Unexpected Changes

Hola! 

The wifi at my house is down, so I only have internet access at school, which closes in 30 minutes (9:00 PM). Because of this, I only have time to write a short post! 

Due to limited time, I thought I'd give some brief updates on my travels. After looking up prices of trains and hostels, my friends and I realized that it was too expensive to go to our original destination of Interlaken, Switzerland. Thus, we had to turn to Plan B. We fly into Geneva on Friday, March 22nd, and leave for Budapest on Wednesday, March 30th. This makes a total of five days in Switzerland. We thought to ourselves, "Let's just stay in Geneva and take day trips, as there are many unique places within an hour of the city." We were set on this plan, that is, until we found that all of the hostels in Geneva were booked. Shoot! 

On to Plan C! At this point, we had to get creative and find places that had 1) relatively cheap transportation costs 2) fun activities and 3) hostels with room for four! This was surprisingly fun and easy to research, and soon enough we had a plan that worked! 

(New) Spring Break Plan:

Friday - Fly from Madrid to Geneva, and take train (1 hr) to Lausanne, Switzerland. We will spend two days in this beautiful town on Lake Geneva.

Lausanne, Switzerland

Sunday - Take train back to Geneva, and catch a bus to Chamonix, France. We will spend two days in this quaint ski village. I am extremely excited for this part of the trip because we get to ski in the French Alps! Even more, we are staying at a cute bed and breakfast tucked between the mountains. 

Chamonix, France

Skiing in the French Alps!

 Tuesday: Bus back to Geneva, spend the day exploring the town. We found a hostel that had an opening for this night, so we will be able to see the city! 

Geneva, Switzerland

On Wednesday, we depart for Budapest, Hungary. I would post more about this half of the trip, but I'm about to get kicked out of the school because it's now closing! 

I'll end with saying how happy I am with the way things turned out, and that I think that Plan C is actually better than Plan A. I am more excited than ever to go. It's coming up fast, too! We leave a week from this Friday!  

Cheers,
Anna

Andalucía

Hola! 

Two weekends ago, my group took an excursion to the region of Andalucía! Specifically, we left at 6:30 AM on Friday, March 1st, and returned home at 9:30 PM on Tuesday, March 5th. 

Itinerary

Friday: Depart and arrive in Granada

Saturday: Visit La Alhambra (Granada) and depart for Sevilla

Sunday: Sevilla - explore the town, Flamenco show

Monday: Sevilla - explore the town, visit cathedral, river cruise

Tuesday: Leave Sevilla and depart for Córdoba, return home

Andalucía is located in the south of Spain

Cheers,

Anna 

Las Cosas Pequeñas

Hola! 

In Spain, Sundays are a day of rest. Now, I know this is a universal concept, but it is actually implemented in Segovia. People use this day to relax and spend time with their families. People do not work and all the shops (including supermarkets) are closed. In essence, Sundays are one big siesta. 

With this, I decided to resonate with the theme of rest and write about it in my blog today. Instead of documenting my crazy adventures, I want to write about my many blessings in Spain. I am incredibly fortunate to be on this journey, and I think it's time for a thoughtful reflection. There are many things I know I will never forget about my time here, but I also realize there are numerous things that I may forget. These are the things I often take for granted and overlook. 

Soy agradecido

For this, I want to dedicate this entry to those cosas pequeñas (little things) that are making my abroad experience so wonderful.

The Little Treasures of Segovia 2013

1. Having alone time

My alone time is the biggest thing I take for granted. Many of my friends live with older Spaniards who rarely, if ever, leave the house. Because of this, they are always surrounded by people. I, on the other hand, live with Marta and her two boys, and they are always on the go. During the school week, I have the afternoons to myself at home. Similarly, Marta works long days on the weekends so I am often left to myself on Saturdays and Sundays. This concept of alone time is something I overlook, but it is something many do not have, and for that I am thankful.

Relaxation

2. Living on the second floor

Before coming to Spain, I heard from multiple people that the apartments are tiny and thus you can't really "get away" when you're at home. Because of this, I was shocked when I entered my home and saw that I get the entire second floor to myself. With this, I get my own bedroom and bathroom. When I went to school the next day and we shared our living situations, I realized that mine is very different than the rest. All of my friends have to share their bathrooms and many have rooms attached to the living room and/or kitchen. When I heard this, I realized how blessed I am to have a place where I can go and escape and get some peace and quiet. 

Clip from my first day in Segovia

3. Daily meals

When I posted my recent entry about typical Spanish foods, one of my friends commented, "You forgot to include bread!" With this, I replied that my family does not consume pan (bread) with every meal. In fact, we almost never have it. I am blessed to live with Marta, as she consumes a fairly healthy diet. I am served vegetables and salads everyday, which cannot be said for many for my friends here. I know I take my meals for granted, and for that they deserve to be listed in the little treasures of my trip.

Un ejemplo de mi ensalada

4. Stunning scenery 

Segovia is a quaint and beautiful town, filled with an aqueduct, cathedral, and even a castle. At times, I feel that I've become jaded to the remarkable landmarks and views of the city. For this, I need to remind myself to stop and appreciate the beauty. 

El Catedral de Segovia

5. Maddie Tompkins

If you are Facebook friends with me, you probably recognize and know Maddie as she is in almost all of my pictures- we are almost attached at the hip! I met her in the spring of my freshmen year at CSB/SJU, and we have been close ever since. Going into this trip, I didn't know if it was a good thing to have one of my best friends with me. I was worried that it would hold me back and interfere with my experience. Now that I'm here, however, I could not be more thankful to have her. She has been my running companion, roommate on all the excursions, and a study buddy. More than that, though, Maddie has been there for all of the ups and downs of the semester. We can tell each other anything and are always looking out for one another. We've both remarked that it's just nice to have someone here who knows you. I could dedicate multiple entries to Maddie, and words cannot describe the gratitude I have for her.

Cheers to our wonderful semester in Spain!

Obviously, this list could go on for eternity. There are so many things I am grateful to have, but alas I have a paper due and must end this blog here. Hopefully this entry will inspire you all to appreciate all the cosas pequeñas that you have in your own lives! 

Cheers,
Anna 

First Saturday in Segovia

Hola! 

Today is our first full Saturday in Segovia! Crazy, right? For the past two months, we have had excursions or day trips every Saturday, but this weekend we are free! It's fun to see the city on its busiest day of the week. The streets are filled with people and there is commotion all around - I love it.

With a free day comes more time to explore! Thus, I decided to run the town this afternoon and I ended up finding the most spectacular running path. Naturally, I documented my experience and thought I would share it with you. ¡Disfruta!

Cheers,
Anna

Running in Segovia - Part II

Hola! 

The other day, my friend Nikki posted an Instagram photo that really made me think. Like me, she enjoys working out and last year studied in Segovia. The photo she posted was a side-by-side comparison on her past and current running locations (see below). The caption of her picture was "scenery sure has changed over the year," which made me realize how blessed I am to have such an amazing running course. In my humble opinion, it is one of the most spectacular paths in the world. It truly makes you feel as if you are running in a fairy tale.

With this, I want to express my gratitude to Segovia for providing a safe haven in which I can run. I am grateful to live in a city that values the active lifestyle and has created paths designed specifically for runners and walkers alike. It's something I do not want to take for granted, and for that I thought it deserved a second entry.

Below you can find Nikki's Instagram photo and a video of a recent run. Enjoy! 

Seeing this comparison really made me appreciate the running path I have in Segovia (left photo)

Quick video of a recent run:

Oh, and one more thing! Like I said before, Segovia supports health and wellness, which can be seen in its free exercise parks. They exist throughout the city and allow people to work out outside of the gym! I approve! 

Cheers,
Anna 

CARNAVAL

Hola! 

Today, I am blogging about the Spanish tradition of Carnaval. Now, I do realize that this is a belated post, as the festival occurred February 8-12, but better late than never, right?

Hope you enjoy the video! 

CARNAVAL: an annual festival held during the Friday to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent.

We had a great time dressing up and celebrating Carnaval. In essence, it was a mix of halloween and mardi gras - it is a family friendly holiday celebrated by all! 

Cheers,

Anna 

Typical Spanish Meals

Hola! 

I'm finally home! Our trip to Andalucia was wonderful, but it feels great to be back. Segovia truly feels like home now, which makes me smile. Going into the semester, I hoped that Spain would one day become a second home, and I can now say that it has. When the bus rounded the corner last night and faced the beautifully lit aqueduct, all I could think was "Ah, home at last." With this, I decided to forgo a long post about Andalucia (don't worry - it will come later this week) and write about something more routine: food.

What do typical meals look like you may ask? Well, let me show you.

El Desayuno:

I eat "el desayuno" before I go to school in the morning, normally around 8:45 AM. Typically, it consists of café con leche, Fitness cereal and an apple. ¡Delicioso! 

Fitness is a tastier version of Special K

La Comida:
La comida is the biggest meal of the day, and I eat it with my family around 2:00 PM. Unfortunately, I have not been able to take any pictures of my meals. Don't let that fool you into thinking that they're not delicious, though (I just feel awkward taking the pictures when the table is packed). Dani, a woman who works at our house, makes la comida every afternoon and she is a great chef! 

This meal consists of freshly squeezed orange juice, two plates, and un postre (dessert). We start with either soup or a pasta dish. Next, we have fish or meat with vegetables. To end, we have un postre, which is yogurt or fruit. 

Needless to say, this is my favorite meal of the day.

La Cena:
When I get home at night, I have la cena with Marta. The boys normally eat this meal around 9:00 PM, whereas Marta and I eat at 9:30 PM*. I enjoy this part of my day for many reasons. To start, the food is always fresh and healthy. More importantly, though, is that I get quality time to chat alone with Marta. Sometimes, we sit and chat for an hour during la cena. 

*9:30 PM is early to have la cena. Many of my friends eat this meal around 10:30 PM.

Marta's typical salad: mixed greens, pimientos, tuna, crab,
corn, cucumbers, and  dressing of olive and vinegar.

Miscellaneous Notes: 
One thing I love about the food in Spain is that it is all fresh. Being close to the ocean, we eat fish that was caught the day before. Similarly, the fruit and vegetables are all grown in local gardens. Trust me, you can taste the freshness! 

Secondly, Spaniards follow the Mediterranean diet. That is, they consume large quantities of fish, vegetables, and olive oil. Having studied this diet last semester, I am aware of its proven health benefits and for that I am glad to live in a family that follows it!

Extra virgen olive oil 

One last point! 
This entry would not be complete without including the following Spanish cuisine:

Tortilla con patatas
Ingredients: potatoes, eggs, onions, and olive oil.

Sangría
Jesús (bartender at Oso Blanco)
makes the best sangria in Segovia!

Paella 
This dish consists of Spanish rice and an array of seafood. 

Cheers,
Anna