One month in, and we're starting to get into the swing of our schedules and our environment, but we've also embarked on many outings as well. Things are starting to feel familiar, and navigating around the city is significantly less intimidating than before. Yay! Aaand I've come to realize I may spend half of my euros on chocolate-filled croissants, empanadillas, and chocolate and churros, because they happen to be, perhaps unfortunately, much too convenient to find, and much too delicious to pass up (big uh-oh).
I've also started to notice a slight (and I mean really slight) difference in my comprehension, and I’ve been told a few times that my accent, if anything has improved. One of my Spanish sisters commented the other day that I didn’t sound the least bit foreign after one of our brief conversations, but I know that that comes and goes, cause I still have to think a lot before I speak. But I feel like I’ve been able to adjust to listening to the general “Spain” Spanish accent, making it a bit easier to hear certain words, but after learning from mostly South/Central American Spanish accents throughout my education, it’s made a much more significant impact on how I hear things than I thought it would. But things are seemingly fine, if not better, and I feel like I really am learning something new every day.
On a more trivial note, it’s also still only rained here once, we’ve maybe had two overcast days, so the sky is typically a cloudless, blissful blue. This may change as fall approaches, but so far I can’t complain! The fickle temperatures of September are still persistent here as at home, but with much greater extremes. I’ll leave the house in the morning in 50-degree weather and return as it’s approaching 90. I don’t intend to brag, especially to those who have dealt with torrential rain the last month of summer, I actually feel really bad! But.. yep, it’s been four weeks and my screen-less window is still wide open. :] I'm sure that statement will bite me in the butt in a matter of two weeks, because apparently when the cold comes here there's not much warning!
We are loving life in Alcalá, but we've also spent a significant amount of time on the road already! Here's some brief detail of our traveling adventures as a group thus far, and observe, our destination points thus far marked in purple:
Our third day in Spain we left on our first adventure with Maria Jose, our program director here in Alcalá, to Asturias in the northwest. Her husband and two sons also accompanied us, and made the ride much more amusing. Each time we boarded the bus, Manuel would walk the aisle counting us and would constantly stick his head up in front to say hi to the rest of the bus. A five-hour drive through the Spanish countryside allowed us to see terrain outside of the city, much of which resembled what I would describe as the Tuscany of Spain, partially for its endless fields of sunflowers. As we passed through the mountains where we could see the climate drastically change; no longer was the land dry and dusty, but rather, quite lush and green due to the rain shadow caused by the mountains keeping the coastal air contained in the valleys.
We stopped first in Oviedo to wander and enjoy lunch, where many of us were able to try traditional Asturian foods and drink (fabada, a bean stew, and cidra, a bitter alcoholic cider). We then continued to Gijon, a small coastal city in Asturias where we would be staying for the weekend. There we were able to enjoy the beach for a bit (however brisk and overcast!), walk along the boardwalk and eat together.
Oviedo
Gijon
Our second day out in Asturias, we drove further into the mountains to see the Basilica of Santa María la Real of Covadonga that marks the territory of the battle against the Moors led by Christian king Don Pelayo at the start of the Spanish Reconquista, and also the site where the Virgin Mary appeared to the soldiers in a cave along one of the mountains. We visited the chapel that was built into the cave, and the fountain below the cave that promised marriage to those who drank from it, and I’m pretty sure we all took a sip soo we shall see!
While there, we took a ride up the mountain to see the view of the coast and the glacial lakes that had formed at the top. We passed many cows and sheep grazing on the hillsides, and we were awed by the dewy silence that embraced the mountaintop. Since I was told we would be hiking and canoeing for the day, I brought my film camera for that day, so those photos will have to wait!
After visiting the Basilica we went on an afternoon river canoeing adventure as a group, which was en excursion to say the least. We were handed wet suits and waterproof buckets that held our lunches, and then we were given a very quick tutorial on paddling in Spanish, only to be pushed into the river in canoes of two from a wooden chute, with Maria Jose waving us off from the dry shore. Along the way we passed many cows just chillin’ and grazing near the river, and we stopped to eat our “ham” sandwiches, laugh, and complain about how tired we already were. Exciting as it was to navigate the few rapids and keep the group of 16 together, we were cold and exhausted and not exactly fit for three more hours of paddling, but it was a fun bonding experience nonetheless! Sleep felt good after that.
After checking out of the hotel the next day, we headed for more coastal regions in Asturias, including Cabo de Peñas, the northernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, which had an incredible view of the Bay of Biscay from the cliffs. We also stopped at two other beaches, one where we were able to spend the afternoon relaxing on the sand before heading on our long drive back to Alcalá.
Cabo de Peñas
Since Asturias, we have been into Madrid several times for the afternoon, and planned our own trip as a group to Valencia. In Madrid we have rented row boats in el Parque de Retiro, gone shopping on Gran Via and at el Rastro (street market held each Sunday), and seen a few famous sites with Maria Jose such as la Plaza Mayor, el Palacio Real, and Sol, the actual center point of Spain.
el Parque de Retiro
In Valencia we experienced what it’s like to stay in a hostel (which turned out to be a really clean and friendly place to stay!), to carry everything we need on our backs, and to explore a Spanish city without a guide. We visited the gorgeous Cathedral of Valencia and spent one of our days at the beach which was absolutely beautiful. It was quite the adventure, but we managed to pack in a lot of fun and still make our buses there and back.
La Catedral del Santo Cáliz
Although I didn't attend mass at the cathedral in Valencia, I did go this past weekend to mass at the cathedral in Alcalá, and although I could hardly comprehend anything, being able to practice the same faith in a different culture was renewing and an awesome experience. I'm hoping to learn at least some of the prayers in Spanish so by the end of the semester I'll hopefully be able to actually participate.
Right as we started getting into the groove of our class schedule, our first class actually ends next week, and our final exam is on Monday. And the following week we will continue with our other five classes! But fear not, the travel doesn’t end here! This weekend we will be going to El Escorial y El Valle de los Caídos with Maria Jose, next week I will be leaving with a few friends for London and Paris, and the weekend after most of the group is going to Barcelona!
More soon! 'sta luego! :]