A mis padres

Hey-- to my family who I miss incredibly,

here is a fun blog of photos from the spain trip. True, they were here during my finals, but man... we still had a really great time.

We took my mom out for salsa. What a super-grin!!

Below is my sister with the guy who was basically my neighbor. This newspaper man was outside my apartment literally every day, reading the newspaper. I don`t think that I ever saw him let anyone else but my sister wear his guest newspaper hat.

Here is my sister with me, Victoria, and Nichole, our little temporary family. Victoria loveeeed my family-- especially Katie.

This is Katie with the bird man, another one of my neighbors but who is not normally outside quite as much as the newspaper man. (the newspaper man is quite a champion)

Katie and I, probably trying to order some food across from my parents, probably at cafe central.

^notice the super-sweet earrings. One of these days I will put a close up of them on here.

This was mom and I inside club sound after we had had our salsa lesson and it was just a dancing free for all.



Mom and dad looking out over the beautiful Malaga... or the Mediteranean sea, rather.


Now it`s totally Katie`s turn already to post on her blog some pictures from their trip.

FINALLY-- some internet!!

Hello everyone, welcome to my new haircut (and my new favorite earrings). I am currently in Granada (the city of the pomegranate). I haven`t been able to take pictures here yet (except for the ones from my last visit here of course) because my camera was super full. Now I have emptied it out and I am about to embark on a very thorough reflection of my time in Malaga.


First of all, Ben came to visit me. We went to Barcelona because he played a show there. I did not take any pictures there because I am a LOSER!! The show was dubstep, you can listen to a podcast of this style of music here: http://www.coa-records.com/rapidfire/?p=4


Here are some of my friends with me from one of my last weekends in Malaga. In Spain, in most cities exists something called Botellon. This phenomenon is when all the young people go gather at a specific spot that is completely closed off by the police so that everyone may go have drinks there. In Malaga`s case, everyone gathers near the plaza de la marina. There can be over 300 people gathered over there. It is pure craziness. It is a fun idea but not my favorite thing about Spain-- a bit too rowdy-- but it`s an experience.

This is my Swedish friend Torbjorn.



This is the really nice terrace that belongs to the people that live in the building across from me. They have a dog that looks like Charleybear and whenever they are lounging out there I am completely jealous.



Speaking of dogs, this is Neffer-- Victoria`s dog (Victoria was my señora in Malaga). She (well actually Victoria too) is in the process of sliming down.



This is a dress that was in the window of the place nextdoor to where I lived. The dress is very similar to my prom dress senior year.

This is really neat. Notice the red tapestries on the balconies and the white cloths. They did this every morning at 7 AM for a week. When one lives on calle Larios, your building belongs to the city-- they do as they please. The hanging cloths are to keep the street cooler for the summertime.


Here I am with Michaela and we are touching one of the statues of plaza uncibay-- the plaza of the children. All of the statues in this plaza are children and dogs.

Here, you can see on the side of the cathedral the same red tapestries. They put these things on every important building of the city.

Like this one, the next few pictures are from a hike that Torbjorn and I took.


On our hike we met this man named Ken. He is an Scottish guy that is living up here in the mountain. He was taking care of this kitten when we passed him and he let me take a photo.


As you can see, we went at the perfect time to enjoy the sunset over Malaga Centro.






This here is club Sound, where we took my mom when she was visiting and we did a bit of salsa. I have many fond memories from this discotec.

I apologize for having such brief explanations but right now my internet time is limited because the ISA office is about to close.


Now here are some more recent photos.

This is Zoey, my new señora`s daughter. She is wearing my green boots.


This is a photo from the day I arrived in Granada. My friends Michaela and Chavi helped me rent a car and drive here. The car was manual so Chavi drove and we had a fun little trip.

Last but not least, one more peek at Malaga. This is on calle Cister, somewhere in front of the cathedral-- super close to all the different Picasso-related locations (the museum, his birthplace, his parent`s house). I am missing Malaga a bit but Granada is quite wonderful.

My school here is much better than the one in Malaga. My schedule is horrible, I have class in two different segments and I live quite far from the school. The first class I have is at noon and then I run home and I have to be back at 3. I have just enough time between the two parts of my school day to eat lunch and then run back to school. Then I get done with everything at 6. It is a bummer because I have to eat without the rest of the family because it is early (2 PM) for Spanish standards and Zoey still isn`t even home from preschool by the time I need to run back to school. Some days I am just going to stay close to the school and have tapas somewhere and some days Alicia is going to pack me a lunch.
My roommate is really really great and we end up doing everything together. She has really good taste and right from the beginning we get along well with lots of understanding. She is from Phoenix. This weekend we are going to Sevilla and even though I already went, it is included with the program so I am going again!! I will write from there for sure because we will have lots of internet in the hotel.
Miss everyone lots. Homesick and can`t wait to see Jersey again.

Also-- hurray for Obama!!

Living on my own like a big girl.

All of the other Americans have left and I have changed my address. I live here on this street now... such a pretty street, Calle Larios. It is named after a very very rich man (who also has his own Gin named after him) who ownded lots and lots of property in southern Spain and bought the title of Marquis from a damaged nobleman who only had his title left, which evidently, he sold. I live right above all of this stuff, on the top floor in a pretty large apartment with 5 other people. First there is a French guy who was studying here and now he works in a crepery (how appropriate for a Frenchie). Then there is a Dutch guy, Eramsus student, as well as a Mexican girl (named Adriana!!) and they go to school together. There is a girl from London who is probably the most open to me so far... maybe because we are the only two who can speak perfect english to each other and then last but not least is a 70 year old Japanese guy who only leaves his room to go out or to use the kitchen. We do not think he uses the bathroom. He is strange. Anyhow, things are going well... I`ve been at the beach every day... writing a bit... and hanging out with Michaela when she gets off of work and her little family of Brazilian guys. There are about 8 of them and they go everywhere together and they are always so much fun. I also hang out with the few internationals that are left from the school but it is really sad because at least one of the many awesome people I have met here seem to leave almost every day.

The other day my friend from Sweeden (Torbjorn) had his father here visiting. It was fun because he had gotten to meet my parents too. He made fun of me when I said, hey, you speak english, you need to meet my parents... but then he did the same thing to me. Anyhow, I am writing right now from the ISA office... it is really nice to have the people from my program around in case I need anything. I always see familiar faces but I miss my old roommate and Marissa. I think tomorrow I am going to get a hair cut. If I do, I will post pictures. Something to make me look more Spanish I´m thinking... just joking. I have about 3 inches of dead dead dead hair.

Until next time... and with more pictures then...

xoxoxoxoxo

-Mame

Some reasons why I am really excited to go study in Granada:

My trip last weekend to Granada really got me ready to go study there. I met a lady named Maria who works in the office of the Alhambra and she is going to hook me up with things for the Granada music festival when I am there. I have a lot of Alhambra photos but I am saving them for next post. For now, just some things I liked...


Museum Literal-- a whole museum and study space dedicated to writers. It is right along the side of the Capilla Real of the Cathedral.


Entrance to the Capilla Real which is a part of the Cathedral built later with Baroque architecture here on this side, but the main face in Renaissance style, with also one tower in Gothic style. The amount of time this building was under construction and the additions to it account for its varying styles. It was initially built for King Carlos I of Spain (V of Germany) akin to many of the other buildings around Granada that are of Renaissance style. The capilla real is the royal chapel, wherein two sets of Spanish royalty are buried. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel have monuments inside as well as the parents of Carlos I of Spain V of Germany-- Queen Juana la Loca and King Phillip the Handsome (who was German... possibly killed by his wife the Queen, who then carried his cadaver around pretending he was not actually dead. That is why she has the nickname la loca or the mad. )


The main portada of the Cathedral. Basically Renaissance turned Baroque due to the dimensions of the wide walls. Then there are decorations left over from its gothic times-- the pointy things that give the aspect of hight when really what was important was the horizontal in the Renaissance. This cathedral is really cool because it is a little bit of everything.


This is a cool of the Alhambra we hiked up to see. See also the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada.


This is the building that most distinguishes the Plaza Mayor. Distinctly Renaissance with a controversial figure of a naked greek god riding a horse. At the time it was controversial because he was naked and it was a lot of decoration for a Renaissance building. What was important during the Renaissance was the precise symmetry and geometry of a building. It was a return back to what the Romans started-- very plain, but perfect, and very functional.


This is where we went-- a decorated cave in the side of a cliff-- to see Flamenco.


As you can see-- the stage is the deepest part of the cave. It was quite small but the cave served as a great way to maintain the acoustics of the ¨clack clack¨.


The tallest man I`ve ever seen dancing in such a tiny space.


He almost bumped his head.



Sorry this is so sideways. I tried the stage too.


And, por fin, some kitties...

This is a kitty that looks a lot like Bastise. It was sitting right here in Granada.


If you look really closely you can see a kitty. This was in the Alhambra.




This was waiting for me when I got home. Balooba is the one checking his email.


This is the mother and daughter.. Harra and Lashmir. So sweet... no?



Alhambra pictures next time. Time for my dinner. Hasta luego!!

Morocco: Issue º3

So what`s up from my Don Quijote read-athon. I spent last night reading in the study and then reading today at the beach. I`m almost done with the first half of the first volume. I am getting set to go out and buy some Aloe Vera gel.
I`m not too sunburnt don`t worry.
Here are some more photos from Morocco.

This was our dromedary and guide through the desert. We named him but it was a very long and un-pronounceable and unwritable name so just imagine something like that. That part of the name was in Arabic but then we added ¨T-rex feroz the gentle.¨ This was a very good camel.



An even better camel was Megatron which was the camel behind us in the caravan. Megatron let me pet him the entire way to the village (I was sitting super-back saddle).


This is a friend that I shared the camel with. He is studying with ISA in Madrid.


This is the desert village we visited.



A small friend that I made in the desert.


A desert friend I now share friendship bracelets with.


My desert Erin. Ignore the creepy face I`m making.



My roommate Nicole dancing.


The musicians that threw our party on the last night.


Our group directors.




A house without walls where we had a picnic on the way out of the desert.


A jungle where there allegedly were monkeys. (I didn`t see any)


Our fantastic guide and bus driver. He gave me the nickname ¨la chica mas simpatica de los Estados Unidos¨.

Morocco was a great place to visit. I would love to live in the desert sometime. It was the perfect environment for my allergies. They have conserved an incredible way of life.

I was also very happy to return to Spain where I could show my shoulders again.

Back to el Quijote.
Saludos!
By the way... thanks to everyone who made blogs with cute little names so that they could give me their comments. We are creating a very impressive little world.