I know I'm missing a bunch...email me if you have questions or leave comments!

David

Italy pt. 1

Where to begin. Well, I didn't die in an earthquake just outside of Rome: I was still in the Madrid airport at this time, but my friend who already made it to Rome curiously thought the guy above her bed (bunkbeds in a hostel) was akwardly creaking a bit too much for 3 in the morning.

Adam and I arrived in Rome on Monday morning, got the Rome pass, and like any traveler, really had no idea where we were going. After a few buses, a train, and a shuttle we made it to our precious Camp Tiber for 11 euros a night. What a steal right?! If you gandered the website, you would be thrilled. Believing self promotion is an obvious rookie mistake for world class travelers. I think I've displayed enough creative negativity on Mama Bear so I'll save my rant, but I'd like to mention they promised a sparkling pool and pool tables (a fabrication). Here's what we got. They said it wouldn't be open until May (not mentioned on the website).

Better yet, Adam had an arm width of our stank room. It wasn't stinky, rather it had a heavy musk smell like a cave, something you shouldn't breath in.

Alright, so at least they had internet access and we could cancel the nights we had when we came back to Rome. We ended up booking a hotel with a central location in Rome (close to a metro stop), so it was worth the extra 30 euro a night.

The whole city is amazing because on any square block you'll find some kind of fountain or plaza that dates back 2000 years. My favorites from Rome include the Coloseum, Trevi Fountain, Campo di Fiori (plaza), the Patheon, and the Vatican (and the gelati shop next to the Vatican for 2 euro). We also took a pub crawl from the Spanish steps on tuesday...sadly, any deal that comes with a t-shirt sells better than sex.

The Vatican was incredible. We were offered a 40 euro tour for students and then 35. Thanks to Glady's advice to avoid tours in general we saw the Catacombs and St. Peter's square for free and only payed 8 euro to get into the Vatican Museum (with the Sistine Chapel). If Spain has cathedrals, Rome has statues! I guess there are over 2000 rooms in the Vatican and we saw a lot of them. Well, I'm gonna make this part 1 because I'm going to get a tapa. Happy Easter!

David

Spring Break/Evidence

It's finally here! I wrote up a post and somehow lost it before it was posted so it wouldn't be as long. I'm going to Rome for Spring Break. Others on the trip are going to France, Italy, Scandenavia, and Cairo (woah!). We come back the monday after Easter and have a 1.5 weeks of school and then its Eurotrippin'.

As for my last post, my host mom is really not as bad as I make her sound. We can have our quarrels, and she can be stubborn, but she does it out of the goodness of her heart. I haven't given it a lot of time, but I was hoping to see a few more posts, like someone was actually out there (kinda reminds me of our assumptions at KJNB...shout out to Ryan and Sonkin). In light of this, I will post a picture, but I wouldn't unmask her face to preserve the legend.

To understand the significance of this picture...refer to post: Mama Bear.

As for an early post, in which I stepped into the shoes of a food critique, I mentioned an egg over rice combo with a side of hot dogs. Here is the evidence for more absurties in Spain (Last time the wet rice was covered in spanish tomato sauce...)

Anyway, glad to have a break from school and I hope you all have a wonderful Holy Week!

Love, David

Mama Bear

Well, mother’s day is coming up. Oh shucks, I missed April Fools, it’s not for a while, but you can’t get an early start to plan for the perfect day. This post is dedicated to all the mothers out there. You work hard and receive little gratitude, so thank you for all you do.

Now the rest of this post I will be bashing my host mom, because she is exactly what gives all you good mothers out there a bad name. I was inspired to write this after the looks of my chicken scratches in my journal that I’ve been keeping and I felt it was worth sharing…use your imagination and follow along because some things might… ‘ring true, shine like crystal, be so transparent you’d be looking at a ghost, sometimes I think she looks like a skeleton or maybe Don Quixote de la Mancha re-incarnated with her hollowed jaw bone structure and ghostly shocked eyes when she asks me questions or says “que horror!”

Okay, let’s talk about her style. She wears these furry satin (?) jump suits (so far baby blue and maybe brown). I guess I don’t know the material but its as if she wants to go on a run or be the next ‘shorty…’ yet she always has a Guinness or white t-shirt hanging out the back end- screaming white trash and check out my grandma butt. Did I forget to mention she’s nearing her mid 60’s. Her fingers aren’t about to fall off but they don’t look like they’ve been pruning in the fountain of youth either. She wears this putrid pink nail polish that matches her complexion. I’m surprised I haven’t snagged a wiff of the special collection elderly perfume at colognes unlimited.

As they say in spanish-pobrecito-I don’t know how he puts up with her. It’s not that she orders him around because he needs her as a dependent- she’s just a *** nagging *** to put it eloquently. Pardon my French (I stopped taking the class), you may insert whatever your level of swearablity fits your lexicon. She has defined her role to keep order in the house- ex making my bed everyday, cooking the meals, keeping the place spiffy…good for her. In the process, she goes commando on the inhabitants…role call! Where have you been?! Enh? Enh? Maybe she was born in the wrong century and fit in better with the apes that just made sounds and mumbles instead of forming real words and questions.

What a mistake it was for me to ask pardon for going on my excursion with Alejandro to the motocross. She asked me where I was and so I told her. She was flabbergasted and forbade me to see him or other strangers, heaven forbid that there are actually genuinely friendly people in this world…not guilty by association I assume. And at this moment, she thought she owned my soul, her precious prisoner giving in to her will, never to escape those extra tight sheets that plastered my bed every night like the starch white rigid ones you’d see in a mental hospital. Authority reigns: order. Chaos and the Cosmos.’

If you were offended or distraught by any of the comments listed above please contact the IBHMI or the International Bureau of Hurt Mothers Incorporated. Secondly, to put our hearts content and our minds at ease, my mom doesn’t own a computer nor does she know much about the internet… and even if she did, she wouldn’t be able to understand a word of English and I would gladly tell her this, but I’d be lost in translation.

The other night I came home at 9:30 after hanging out and getting tapas with Francisco, a student from SEK (the same university I attend)/Ted’s tandem partner/he’s from Ecuador so he can identify with ‘close segovians,’ really good guy. Anyway she asked me if I was at school, if only I were brilliant enough to know that this was a trap…as the words “si” left the tip of my tongue- she counteracted with, “oh, I didn’t know that the school was open this late” as if this was some wild chess game and she put me in check, once again. I’m a communication major so I understood her tricky rhetoric as if she were a sneaky lawyer…now that she thought she had me in one lie, she riddled off rhetorical questions as if I had been hanging around strangers…alright, if that’s how you wanted to play. After trying to get a word in here or there I finally said, “Puedo hablar!” She smiled in demise. I was completely truthful with my locations and times and that Fransico is a student…I really wanted to put her on the spot so I said, “Puedo tener amigos?” She continued on about strangers and I told her she didn’t understand. Then it ended with, “yeah, I never know where you are…I don’t know”

If 5 people respond in the comments section I will post a picture of her, unless you’d rather trust your imagination…

Brr...

This weekend was cold. Some people already packed away their winter clothes and after my beach weekend I didn’t think I would be wearing a scarf…well, maybe ever again (just kidding, I’m bringing that fad to the U.S.).

Friday was a t-shirt wearing scorcher with a hint of cool mountain breeze, just gorgeous Segovian weather. Saturday, temps took a nosedive. The doctor ordered windy with a hint of snow that wouldn’t stick but never the less was unexpected. We visited a glass museum (this picture reminded me of a paraquas-umbrella)…nice change from the paintings. and La Granja (an exuberant garden that was too cold to see and a baroque style palace that was very similar from room to room.

It was over-decorated, glamorized and golden for the 18 century. Saturday night I took it easy…no, I took my indulgences easy. I charged my brain Friday and Saturday night and finished a book that is due soon. I’ve been focusing on my studies lately since we are nearing the end of the semester (12 days of school left?!...). Sunday was a random excursion to near by places, but more like a chance for Gladys to do some more shopping. Everyone was kind of worn out for loosing an hour (Spain’s daylight savings) and just the monotony of seeing Castle-Leon towns. I feel bad because we saw one of the best preserved medieval towns, but besides looking quaint, picturesque, adorable, rocky, splendidly old fashion…there wasn’t much to do except wonder why the streets were empty and sit in the plaza alone.