On a clear day you can see the coast Africa from Gibraltar
The mosque in Gibraltar was a gift from the King of Saudia Arabia
Raveen petting the monkey and one of the monkeys even jumped onto a girl Caitlyn, but they are not domesticated
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Gibraltar
I want to write about this trip now while everything is still fresh in my head, so my blog is going to be a little out of order because there are many things I have done before this trip that I have not written about:
IES planned an absolutely incredible once-in-a-life time trip to Gibraltar and Morocco, which truly can be labeled as a cultural experience designed to be a window into the culture and lifestyles of many Moroccans. We traveled by bus from Granada to Gibraltar, took a ferry from Gibraltar to Tangier. We then drove along the Atlantic coast to the artsy town of Asilah and from there we went to Rabat. After spending a full day in Rabat we drove to the Rif mountains and then finally Chefchaouen. I will never forget this trip and without a doubt I can say that it has had and will continue to have an immense impact on my life. In this post, I will write about my experience in Gibraltar and I hope to be able to update about Morocco later today or tomorrow.
We left early Friday morning 03/16 from Granada and drove about 4 hours to Gibraltar where we stayed the night. Gibraltar is a British Overseas territory located in the very southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar is of course famous for the Rock of Gibraltar and it really is an incredible sight.
IES planned an absolutely incredible once-in-a-life time trip to Gibraltar and Morocco, which truly can be labeled as a cultural experience designed to be a window into the culture and lifestyles of many Moroccans. We traveled by bus from Granada to Gibraltar, took a ferry from Gibraltar to Tangier. We then drove along the Atlantic coast to the artsy town of Asilah and from there we went to Rabat. After spending a full day in Rabat we drove to the Rif mountains and then finally Chefchaouen. I will never forget this trip and without a doubt I can say that it has had and will continue to have an immense impact on my life. In this post, I will write about my experience in Gibraltar and I hope to be able to update about Morocco later today or tomorrow.
We left early Friday morning 03/16 from Granada and drove about 4 hours to Gibraltar where we stayed the night. Gibraltar is a British Overseas territory located in the very southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar is of course famous for the Rock of Gibraltar and it really is an incredible sight.
Me in front of the Rock of Gibraltar
When we arrived in Gibraltar, we checked into our hotel and then picnicked alongside of the bay of Gibraltar. I think I have become so accustomed to picnicking in beautiful places that I almost neglect to recognize how beautiful these places truly are.
Jackie, Emily, Liz, and Haili picnicking by the shore!
After lunch, IES had arranged a bus tour for us where we learned a little bit about the history and culture of Gibraltar and got to see the caves and the monkeys as well as the beautiful landscapes! Our tour guide Pepe was quite the character. He was probably 70 years old but had a spitfire personality as he threw in many sardonic jokes between the historical facts and cultural explanations that he would sputter off. Not only was he a jokester but I have never seen someone maneuver a bus so smoothly through the most narrow streets. Que impresivo! Interestingly enough, the citizens of Gibraltar adamantly identify themselves as British and do not associate their national identity with Spain despite the complicated history of both British and Spanish rule (along with Moorish).
I found it quite strange to be driving through Spain where everything is in Spanish and then entering Gibraltar and suddenly everything is in English and most everyone has a British accent. It's odd one of the first things you see when you exit customs and enter Gibraltar is a bright red telephone booth. Even the police where the same uniforms of those in the London police force the only difference is the badge that they wear says Gibraltar. I guess one of the best parts of Gibraltar is that the citizens speak my language, meaning spanglish. The citizens would be speaking in english and then mid-sentence they would switch spanish.
During our tour, Pepe pointed out all the landmarks like the hospitals and mosques and churches and the American embassy of McDonalds. He then drove us up the rock to see Saint Michael's caves. The caverns were simply incredible. There really is no other way to put it.
Haili, Me, and Jackie
After visiting the caverns, Pepe drove us to see the monkeys of Gibraltar. The Barbary Macaque population in Gibraltar is the only one in the whole of the European continent. They are one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Gibraltar as near the Queen's Gate people can get very close to the monkeys and the monkeys will interact with people. Sometimes they will even perch themselves on top of a tourist. These animals are wild and live in the wild and it is illegal to feed them in order to prevent the monkeys from having a dependency on humans (though they do dumpster dive).
Que Mono
Siesta en Gibraltar jaja
After visiting the monkeys, our tour came to an end and Pepe brought us back to the central plaza of Gibraltar. We had about 30 minutes of free time for a quick smoothie run and then it was time to climb the infamous rock. Let me tell you it was definitely a work out, but it was worth it the views were absolutely spectacular. It was almost magical as we descended the rock the sun had started to set and the composition of the sky against the waters that would lead us to Africa took my breath away.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
02/23/12 Meeting My Intercambio
IES sets up each of their students with an intercambio. An intercambio is a Spanish student who is studying English and we practice our language skills with each other. I speak with her in Spanish and then she practices speaking English to me. The intercambio program is designed to help improve fluency while gaining a cultural perspective from a peer, and I think is an awesome opportunity that IES provides its students with.
I met with my intercambio for the 1st time on Thursday 02/23. She was very nice and is actually from Malaga but is student at the University of Granada. Her goal is to became an English teacher, so she is very enthusiastic about practicing her language skills. We got a long very well and discussed books like Harry Potter and music both Spanish and American. However, I was hoping that my intercambio would be a bit more outgoing, but she is a pretty introverted individual who enjoys her alone time or spending time with her boyfriend. As a result, she is not familiar with many tapas bars, discotecas, and music venues in Granada. I had been hoping that my intercambio would not only help me with my Spanish but show me places in Granada that I would not necessarily find on my own or introduce me to some of her friends as sometimes it is difficult to make Spanish friends due to the language barrier. I do not believe that I will be meeting my intercambio's friends, I am lucky that she wants to meet frequently to practice speaking! After all, the goal is for my spanish to improve and the only way for it to improve is to practice.
I met with my intercambio for the 1st time on Thursday 02/23. She was very nice and is actually from Malaga but is student at the University of Granada. Her goal is to became an English teacher, so she is very enthusiastic about practicing her language skills. We got a long very well and discussed books like Harry Potter and music both Spanish and American. However, I was hoping that my intercambio would be a bit more outgoing, but she is a pretty introverted individual who enjoys her alone time or spending time with her boyfriend. As a result, she is not familiar with many tapas bars, discotecas, and music venues in Granada. I had been hoping that my intercambio would not only help me with my Spanish but show me places in Granada that I would not necessarily find on my own or introduce me to some of her friends as sometimes it is difficult to make Spanish friends due to the language barrier. I do not believe that I will be meeting my intercambio's friends, I am lucky that she wants to meet frequently to practice speaking! After all, the goal is for my spanish to improve and the only way for it to improve is to practice.
02/21/12
I haven't updated my blog in a while, so I figured I would do it sections.
On Tuesday 02/21, my Islamic Civilization class had a unique opportunity to visit a mosque in Granada. Early Tuesday morning, we met at the IES center and then hiked up the Albaicin, which is up high in the hills surrounding the center of Granada. We then met an American woman who had come to Spain 40 years ago after traveling throughout Europe. She had fallen in love with the City of Granada and fell in love with a man, and never had the urged to return to the states. She explained to us that she lived amongst a group of 20 year olds who were all in search of something. They searched to quench their desire to obtain an inner peace. They did not know what they were looking for, but they knew that they needed to look. The man who she had developed feelings for decided that Islam held the answers that he was looking for, and he decided to convert from Catholic to Muslim. He asked her to join him. Being an American Catholic woman, the religion did not appeal to her the way that it did to her love, but she loved him and trusted him and decided that she would convert. And I quote, she said"It was the best decision of my life".
On Tuesday 02/21, my Islamic Civilization class had a unique opportunity to visit a mosque in Granada. Early Tuesday morning, we met at the IES center and then hiked up the Albaicin, which is up high in the hills surrounding the center of Granada. We then met an American woman who had come to Spain 40 years ago after traveling throughout Europe. She had fallen in love with the City of Granada and fell in love with a man, and never had the urged to return to the states. She explained to us that she lived amongst a group of 20 year olds who were all in search of something. They searched to quench their desire to obtain an inner peace. They did not know what they were looking for, but they knew that they needed to look. The man who she had developed feelings for decided that Islam held the answers that he was looking for, and he decided to convert from Catholic to Muslim. He asked her to join him. Being an American Catholic woman, the religion did not appeal to her the way that it did to her love, but she loved him and trusted him and decided that she would convert. And I quote, she said"It was the best decision of my life".
The Mosque
She explained the Hayy, the customs, the 5 pillars, and the Koran. She explained how they pray 5 times a day, and it is a way to release stress and cleanse the mind and body of tension. Moreover, she explained that she is in no way oppressed like the women in Saudia Arabia, and that the associated oppression of Muslim women is a result of manipulation of religion and power. Islam was her liberation and she found that inner peace she yearned for in her youth. Her passion for her religion made it seem almost palpable to me. However, she is a very liberal Muslim in terms of her beliefs and interpretation of the Koran and her story must not be mistaken as the norm; however, story is one that fascinated me and I would be happy to discuss it more with anyone who wants to hear!
Inside the Mosque
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Musica!
So currently the most popular song in Spain is Ai Se Eu Te Pego by Michel Telo, which is actually a song in Portuguese. The song became popular as the result of when two Real Madrid football players Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo Vieira celebrated a goal by doing the corresponding dance to the song. The dance is now a very common goal celebration throughout the entire European football. The skyrocketing popularity of this song demonstrates the enormity of the cultural power football has over citizens in Spain. I really do enjoy this song it's very catchy and it's fun to do the dance!
Another Song that is constantly being played is Danza Kuduro. If you go to a discoteca you will most certainly here this song more than once!
They actually listen to a lot of American top 40 songs here, which I personally find entertaining as some many people here do not speak an ounce of English but know all the words to Rihanna's current hit.
Ronda, Sevilla, y Cadiz!!!
Last weekend IES offered a trip to visit the small town of Ronda and then Sevilla! Ronda is a small town situated high in the mountains above the Tajo Gorge in a province of Malaga. It is home to the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain Plaza de Toros de Ronda as well as several Roman and Moorish ruins. We only spent a few hours in Ronda but every minute there was worth it; it is simply a mesmerizing place. We ended up taking a tour of the town learning all about its architecture and culture. One part of the tour that I found particularly fascinating was the Arab bathhouse. The Arab bathes were built in the 11th century and were used up until the 17th century. The bathhouses were broken up into 3 chambers: the first chamber was like a sauna, the second a hot room, and the third a cold room. They used water from a nearby river and the work force of mules to power bathes. The architectural design seemed so advanced for its time.
After the tour we had some free time to eat lunch and explore on our own and then we all piled back onto the bus to go to Sevilla (Seville)! Sevilla is the current capitol of Andalucia and home to almost a million people making it the third largest city in Spain. Sevilla is an absolutely incredible city with so much history, but I must say I am already biased and prefer Granada. In Sevilla we stayed in this beautiful hotel and I am not going lie I was almost more excited for the long hot shower than exploring the city jaja. Anyways, when we first arrived we checked into our hotel room and then went on a paseo alongside of the river until we came across the Plaza de Espana, which is the location of most of the exhibits of the 1929 World Fair in Sevilla. My words really cannot accurately reflect the incredible stature of the Plaza; thus, I’m just going to post a bunch of pictures.
After the paseo we grabbed some bocadillas (sandwiches) and went to a private viewing of a Flamenco show that IES had arranged for us. The show took place in an intimate setting and the entire performance consisted of only 4 performers. The sheer brilliance of the clapping, strumming, and stomping complimented by the fierce movements of the dancers took my breath away. The palpability of the female dancer’s passion and pain was nearly too beautiful to watch. Her movement’s consisted of a dangerous energy that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. I cannot wait to see more Flamenco shows!
After the show a group of us decided to grab some tapas. We soon learned that tapas did not accompany our drinks for free, and thus we indignantly paid for both our tapas and drinks, complaining how expensive Sevilla is (really the food was very reasonably priced, Granada has spoiled us). Tapas are just one of the many reasons why I prefer Granada.
The following day we took 2 more tours of Sevilla: The Gardens of Alcazar and the surrounding palaces and the Cathedral of Sevilla!
Exciting news I have booked a trip to Rome and my parents and sister are officially visiting me over Semana Santa!
Wednesday was a tough day as it is every year. I was worried that yesterday would be the day when homesickness would finally set in, and I would find myself miles and miles away from my family with aching pains longing for home. However, to my delight, the day did not surmount to such a sickness. Of course, I missed my family and loved ones and wished that I could spend just Feb 15th at home, and I would like to thank everyone who reached out to my family and I, it means the world to me to know that my brother has not been forgotten and that my family and I have such a robust support system. Yesterday was difficult but I was not immobilized by emotions. In fact I found comforts in Spain that I did not expect to encounter. I found comfort in my padres, in the simple beauties of Spain, and in the fact that I am living and I am living life in Spain something I have always wanted to do. However, the moment when I really found an inner peace within the turmoil of my emotions was oddly at an open-mic night for IES and University of Granada students. One of the quieter boys on the trip marched up to the stage with his guitar in hand and started to play a familiar tune: Dave Matthew’s Ants Marching a song my brother loved. It seems silly but the song felt like a little hello and reassured me that everything will somehow be ok.
This morning I just got back from Cadiz, which is a city off the coast of Spain. We went to Cadiz for Carnaval, which is 2 week long carnival in which the whole city participates. Everyone dresses up in costumes and disguises and there is plenty of food and performances by the chirigotas, which are well-known witty and satiric groups that train for the whole year to sing about politics, topics in the news, and everyday circumstances, while all of the members wear identical costumes. Instead of getting a hostel room, we took a bus that left Granada around noon and then left Cadiz to return to Granada at 6 AM, so I am definitely pretty spent and I couldn’t believe that when we left the party was still going on. Cadiz will definitely be memorable as there were thousands of people there dressed in elaborate costumes singing, eating drinking, being merry. Something I found odd was there was no central event or show or dance. It was simply a gigantic congregation of strangers ranging in both age and nationality. I enjoyed myself immensely as I met people from London, Malaga, Madrid, Finland, and Ireland. Although the night did become long as the temperatures dropped and the city was trashed with broken bottles and other rubbish. I cannot say I would go back to Cadiz as it really was a whole another world that I was just visiting for a moment, but I am glad I got to not only witness but partake in such a cultural event.Last weekend IES offered a trip to visit the small town of Ronda and then Sevilla! Ronda is a small town situated high in the mountains above the Tajo Gorge in a province of Malaga. It is home to the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain Plaza de Toros de Ronda as well as several Roman and Moorish ruins. We only spent a few hours in Ronda but every minute there was worth it; it is simply a mesmerizing place. We ended up taking a tour of the town learning all about its architecture and culture. One part of the tour that I found particularly fascinating was the Arab bathhouse. The Arab bathes were built in the 11th century and were used up until the 17th century. The bathhouses were broken up into 3 chambers: the first chamber was like a sauna, the second a hot room, and the third a cold room. They used water from a nearby river and the work force of mules to power bathes. The architectural design seemed so advanced for its time.
After the tour we had some free time to eat lunch and explore on our own and then we all piled back onto the bus to go to Sevilla (Seville)! Sevilla is the current capitol of Andalucia and home to almost a million people making it the third largest city in Spain. Sevilla is an absolutely incredible city with so much history, but I must say I am already biased and prefer Granada. In Sevilla we stayed in this beautiful hotel and I am not going lie I was almost more excited for the long hot shower than exploring the city jaja. Anyways, when we first arrived we checked into our hotel room and then went on a paseo alongside of the river until we came across the Plaza de Espana, which is the location of most of the exhibits of the 1929 World Fair in Sevilla. My words really cannot accurately reflect the incredible stature of the Plaza; thus, I’m just going to post a bunch of pictures.
After the paseo we grabbed some bocadillas (sandwiches) and went to a private viewing of a Flamenco show that IES had arranged for us. The show took place in an intimate setting and the entire performance consisted of only 4 performers. The sheer brilliance of the clapping, strumming, and stomping complimented by the fierce movements of the dancers took my breath away. The palpability of the female dancer’s passion and pain was nearly too beautiful to watch. Her movement’s consisted of a dangerous energy that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. I cannot wait to see more Flamenco shows!
After the show a group of us decided to grab some tapas. We soon learned that tapas did not accompany our drinks for free, and thus we indignantly paid for both our tapas and drinks, complaining how expensive Sevilla is (really the food was very reasonably priced, Granada has spoiled us). Tapas are just one of the many reasons why I prefer Granada.
The following day we took 2 more tours of Sevilla: The Gardens of Alcazar and the surrounding palaces and the Cathedral of Sevilla!
Exciting news I have booked a trip to Rome and my parents and sister are officially visiting me over Semana Santa!
Wednesday was a tough day as it is every year. I was worried that yesterday would be the day when homesickness would finally set in, and I would find myself miles and miles away from my family with aching pains longing for home. However, to my delight, the day did not surmount to such a sickness. Of course, I missed my family and loved ones and wished that I could spend just Feb 15th at home, and I would like to thank everyone who reached out to my family and I, it means the world to me to know that my brother has not been forgotten and that my family and I have such a robust support system. Yesterday was difficult but I was not immobilized by emotions. In fact I found comforts in Spain that I did not expect to encounter. I found comfort in my padres, in the simple beauties of Spain, and in the fact that I am living and I am living life in Spain something I have always wanted to do. However, the moment when I really found an inner peace within the turmoil of my emotions was oddly at an open-mic night for IES and University of Granada students. One of the quieter boys on the trip marched up to the stage with his guitar in hand and started to play a familiar tune: Dave Matthew’s Ants Marching a song my brother loved. It seems silly but the song felt like a little hello and reassured me that everything will somehow be ok.
This morning I just got back from Cadiz, which is a city off the coast of Spain. We went to Cadiz for Carnaval, which is 2 week long carnival in which the whole city participates. Everyone dresses up in costumes and disguises and there is plenty of food and performances by the chirigotas, which are well-known witty and satiric groups that train for the whole year to sing about politics, topics in the news, and everyday circumstances, while all of the members wear identical costumes. Instead of getting a hostel room, we took a bus that left Granada around noon and then left Cadiz to return to Granada at 6 AM, so I am definitely pretty spent and I couldn’t believe that when we left the party was still going on. Cadiz will definitely be memorable as there were thousands of people there dressed in elaborate costumes singing, eating drinking, being merry. Something I found odd was there was no central event or show or dance. It was simply a gigantic congregation of strangers ranging in both age and nationality. I enjoyed myself immensely as I met people from London, Malaga, Madrid, Finland, and Ireland. Although the night did become long as the temperatures dropped and the city was trashed with broken bottles and other rubbish. I cannot say I would go back to Cadiz as it really was a whole another world that I was just visiting for a moment, but I am glad I got to not only witness but partake in such a cultural event.
Ronda, Espana!
Lucia and I at the Plaza de Espana
The Bull Fighting Ring
The River in Sevilla
Plaza de Espana
Me, Jackie, Carmen
Que Bonita!
Along the walls of one of the exhibits at the Plaza de Espana was a Mosaic of each of the cities and provinces in Spain
Simply Breathtaking
The Flamenco Show!
My palace jaja
The Cathedral
View from the Cathedral
My Disguise for Carnaval!
Sunset in Cadiz
Carnaval
The bathhouse
Ronda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)