Christmas in Spain... is basically eating a lot. Ready?

-Polverones: almond powdery sweets

-Tortilla: egg, onion, potato

-Turrón: fudge-like almond butter squares (in strawberry, more almond, chocolate and cream flavors)

-almendras: almonds

And there's more; there's much more.

So. Christmas. :

-Family dinners on Christmas Eve that last until 6 in the morning, and fireworks, sparklers and poker.

-Family lunches on Christmas Day, where there are four types of cake, which you are told you must try all of them.

-Skyping with real family in the U.S, opening presents over skype.

After Christmas:

I took a trip to Pamplona, in Northern Spain, near Basque country to visit an exchange friend. Pamplona is known for the running of the bulls during San Fermines in July every year

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_of_the_Bulls )

Pictured above is the statue in the middle of Pamplona dedicated to this tradition in which over one million people come annually to watch (or participate....) But thats not for another 188 days (as I found out on the clock in Pamplona that counts down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the start of the run). But in the meantime, there are other things to do.

Pamplona is wonderful, and Navarra (the province) is BEAUTIFUL- castiles and vineyards in every direction. The town where my friend, and where i stayed is called Ciriza, which means "cherry" in the basque language (euskera). This is because, as I found out as we pulled into the family's driveway, because every house has cherry trees which bloom in the Spring in Ciriza.

So Christmas, then Pamplona, back in Tres Cantos. Relaxing, drinking my chocolate milk ( I really drink about 3 cups daily ) , studying for my "recuperation" exam in Math for when we return ( I'll admit it, I failed math class), AND, most importantly, getting ready for a ski trip to Andorra in a week. For that.. you'll have to wait for next time.

And happy (almost) 2010 (how much better does that look than 2009?).

Till the new year,

Megan

Pre-Navidad vacationing.

Week 1: SEGOVIA. On the long weekend, I went North to Segovia with an exchange friend, and it was so great to see castles (el alcázar pictured here) and aqueducts and beautiful Spanish streets. We went for a full 12 hour day and saw everything, everything.

Five days later, I took a trip to TOLEDO with my friend Toni, from Berlin and we.... didn't see everything. We stayed in McDondals, playing cards and eating bread with cheese on account of the freezing cold outside and not having any money left. It was great, but a little non-toledo-ish. The next day we went to the Madrileño flea market and later tried to go into the soccer stadium, but didn't enter since we refused to pay 30 euros to look at grass in a building. So we saw the Madrid decorations and enjoyed a nice wintery day.

This week is the last full week of school before the holidays, so that means grades come out, and everyone stresses. But in one week, it will be christmas, and everyone will be jolly again, sitting around the family table, singing songs (I made that part up) and eating polverones and chuches.

p.s. first snow today.

Whirlwind of a two week, nonstop, gogogo... : Weekend in Madrid with American friends, then day-trip to the north of Madrid to visit little "pueblos" (one of which is famous for having life-size dinosaur statues all over the town(?), and then my parents and sister came- (the real, biological ones). This week... I'm going to have to sleep. and sleep.

Thanksgiving was very un-thanksgiving-ish, but enjoyable nonetheless. My family and I went to a Rotary function where we had some "turkey" (hey, they tried) and some typical Spanish sides. And the next night, my family and I went to FLAMENCO dancing, which was wonderful- how can anyone move their feet so fast? And Saturday we did touristy things, we took a walking tour, went to the Royal palace, bought overpriced souvenirs, things like this.

And we ate Mexican food, Indian food- o how i've missed my spices.

And seven hours ago, the family left for Paris (don't get jealous, its just a layover), and then the USA. And now I go to school tomorrow, study for a poetry test and do math homework. How strange is this double life.

Andalusia. is. beautiful.

But not in the breathtaking-white-sand-white-beaches way. Its beautiful in the way that when you're walking along a narrow cobblestone street at night, you hear flamenco music and have to go flat against the wall to let the motorcycles pass. And that outside of the mesquitas and catedrales there are dancers and gypsies and accordion players.

And in the way that there are little "pueblos" in the mountains where all the houses are white and where the kids hang out in the abandoned castle (a real castle) on friday nights.

Basically, andalusia, where I went this past week with a school group, is wonderful. We went Sunday morning and arrived in SEVILLA where we met students from Northern Spain and Southern Spain. We explored the Giralda and did tourist-y things. Monday we spent in CADIZ, which has beautiful streets and good ice-cream (:

Tuesday was a hike in the mountains with churros and then to RONDA for shopping. Wednesday we went to MÁLAGA and did the museum route. Thursday we rode bikes high in the mountains in via verde and then had the afternoon to explore the castle in the little pueblo where I was living for the week. Later I played soccer and got the chance to ride a motorcycle. Which was AWESOME. Then Friday we set off for CÓRDOBA where we visited the mosque/cathedral and other places that they told us were very important and historic (but I can't seem to remember the names of...?). We ate at a buffet and walked around the beautiful, narrow streets with names like "street of the flowers" and "street of good health". Saturday we had mostly free- to shop, walk, explore, eat at burger king... things of this nature. We then left beautiful Andalusia.

Andalusia....

I HAVE POP-TARTS! and Duncan Hines home-style cream cheese frosting, and reese's peanut butter cups. Why? because there just happens to be a little market in Madrid called "Taste of America." The frosting is now hidden behind the books on my shelf with a little spoon. Shh, don't tell.

So comfort food: check.

Weekly dose of family bonding: check. (We went to another family birthday party and I played with transformers and barbie dolls with the host cousins. This week, no lighters)

Halloween: Check.

Someone asked me how halloween works in Spain. And here is how it is:

First you get lost looking for your friends in the wrong place. They call you and you tell them that you are near the "house of the youth" they tell you that you are in the wrong part of town. You find them after 30 minutes of searching and realize that you probably should have dressed up, because you look like a freak in jeans and a sweatshirt. So your friend gives you some wings and a witch hat and your on your way. You ride in the back of a van to get to a farm in the outskirts of your town. You pay 3 euros and your in. You talk to people from your class as you drink coca-cola. then you go into the 'passage of terror' which is possibly the most ridiculous and fantastically lame thing you've ever waited an hour for, in a pushing, angry croud of spanish teenagers. And then you listen to screamo music and pretend to like it. Then you go back in the van and listen to Britney Spears the whole way home. And you had a good time.

I missed the pumpkin picking, the carving, the candy and scarecrows, but Halloween here in Spain was definitely memorable. When would I ever have the opportunity to go to a farm party with screamo music and a 'passage of terror' in a barn in the U.S?

And God fix: check. Missionary church today.

Good week: check.

Going to Cadiz, Spain next week: check. I'll tell you all about it next blog (:

This weekend was fantastic, because i got to see the beauty of Madrid. Madrid is a wonderful city, but it is not particularly beautiful, that is, unless you go to the Sierra Mountains just to the north of the city and hike eight kilometers up to Peñalara Peak.

About 30 other Rotary exchange students and I spent Saturday hiking in the Peñalara Park, where we found snowy peaks and beautiful views of the city below. Nothing compares to eating jamón york on the highest point in all of the Madrid area.

Then today, I stayed with my exchange student friend, Eliza, who lives in Madrid, and went to the Rastro, which is the biggest (and best, or so they say) flea marked in all of Spain. It was huge and wonderful. I bought pins, old photographs or Holland and France, used stamps of Spain and bag-fulls of gummy-candy. I was tempted to buy a golden buddha that said SPAIN on it, just because it was ridiculous and would look great on my bed stand, but I ran out of funds and had to resist.

Madrid has a lot to offer, so if you are planning a trip to the city, don't forget that there's more to this wonderful capital than just "tapas" and the Prado (:

Assimilation is what its called. I'm beginning to think a little bit more like a Spaniard. I've found that for the most part, the values are different here. Sports, friends, tidiness, food and school are important. Whenever I asked what people did after school, they would tell me "we study." I figured this to mean that they go out with friends, go for a walk, play sports, go on the computer, and hang out with their families. After a month of school I finally have figured out what they mean: they mean that they study-- real, legitimate studying. I was surprised too.

I went to another family lunch this weekend and played with lighters with my four year old "cousin", which was probably a very bad idea, but it was fun, because there were about 20 different types and brands. Also we looked at photographs of weddings and trips and its interesting to think that while I was living my life, somewhere far away, this family was living their life, only I had no idea. So Saturday is family day.

And friday is hanging out with friends day. There are three options:

1. You go to the "forest" (Its okay, I don't understand this either)

2. You go into Madrid and shop at the "English Court".

3. You walk around Tres Cantos in a small group and go in and out of supermarkets and buy pringles and sunflower seeds.

I usually opt for option three, but they are all pretty fun.

And on Sundays you study and watch soccer and car-racing: Formula 1, on TV, then you eat a big lunch and sleep and rest for the long week ahead. And for me it now includes going to church, because I found a tiny, little community church that has an American pastor as well as "crazy-cake" and cookies after the service (Grandpa, you can breathe now)

And that is the typical weekend in Spain. I've experienced six weekends, and I'm beginning to catch the flow: school --> friends --> family --> rest.

It makes sense, right?

I turned 17 this week. And birthdays are pretty big in Spain. I was walking out of my apartment building on Wednesday morning to go to school and I heard some friends across the street singing Happy Birthday to me. And we had American brownies with milk. It was a good day.

Things I learned this week:

-Good restaurants are not open on Sunday nights. So don't expect to go to an exotic Indian restaurant because you'll end up eating lo mein at the chinese restaurant next door.

-There are a lot of missionary kids in Tres Cantos. Well, 6.

- Everyone has a personal Saint, and today is Saint Pilar's day. Which is my host mother's saint, and the Saint that watches over the Military.

-"International Music Concert" really means 30 people making animal noises and mimicking sirens, all at the same time.

-A three day weekend is called "a bridge" in translation.

- Age doesn't seem to matter that much in Spain. A 13 year old can be friends with a 19 year old, no problem.

And today is a national holiday in both Spain and the U.S. I like that.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and thoughts!

This weekend was a weekend of discussions. I had a wonderful debate about communism on Friday (in Spanish of course), on Sunday was philosophy with my American friend- about religion, morality and all that good stuff. And today was politics- from stereotypes to the Vietnam War and Palestine. Politics. In Spanish. I'm not sure how that happened.

And it was also the Medieval Festival here in Tres Cantos, which had glass blowing, ancient torture devices, chocolate pastries with little mystery dried fruits inside (?) , and incense and goat cheese.

And today marks the third week I have been here. And tomorrow is school. And right now I am going to do my "deberes" which means homework in Spanish, but really translates into "shoulds". I am glad they are called shoulds and not musts. But these shoulds are a little over my head. I wish they were called 'its okay if you can't do these because you don't speak Spanish'... but sadly they are called shoulds, so here i go, because I probably should...

MADRID! Last night I went to Madrid, and it was incredible.

Elvis Perkins in concert was fabulous, as was his opening act, Dawn Landes. Somehow my friend Eliza got our names on "the list" and we squeezed our way up to the first row in front of the stage. After the concert, we got to talk a few seconds with one of the band members, and we talked with Elvis on the street before the show, so I'd say it was a definite success.

And the Madrid metro is possibly the most sensible invention since post-its. It just makes sense. All of Madrid makes sense, like how I found out that in Starbucks in Madrid, "especial para los niños" means that if you are not a "niño" (little kid), then you cannot order off that menu. It makes sense. I don't like it, but it does makes sense.

I am starting school in... 24 minutes. So we'll see. (school to left)

In the last three days three blog-worthy things have happened:

1. I cooked my first meal in a foreign country by myself, so I had to go grocery shopping and figure out that "ajo" means garlic just as "comino" means cumin. The family did not like the meal so much, but it was a nice reminder of food from home, even though the food here is delicious.

2. I was sitting by myself in the kitchen when I spilled juice on my pants, and I reprimanded myself in Spanish, though there was no one there to hear, and for this I felt pretty proud.

3. My family and I went to a chinese restaurant (which is the closest thing to something familiar in this whole country) and for dessert, I didn't know what to order, so my host mom just ordered the same thing for me as she did for herself. So when it came out, I found out that she had ordered 2 huge bowls of whipped cream with three nuts on top. Just whipped cream in a huge crystal bowl. It was... wonderful.

ONE WEEK

Its been.. One Week. One week and fourteen hours. This past weekend I was at a Rotary retreat with about 60 Americans and a few Austrains, Germans and Canadians, but basically, the U.S took over a square mile (kilometer?) of Spain this weekend. It was nice to see that others are just as scared and excited as I am, and it definitely was nice to meet people that live in the Madrid area, so hopefully we can get together sometime soon and speak English (: Although truly, it is pretty fun practicing my Spanish and laughing at how I cannot roll my rrrrs for the life of me.

And today I took a nice long nap, and took a walk around my city, and so now I can succesfuly walk myself to the bank, the candy shop, the ¨chino¨(the Spaniards coined it, not me--a shop run by a chinese couple), the super market, the school, the park and the bread shop. Later I went with some other kids to the candy shop and guitars were played, and ipods were used and it was a nice relaxing night, like almost every night here, because people here are just very laidback and awesome.

And I learned today that ¨mini-me¨from the Austin Powers movies, in Spanish, is called ¨mini-yo¨, which for some reason, I find hilarious. And I learned the expression ¨flipa!¨which is a hardcore way of saying WOW.

But most exciting of all, I found out that I am going to Madrid on Wednesday to see a band (of friends of friends) and go to the Prado and we´ll just ¨dar una vuelta¨ which in this case means just take a walk, but it can really mean whatever you want it to, in whatever context. So I am excited for Madrid, excited to make mexican tortilla lime soup for my family for lunch tomorrow, excited to start school on Thursday, and mostly just excited to become Spanish-ish, and to have the opportunity to take a look through someone else´s eyes*.

Works cited: *Phil Collins, for writing ¨Look Through My Eyes¨for the soundtrack of Brother Bear, and for the song being on continual repeat for hours on the Bus in Baja Mexico (:

And this song, surprisingly enough, is one of my modivatonal lyrical devices that sums up what I´m intending to do here, in a very cheesy and phil collins-ey way.

Second day : I can already feel my spanish improving, but ¨como, que, repite¨ is really all i say. Everyone plays the guitar and knows American bands; I think i´ll have to learn myself. Today I went for a ride in the car to see the centro and to a neigboring city; i went to the park with Sara´s friends, and later to the icecream shop where about 30 16-17 year olds meet everyday at 6:30. And then they go to the caseta or the park or a movie, today we walked around the farms in Tres Cantos.

Well its my first day; i feel like its been a lifetime though. Everyone is nice, friendly, wonderful, but in Spanish of course. My flight was uneventful, i slept and left, but after leaving customs, i don´t think ´´uneventful´´ can be in my vocabulary for the rest of this week. Its different: pink toilet paper, dinner at 10 (full sized pizzas for each person?!) , soccer after dark, everyone plays the guitar. Its all wonderful, its all different. But thats the point, right?

Before..

11 full days left in Madison. Its going so quickly, and I'm trying to fit in everything in before i head off to Tres Cantos, Spain (Pictured above). My to-do list is longer than any I have had before, and my sleep hours are weirder than they have been in a long time, but I'm enjoying Madison and all of its little-town-ness. I am trying to improve my Spanish before I leave: 20 minutes of univision, channel 6 TV helps a bit, and my newest vocab words:
parir: to give birth, pesar: regret, desafico: challenge, fregadero: kitchen sink.
maybe some of these will somehow be useful?
Well, I have my visa, I have my ticket, my host family and host school, so its all in place. So... 11 days, 11 days.