Last Post of the Semester...

I have five days left in Salamanca.  My first semester here is coming to an end.  The time has gone by faster than I ever could have imagined.  I haven't been counting down the days until I have to pack up my things, say good-bye to some of my friends, and get on a plane to London and then Chicago.  But now counting down the days is hard to resist.  I love everything about this place...the people, the beauty, the food.  It has already been the experience of a lifetime.  In the AIFS office, Gaye has a list of twenty-five things to do in Salamanca.  I am proud to say that I have done about twenty-two of them.   I know that my time abroad will be a continuous influence on my life.  I am elated to have more time here next semester.

Plaza Mayor, Thursday, December 8th, 6:30 in the afternoon. 

After being in Prague for so many days, I have enjoyed just being home.  This weekend has been pretty uneventful, with the exception of the Real Madrid-FC Barcelona soccer game last night.  Our family had a pool for the game.  The winner would have received a grand total of eight euros but none of us guessed the correct result of the game.  I love the little things that I have done here.  Betting on a soccer game, discovering a hidden spot, watching the lights turn on in the Plaza Mayor...that is why I love this place so much.  Salamanca will always feel like a second home.  That being said, my eyes tear up every time I think about seeing my folks in the airport this coming Friday.  I love being home.  I am so excited to see our house decorated for Christmas.  When I arrived in Madrid after my trip this past weekend, I saw families greeting their loved ones at the airport.  I couldn't help but think of home and how it will feel walking through the international arrivals gate at O'Hare.  It will be hard to focus, but today I have a lot of studying to do.  Our final exams are this week.  I have already started packing up my things to come home.  AIFS is hosting a farewell dinner for all of us on Wednesday.  Thursday evening, Salamanca celebrates Nochevieja Universitaria.  Students from all over Spain come to the Plaza Mayor to have a premature New Year's Eve party before everyone leaves for vacation.  This year, it just so happens to be the night before I come home.  In Spain, as a New Year's Eve tradition, you are supposed to eat twelve grapes, one with each strike of the clock.  For the students' New Year's Eve, we eat twelve gummy bears.  Honestly, it is the perfect way to end the semester.  And that just leaves Friday.  I have had that date stuck in my head for the past three and a half months:  Friday, December 16th.  It is finally here.  I cannot wait to see my family and friends.  Until then, besos y abrazos.     

Prague

I am finally settled back into my life in Salamanca after six days in the City of Spires.  Prague was absolutely breathtaking.  I traveled there with three other girls from AIFS and we met up with a tour company called Weekend Student Adventures.  I met students from all over the United States who were studying in London, Ireland, and Spain.  For the first four days of the trip, the length of the WSA tour, we had a local Czech tour guide who showed us around the city.  On Friday, we woke up bright and early for a walking tour of Prague, Praga, Praha, or however you want to call it.  It is pronounced several ways throughout Europe.  Before arriving there, I did not know what to expect of the city.  I had heard that Prague was a beautiful city and was especially popular around the holidays.  It surpassed my expectations.  Throughout the tour on Friday and Saturday, our group visited the Museum of Communism, Old Town Square, the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, the John Lennon Wall, Saint Vitus Cathedral, and the Lobkowicz Palace.  You may not believe me, but we actually met Prince William...of the Czech Republic, not the United Kingdom.  He is seventeen years old, very polite, and completely ordinary.  He took us on a tour of his family's palace as if we were his friends.  Of course, all of us girls were giddy when we found out that we were going to meet a prince.  But it was refreshing to realize that he is a normal kid and is so comfortable with people from all different backgrounds.  For dinner one night, our entire group attended a Medieval feast and show.  I have not laughed so hard since I've been in Europe.  We were entertained by fire breathers, belly dancers, jugglers, and knights, all while enjoying an authentic Czech meal.  I had roasted duck, cabbage, and dumplings.  It was delicious.  But, as it was a Medieval show, we had to eat with our hands.  The performers took special pride in making the guests feel right at home, whether that meant climbing over the table and sitting right next to us, holding our hands and bestowing kisses on the girls, or taking a turn on the dance floor.  Somehow, by the end of the meal, I ended up with a Czech boyfriend named Stefan.  It was difficult to leave him behind.  I'm just kidding, obviously.  It was an interesting experience to say the least and it was a meal I will never forget.  Our tour guide also took us to see the famous John Lennon Wall.  It is the only place in Prague where you can legally graffiti.  It has become a memorial to the artist but also a place to write things you can't say out loud.  It was extremely moving to read some of the inscriptions.  We all got to spray paint something on the wall.  It was a powerful feeling, taking part in something that so many people have done over the past few decades.  As amazing as all of those places were and as helpful as it was to have a local guide, my fondest memories of this trip are of the days we didn't plan.  My friends and I stayed two extra days in Prague and I'm so happy that we did.  It was so relaxing to wander through the Christmas markets, sipping hot wine, and take in the beautiful scenery.  I felt no need to have an agenda for each day.  I feel like Prague was a special place.  If you wanted to, you could do all of the typical tourist things...see all of the landmarks, visit every museum, stop to take a picture every three minutes.  But I think a city is more interesting when you partake in every moment as it happens.  Prague left a lasting impression and I only wish that everyone had the chance to visit it.