We didn't end up getting our train passes so we had to apply for them individually a second time (which I did today with Argentina) and for now we just have to get the 10 trip ones. Anyway on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday I have class starting at 9:00 so I have to get up around 7:00 and leave here by 8:05. It takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to walk to the train station, and then I have to walk about another 10 minutes (maybe a bit less) to get to the campus from the train station. So I usually arrive around 8:45 or 8:50. Friday I don't have class and Tuesday I just have one class at 5:45 so I usually leave around 4:45.
So far my classes are going fine. My language class and Coloquial Spanish class are actually EXTREMELY helpful as we've already gone over a ton of like real life situations so we're learning a lot of everyday conversation that I never learned in the U.S. Just like the more common way to speak and respond to people. So I'm really happy with those two classes. My Contemporary Spain class is actually really... dry, I don't know, just not fun. We've only so far talked about newspapers and tv channels and radio stations. But yeah idk. My History of Spain class is really hard. The professor just speaks SUPER fast for an hour and a half straight and I've taken at least 5 pages of notes every class and I don't even catch everything he says. So I think I'm going to buy a recording device or something. And lastly, my linguistics class, which is the direct enrollment. I've met a couple people in the class that are from Spain and I'm really liking the class so far, but we'll see.
 |
| En el Parque del Retiro |
Thursday I went on a nice long 3 hour walk with my host mom through the Parque del Retiro. I love going on walks with her because I'm learning my way around the city really fast and she knows SO much about the history of Madrid and Spain in general.
 |
| A fountain en el Parque del Retiro |
On Friday the group went on an excursion to the province of Segovia to go kayaking and to a small medieval village called Pedraza. It was sooo fun. The kayaking was great and it reminded me so much of Wyoming and Colorado. The Pedraza was also really cool because one of my favorite movies from when I was younger, Ever After, has a scene that is modeled after the Castilla de Pedraza so it was really cool to see.
Friday night I went out with the group, which I'm pretty much over now haha. But anyway then on Saturday I went shopping with some other girls from the group and then to get pizza for lunch, since Argentina was in Alcalá all day for her master's program. We also went to a tattoo and piercing shop because some girls want to get their noses pierced, but sadly they were busy so we're gonna go back later haha. Then I took Ian and Lauren on a walk through the Buen Retiro (since I'm a pro now) and then went home, had dinner with my host mom, and went to bed pretty early.
On Sunday I really wanted to go to the Hopper exhibit, since it was the last day, but when we got there it was all sold out already :( I was super sad. But then we went back to the Buen Retiro and rented the boats in the little pond thing and that ended up being super fun. Then we had a little picnic and I got home around 9, had dinner with my host mom, did some homework, and went to bed.
This Thursday we have the "Rock the Vote" event at the club Kapital which is an event for all the American students (free) and is sort of just an event for the elections upcoming. Not sure what's all happening there, but it should be cool. Then this weekend I'm going with my host mom and her friends to go hiking in the mountains, so I'll make sure I do another post next week around this time and let you guys know how all of that has gone. Then I'll be off to Germany for my first European excursion!!
Well that's all for now!
Un besito,
Jolene
No comments:
Post a Comment