I have been in class for over a week now, and I am starting to get back in the groove of everything. My schedule is a bit different from last semester, and I have the luxury of sleeping in until 9 or later every day of the week. Here is a my class schedule:
Monday: 10:40-12:15 - Avant Garde
Tuesday: 12:30-2:15 - Phonetics and Phonology
6:00-7:45 - Spanish Cinema
Wednesday: 12:30-2:15 - Spanish Literature
6:00-7:45 - Spanish Cinema
Thursday: 10:40-12:15 - Avant Garde
12:30-2:15 - Phonetics and Phonology
Friday: 12:30-2:15 - Spanish Literature
My conclusion about my classes is still the same...Avant Garde and Phonetics will be my favorites. They are the most interesting classes for me.
Recently, I have started thinking about my senior year at Luther this fall, and I have been thinking about senior paper topics, if I do my senior paper in Spanish. I need to do some emailing to figure out if I have to do my paper in my Spanish major or my Management major. In general, I have been thinking a lot about the future. I noticed this morning that I have 100 days until I go home. It does not seem like a lot of time to me. I cannot fathom that in 16 months I will be graduating from college and being plunged into the real world. I still am trying to decide what to do with my life. There are a lot of options out there for me, and I am afraid of failing. I want to live up to my own expectations, and I want to live up to my potential. Some days I wish I could just look into a crystal ball and know what I am supposed to do with my life. In whatever I end up doing, I want to be happy. Currently, I am working on applying for internships this summer, and I hope I will receive an internship that will give me some sort of direction of what I should do. People always tell me "You´re a Spanish and Business major?? You can do anything with that!"---my only question is what. If I can do anything with that major, then what can I do. It gives me limitless options...from starting my own business to working in a cubicle to translating to working abroad....plus there is the grad school option, going for an MBA or furthering my Spanish education. I really enjoy linguistics, and I would enjoy studying that, but I do not know if I like it enough to make it my career.
When you think about it, language is fascinating--how it has developed from the start of time. The way words have transitioned from one language to another. Spanish comes from vulgar Latin with many Germanic and Arabic influences. It is also neat that because I know Spanish, I can read menus and signs in Italian and French, just because they are all Romance languages. It is interesting to think of the first people who translated something like Chinese into English. Looking at Arabic writing in Morocco mystified me. A language that is read and written from right to left. It is something that is ever evolving, and I really believe that people should try to learn another language in their lives. It opens you up to another way of thinking, a different culture, a different life. The different pronunciations and feeling accomplished when you say something, and you know that it is right. I still am mystified sometimes when I am sitting in class, and I realize that I am listening to someone speaking Spanish, and I just understand. I do not have to think about it or translate it...it just makes sense the way it comes out of the speaker´s mouth.
That´s enough of my little language schpeel. Everything is else is good. I am still meeting all the new people, but I am getting used to seeing them here, rather than the kids from last semester. It is starting to become normal, and I am falling back into the groove of class and homework and enjoying my time here. All for now.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Invasion of the Newbies.
I'm in a blog writing mood, so I'm going to write a little more. Once I returned from Germany, I was in Valencia for a few days before going to Oslo, Norway. Now why on earth would I go to Norway?!?!? Well it just so happened that Collin is doing a J-Term (January term) class that goes to Norway and Russia, and they were in Oslo for the weekend. It was our first time being together since I left in September. It was great getting to see him, but the time passed a little too quickly. We went to lots of museums and a sculpture garden that was a little odd. All in all--it was worth it.
Then I got back to Valencia Sunday night, and we started second semester on Monday. I was a little nervous for Monday because it would be the first time we would encounter the new kids...all 47 of them. Last semester there were 30 students total. This semester there are 47 newbies, add the 5 year kids, and you get a grand total of 52. It was quite overwhelming Monday morning. I was a little relaxed because 5 Luther students are in the group! It was great getting to see them when they arrived at the university. A lot of the kids just stared at us year people--they weren't quite sure what to think of us. 2 of them thought we were professors. So I've spent the week trying to learn everyone's name--a little strenuous, but I think I have met practically everyone except the students in the intermediate level. Classes are going fine--the class size is much larger than last semester. My largest class is 24 students (which is large for Luther too) and the smallest is 11. I'm taking 4 classes this semester, which will finish my Spanish major (minus my senior paper). My classes are Phonetics and Phonology, Panorama of Spanish Literature, Spanish Cinema, and The Avant Garde in Literature, Painting, and Film. I like all my classes so far. Avant Garde and Phonetics will probably be my favorites! I really hope the semester goes well, and I really really really hope the new kids open up to us, and not just to ask us what bars and discos are best. I've met some really nice ones so far--I just hope that we become good friends. All for now.
Then I got back to Valencia Sunday night, and we started second semester on Monday. I was a little nervous for Monday because it would be the first time we would encounter the new kids...all 47 of them. Last semester there were 30 students total. This semester there are 47 newbies, add the 5 year kids, and you get a grand total of 52. It was quite overwhelming Monday morning. I was a little relaxed because 5 Luther students are in the group! It was great getting to see them when they arrived at the university. A lot of the kids just stared at us year people--they weren't quite sure what to think of us. 2 of them thought we were professors. So I've spent the week trying to learn everyone's name--a little strenuous, but I think I have met practically everyone except the students in the intermediate level. Classes are going fine--the class size is much larger than last semester. My largest class is 24 students (which is large for Luther too) and the smallest is 11. I'm taking 4 classes this semester, which will finish my Spanish major (minus my senior paper). My classes are Phonetics and Phonology, Panorama of Spanish Literature, Spanish Cinema, and The Avant Garde in Literature, Painting, and Film. I like all my classes so far. Avant Garde and Phonetics will probably be my favorites! I really hope the semester goes well, and I really really really hope the new kids open up to us, and not just to ask us what bars and discos are best. I've met some really nice ones so far--I just hope that we become good friends. All for now.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Currywurst, fireworks, and relatives.
Well at long last, here is a blog about my trip to Germany. My parents are working on some blogs about their trip here, and hopefully those will be up by the end of the week.
So I left Paris on the 31st and flew to Hamburg, where my friend Paul picked me up at the airport. That night was New Years Eve, and I have to say that it was the best New Years celebration ever for me. 9 of Paul's friends came over to the house, each of them bringing some food. We talked and ate and played games and listened to music. Then at about 11:40, we went up on the roof of the building. Now in Germany, fireworks are legal for New Years Eve ONLY--and everyone buys them and everyone sets off fireworks at midnight. Even when we first got on the roof at 11:40, people were shooting off fireworks. Once midnight hit, I was surrounded by fireworks. Anywhere I looked, there were fireworks. It was a little magical for me. We toasted champagne and hugged and just watched the fireworks (and set off a few of our own). After that we went back downstairs and listened to music and danced and talked and had a lot of fun. Then later we did more fireworks and walked through the streets listening to music and wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It was an experience I'll never forget. Paul recorded some videos on the roof, and I'll have him send me one so you can see what it was like!
The next few days were very relaxed. I went to a lot of places. I went to churches in Hamburg, and the King Tut museum, and I went to an English class with Paul's younger sister, Marie. We went to Lüneburg (a town near Hamburg), and I saw my last name on a building! Then I went to Berlin for 2 days where I did 2 tours--one being a general tour of the city. We saw the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, former Luftwaffe Headquarters, Museum Island, the bunker where Hitler died, Bebelplatz, and more! Then the next day I went on a tour to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp north of Berlin. That was a very surreal experience. It's just difficult for me to understand the amount of hate people can have for one another.
After 2 packed days in Berlin, I headed to Neustadt am Rübenberge, home of the Hotel Scheve. My maternal great-grandmother's maiden name was Scheve, and I know a lot about my Scheve family history. In fact, there is a book that I have about the history of the family--and my name is in the book! When I discovered that the Hotel Scheve is not far from Hamburg, I knew I needed to make a trip there. During my sophomore year of high school, we had to make 100 goals and staying at the Hotel Scheve was one of my goals. Staying there was a lot of fun. When I arrived, I got a full tour of the place from Ursula, who runs the hotel with her husband, Helmut. Then I talked to Helmut and one of their sons, Henning, on the phone. Helmut and Ursula's daughter, Britta, came over with her 2 children, and we all had dinner together. The next day Britta gave me a tour of the town, and I got to see where her kids go to school. It was a really quick trip, but a lot of fun. I hope I can go back some day with my family and spend more time there and get a full history lesson of the Scheve family from Henning.
Then after 2 more days in Hamburg, it was back to Valencia, where I was greeted with some cooler weather. I ate plenty of German food in Germany including currywurst, all sorts or sausages, and I even tried sauerkraut (not my favorite!). I'm a big fan of German bread--a lot of the bread has lots of grains and seeds in it--yummy! So that's my trip to Germany--email me if you want to know more! There are pictures up--they are under the Christmas in Europe title! Also up are pictures from my family's stay in Spain! Definitely take a look!
So I left Paris on the 31st and flew to Hamburg, where my friend Paul picked me up at the airport. That night was New Years Eve, and I have to say that it was the best New Years celebration ever for me. 9 of Paul's friends came over to the house, each of them bringing some food. We talked and ate and played games and listened to music. Then at about 11:40, we went up on the roof of the building. Now in Germany, fireworks are legal for New Years Eve ONLY--and everyone buys them and everyone sets off fireworks at midnight. Even when we first got on the roof at 11:40, people were shooting off fireworks. Once midnight hit, I was surrounded by fireworks. Anywhere I looked, there were fireworks. It was a little magical for me. We toasted champagne and hugged and just watched the fireworks (and set off a few of our own). After that we went back downstairs and listened to music and danced and talked and had a lot of fun. Then later we did more fireworks and walked through the streets listening to music and wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It was an experience I'll never forget. Paul recorded some videos on the roof, and I'll have him send me one so you can see what it was like!
The next few days were very relaxed. I went to a lot of places. I went to churches in Hamburg, and the King Tut museum, and I went to an English class with Paul's younger sister, Marie. We went to Lüneburg (a town near Hamburg), and I saw my last name on a building! Then I went to Berlin for 2 days where I did 2 tours--one being a general tour of the city. We saw the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, former Luftwaffe Headquarters, Museum Island, the bunker where Hitler died, Bebelplatz, and more! Then the next day I went on a tour to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp north of Berlin. That was a very surreal experience. It's just difficult for me to understand the amount of hate people can have for one another.
After 2 packed days in Berlin, I headed to Neustadt am Rübenberge, home of the Hotel Scheve. My maternal great-grandmother's maiden name was Scheve, and I know a lot about my Scheve family history. In fact, there is a book that I have about the history of the family--and my name is in the book! When I discovered that the Hotel Scheve is not far from Hamburg, I knew I needed to make a trip there. During my sophomore year of high school, we had to make 100 goals and staying at the Hotel Scheve was one of my goals. Staying there was a lot of fun. When I arrived, I got a full tour of the place from Ursula, who runs the hotel with her husband, Helmut. Then I talked to Helmut and one of their sons, Henning, on the phone. Helmut and Ursula's daughter, Britta, came over with her 2 children, and we all had dinner together. The next day Britta gave me a tour of the town, and I got to see where her kids go to school. It was a really quick trip, but a lot of fun. I hope I can go back some day with my family and spend more time there and get a full history lesson of the Scheve family from Henning.
Then after 2 more days in Hamburg, it was back to Valencia, where I was greeted with some cooler weather. I ate plenty of German food in Germany including currywurst, all sorts or sausages, and I even tried sauerkraut (not my favorite!). I'm a big fan of German bread--a lot of the bread has lots of grains and seeds in it--yummy! So that's my trip to Germany--email me if you want to know more! There are pictures up--they are under the Christmas in Europe title! Also up are pictures from my family's stay in Spain! Definitely take a look!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Bella Italia!
At long last--my blog from Italy!! I was in Italy from Dec 12-Dec 20th, and I went with Marli and Nikki. We left the night after all the fall semester people left, and the trip was a good way to help us not dwell on their departure. So here's a rundown of everything!
December 12, Saturday
We flew to Rome in the afternoon, arriving in Rome around 5pm. It was my first time flying on Ryanair, the infamous cheap European airline. The plane was packed--and we hit turbulence, and the landing was quite bumpy. An interesting first experience to say the least. From the airport, we took a bus to the main Termini train station, where we then walked to our hostel. We stayed at a really nice hostel in Rome--the staff and other guests were all super friendly--and the staff was really helpful when we needed help. After checkin, we went to have some dinner. We all had pasta, and it was DElICIOUS. It was my first taste of Italian food in Italy--and already, I was hooked. During dinner, we planned out what we wanted to do each day. After dinner we decided to walk down to the Colosseum, so we could see it lit up at night. It was really beautiful, and I would recommend seeing it at night and during the day. Then we headed back to the hostel and got some much needed sleep.
December 13, Sunday
We slept in the next morning, and then we went to the Pantheon. Originally the Pantheon was a pagan temple, but it was converted into a Catholic church a long time ago. It was beautiful. It also is the where Raphael is buried. From there we went to Piazza Navona, a beautiful plaza with a large fountain. They also had a Christmas market going on there, so we took some time and walked around looking at all the goods and at the smiling families. After that we went to the Trevi Fountain, where we all threw in a coin, guaranteeing us a wish and a return trip to Rome. Before heading to the Spanish Steps, we stopped at a café and grabbed a panini. It was the best panini I ate during my time in Italy--with mozzarella and tomatoes and arugula...really good stuff. Then we saw the Spanish Steps and strolled in the Villa Borghese Gardens, walked in the Piazza del Popolo, and visited 2 Catholic churches. The first was my favorite church of the entire trip--called San Carlo al Corso. The inside was just amazing, breathtaking--it was beautiful. We also went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which was about 2 minutes from our hostel. Another beautiful church, it is where the sculptor, Bernini, is buried. That night we ate at our hostel--the staff cooked a meal for everyone who wanted it for 5 euro each. There was bruschetta and some smoked salmon with a sauce for appetizers, then pasta with a meat ragu for the main course, then homemade tiramisu for dessert. It was quite good. We stayed up talking to people for a while before going to bed.
December 14, Monday
We woke up early on Monday morning, since we had a date...with the Vatican! We had arranged a tour of the Vatican Museum before our trip, since we didn't want to wait in line. We took the metro from our hostel to the Vatican--strange thing about the subways in Rome...they are really quiet--not many people were talking at all. The Vatican Museum was amazing--there are so many paintings and sculptures and tapestries--I was thankful we had a tour guide to help lead us through everything. We ended our tour outside the Sistine Chapel where there was a small café. We had packed our own lunches to save some money--so we ate our lunch at this café before entering the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was stunning. We stayed in there a long time just drinking it all in. They try to keep it silent in there, and there are no photos permitted. If you even pull out a camera, a guard (in uniform or in disguise) will stop you--if you succeed in taking a picture, he will escort you outside. Our tour guide had told us lots of things to look for in the Sistine Chapel. We also asked one of the guards where they put the chimney during conclave. We got to see the mark it made on the floor--it's a very historic place. Then we went into St. Peter's Basilica, which was huge. I cannot even describe how large it is when you first walk inside. It was very elaborate, and they were cleaning the alter while we were in there, preparing for the Christmas holidays. I'm strolling along in the basilica, when I suddenly I see a familiar face. It was my friend Rachel--who also goes to Luther and we were in choir together. She is spending the year in Nottingham with the Luther program, and she was on vacation too! It was nice to see a familiar face. After leaving the Vatican, we walked to where the Old Vatican was--and then walked back to our hostel, stopping at some shops and at a bar for some hot cocoa and coffee. We had a really great dinner that night too. We went to dinner at a tiny family run restaurant near the Piazza del Popolo. I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was, but the food was great. We were seated next to a group of Italians who gave us some recommendations for our food. Everything was really good.
December 15, Tuesday
We got a call on Monday night from our friend John, who had been with us in Valencia. His friend, Drew, had come to visit him in Valencia--and then they were planning on going to Rome and Amsterdam, and had landed in Rome on Monday afternoon, and they wanted to sight-see with us on Tuesday. We met up with John and Drew at the Colosseum. From the Colosseum, we visited Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We grabbed some pizza for lunch and then went to Scala Santa. Scala Santa (Holy Steps) is the set of stairs from Pontius Pilate's palace. Constantine's mother brought the stairs to Rome in the 4th century, and they are the steps that Jesus is said to have walked on several times the day of His crucifixion. It is a bit of a religious pilgrimage, and you have to climb up the steps (which are covered in wood) on your knees. Look it up on wikipedia for more info. We also went to the church of St. Peter in Chains--which houses the chains of St. Peter. Both were really neat places to visit.
December 16, Wednesday
We checked out of the hostel and took a train to Florence. It was a long train ride, but it was really beautiful watching the scenery change. When we arrived in Florence, we checked into our hotel and walked around a little bit. We had dinner at a restaurant the hotel staff had recommended and then spent the evening in our room with a movie. It was very cold and rainy/snowy outside, and we were just wanting to relax.
December 17, Thursday
We slept in and went to the Duomo. Then we went to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is. Then we went to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in Florence. We climbed up a big hill to an overlook of the city, which was breathtaking. Florence was beautiful and very academic. It had a much more relaxed pace of life compared to Rome. In the afternoon we went to a Christmas market near St. Croce church and later window shopped. We had dinner at Ciro & Sons, a restaurant recommended to me by family friends back home. Another delicious Italian meal.
December 18th, Friday
We went to the Palazzo Pitti, which was a Renaissance palace owned by the Medici Family. We visited the Palatina Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, and the Royal Apartments. After lunch, we strolled in the markets and did some shopping.
December 19th, Saturday
We checked out of the hotel and looked at some Christmas markets. Then we had some delicious hot cocoa before heading to the train station to go to Pisa. Overnight, snow had blanketed a lot of Italy (probably 1-2 inches in Florence) and it caused a transportation nightmare. All trains were delayed, and we waited over 2 hours for a train to Pisa. Normally there are 3 trains an hour to Pisa. The train was really full, but we made it to Pisa in the afternoon. We rested at our hotel for a while and explored a little bit of the city.
December 20th, Sunday
We went to the Leaning Tower and stayed there for a few hours. The Leaning Tower is located alongside the Duomo of Pisa--and it is a pretty big area. We sat in the sun and took a multitude of different pictures with the Leaning Tower, each photo getting a little more ridiculous. Then I headed to the airport and returned to Valencia that evening. My flight was delayed over 2 hours for weather--so I arrived back at my flat around 12:15 am....then I left my flat at 6:00 am to head back to the airport to go to Madrid to pick up my family.
----
Italy was a great trip. I loved everything about it. We had a very relaxed approach to the trip, which made it easier when we had delays or the weather was bad. We made a food checklist that first night in Rome which included pizza, pasta, panini, tiramisu, and gelato---we ate all of them...more than once. Also a great find in Italy was hot chocolate. In Italy, hot chocolate is thick--almost like brownie batter...but better. We drank it almost every day, comparing each one to the one we had drunk previously. I got a lot of good pics, and I also shared pics with Marli--they should be uploaded by the end of the night. Italy also cultivated my love of churches and cathedrals, because all of them are magnificent in Italy. They are one of my favorite things to visit because I feel like a church is universal.
I know this entry is long and gets shorter at the end, but I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it isn't boring. Italy is a place I would go back to in a heartbeat. I wish I could have spent more time there.
December 12, Saturday
We flew to Rome in the afternoon, arriving in Rome around 5pm. It was my first time flying on Ryanair, the infamous cheap European airline. The plane was packed--and we hit turbulence, and the landing was quite bumpy. An interesting first experience to say the least. From the airport, we took a bus to the main Termini train station, where we then walked to our hostel. We stayed at a really nice hostel in Rome--the staff and other guests were all super friendly--and the staff was really helpful when we needed help. After checkin, we went to have some dinner. We all had pasta, and it was DElICIOUS. It was my first taste of Italian food in Italy--and already, I was hooked. During dinner, we planned out what we wanted to do each day. After dinner we decided to walk down to the Colosseum, so we could see it lit up at night. It was really beautiful, and I would recommend seeing it at night and during the day. Then we headed back to the hostel and got some much needed sleep.
December 13, Sunday
We slept in the next morning, and then we went to the Pantheon. Originally the Pantheon was a pagan temple, but it was converted into a Catholic church a long time ago. It was beautiful. It also is the where Raphael is buried. From there we went to Piazza Navona, a beautiful plaza with a large fountain. They also had a Christmas market going on there, so we took some time and walked around looking at all the goods and at the smiling families. After that we went to the Trevi Fountain, where we all threw in a coin, guaranteeing us a wish and a return trip to Rome. Before heading to the Spanish Steps, we stopped at a café and grabbed a panini. It was the best panini I ate during my time in Italy--with mozzarella and tomatoes and arugula...really good stuff. Then we saw the Spanish Steps and strolled in the Villa Borghese Gardens, walked in the Piazza del Popolo, and visited 2 Catholic churches. The first was my favorite church of the entire trip--called San Carlo al Corso. The inside was just amazing, breathtaking--it was beautiful. We also went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which was about 2 minutes from our hostel. Another beautiful church, it is where the sculptor, Bernini, is buried. That night we ate at our hostel--the staff cooked a meal for everyone who wanted it for 5 euro each. There was bruschetta and some smoked salmon with a sauce for appetizers, then pasta with a meat ragu for the main course, then homemade tiramisu for dessert. It was quite good. We stayed up talking to people for a while before going to bed.
December 14, Monday
We woke up early on Monday morning, since we had a date...with the Vatican! We had arranged a tour of the Vatican Museum before our trip, since we didn't want to wait in line. We took the metro from our hostel to the Vatican--strange thing about the subways in Rome...they are really quiet--not many people were talking at all. The Vatican Museum was amazing--there are so many paintings and sculptures and tapestries--I was thankful we had a tour guide to help lead us through everything. We ended our tour outside the Sistine Chapel where there was a small café. We had packed our own lunches to save some money--so we ate our lunch at this café before entering the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was stunning. We stayed in there a long time just drinking it all in. They try to keep it silent in there, and there are no photos permitted. If you even pull out a camera, a guard (in uniform or in disguise) will stop you--if you succeed in taking a picture, he will escort you outside. Our tour guide had told us lots of things to look for in the Sistine Chapel. We also asked one of the guards where they put the chimney during conclave. We got to see the mark it made on the floor--it's a very historic place. Then we went into St. Peter's Basilica, which was huge. I cannot even describe how large it is when you first walk inside. It was very elaborate, and they were cleaning the alter while we were in there, preparing for the Christmas holidays. I'm strolling along in the basilica, when I suddenly I see a familiar face. It was my friend Rachel--who also goes to Luther and we were in choir together. She is spending the year in Nottingham with the Luther program, and she was on vacation too! It was nice to see a familiar face. After leaving the Vatican, we walked to where the Old Vatican was--and then walked back to our hostel, stopping at some shops and at a bar for some hot cocoa and coffee. We had a really great dinner that night too. We went to dinner at a tiny family run restaurant near the Piazza del Popolo. I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was, but the food was great. We were seated next to a group of Italians who gave us some recommendations for our food. Everything was really good.
December 15, Tuesday
We got a call on Monday night from our friend John, who had been with us in Valencia. His friend, Drew, had come to visit him in Valencia--and then they were planning on going to Rome and Amsterdam, and had landed in Rome on Monday afternoon, and they wanted to sight-see with us on Tuesday. We met up with John and Drew at the Colosseum. From the Colosseum, we visited Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We grabbed some pizza for lunch and then went to Scala Santa. Scala Santa (Holy Steps) is the set of stairs from Pontius Pilate's palace. Constantine's mother brought the stairs to Rome in the 4th century, and they are the steps that Jesus is said to have walked on several times the day of His crucifixion. It is a bit of a religious pilgrimage, and you have to climb up the steps (which are covered in wood) on your knees. Look it up on wikipedia for more info. We also went to the church of St. Peter in Chains--which houses the chains of St. Peter. Both were really neat places to visit.
December 16, Wednesday
We checked out of the hostel and took a train to Florence. It was a long train ride, but it was really beautiful watching the scenery change. When we arrived in Florence, we checked into our hotel and walked around a little bit. We had dinner at a restaurant the hotel staff had recommended and then spent the evening in our room with a movie. It was very cold and rainy/snowy outside, and we were just wanting to relax.
December 17, Thursday
We slept in and went to the Duomo. Then we went to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is. Then we went to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in Florence. We climbed up a big hill to an overlook of the city, which was breathtaking. Florence was beautiful and very academic. It had a much more relaxed pace of life compared to Rome. In the afternoon we went to a Christmas market near St. Croce church and later window shopped. We had dinner at Ciro & Sons, a restaurant recommended to me by family friends back home. Another delicious Italian meal.
December 18th, Friday
We went to the Palazzo Pitti, which was a Renaissance palace owned by the Medici Family. We visited the Palatina Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, and the Royal Apartments. After lunch, we strolled in the markets and did some shopping.
December 19th, Saturday
We checked out of the hotel and looked at some Christmas markets. Then we had some delicious hot cocoa before heading to the train station to go to Pisa. Overnight, snow had blanketed a lot of Italy (probably 1-2 inches in Florence) and it caused a transportation nightmare. All trains were delayed, and we waited over 2 hours for a train to Pisa. Normally there are 3 trains an hour to Pisa. The train was really full, but we made it to Pisa in the afternoon. We rested at our hotel for a while and explored a little bit of the city.
December 20th, Sunday
We went to the Leaning Tower and stayed there for a few hours. The Leaning Tower is located alongside the Duomo of Pisa--and it is a pretty big area. We sat in the sun and took a multitude of different pictures with the Leaning Tower, each photo getting a little more ridiculous. Then I headed to the airport and returned to Valencia that evening. My flight was delayed over 2 hours for weather--so I arrived back at my flat around 12:15 am....then I left my flat at 6:00 am to head back to the airport to go to Madrid to pick up my family.
----
Italy was a great trip. I loved everything about it. We had a very relaxed approach to the trip, which made it easier when we had delays or the weather was bad. We made a food checklist that first night in Rome which included pizza, pasta, panini, tiramisu, and gelato---we ate all of them...more than once. Also a great find in Italy was hot chocolate. In Italy, hot chocolate is thick--almost like brownie batter...but better. We drank it almost every day, comparing each one to the one we had drunk previously. I got a lot of good pics, and I also shared pics with Marli--they should be uploaded by the end of the night. Italy also cultivated my love of churches and cathedrals, because all of them are magnificent in Italy. They are one of my favorite things to visit because I feel like a church is universal.
I know this entry is long and gets shorter at the end, but I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it isn't boring. Italy is a place I would go back to in a heartbeat. I wish I could have spent more time there.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Thought to ponder.
In Europe, I am considered blonde.
This does not make sense to me.
It all started when I got my hair cut, and the hairstylist told me I was blonde. Since then I have been called blonde many many times--in Morocco, Italy, and now in Germany. How am I a blonde here???
This does not make sense to me.
It all started when I got my hair cut, and the hairstylist told me I was blonde. Since then I have been called blonde many many times--in Morocco, Italy, and now in Germany. How am I a blonde here???
Current status: in Germany
So currently, I am in Germany. This is going to be a quick little post with some updates...but expect major bloggage come next week when I return to Valencia. I get back on Sunday afternoon. So why exactly am I in Germany?? Well it all started way back in December when I was trying to figure out what to do for New Years. My parents were going to be returning to the United States on the 31st, which would leave me in Paris. So I had 2 options--return to Valencia or find somewhere else. I did some thinking and figured it would be the perfect opportunity to visit my friend Paul Dijkzeul in Hamburg. He was a foreign exchange student at DC-G my junior year, and we got to be really good friends. He had invited me to come stay with him whenever I wanted, and he thought it was a great idea for me to come for New Years. So on the 31st, my parents left for the US, and I went to Hamburg, Germany. The flights were relatively uneventful..people kept trying to speak German to me or French, and I did not understand either of those languages. I was waiting at the baggage claim for my bag, knowing that just beyond the gates were mass of people and that one of them would be waiting for me. I enjoyed this fact, because most of the time there is no one waiting for me on the other side. I was pleased with this thought and humming a song in my head when I felt a tap on my shoulder...and there was Paul! It was great to see him, since it had been over 2 years since we last saw each other--plus I was shocked since the area I was in was a secure area, only passengers allowed. So somehow he had found a way to get down there without getting in trouble, and he successfully scared me. So I was in Hamburg from the 31st until the morning of the 5th. I will go into what I did there when I return to Valencia. Then on the 5th I came to Berlin, which is where I am now. I visited the city and saw a lot of neat things--all of which I will talk about later when I return to Valencia. As for right now, I am sitting in my hostel, waiting for my train to a small town outside of Hannover. Why am I going to this town?? Because I have relatives there! I am very German (in fact, I am more German than Paul is), and I still have some very distant relatives who live in the town Neustadt am Rübenberge and run a hotel...the Hotel Scheve. Scheve is my maternal great-grandmother's maiden name. So I am related...I have my Scheve family history book at home. Being able to stay at the hotel is a big deal for me--I have wanted to stay here since I found out about it. It is even included in my list of 100 goals I had to make my sophomore year of high school in English II with Mrs. Berkeley. That is where I am going today...then tomorrow afternoon I will return to Hamburg and leave for Valencia on Sunday the 10th. I will write all about my trips (Italy, family, and Germany) when I return and also post the multitude of photos I have taken. All for now. Hope you all are having a great year so far!!!
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