Sahi in Spain - Summer 2009

July 2 - Goodbye Spain...

2009-07-07T09:21:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday, I left Spain to return to the United States. 10 hours to Dallas and another 2 hours to Albuquerque brought me home from one of the most incredible journeys of my life!

Hopefully soon, I will return to the magnificent country and resume my exploration of Spanish art, history, and culture. Until then, I can only cherish memories of an unforgettable summer in Espana!

June 29 - Bowling!

2009-06-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

I have been studying for finals over the past few days, so I have not been able to do much "fun" stuff. However, we did take a little study break this evening to go Bowling! We went to this cool little place called Bowling Chamartin (oddly enough, bowling is still called "bowling" in Spanish)! It was a great way to let loose for a little bit and spend some quality time with some great friends :)

Tomorrow is my last final - I cannot wait to get it over with!!!

This is called a "bowling alley!" :)

June 25 - Centro del Arte Reina Sofia

2009-06-26T09:57:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we visited one of Madrid's most famous museum and quite possible the greatest collection of Spanish modern and contemporary art, El centro del arte Reina Sofia. Constructed in the 18th century originally as a hospital, the building was converted into a museum in the mid-2oth century. Of the many incredible art pieces that we saw at the museum, I was most impressed and blown away by the works of Picasso and Dali. Below are a small sample of the many breathtaking works that we saw!

El Guernica - Picasso

Mujer en Azul (Woman in Blue) - Picasso

Pajaros Muertos (Dead Birds) - Picasso

El Hombre Invisible (Invisible Man) - Dali

June 20-21 - Valencia

2009-06-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today, we toured the beautiful city of Valencia! In the morning on Saturday, we visited the famous Catedral de Valencia, a Mediterranean Gothic style church in the heart of the city. We had a chance to tour the outside and inside of the cathedral, as well as climb the tower which offers stunning views of the city. After the cathedral, we went to the city market, located in a cool building that looks like a train station. Inside, Valencians can buy fresh produce, meats, and other miscellaneous items for their day-to-day lives. In the afternoon, we went to the incredible beach where we spent the rest of the day enjoying the warm water, soft sand, and some intense beach volleyball!

Today, we visited la Ciudad de Ciencias (Science City), an incredibly cool set of contemporary buildings that house the science musuem, aquarium, opera house, and IMAX theater. We spent most of our time at the science museum and aquarium. The museum had some unique exhibits, including one about the human genome and another about superheroes! The aquarium featured 10 different exhibits ranging from fish of the Mediterranean sea to Sharks of the Oceans to Penguins of the Arctic! In addition to the absolutely groundbreaking architecture, the aquarium has two long tunnels in which visitors can walk and be surrounded by fish, sharks, and other marile wildlife! La Ciudad de Ciencias was probably the best science museum and aquarium I have ever been to in my life - and certainly one of the most impressive contemporary architectural structures as well :)

Overall, Valencia was a cool city with something to offer for everyone!!!

Facade of la Catedral de Valencia (Tower on the Left)

Central Nave of the Cathedral

La Altar Mayor (Main Altar)

View of the Cathedral and the City from the Tower

The City Market Building

Inside the Courtyard of a Historic Commercial Building

Outside of the Science Museum - Group Shot!

The Human Genome Exhibit

View of the IMAX Theater (el Hemisferico) and the Opera House from the Museum

Entrance to the Aquarium

Outside the Sea Lion habitat and the Shark (!!!) exhibit

Mediterranean Tunnel - 70m long!

June 19 - Cuenca

2009-06-21T12:37:00.001-07:00

On Friday, we began a 3 day excursion to Cuenca and Valencia in the Eastern part of Spain. On our way to Valencia, which is on the coast, we stopped in Cuenca for a few hours to see the Cathedral, las Casas Colgadas, and have lunch, of course! La Catedral was originally built in the Romanesque style, but was later changed t0 be representative of gothic architecture. We were actually there when a mass was being performed by the Bishop of Cuenca - which was apparently a really big deal! We also saw what are called las Casas Colgadas, historic houses that we built on the cliff of Valencia. The city of about only 50,000 residents is situated on a hill/mountain and las Casas Colgadas sit right on the edge overlooking a deep gorge. An abstract art museum now occupies the area inside las Casas Colgadas. Overall, Cuenca was a cute little city with great history and cool architecture!

The Main Entrance/Facade of la Catedral de Cuenca

La Plaza Mayor of Cuenca

View of the Gorge from Cuenca

June 18 - Museo del Prado (Part 2)

2009-06-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Thursday, we returned to el Museo del Prado (in Madrid) for the second time - to observe and study the works of one of Spain's finest painters, Francisco Goya. He served as the painter for several Spanish monarchs, including Charles III and Charles IV. His work mostly embodied the Baroque and Neoclassical styles of Spainish painting and served as a model for later artists such as Manet and Picasso. The Prado's collection of Goya works is rather extensive and covers a significant chunk of the musuem. Similar to our first trip to the museum, it was absolutely mind blowing to see some of the most famous paintings of all time from up close, including el 3 de Mayo, Court of Carlos IV, and las Majas. Here is a small preview of the works we saw:

El 3 de Mayo 1808

La Familia (el Corte) de Carlos IV

Saturn (From the 'Black Paintings')

La Maja Vestida (Clothed Woman)

June 16 - Museo Sorolla

2009-06-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we visited el Museo Sorolla, the house of famous spanish vanguard painter Joaquin Sorolla. Sorolla was a very proficient painter who completed up to 5 new works every day in his house and studio. He is famous for his portraits of everyday people on the beaches of Valencia, his hometown. His house was designed and constructed to serve as a well-lit studio with high ceilings and large skylights - which was interesting to see. Althought I did not greatly enjoy his works, I did appreciate his beautiful landscapes of La Alhambra in Granada. His painting style involved use thick brush strokes (called 'manchas' in Spanish) instead of clearly defined lines (or 'dibujos'). Overall, our visit was a great avenue to learn about the Spain's history and culture through one of its most cherished painters!

Self-Portrait (Autorretrato)

Children on the Seashore (Ninos a la Orilla)

Walk on the Beach (Paseo a Orillas del Mar)

La Alhambra

June 14 - Fireworks!

2009-06-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

There is a fair going on the park directly across the street from our apartment, and tonight, they had a cool fireworks show! We were able to enjoy the spectacle from our balcony - talk about prime seating :) Here are some pictures and a little video. Enjoy!

June 11-14 - Barcelona

2009-06-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, a few of us went to Barcelona to see the sights, enjoy the beach, and take in some sun! It was a really relaxing "vacation!" Here are some highlights of what we did things we saw:

Thursday:

We arrived in Barcelona around noon, checked into the hotel, and immediately decided to head over to the beach. The weather was nice, although a little hot, and the water was incredible (clear blue and refreshing). We spent most of the day at the beach before heading to dinner and calling it a day! Great first day to just relax :)

On the Barceloneta Beach - A view of the Olympic Port

A view of a Port and the Mediterranean Sea

Friday:

On the second day of the trip, we decided to hop aboard a Barcelona sightseeing bus tour. There were three routes on the bus, each of which covered a different part of the city, and we were able to hop on and off as we pleased. We finished one of the routes (the red route, which took about 3 hours). The route covered many important landmarks, buildings, and churches in the city. Of the many awesome sights we saw, the highlights were certainly the Gaudi buildings and La Sagrada Familia, an immense cathedral designed by Gaudi that is still under construction. Gaudi was one of the most successful and innovative architects of Spain and he certainly left his impressive mark on Barcelona. We also saw the infamous Camp Nou, or Barcolona Football Club Stadium, from the outside. Sitting on top of a double decker bus and enjoying all of Barcelona's sights was certainly a great way to get to know the area! After the tour, we went back to the beach again for a few hours before heading out for dinner. We went out into the town for a little bit at night and caught a cool glimpse of Barcelona night life (especially in the historic district of Las Ramblas, complete with street performers and other entertainment).

Gaudi's Casa Batllo - Designed based on the appearance of a Dragon

Gaudi's Casa Mila

La Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's life work, still under construction

Camp Nou - Barcelona FC Soccer Stadium

Saturday:

Our friend and fellow Chancellor Scholar from Vandy, Ekow Ankumah, joined us in Barcelona late Friday night and we spent all day Saturday hanging out with him. Saturday was a day mostly filled with sightseeing and learning more about the city itself. We returned to the bus tour and finished the remaining two routes (blue route with more historic and cultural sights, and the green route which followed the beaches, olympic port, and piers). We spent all morning and evening seeing as much of the city as we could. We returned to La Sagrada Familia to go inside the building, learn about its history and architecture, and just marvel at its sheer beauty. We went up to the top of one of the towers and got a breathtaking view of the city! La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for ~150 years and is still being built through anonymous donations. Antoni Gaudi, the spanish born architect, spent the last 40 years of his life designing, revising, and obsessing over the construction of the cathedral - and it was worth every minute of his time! It is perhaps the most incredible and beautiful building I have ever visited in my life (after the Taj Mahal of course)! We also got a chance to visit one of Gaudi's parks, Parque Guell, which sits on a hilltop and overlooks the entire city. The design of the park, its buildings, and sculptures/artwork were all imagined by Gaudi - and it is quite unforgettable. We finished up the day with a late dinner before visiting the Magic Fountain. The fountain is a beautiful landmark located in the Plaza de Espanya that operates in conjunction with music and lights - making it a great show! We barely caught the end the show, but it was still quite an experience. After enjoying a pleasat view of Barcelona at night from teh fountain, we had to leave for the airport to catch an early morning flight. All in all, an eventful, fun-filled, and relaxing weekend at one of Spain's most popular and beautiful destinations!

La Plaza de Espanya

A Facade of La Sagrada Familia

The main entrance to La Sagrada Familia

Stained-Glass inside

The Main/Central Nave

The Architecture is just Mind Blowing!

The other Facade of La Sagrada Familia

So much Detail!

View of Barcelona and the Agbar Tower from the top of La Sagrada Familia

Another view of the city

Climbing down a tower of La Sagrada Familia

Architecture inside one of the towers

A cool view of the staircase we were climbing down

One of the many cool buildings in Parque Guell, Gaudi's Park

View of some more Gaudi park buildings and Barcelona from Parque Guell

June 9-10 - Zoo Aquarium and Parque de Atracciones!

2009-06-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we went to the famous Zoo Aquarium in the outskirts of Madrid. It is located in Casa de Campo, a walking/biking area and the city largest park. The zoo was one of the best I have ever been to - the animals were really close, it was well maintained, and there were some really fun animal shows (sea lions, birds, dolphins)! We spent a few hours at the Zoo and the attached Aquarium. Certainly one of Madrid's must-see attractions :)

Dolphin Show!

Giant Panda

Today, we went to Parque de Atracciones, an amazing amusement park also located in Casa de Campo. There are about 5 really huge, scary, and fun roller coasters, as well as some other general amusement park rides. My favorite ride was Abismo, a roller coaster that starts off by going straight up at a 90 degree angle and then rolls along completely upside down! The ride was only about 30 seconds long, but it was probably the most intense half a minute of my life! The weather was really nice (kind of hot) too, so that certainly added to the enjoyment!

The Tarantula!

El Abismo - It goes STRAIGHT Up!!!

The Tornado - One of 2 loops :)

A couple of really awesome attractions in a couple of awesome days!

June 5 - Toledo

2009-06-07T06:10:00.001-07:00

On Friday, we visited the city of Toledo, one of the historic capitals of Spain. About an hour and half outside of madrid, perched on top of a mountain surrounded by the Tajo River, Toledo is a beautiful place for anyone to visit. As part of our "excursion," we visited two cathedrals, two synagogues, and two churches. In one of the churches, we saw the famous work of El Greco known as "El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz." The architecture was mostly early gothic (classical) with some distinct muslim aspects in the synagogues. Overall, it was an amazing look into the history and culture of Spain through some of the nation's most prominent historical buildings.

View of Toledo

Tajo River

Another View...

Cathedral of Toledo

Architecture inside a Gothic Cathedral

The Courtyard of the Cathedral

El Greco - El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz

Group Picture!

June 4 - Real Madrid Basketball Game

2009-06-05T12:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we attended a Real Madrid semifinals playoff basketball game against Tau Ceramica. Real Madrid dominated the entire game and the atmosphere was absolutely incredible! It was probably the most fun I have ever had at a basketball game. The fans were singing, screaming and yelling, and jumping up and down the entire game! It was such a cool experience. Hopefully, we will get to do it again if Real Madrid makes it to the Finals!

El Palacio Vistalegre (Real Madrid Basketball Stadium) filling up with Fans

Tip-Off!

Some of the Fired-Up Fans

"Make some NOISE!!!"

Domination!

Video!!!

June 2 - El Museo del Prado

2009-06-05T12:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we went to el Museo del Prado, possibly Spain's most popular collection of artwork. As part of our art and civilization class, we mostly just looked at the works of Velazquez, which are absolutely incredible! We also got to see the famous Garden of Earthly Delights and some of El Greco's paintings. We will be returning to the Museum again in a couple of weeks to see more of the collection. Obviously, we were not allowed to take any photos, but below are some of the works we saw...

Diego Velazques - Las Meninas

Diego Velazquez - Enano Sebastian de Morra

El Greco - Toledo

Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights

June 2 - Walking Tour of Historic Madrid

2009-06-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Today, we went on a little walking tour through Madrid to learn a little about its history. I wasn't really paying attention to anything the guide was saying though, because my camera broke just after we started (the lens is extended and stuck). I did get a few pictures of La Plaza de Oriente near el Palacio Real. Enjoy...hopefully I can get my camera fixed and continue documenting my adventures. Wish me luck!

Statue at the Center of La Plaza del Oriente

Fountain at the Center of La Plaza del Oriente (direcly under the Statue)

One of the Facades of El Palacio Real

Another View of La Plaza del Oriente

May 30 - La Alhambra y El Generalife, Granada

2009-05-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we traveled 5 hours by bus to Granada to visit La Alhambra: a fort (Alcazaba), series of palaces (Palacios de Nazaries), and gardens (Jardines) built by the Moors in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. What sets La Alhambra apart from most of the other palaces and castles around the world is its unique location a top the Sierra Nevada Mountains and incredible architecture. From the castle, it is possible to see the entire city of Granada, as well as the entire area of la Alhambra. The compound was originally built as a fortress to secure the nearby valley but later became a prized residence for the Moor Kings as the palaces were built. The architecture suits the landscape very well and the intricate marble designs can only be described as 'astounding!' We visited the Castle and Palaces both during the day and at night (when the entire compound is lit up, which gives it a completely different appearance).

In addition to La Alhambra, there is el Generalife: a series of Gardens established along the mountainside long after the Moors had been overtaken. In conjunction with the beautiful buildings and scenery of la Alhambra, el Generalife offers some rather unforgettable and breathtaking views of Mother Nature.

Overall, despite the 10 hours bus journey (round trip), la Alhambra may have been one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL sites I have ever seen in my life! Truly remarkable in every way... :)

Some cool buildings in downtown Granada

The Castle (La Alcazaba)

A courtyard inside one of the Palaces (Los Palacios de Nazaries)

Decoration inside a Palace

Intricately carved marble columns in the Courtyard of the Lions

Palaces continued...

View of Granada and the Cathedral from the Castle

Standing on a Cannon on top of the Castle

El Generalife (the Gardens)

View of La Alhambra from el Generalife

More from el Generalife

Just some of the many beautiful flowers in el Generalife...

The Ceiling of one of the Palaces at NIGHT!

The Castle at Night...Incredible!

May 27-28 - The Theater and National Archaeological Museum

2009-05-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we attended el Teatro to see a play by the name of Fuenteovejuna. It is a story about the Spanish monarchy and the struggles that occur between members of royalty and the lower class citizens. Although the (old) Spanish was difficult to understand, the group put on an amazing show with great acting, music, action sequences, and special effects. Of course, I was not allowed to take any pictures.

Picture from the Program given out at the Show

Yesterday, Thursday, we visited the National Archaeological Museum. Although most of the building is under renovation, there was a small exhibit that featured the most important artifacts from different ages of Spanish History. We saw crafts, tools, and art from the pre-historic era, through the middle ages, and up to the modern era. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed here either, but below are some of the pieces that we saw. Pretty cool!

HUGE arrowhead from the Pre-Historic era

Cratera de Columnas - From the Greek Era

La Dama de Elche

May 26 - El Palacio Real

2009-05-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today, we went to El Palacio Real, the residence of Spain's current King and the capital of Spain in Madrid. Just a few minutes away by subway from our residence, the Palacio Real (or Royal Palace) is an architectural masterpiece that embodies both the incredible art and culture of Spain (and much of Europe). Our tour consisted of a walk through the courtyard from which one can see the facade of the palace and the cathedral. We then proceeded to walk through the many incredible rooms, each with its own different theme and appropriate decorations. Unfortunately, there were no photographs allowed inside the building, but take my word for it: it is BEAUTIFUL! I can't even imagine how expensive it must have been to build something like this - apparently it is impossible to even estimate!

The Main Facade of el Palacio Real

A small courtyard seen from within the Palace

Basilica of the Small Church where the King attends Mass

The Cathedral of el Palacio Real

Just one of the MANY Gold-Covered Items!

One of the Gardens outside of the Palace in La Plaza de Oriente

May 24 - Real Madrid vs. Mallorca Futbol!

2009-05-25T04:08:00.001-07:00

Today, we attended a Real Mardid Futbol game against league opponents, Mallorca. Although the stadium was not completely full, the atmosphere was as electric as I expected. We sat on the eastern side of the stadium, ALL THE WAY at the TOP. It was a great view and we caught all the action! Real ended up losing 3-1, but it was a great time nonetheless! European Futbol is indeed as exciting and crazy as it is talked up to be. I would love to do it again, but unfortunately it is the end of the season. However, the UEFA Champions League Final is on Wednesday and the atmosphere at the local bars and restaurants promises to be as lively as ever!

Player Introductions

Fans emptying out of Estadio Santiago de Bernabeu (Real Madrid Stadium)

May 23 - El Escorial y La Valle de los Caidos

2009-05-23T11:24:00.001-07:00

Today, we went on an excursion to El Escorial, a famous monastery and palace built in the 16th century. To honor his father, Carlos I of Spain, Felipe II commissioned the building of a grand monastery that would serve as a tomb, a Spanish art gallery (paintings and tapestries), library, and a residence for the kings of Spain. About 40km outside of Madrid, El Escorial is situated on a mountainside and overlooks the pristine valley.

We also went to la Valle de Los Caidos (, a tomb and church commissioned by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. The memorial was built to honor those that had fought and been killed in the Spanish Civil War. Interestingly enough, since Franco ordered for its construction, he made sure that he had a place to buried in it as well. He, along with many brave Spanish soldiers, is now entombed in the austere building. Above the building, which is situated about 10km up the mountain from El Escorial, sits a gigantic cross (300m tall, 40m across) that serves as a unmistakable landmark for those that pass through the area. In fact, it can be seen from nearly 50km away!

Ultimately, today's excursion was a fantastic way to learn more about the history and culture of Spain through some of its most prized and unique architectural works.

Main Facade (Entrance) of El Escorial

View of the Mountainside on which El Escorial is Situated

False Facade (Entrance) of El Escorial - Built to Attain Symmetry

La Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen)

Another view...

May 22 - El Teleforico

2009-05-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Today, we went on el Teleforico, a tram ride that runs through Madrid (From el Parque del Oeste to la Casa de Campo [two famous Madrid parks]). We got an aerial view of Madrid, including downtown, el Palacio Real, an amusement park (Parque de Warner), and the Manzanares River. We finished up the trip with some great Ice Cream at a nearby Neveria!

Enjoying the Tram Ride (El Teleforico)!

The Manzanares River

Parque de Warner (Amusement Park)

View of Downtown and the Capital Buildings

May 20 - First Day of Classes and Flamenco Dancing

2009-05-21T01:22:00.000-07:00

We had our first day of class today. Although it was nothing too exciting (yet), it turns out that I will be waking up for an 8:30am class for the rest of the summer...bummer! I am taking a Spanish Civilization class that covers much of the history of the country and area, as well as a Spanish Culture class that discusses current news, political, and cultural issues. Both promise to be highly beneficial and a great way to further my immersion in Spain!

La Universidad Complutense de Madrid (University of Madrid) is about a 10 minute bus ride from the city center (where I live) and is home to nearly 150,000 students. It is incredible how many students there are here, and my building is just one of many! Everyone smokes - EVERYWHERE - so that is pretty annoying, but for the most part everyone is friendly and helpful :)

I discovered that the Spanish have 5 meals a day! Breakfast, Lunch, Main Meal (La Comida), Snack, and Dinner. Incredibly, dinner can be anytime between 9:30pm and 12am and it is usually very light. Adjusting to this weird eating schedule has been a challenge, but thanks to the cafeteria here at the University, there are plenty of snacks!

We also attended a Flamenco Dance Show. The event featured live music, amazing dance moves, and a cool venue. Hopefully, we will get to take some dance lessons soon! Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed, so I don´t have any pictures to post here.

Upcoming Events this Weekend: Clubbing, Excursion to El Escorial, REAL MADRID SOCCER GAME!!!

May 19 - Segovia

2009-05-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Today, we went on an excursion to Segovia, a small town about an hour and a half outside of Madrid. Initially controlled by the Romans, the town was eventually seceded as the empire collapsed and was then taken over by the Spaniards. Our visit today consisted of seeing: a palace, the castle of Segovia, the Cathedral of Segovia, the city center, an aqueduct built by the Romans, and various other churches and buildings. The architecture varied from Roman to Gothic to even some Renaissance. It was a cool way to see the history of Spain through the art and architecture of Segovia. Pretty awesome stuff!

El Palacio de Rio Frios (~15km outside of Segovia)

The Aqueduct that runs through Segovia

A Roman Church in the City Center

The Castle of Segovia

El Catedral de Segovia

Inside El Catedral de Segovia

May 18 - Real Madrid Stadium

2009-05-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

El Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is home to thousands of passionate Madridistas (fans) and the world famous Real Madrid Football Club (Soccer team). Today we got a backstage pass to check out the entire stadium: panoramic view from the upper seats, the trophy room, the museum of club history, and even the player benches and playing field! This one of things I wanted to see the most - and it was INCREDIBLE!

"Nose-Bleed" Seats - Quite a view!

Part of the Museum

The Trophy Room

On the Playing Field!

The new and improved Real Madrid First Team :)

Questions anyone!? The Press Room

May 17 - El Parque del Retiro

2009-05-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

I met the other students in the program for the first time at a little gathering in El Parque del Retiro. After being lost for a little bit, we finally found the rest of the group and relaxed with some cold drinks (refrescos). El Retiro is a really cool park - there is a lake, several huge water fountains, grandiose statues, a glass-enclosed museum, and a rose garden. We spent a couple of hours there just getting to know each other, hanging out, and checking out some of the street performers. Good times!

The Lake in El Retiro

A Street Performer: We couldn't get him to mess up :)

One of the MANY water fountains

A small section of the Rose Garden

May 17 - Arrival in Madrid

2009-05-17T03:31:00.001-07:00

14 hours after leaving Albuquerque, I have finally arrived in Madrid! My flight landed at 9:15am and I had gotten my bags and cleared customs by ~10:15. About 15km from the Airport, in a beautiful area of the city known as Old Madrid, is my home stay. Located on the 8th floor of a 12-story building, the apartment overlooks an awesome little park with water fountains and a small zoo. You can even see a palace (I am still trying to figure out what it is) in the distance. Bottom line: AMAZING VIEW!

My host is Senora Luisa Salama, who lives with her 18 year old daughter Susanita and a good friend Enrique. Upon arriving at the apartment, I was welcomed with a hug and kisses on both cheeks. Apparently, everyone greets each other here with hugs and kisses (which was, of course, a little awkward at first).

I am rooming with a fellow Chancellor Scholar and good friend from Vandy, Brandon Lindsay. He came into town yesterday, so he is a little more setted in and has been showing me the ropes (so to speak).

Everyone has been extremely friendly and accepting, seeing as both of us are a little (very) rusty in our Spanish speaking skills. Luisa has demanded that we speak only in Spanish - sounds good to me! Hopefully, within a few days, my Spanish will be more fluent and natural!

We have our first event today - a welcome ceremony at Parque de El Retiro where we will get to meet the other students and learn about the program details. Should be a good time.

First impressions: Madrid is a beautiful, clean city with friendly people (who speak very quickly). I can't wait to explore and learn more over the next two months :)

Views from my home stay:

Parque del Oeste

Palacio in the Distance

Departure

2009-05-15T22:07:00.001-07:00

Departing: May 16th, 2009
12:10pm: Albuquerque to Dallas Fort-Worth
5:50pm: Dallas Fort-Worth to Madrid, Spain (Barajas)
Arriving: May 17th, 2009 at 9:55am

I am almost on my way! More soon...