Homestay, School, Segovia, & More!!!

Hey everyone, it´s been a long time, and you can call me lazy, but now I´m going to do a lot of catching up. The last time I talked to you, I think I was still in the hotel; well not anymore. I´ve since moved into mi casa with Emilia Rodriguez García. What a great old woman. She´s a widow, speaks no English whatsoever, and can cook to no end!

Another little surprise from the Spanish homestay, is that I have a roomate, or rather a housemate, named Olivia, from Boston. She´s in a different program than I, but she´s a pretty good Spanish speaker, and she´s good having around when Emilia goes off on some crazy tangents.

The house has been good, mainly, aside from the first shower that I took was ice-cold! Otherwise, I have my own bed, desk, nightstand, chair, and closet; and all of it´s pretty spacious. Olivia and I share a bathroom, and although it´s a bit drafty in there, it gets the job done!

So what have I done so far. Well, walking around the city is a task in itself, as well as running, when I go to get jacked and tanned (a UofR XC term)! I usually get lost, but then find my way back by much trial and error! Oh well, I´ll learn eventually.

So far, I have successfully found out where to get a haircut, where to shop, and where to party, although I haven´t done much of the latter yet!

So more good news, is that I found a bunch of churches that I can go to, one literally being 2 blocks away, with plenty more in the neighborhood to choose from. The only problem is that I need some kind of mass book, so I can learn the mass in Spanish. Eventually though, it will come.

School has started also. I´m taking 2 classes, Lengua Español and Spanish Civilization and Culture. The teachers in both are great, especially Ruben in the latter; he´s gotta be the funniest guy I know!

And a word about my internship. I decided to go for the Opus Dei internship, whereby I am going to work at the Colegio Mayor Moncloa, doing whatever I can to help out with the Catholic University. It seems like a great fit, especially for my future endeavors in the religion tract of teaching, and the staff is so amiable and intelligent. I´ve already been invited on a ski trip in the Pyrenees for 3-4 days! I´m so pumped, and I hope someone can lend me some snow gear!

The last thing I want to say has to do with my trip to Segovia this past weekend. I went with our university, Antonio de Nebrija, and it was the best decision I´ve made yet! The sites were fantastic, with everything from the 2,000 year old Roman aqueduct, to the castle of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, to the Cathedral of Segovia, definitely the biggest and most beautiful church I´ve ever stepped in. The only problem with this trip was the weather, and the fact that my winter gear was limited, didn´t help! It was a chilly -2·C, aka 28·F, and my hands were ready to fall off, mostly because someone said taking pictures was the thing to do! Oh well, the sights and food made up for it, and it was a great experience!

So, there you have it, folks. I´ve caught myself up, and just you watch me forget about this blog and have to do it again. Oh well, we´re only human right?!

My 3rd Day

Hello again! Today was probably my best day so far, and boy I can't wait to tell you what transpired. It started off typical with breakfast, and then James and I met with Rocio for a light lunch and some talk of the rules and regulations of the apartment/homestay. After a brief intermission, James and I went on a journey across the city, by bike of course. Renting those babies was the best decision we ever made. I got around 40 pictures before my camera batteries died, but the ones I got were amazing: Palacio Real, iglesias, edificios, calles hermosas, etc. Then of course, we got lost after we came out of one of the parks. We eventually made our way back and rested up before dinner, which would also prove to be an adventure.
For dinner we went to the Corral de la Moreria, where many famous actors/actresses, directors, etc. have had dinner and a show (a flamenco dance show to be exact). The dancers were incredible, as was the food and sangria, so much so that I didn't want to leave. We got back late and I'm sure my sleep will come quickly!

Day 2 en Madrid

My second day in Madrid began with a fantastic breakfast at our super modern hotel. After filling my belly and checking my e-mail/Facebook, I proceeded to sleep again until 6 p.m. local time. From that point on, I felt really energized and decided to go for a run. After about 2 miles and some nasty hill-work, I came back but got lost in the process. I ended up asking a chestnut roaster for directions, which actually worked. Getting back at 6:41, I showered quick and James and I proceeded to go out to dinner and dessert with Maria of the EPA (European Programmes Abroad), who told us about the city and many of its ins and outs. After our return to the hotel, I tried to fix my phone to dial out to the U.S., but it was to no avail. I subsequently talked to my mom and Kait, my novia, and went to bed. And so day 2, like day 1, was totally full of sleep, but I think the jet-lag has finally made its exit!

First Day in Madrid, Spain!

Hello folks. It's been a long time no talk, but I have come back to talk of my travels in Spain, as I study abroad for the spring semester. I arrived a bit early, 9:25 a.m. local time exactly, and the weather was beautiful. I really can get used to 40s and 50s, considering Utica is posting some negative temps right now. I got off the plane, after meeting a couple of Jersey girls who were in a different program than I, and separated from the pack arriving at the metro station after about 2 miles of walking. I got my tickets and rode the train forever, getting off, getting on, dropping luggage, etc. I finally got off the subway and walked around the Puerta del Sol for awhile, and finally got up the nerve to ask some policias where my hotel was. I made it to my hotel, and found my roommate, a fellow Rochestarian, sleeping soundly. I proceeded to call my parents and girlfriend to let them know of my safe arrival.
After a brief nap, as on the plane it was impossible to sleep, I went out to lunch, the main meal in Spain, with James, my roommate, and Rocio, our program director. After some Jamon con Melones y unos pescados, we went to a souped-up Macy's, El Corte Ingles, to purchase a cell phone service. After that and my head full of inexplicable Spanish, I took a solid six hour nap. After awaking, I showered and got a quick sandwich to eat before again going to bed. And so my first day was full of sleep, food, and Spanish; what a combo!

Saturday, the first day

What's up peoples of the world of blogging? This is my first and I just want to say, wow, this is pretty cool! I am an odd type, as many of my friends have claimed, but they cannot deny my unequivocal propensity for knowledge! I am a runner, a fiend for food, I love women, although I cannot seem to find one at this present moment. I attend college and consider myself the academic with a twist. I don't talk over my head, but I'd have to say I do my fair share. I love cats, I have a deep interest in their manipulation of the human race that dogs just cannot seem to master. I love to workout, get my burn on, and of course get jacked and tanned! I am really trying to think of more things to say, but I'll have to get back to you on that thought because I really do have nothing else to say. Until later!!!