Pensamientos de Portugal

Usually when I start to write a blog post, I have a clear idea of what to say.  Not always, but most of the time.  Today I don't know where to start.  Maybe it's because I have come to the realization that my time here is dwindling away.  Or maybe the reason is that I have so much to do this week and all my thoughts are buzzing around in my mind.  Or maybe it's everything.  I had an intercambio today and we got on the subject of the cost of school, the pressure to find a stable job, and the daunting task of paying everything back.  It's overwhelming.  But all of that makes me recognize how important my time abroad is.  These are the days to bask in the sunlight, be a little selfish, and figure out what is important in life.  That is why I'm so grateful for the trips I get to take.  I am able to see another part of the world and expand my understanding even more.  Each trip that I've taken has presented something unique to me.  The people, the beauty, the food, the experience.  Everything forms an impression.  This past weekend, Portugal made a lasting impression as well.  But it wasn't just the about the places we visited or the tours we took.  There was something more.  I got to know some of my fellow AIFS-ers while we watched the sunset on a beach in Nazare.  We gorged ourselves on delicious grilled cod.  I stepped in the ocean for the first time.  It was an amazing weekend...one that would be impossible to recreate.  I could go back to all of the same cities and pueblos but what made this past weekend special was the group of people I shared it with and the simplicity of it all.  No one went out to the clubs in Lisbon.  Instead, we all went to see "The Hunger Games."  There was no need to be constantly occupied throughout the day.  All we wanted to do was watch the tide roll in and talk to each other.  Rather than sleeping on the six-hour bus ride home, we played games and laughed until our stomachs ached.  Yes, I visited Fatima, Belem, Nazare, Lisbon, and Cascais.  And while I appreciate the things that we saw in those cities, what I'll remember most about this weekend is how much fun I had.  

Now that I'm back in Salamanca, I have a lot of things to do.  I am looking forward to going to Segovia on Saturday.  But between now and then, I have to write a paper for Academic Writing about Spanish traditions, study for and take an exam on Latin-American Literature, and plan out my senior year class schedule.  At least I have the memory of the ocean and sand to get me through this week.  Os quiero.  Hasta pronto.                  

Just a little update...

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Saint Patrick's Day.  A lot of my friends are in Ireland this weekend celebrating the holiday and even the Salmantinos have taken up the tradition.  Last night, the main facade of the Plaza was lit up with green lights instead of the standard golden hue.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it in person as I was in bed most of yesterday with a headache...something that has become much too common for my liking.  But I am feeling a lot better today.  I just got back from our local flea market, el Rastro.  My friend Alex and I walked to the outskirts of the city in search of cheap scarves, shoes, and tights.  Luck was on our side today.  I found a cute pair of shoes and Alex found knock-off Ray-Ban sunglasses.  You really have to be in the mood to go to the flea market...digging through the clothes, people yelling constantly, price-haggling in multiple languages.  I have a couple of Skype dates set up for this afternoon so until then I am just going to finish this blog post, eat lunch, and study a little bit.  I have two midterms on Tuesday:  Grammar and Translation.  I'm not overly nervous for them but it's nice that we have tomorrow off so I can study more.  Tomorrow is Father's Day in Spain so I would like to wish my dad, "Feliz Día del Padre."  On Friday, I will be on my way to Portugal with my program.  I am so excited for this trip and I can't believe it's already here.  We will be stopping in a lot of cities and smaller towns on the way to the capital, Lisbon.  I've heard that Portugal is a beautiful country.  I'll post pictures and an updated blog when we get back.  This past week, I have been working on a contribution for our Spring 2012 memory book.  I will probably submit it to the AIFS website as well, like I did last semester.  What follows is just the rough draft but let me know what you think!  Besos.

La Plaza Mayor.  El Puente Romano.  La Catedral Nueva y La Catedral Vieja.  La Universidad de Salamanca.  La Clerecía.  El Huerto de Calixto y Melibea.  El Río Tormes.  La Chupitería.  You can be sure that all of these places will be highlighted in your travel books.  Yes, even the local chupitos bar.  But there is so much more to this city.  It is a place full of life and full of peace.  What you find depends on what you’re looking for.  If you want to study in a great university, you can.  If you want to go out every weekend, or every night for that matter, you can.  If you want to learn Spanish, believe me, you will.  If you want a quiet spot to think, you will find that too. 

I have been fortunate enough to have almost eight full months in this beautiful place.  At the beginning, last September, everything in Salamanca was new and exciting.  Every single day presented a new adventure to take on, a new place to discover, and a new ice cream flavor to try.  Now, as I near the end of this life-changing experience, things have become comfortable and normal.  I have done everything you should do in Salamanca, I have found my favorite spots, and I have tried nearly every flavor of ice cream at Café Novelty.  This blooming metropolis has become more than just a tourist destination for me.  It feels like home.  I enjoy finding the hidden cafés with the best coffee.  I would rather stroll along the river where there are less people.  I love to sit on top of the wall in my favorite park and watch the city below.  It still takes my breath away…just how beautiful it is here.

Even more than the beauty of the city, I know I will miss the people I have met here.  During the fall semester, I met some of my closest friends.  I feel like I will always identify more with my first semester in Spain…all of us started this insane adventure together.  But the people I have met this spring remind me of how important it is to look at things with fresh eyes.  And for that, I am extremely grateful.  The new friends I have made encourage me to rediscover the beauty of Salamanca that I sometimes take for granted.  I have an incredible support system here that includes my friends, both International and American, our program directors, and my Spanish host family.  It is amazing to me that my host parents open their home to students semester after semester.  It must get exhausting.  But this family has given me so many things:  an opportunity to learn Spanish in the most effective way possible, delicious food, comforting words when I need them most, and a home away from home.  That last one, a home, is invaluable to me.  It was hard for me to leave the States and my folks.  I had never done anything like this in my life.  Heck, I had never left the country.  I am incredibly close to my parents and I know that for them as well, it is comforting to know that I live with such wonderful people.          

There is no way to know how it will feel to leave.  Honestly, I’d rather not think about it.  Last semester, I was excited to go home and see my family because I knew that I would be coming back in a few short weeks.  Everything will be different this time.  But I know that someday I will come back to Spain.  Who knows…maybe I’ll bike the Northern route of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in the future.  For now, I want to take advantage of every moment I have here.  I owe this place so much.  Who I am now is a direct result of the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met, and the love I’ve found for Salamanca.  It’s a rare joy to have the opportunity to study abroad.  It was a decision that, to this day, I’m shocked I had the guts to make.  But here I am...and here a part of me will always be.  Ten fe en ti.                      

La Plaza Mayor

What comes to mind...?

...sunbathing.
...sitting on the ground.
...elderly couples strolling arm in arm.
...a beer, a cup of expensive coffee, an ice cream.
...laughter.
...singing.
...drunken dancing.
...the sound of an acoustic guitar.
...spontaneous four-piece orchestra performances.
...dogs.
...little kids chasing the dogs.
...rallies and protests.
...bachelor parties.
...weddings.
...a meeting place.
...newspaper stands.
...tourists.
...more tourists.
...students looking over notes from class.
...cigarette smoke.
...friends.
...iconic.
...Baroque.
...golden.
...the city center.
...masses of people at 8:00 in the evening.
...wasting time.
...not a care in the world.
...the smell of freshly brewed espresso.
...concerts.
...Nochevieja Universitaria.
...illumination.
...contemplation.
...Salamanca.

Intercambios

Last semester, Julia and I met two Spanish girls who are studying English at the University of Salamanca.  We all got together for coffee a few times in the Fall and we've developed a strong friendship over the past few months.  Now this semester, we meet for coffee every Monday to practice speaking.  An intercambio is an exchange of languages.  When the four of us get together, we alternate speaking in English and Spanish.  Some days the entire conversation is in one language and other days it is more of a combination of both.  We talk about anything...movies, celebrities, our families, places we have traveled to.  We even help eachother with our homework from time to time.  Last week I asked one of the girls, "How do you think your English is?"  She laughed and said that she thought is was terrible compared to how Julia and I speak Spanish.  I laughed at that because Julia and I feel the same, but in reverse.  We feel like Marisa and Antziñe speak English much better than we speak Spanish.  As I walked home today after our coffee date, I was thinking about how curious the world is.  Somehow, the four of us have gotten to be good friends despite living in two countries so far apart.  But the things we talk about are the same topics I discuss with my girl friends at home.  We all ended up in Salamanca...and I'm so glad that we did.  Julia is from Alaska.  I live in the Midwest.  Marisa is half Thai and half Spanish.  Antziñe is from País Vasco.  But we're all here now...funny how things work out.       

Movie, Mountains, Mexican, and Margaritas

There has been a lot going on in Salamanca this weekend.  So many people are visiting the city and the locals are coming out of their winter hibernation.  The Plaza has been filled every day with people sipping coffee, savoring ice cream, and soaking up the sunshine.  Friday evening, I went to see the movie Hugo with a few friends.  At 1:00 am, when we were walking home, the streets were still filled with people.  The weather has been absolutely beautiful for the past few days so four of us girls decided to take the bus to a nearby town and go hiking for the day.  We packed ourselves some sandwiches and headed for the mountains.  It felt wonderful to be outside surrounded by the trees and creeks.  We hiked for nearly four hours and then took the bus back to Salamanca.  After getting myself cleaned up, I had a date for dinner last night with some friends from my program.  There is a great little Mexican restaurant right outside the Plaza Mayor with cheap food and delicious margaritas.  I enjoyed being out with some new people.  Sometimes a change of pace is all you need to brighten your mood.  It has been a great weekend.  

     

El Tiempo Vuela

Time flies.  Someone should count how many times I've said that in all of my blog posts.  It is Monday, March 5th, 2012.  7:59 PM as I started to type.  This past weekend, I spent nearly an entire afternoon looking over my transcripts from Northern...all of the classes I have taken, the grades I have earned, the classes I have yet to take.  All of that brought me to a very small number:  Twelve.  Just twelve.  Side note:  Twelve is a weird word...twelve.  Anyway, you may be asking yourself, "Twelve what?"  Twelve classes left, my friends, until I have completed my undergraduate career with majors in Psychology and Spanish and with University Honors.  Holy crap!  I could hardly believe it.  I feel like I was just a freshman last week and now I'm almost a senior at NIU.  Graduate school is on the horizon.  I arrived in Spain six months ago.  It feels like a lifetime.  I mean that in the best sense.  I have experienced so many things over the past several months.  Sometimes I feel like I've changed and sometimes I feel the same.  My heart is always at home...with my folks, the rest of my family, my friends.  But a little sliver of my soul will always be here, in Salamanca.  I turn twenty-one this month.  Three weeks from tomorrow...not like I'm counting down or anything.  Look who is wearing the big girl pants now!  Gosh.  This blog post is just a written account of everything I've been thinking the past few days.  It serves as a reminder that once time is gone, it can't be retrieved.  So spend that time wisely.  Take everything day by day, minute by minute, step by step.  Don't think too much...you'll create problems that didn't exist in the first place.  I've been trying to tell myself that lately.  Well, it is now 8:26 PM as I close this post.  Os quiero y nos veremos pronto.  I love you all and we will see each other soon.     

Valladolid

Who knew that so many things could go wrong in a single day?  I should clarify:  My day trip to Valladolid was fun...it just didn't go exactly as planned.  But with every unfortunate thing that happened, there was a silver lining.  My good friend Julia got really sick this past week and as a result wasn't able to go with me on Friday.  However one of her roommates, Mary Kate, wasn't doing anything this weekend so she went with me instead.  Lucky break number one.  When we got to the train station in Salamanca, a forty minute walk from my house, I realized that I had forgotten to bring any type of documentation or identification with me.  Fortunately, I didn't need it to board the train.  Lucky break number two.  Once we were in Valladolid, everything went fine.  Mary Kate and I took our time strolling throughout the city, visiting the Museo Nacional de Escultura and the Iglesia de San Pablo.  Honestly, there wasn't very much to do in the city.  But it was nice to have a change of scenery for the day, "cambia de aires" as we say in Spanish.  The day was very relaxing and we had perfect weather during most of the day.  Around 5:30 in the afternoon things started to change.  The wind picked up, the sky grew cloudy, and we rushed to find a cafe before it started down pouring.  I should mention that it hasn't rained in Castilla y León in over a month.  So, the two of us ordered some coffee and talked until we needed to go catch our train.  It was nice getting to know Mary Kate.  I feel like it's still hard to get to know the people who are new this semester so I was grateful for having that time.  Lucky break number three.  Since the temperature had dropped so much and the weather had turned sour, we were both eager to get on our train going home.  However, this eagerness led us to board the wrong train.  Our train was scheduled to leave at 7:55 from platform 3.  We boarded the train that left at 7:50 from platform 3.  I was just sick with myself...I don't know how I made that mistake.  There were so many signs that we were on the wrong train:  Two people were sitting in our seats, a woman asked us if we were on the wrong train...goodness gracious.  But we were not the only ones.  Three other people did the exact same thing.  Lucky break number four.  So the five of us got off of the incorrect train at the next stop, Venta de Baños (which translates to "bathroom sales," another bad sign).  We boarded a train that went to Medina del Campo and from there boarded a train to Salamanca.  Almost two hours later, we were home.  Again we were fortunate because the ticket-taker in the train was very friendly and didn't charge us for another ticket.  Lucky break number five.  I honestly can't believe all of that happened within the span of one day.  As I said, Friday was the definition of a silver lining.  The woman in the tourist office in Valladolid told me that I spoke Spanish very well and had a good accent.  That was put to the test last night as we tried to navigate the rail system with three Spaniards who didn't speak a drop of English.  Live and learn, I guess.  At least I have another funny story to tell in addition to my camel catastrophe in Morocco and my boyfriend in the Czech Republic.  I hope you are all laughing or at least shaking your heads...because that's what I'm doing as I type.  I'm very happy to be back in Salamanca and not stuck in the middle of rural Spain.  I love you all and I'll be writing again soon.  Besos.

Highlight of the day:  Peacocks in the park.