21

Hola! 

As of today, you will be reading a blog written by a 21 year old! That's right, today is my birthday! It has been a fabulous day filled with spending time (albeit sometimes over Skype) with close friends and family - I could not have asked for a better day. 

This morning, I woke up early to study for my first midterm of the semester. Specifically, I had an exam for my class called Español Avanzado (Advanced Spanish). After, I had another class and then went home for la comida (lunch). I was able to invite a friend, so Maddie came with me. It was great! We ate in the dining room, which was decorated in festive Spanish colors. We had a feast - and I'm not using that word lightly. The meal consisted of five courses: stuffed pimientos, revueltos de gulas, ensalada, fish dish, and créme brulee with ice cream. Oh, and we also had high-quality red wine. We ate like kings! 

In the afternoon, I went back to the university for class and then stayed after to Skype family and friends. What a great way to end the day! 

Highlights of day

• Skyping my friends and family (Kristin, Lauren, Mom, Dad, and Grandma)
• Receiving thoughtful cards and gifts from friends 
• Lauren sent the most thoughtful gift in the mail, filled with inside jokes and a homemade card. 
• Maddie gave me lovely baked goods, a cute scarf, and a stylish statement necklace. They were all just my style - I loved them! 
• Erin gave me cute bobby pins, which was a great gift because she is a hair master! I always run to her to have my hair braided or styled.
• Cindy and Mike sent me money for STARBUCKS. Enough said.
• Marta gave me a beautiful bracelet! I love it.
• Watching Maddie attempt eat revueltos de gulas, otherwise known as eggs and worms. 
• BOOKING MY LONDON FLIGHT - See you on April 11, United Kingdom!
• Receiving a note written by my seven year old self (see below)

What I wanted to do on my birthday - 7 years old

Pictures from the day

Cheers,

Anna

PS. We are going to Andalucia (Granada, Sevilla, Córdoba) tomorrow at 6:30 AM (hence why we didn't go out tonight). Again, I am not bringing my computer, but I'll be back in Segovia on Tuesday night! 

¡Vamos a Lisboa!

Hola! 

As you know, this past weekend I went on an adventure to Lisbon, Portugal. Specifically, I went on this spontaneous trip with Rachel Kelzenberg, Joe Balder, and Ben Broos. They can attest to the fact that I was recording videos with my FlipCam the entire time - here is the result! 

Cheers,
Anna 

Mesón de Cándido

Hola! 

Today, Marta and I were chatting over dinner when I asked her, "Is there any food that is typical of Segovia?" She replied, "Yes- Cochinillo! It's famous!" 

I remembered hearing about this dish. The Segovia 2012 group told us all about it, and even included it on their "Bucket List" for us:

"Try cochinillo (Segovian famous dish)"
is on the bucket list!

Cochinillo 

I started to ask questions about it. What is it? Where do you eat it? Do you like it?

She graciously answered my questions, then commented "My grandfather invented it."

WHAT? I thought I misheard her! 

Marta proceeded to tell me about the history of her family. Apparently, her family has owned the restaurant Mesón de Cándido for multiple generations, and her grandparents made it famous by creating the dish cochinillo. Now, this may not seem like a big deal (I know I would have brushed it aside), but it became so famous that people started coming from around the world to try it. There are pictures of her family with U.S. presidents (e.g. John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon), members of Spanish royalty, and countless other celebrities. There are even three books written about her family! The pictures posted below are photos from one of the books:

Cary Grant in the Mesón de Cándido

Sophia Loren in the Mesón de Cándido

Salvador Dalí in the Mesón de Cándido 

The Mesón de Cándido is still famous today and continues to attract famous people. There are pictures around our house of Marta posing by royalty, such as the King and Queen of Spain. It's incredible. 

Also, I should note that her family also owns a five-star hotel and another restaurant. They also own a foundation called the Fundación Cándido. My friend recently informed me that my host family is part of the "richest family in Segovia" - and now it makes sense! She is so humble though, I would have never known this unless my friend told me. 

Monument dedicated to her grandfather located in central Segovia

If you want more information about her grandfather, feel free to check out his Wikipedia page and foundation page:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A1ndido_L%C3%B3pez_(cocinero) 

http://www.mesondecandido.es/ingles.html

Oh, and here are just two of the YouTube videos about the Mesón de Cándido:

Segovia, Spain #7 Restaurant Meson de Candido

Homenaje Candido Mesonero Mayor de Castilla Parte 1

Cheers,

Anna

MOST EXCITING DAY YET

Hola!

Simply watch the video.

Cheers,
Anna

Harlem Shake - IE University

Hola! 

The following was taken from themy school, IE University:

"Students from IE University were the stars of today’s newest entry to the “Harlem Shake” craze, a new kind of group dance that is causing a sensation all over the internet.   The students from IE in Segovia now join the ranks of thousands of youths around the world who upload their particular version of the dance to Youtube, the platform of choice which receives up to four thousand “Harlem Shakes” a day. 

The requirements for the video to be valid are simple : they must not to be longer than 30 seconds long, the participants should be minimally dressed, and the same music as in all other videos of this type needs to be used (in particular, an electronica rhythm song by 23 year old New York DJ “Baauer”). 

The background selected by the Segovian students is one of the most frequented areas of the campus, the main entrance of IE University, next to the portico of the  old Convent of Santa Cruz la Real : an historic building remodeled by the Catholic Kings in the fifteenth century and declared a National Monument.   In this way, the students of IE have become part of this new global phenomenon in which thousands of people around the world participate. 

The origins of the “Harlem Shake” come from a first video starring four Japanese youths who, wearing masks, created this form of extreme dancing.   This ended up being so popular that it even now has a Wikipedia entry in both English and Spanish and have been mentioned in news casts around the world."

Cheers,

Anna

Barcelona Video - Guest Post

Hola! 

We got back from Barcelona late last night! It was a fabulous weekend, one that I know I will never forget. The only downfall to the vacation was that I returned to Segovia with "un montón" of work to do. Oh well - valió la pena! (It was worth it). Because of this, I do not have time to post about Barcelona. 

My friend Erin Jones*, however, posted a marvelous video on Facebook! I decided to copy the link and post it on my Tumblr page, and I included the video link below:

Barcelona Video - Guest Producer
You should really check out the video! It does a great job at capturing our trip! 

*Erin, if you are reading this, I hope you don't mind that I stole your video! 

Disfruta! 

Cheers,
Anna

¡Feliz Día de San Valentín!

Hola! 

¡Feliz Día de San Valentín! (Happy Valentine's Day) 

Tomorrow morning, we are going to BARCELONA! Specifically, we are leaving at 6:30 AM in order to arrive in the mid-afternoon. It's a seven hour bus ride, but I know it will be worth it! 

I am not bringing my laptop to Barcelona, so I won't be posting again until I get back on Tuesday night (if I have energy). 

Oh, and one more thing! Look what I received today: 

My parents are the best! 

Apparently I gave my parents the wrong address, but their Valentine's Day card still made it to Spain! Segovia is a small town, so the post-office workers recognized Marta's name. Hooray! 

THANKS MOM AND DAD! 

Cheers,
Anna

Month One: Top 5 Favorite Places

Hola! 

On January 12th, I embarked on my incredible journey to Segovia, Spain. As I sit here today, it is now February 12th and thus one month has passed. With this, I wanted to reflect on my time here and decided to create a list of my "Top 5 Favorite Places." 

My goal is to make a "Top 5 Favorite Places" at the end of each month. It will be interesting to see how my lists change as time progresses!

1. My Home
I am so thankful for the location of my host family's apartment. I mean, I can see the  aqueduct from my window! This has been very convenient because the aqueduct has been my group's meeting place for all activities. Similarly, most people have to walk past my apartment to get to their own, which is nice when we walk home at night! Furthermore, it's close to school! All in all, it's the best.

Pictures taken around my home
(The red arrow points to my apartment)

2. IE Universidad
I have class at IE Universidad every Monday-Thursday, so I spend a lot of time at this school. Specifically, it is located about a half mile from my house, and it is a beautiful walk every morning. The university hosts students from around Europe, so it's fun listening to all the different languages in the hallways! 

IE Universidad

3. Running path
I am so blessed to have this running and walking path. It runs directly behind my school and includes some of the most spectacular views of Segovia. You see historic monuments, wildlife, mountains, and Alcazár Castle! Even more, you run by a creek for most of the path. It's always filled with active people, dogs, and families. Needless to say, I love it.

Running path

4. Farggi

Cafés in Segovia are a great place to study, plan trips, and spend time with friends. Plus, this all happens while sipping on a delicious café con leche! One café in particular, Farggi, is located a block down from my apartment, so I spend most of my time (and money) there. It has two floors and free wifi - an ideal place to be!

Farggi café

5. Buddha
I'll end my list with the one and only Buddha. It is nightclub located by the Plaza Mayor in Segovia. My friends like to end Thursday nights at this bar, and it's always the place to be! It's one of my favorite places because it attracts many IE Universidad students, so I get to meet a lot of new people from around the world. ¡Que divertido! 

Cheers to Buddha!

One month into this journey and I officially love Spain!

Cheers,
Anna

Reminders of Home

Hola! 

Many things reminded me of home today. To start, Maddie and I decided to run before class (7:45 AM) and it was snowing! It didn't last long though - it stopped by the time I left for school at 9:00 AM. I would say we got a half an inch of snow, so much less than Minnesota, but it still reminded me of home! 

Start of our run (7:45 AM)

Photo taken on my walk to school (9:00 AM)

And the biggest reminder of home? PEANUT BUTTER! 

Before coming to Segovia, I heard that I should pack peanut butter because "it does not exist in Spain."  Wanting to embrace the Spanish lifestyle, I decided to forgo bringing it. I am happy with my decision, but that is not to say I did not miss it dearly. This past weekend, however, my friend received a "bocadilla" from her host mom with peanut butter. We all shrieked when she opened it - it exists! When she went home, she asked her host mom where she purchased it, and we all went to the market today to buy some for ourselves. Hooray! 

After a month of withdrawal from my one true love,
 peanut butter and I are finally reunited!

Cheers,
Anna 

Toledo Excursion (2-2-13)

Hola! 

Below is a video that documents our excursion to Toledo, Spain. It is an enchanting city located two hours south of Segovia. Specifically, we visited Toledo on Saturday, February 2nd. Disfruta! (Enjoy!)

Cheers,
Anna 

Nation-Wide Student Protest

Hola! 

For the past three days, students from the Segovian high schools were on "strike" and decided to rally in front of the aqueduct. Specifically, they cut class in order to be a part of a nation-wide student protest against the recent budget cuts in the Spanish education system. 

Spanish high school students taking a stand! (Photo taken at 11:00 AM on 2-7-13)

Hopefully the Spanish government will listen and allocate more money to education. I'll keep you posted! 

Cheers,

Anna

Settling into a Routine

Hola! 

Today, my friends and I were commenting on how we're really settling into life here in Segovia and our lives are becoming more routine. I embrace this fact, as it means that Spain is becoming less of a "vacation" and more of a "home." With this, I'll give you a glimpse into my daily schedule:

8:00 Wake-up
8:45 Eat breakfast
9:00 Walk to school
9:30-11:00 Class
11:00-12:30 Break (do homework at school)
12:30-2:00 Class
2:15 Lunch at home
2:45-4:00 Break (do homework, run, blog, etc.)
4:00 Walk to school
4:30-6:00 Class 
6:00-9:00 Homework at school or café
9:30 Dinner
10:00-11:30 Relax/Homework
12:00 Go to bed

The other day, Marta commented, "Eres una persona muy punctual" (You are a very punctual person). Specifically, she laughed at how I come down for breakfast at the exact same time every morning. I was not surprised by this remark whatsoever. At home, I plan out the following day before I go to bed at night. That is, I like to take a Post-It note and write down my schedule (much like what is written above) so that I can best allocate my time. I have stopped this habit here is Segovia, however. It has been nice to not have as much structure in my day! 

Last night, my friends and I went shopping and I finally purchased a pair of European shoes! I bought them from a store called Mary Paz, and they are more or less a pair of Oxfords. I am slowly trying to obtain a "Euro" look! 

Cheers,
Anna 

"Enjoy it. Because it's Happening"

Hola!

As much as I am trying to live in the present here in Segovia, it is still great to receive exciting news from home. Last night, I received an email notifying me that my undergraduate research has been selected for presentation at the 60th Annual Meeting and 4th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine of the American College of Sports Medicine.  Even more, my abstract will be published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Volume 45:5 Supplement. 

Even though this conference isn't until late May, it is still fun to receive the notification. It will take place in Indianapolis, which is about five hours away from the University of Missouri (where I will be living for the summer). 

I have a lot to look forward to when I get to the United States! With that being said, however, I am trying not to think about home. I'm only in Spain for four short months, so I need to embrace it and cherish every moment. In the words of one of my favorite books, Perks of Being a Wallflower, "Enjoy it. Because it's happening." 

I need to remind myself of this everyday in Segovia.
I still cannot believe my semester
abroad is actually happening! 

Cheers,
Anna 

Top 10 Items

Hola! 

Today is Monday, and thus have nothing exciting to report. Because of this, I thought I'd write an entry with the "Top 10 items I am happy I packed in my suitcase". Now, there are many essential items did not make this list - do know that this was intentional. 

KEY: Scale from 1-10, 10 being the top item.

1. Long coats

Before going abroad, I was told that Europeans seldom wear short coats and that I should only pack my longer pea coats. I was advised correctly. My friend Maddie packed a short Northface winter jacket and stopped wearing it after a few weeks because she felt "unstylish and too American." I am happy I left my short coats at home!

2. Bose Noise Canceling headphones

I wasn't sure if I wanted to bring my Bose headphones to Europe because I feared losing them and/or having them get stolen. Now being here, however, I can happily say I am thankful I brought them. They were not only great to have on the long flight to Spain, but are wonderful to have in the noisy cafés. I use them for hours everyday! 

3. Passport/money necklace

There are various horrors that can happen when traveling abroad: 1) Losing your cash 2) Misplacing your credit/debit cards 3) Losing your passport. Having a passport/money case around my neck (as ugly as it is) helps ensure that my important items stay with me at all times. This pouch has been a lifesaver throughout the trip, but was especially  handy when traveling to Spain. I had multiple bags to watch and various connecting flights to make, so it was nice not having to worry about keeping track of my money and passport in the airports. 

4. Semester supply of gum

Gum must be an "American" thing, because gum is both hard to find and expensive* in Spain. Before leaving, I bought a Cosco-sized pack of my favorite type of gum that will last me the semester. My friends have remarked that they wished they did the same!

*Price of a 5-piece pack of gum: 1.60 euro, or about $2.00

5. Hunter brand boots

On the last day of Biochemistry last semester, my friend who studied in Segovia last year looked down at my Hunter boots and remarked, "You have to bring your Hunters to Spain. They're 'in' with the Spaniards." She was right - you see Hunter boots throughout the streets of Segovia. They are comfortable and easy to clean, I am happy I brought them.

6. Garmin GPS watch

My Garmin watch was another item I didn't know if I should pack in fear of losing it or having it be stolen. Like my Bose headphones, they are one of my more expensive possessions that I cherish deeply. Now that I'm here and am running on a frequent basis, I am so grateful for my watch. In Minnesota, I can use my phone's GPS to track my runs so I often do not need to wear my GPS watch. In Segovia, though, I do not have GPS on my phone so I rely on my watch. It's so nice to know exactly how far and how long I have been running. It prevents me from getting lost too! 

7. Segovia 2013 journal

My sister got me this red journal for Christmas because it has includes the colors of the Spanish flag and thus would make a excellent keepsake for Spain. It was a wonderful gift. To add to this, my mom ironed on the words "Segovia 2013" to make it more personal, which I appreciated. So far, this journal travels with me at all times and has been a great investment. I use to write down everything from new Spanish words I learn, to handwritten journal entries to document my semester. I love it!

8. Anti-theft purse

On one of my last days in Minnesota, I went to the AAA store to renew my license. While I was waiting for my number to be called, my mom and I decided to look around their store and stumbled upon this Anti-Theft purse. We looked at it and decided that although it is not the most stylish purse, it would be "nice to have." In reality, it has been great to have! It includes various locks and methods that prevent thieves from being able to steal your belongings. Pickpocketing is common throughout Europe, so having this purse has been helpful.

9. Camera with neck strap

If you know me at all, you know I love taking pictures and documenting life. Sometimes, however, having to hold a camera is not convenient. Thus, I love having a camera with a neck strap because it allows me to bring my camera everywhere! Plus, it prevents me from setting it down somewhere and losing it. It's the best! 

10. iPhone

...and the award for the top item I brought goes to my iPhone! It has been wonderful for many reasons. To start, it allows me to have internet access when I have wifi. I relied on it greatly when I did not have computer access. I used it to check email, viber (text) my friends, and find places where I could buy a charger. I honestly do not know what I would've done without it. Secondly, it has 16 GB of memory, which provides ample space for music and videos. I listen to it everyday when I walk to and from school, run, and kill time between classes. Finally, it's nice to know that I'll always have a camera on me. I don't always carry my big camera with me, so it has been great to have my iPhone to take photos and videos when I see something beautiful! 

Oh, my iPhone is also my means of getting up! I set multiple alarms for the morning, and it works everyday!

On this note, I want to thank my Grandma and Aunt Paula for letting me use this old iPhone! I have a new Samsung Galaxy 3G at home, and did not want to break or lose it in Spain, so I am thankful that they gave me this phone to use. It's great! 

Cheers,

Anna

MADRID

Hola!

The Madrid entry is finally here! I hope you enjoy the video below. It is simply a glimpse into our wonderful weekend excursion. 

Nuestra excursion a Madrid fue fantástico. Salimos el sábado por la mañana y llegamos al mediodía. El tiempo fue estupendo, y yo sonreí cuando sentí el calor del sol en mi piel. Nuestro hotel se llama “Hotel Mediodía” y se encuentra muy cerca del Museo Reina Sofía. Por la tarde, fuimos al museo. Había una gran variedad de arte. Su arte más famosa es la pintura de Pablo Picasso, que se llama “Guernica.” He estudiado esta obra de arte, por los que era fascinante verlo. Me sorprendió que la pintura era muy grande, su tamaño era impresionante. Después, volvimos a nuestro hotel. Nos duchamos, cenamos, y nos relajamos. Al poco tiempo, no fuimos a “Teatro Kapital” que se encuentra cerca del hotel. Era un club de siete pisos y fue muy divertido. No se parecía a nada que haya visto en los Estados Unidos. Había estudiantes de todo el mundo. Conocí a un chico de Francia y me pasé casi toda la noche con él y sus amigos. Bailamos y conservamos hasta las primeras horas de la mañana. ¡Fue genial!

            A la mañana siguiente, nos despertamos temprano. Tuvimos un itinerario completo para el día. En concreto, el día consistía en el Rastro, el Palacio, el Mercado de San Miguel, y el Museo del Prado. Fue un día ajetreado y caminamos mucho. Estábamos muy cansados al final del día. El lunes fue un día libre. Mis amigas y yo decidimos ir de compras en Madrid. Fuimos de compras durante todo el día, a pesar de que no comprar un montón de cosas. Todavía nos divertimos.

            En general, nuestra excursión a Madrid estaba ocupado y divertido. Voy a regresar a Madrid con mi familia en mayo, así que estoy emocionado de verlo una vez más cuando tenga más energía. Es una ciudad hermosa!

I LOVE MADRID.

Cheers,

Anna

Untitled

Hola! 

I labeled this entry "Untitled" because I do not have time to post on anything important. We went to Toledo today for an excursion, and it was incredible! It was truly an enchanting city. I'll post more about it later. Now, it is night and I am conflicted on whether or not I should go out with friends tonight. On one hand, I am on the mend of my illness, but am still sick. For this, I should probably stay in and get my rest so I can wake up healthy tomorrow (I have a good feeling I'm on the brink of kicking this bout of strep throat). On the other hand, everyone is going out tonight - it's Saturday night in Spain! I have a relatively free day tomorrow (just homework), so I can sleep tomorrow. 

I'm guessing I'll pick the latter. I mean, I'm young and in Spain! And besides, no one remembers the nights they stay in, right? 

GET EXCITED FOR A BIG POST TOMORROW! 

Cheers,
Anna 

#StudyAbroadProblems Being Sick

Hola! 

Madrid truly did get the best of me. The city showed me a great time, but it also gave me the wonderful parting gift of sickness. This past Monday, I woke up with a sore throat. I wasn't concerned, though, because I thought it was simply the result of a night with little sleep. The pain followed me back to Segovia, however, and has been getting progressively worse. 

Although the pain still lingered, I continued to push it aside - I simply needed more sleep! On Wednesday night, I went to bed early. As I closed my eyes, I thought to myself, "I'm going to get ten hours of sleep tonight. I'll wake up better!" Needless to say, I was excited for the sore throat to finally disappear. 

Unfortunately, this was a premature judgement. I tossed and turned all night and could not fall asleep. The pain was unbearable. It was the worst because I was truly exhausted, but my burning throat kept me awake. 

 Soon, I looked at my phone and saw that it was 4:12 am. I moaned in frustration. Then, I scrolled over to see what time it was in Minnesota, and saw that it was 11:00 pm. Distressed, I immediately called home (via an amazing iPhone app called Viber), and to my relief my mom picked up the phone. I am so thankful that she did! My mom gave me emotional support and my dad gave me medical advice, both in which I greatly appreciated.




On this note, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude towards my parents. They have been so supportive and caring throughout my entire time in Spain, and have gone the extra mile to show their love:

• When my laptop charger broke, they researched stores in Spain and online retailers where I could buy another charger. 
• Throughout my illness, they have been checking up on me to see how I'm feeling. My dad researched what the Segovian pharmacies call the medicine I need (Amoxicilina/Clauvulanico) and even found out that I do not need a prescription for it (you do in the United States). 
• They always tell me that I can "viber" (call/text) them at any time, even in the middle of the night. 
• Many more things!

I also want to thank my sister for being supportive as well! I have the best family.

Anyways, it is now Friday morning* and I still have a painful sore throat. I am visiting the nurse again at noon, and then am going to go to the pharmacy to get medicine. I went to my first class yesterday, and then had to go home because of the pain. I missed my two afternoon classes, but I am so happy that I left because I slept all afternoon and night.

*Note: It is now Friday night, and I thought I'd include an update to my nurse visit. The nurse checked my throat again and remarked, "It's looking better. Yesterday, your throat was covered with white specks, and now I don't see as many. It is just red and inflamed. That's good!" I'm not a licensed doctor, but I don't think white spotted and inflamed tonsils are normal. I went to the pharmacy to get the medicine my dad recommended, and they said I did in fact need a prescription. Marta (my host mom) has a sister that works in a pharmacy, and she said she would try to get it for me. I'm crossing my fingers (and you should too)!

Pray that I get better soon! We are going to Toledo on Saturday (tomorrow), and I want to enjoy it!

 Toledo, Spain

Cheers,

Anna