Cordoba & Sevilla

Hello hello...

Cordoba was fantastic. Really nice city. I hung out with Mario Sosa (another NC person) on Friday night, and then on Saturday morning went to the Mezquita and Alcazar, which were both quite impressive. The Mezquita was especially beautiful. And I got in FREE! Which was also great. I like free things.

Got to Sevilla on Saturday afternoon, it was pouring. I took a siesta and woke up for a brief window of no rain. Unfortunately, by then the Cathedral and Alcazar were both closed for the day. So I just did a bit of wandering. Woke up this morning to more pouring rain. I went to the Alcazar, which was really beautiful despite the rain, and then poked my head into the Cathedral. They were having mass though, so tourists could only come a few feet into the entry. It doesnt open to the public until about the time I leave, so I'll have to miss that one this time. My day in Sevilla can definitely be characterized by 3 things: rain, marble sidewalks, and old navy flip flops. I cannot believe I havent fallen on my face yet. Pretty as it is...shiny slippery stone does not belong on the ground where people have to walk. Especially in the rain.

I head back to Granada in about an hour. Tomorrow I go to the Alhambra, finally. Tuesday, the other students from my program arrive in Granada (2 more girls staying at my house), and I have to pack! Wednesday I leave Granada early, fly to Liverpool, and then to Dublin. Wednesday night I'll spend in Ireland, and then an early Thursday flight home to San Francisco. Because of the time difference, I get home about 3 hours after I leave.

I suppose that is about it. Make sure to check this blog again in about a week. Hopefully by then, I'll have had time to get on my computer and upload more photos from the past 10 weeks.

Can't wait to see you all soon!

love, jess

A bit off topic...

but I thought I should announce that I am officially registered for the Aids Lifecycle 8, May 31 - June 6 2009. I'll be riding my bike 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, to raise money and awareness for AIDS research. Go to www.aidslifecycle.org if you want more info. You can look up my name, but I haven't put my page together yet, so I don't know if there is anything there.

Anyway, things are good. 1/2 way through my last week of class. It's raining, so I haven't been up to much. Nothing terribly exciting to report. :)

Hope everyone is well.
See you all SOON.

xxJess

Madrid

Hi all,

I'm in Madrid for the weekend.
Went to the Prado yesterday and saw tons of art. Lots of Goya and Velasquez. I'm hoping to get to the Reina Sofia museum tomorrow morning, or maybe this afternoon. They have more Picasso and Miro and Dali there that I'd like to see. Walked all over the place today, found a nice park to wander in, went to the Botanical Gardens, and walked around the palace and a cathedral.

Last night I spent WAY too much money on vegetarian food. But it was SO good. I needed that, big time. It's so nice traveling to a place without my huge backpack! I'm just here for 2 nights, so I packed super light, its great!

Anyway, all is well, the new camera continues to be entirely functional, and I'm taking lots of photos. And now, siesta time!

love love love
jess

Aunties to the Rescue

I have a camera!

My AMAZING aunties sent me a bit of money with which to acquire a new camera, and I found one on Saturday, and even successfully asked questions about it and purchased it entirely in Spanish!

So, there will be pictures of Granada, as well as of Madrid, Sevilla, and Cordoba, for you to enjoy when I return.

I still can't use the computers here to upload photos, so they'll likely have to wait until I get home, but thats only 2.5 weeks away (time FLIES, doesn't it?).

Other than that, this weekend we went to the Zaidin Rock Festival here in Granada. It was pretty fantastic, but I don't think I'll ever get used to the Spanish schedule. We didn't head out to the festival til about 12:30 every night...Friday (sat. morning) I got home at 4:30am, and Saturday (sun. morning) I got home at 6:00am...which apparently is entirely normal. I like my sleep too much for this! Anyway, it was great, we had churros con chocolate and listened to lots of good music.

This week will be really busy, I'm going on a few tours around Granada (one to the Alhambra!) and then leaving for Madrid first thing Friday morning. Exciting!

THANK YOU AUNTIES.
love love love.

Okay, Okay, I DONT fail at life.

I just think that maybe the camera gods really hate me for something... :)

On a brighter-ish note...at least 1 friend from my program will be going with me next week to the Alhambra (I thought I was going to have to go alone, since the program is taking a special trip a week after I leave, but I guess she wont be here for it then)...today we´re going on a tour of the Cathedral...and this weekend theres a music festival in a neighborhood close to the one I live in (which is a friggin miracle because I live super far from EVRYTHING).

My family seems to be getting mildly nicer, though they still pretty much dont talk to me. The food is good, but I am DYING for some veggies. All the food here is all carbs and SALT. My fingers are like, perpetually swollen because of the salt content in my meals. Not to mention that everything is fried. After my welcome-home-burrito (dont forget it babe!) all I´m going to eat at home is salad and veggies with zero salt. The ice cream, however, continues to be FABULOUS...and I don´t feel so bad eating it, because I´m pretty sure I walk enough every day from my isolated neighborhood to work off at least 3 ice creams.

I won´t have any pictures really of Granada, but luckily my friend takes about a million pictures a week, so I´ll be able to swipe some of hers for my album. I wont have any pictures of Madrid or Sevilla & Cordoba (which are my tenative trips for the final 2 weekends)...but I suppose I will have to live. After Rome, I´m thinking another disposable is not worth it. I shall take my mother´s advice and buy postcards and pretend they´re my photos. Yes.

Anyway, I suppose thats about it. School is school is school...I understand more and more español every day, but the speaking bit is still not so great. I am just feeling lucky that my favorite friend here is my neighbor and so I get nice long walks with her every day...

And now, lunch.

I fail at life.

My camera is broken.
I didn´t drop it...
I didn´t hit it on anything...

I just turned it on.
And apparently that was enough
to break the lens.

So guess what!
After all that,
NO PICTURES.

I´m going to Madrid.
19th-21st...I think.

School is school.
Family still ignores me.
Having an OK time,
hopefully my Español is improving...

lovelovelovejess

Semana Uno

Week one was OK...school is a bit overwhelming, but I think my Spanish is improving. It´s been SOOO long since I last took Spanish, it´s taken a bit to remember all the technical grammar-y stuff.

Other than that, I´ve just been hanging out, geting to know the city little by little, and trying super hard not to spend any money that I don´t have. The program leaders took us on a walking tour the other night, and to a Flamenco show that was fantastic! Sooo cool. Tonight, tapas and drinks with the girls.

lovelovelove.

Granada Pt2.

I don´t think my family likes me very much.
Or they´re just totally disinterested.

But Granada continues to be beautiful.
I ran into a girl from college, so excited!
And I tested into Intermediate Spanish, yay me.

The best thing...
On Saturday night, I had the best paella on the PLANET.
yum.