2 weeks in Spain

Today was our graduation from the Instituto Franklin Universidad de Alcala. It is hard to process I will be standing in the United States in 2 weeks from today. This semester has gone by incredibly fast; however, I have made lasting relationships with people here in Spain as well as people from our group of CSU. I have unforgettable experiences that will live forever in my heart. We had a great time today during the ceremony, receiving our diplomas, spending time with friends at the picnic, and embracing the memories we have shared together this semester. Today also marked the last day of our flamenco dance class with our instructor Marta. She is an incredible person and a fantastic dance instructor. Week after week, I walked from the house to dance class with such excitement for the class to come. I hope that I can retain what I have learned from her class and bring it back for others to possibly enjoy as well. A beautiful warm day today in Alcala full of emotion and memories. Finals arrive next week, bullfight this weekend, Real Madrid soccer game on Sunday, and one last trip to the north before the return home.

These are some of my favorite pictures from Sevilla!

One Month Left

As of a month from yesterday I have exactly one month left during my time here in Spain. It is surreal to believe how fast this semester has gone by. One thought I have is it feels so long ago since my first day in Alcala walking home with my host dad Emilio, unsure of where the next four months will take me, and another though I have is it feels just like yesterday that I was in Denver International Airport saying bye to my parents and getting ready for an unforgettable adventure. Spain certainly has been a remarkable place to get to know, and I am intrigued by the Spanish way of life, culture, and family. It is also hard to believe how much I have progressed and how much I have seen over the last 3 months. I have visited a number of Spanish cities, touched the coast of Africa in Morocco, participated in some of Spain's largest festivities and celebrations such as Semana Santa and Las Fallas, eaten the Spanish food, lived and become a part of a Spanish family, and made connections with the Spanish people. My description here of course does not do my experiences in this place justice. I have one month left, and to be honest I am a little upset that my time is coming near to an end; however, I am eager to continue my adventures that await me in the States. One month left...Noah and I made a bucket list of things to do before our time is up: Real Madrid futbol game, go to Madrid for a night of fiesta and return early the next morning, get together with the CSU group in total to have another group activity and adventure, visit another city for the day, ride horses with our intercambio Marisol (who is an awesome person), and possibly attend a bullfight. I am excited to finish out this semester in Spain on a note. Then, after finals, a group of us are going to visit cities up north in wine country in hopes of one last adventure before the return home.

Semana Santa in Andalucia

Tuesday morning of this past week I finally arrived back into Alcala de Henares after 11 days of traveling with a fantastic group of people. We left the 26th of April for Sevilla/Seville for the celebrations of Semana Santa or the Spanish Holy Week. 12 of us from CSU embarked on our spring break adventure into the wonderful community of Andalucia in the South of Spain. When we arrived in Sevilla, we had one minor mishap, but everything went great for the rest of the trip. Sevilla was beautiful and probably one of my favorite Spanish cities thus far. Small streets that make the city like a labyrinth, the river dissecting the city, the orange blossoms and the sweet smell that fills the streets, the beautiful gardens, the third largest cathedral in the world, and the impressive Pasos that take place during the religious celebration are just a few to describe our experience in Sevilla. The processions in the city during holy week are like nothing I have seen before. Thousands gather, friends and family, to witness the different churces line the streets in suits that resemble the KKK in the United States but they are very traditional attire for the celebration, and some of the people hold the honor of carrying Los Pasos or the large structures of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. It is incredible to watch them navigate their way through the crowded streets blindfolded with the Spanish band playing strong and valiant behind and los penitentes (people who carry crosses asking for forgiveness). It surely is a beautiful display to appreciate on the streets of Spain.
Throughout our entire trip we managed to visit four Spanish cities in the south, the next being Cordoba. We took a day trip to Cordoba to see the Mezquita/Cathedral and the impressive Roman bridge. The cathedral was very interesting because one side and the architecture retained a strong Muslim influence where the center was clearly converted by the Christians during the 15th century. The city of Cordoba was another great to see and we had a blast as a group exploring the different sites.
I had a wonderful time with the group of 12 from CSU and our adviser Sheri Anderson who is just great. After Sevilla, the journey continued for 5 of us to arrive in Malaga and then later Granada. We spent 3 marvelous days on the beach taking in the sun, and even one night three of us guys: John McGough, Noah Sandoval, and I spent hours under the moonlight sky on the beach drinking wine and discussing life...in Spanish...A great bonding experience I will not soon forget. We did manage to see other sites such as the cathedral, el Castillo and the Alcazaba or Roman Ampitheater. Malaga was wonderful, and we had a great time in our hostal which certainly possessed a free spirit vibe with really interesting people. I love making connections with others and engaging in conversation, especially now when I can engage in conversation in a different language. It is certainly something special to cherish.
Our last city landed us in the very special city of Granada. Granada had an incredible hillside landscape with the Sierra Nevada mountains resting in the background. There we spent Easter Sunday at the cathedral and the next day at La Alhambra, the respectable antique Muslim fortress that sits proudly on top of a hill overlooking the entire city of Granada. Again, another great Spanish adventure spent with a special group of people. I will not soon forget the adventures we had during our southern Spain tour during Semana Santa 2010. What a treat it was to see the sights we saw in this incredible country. I am thankful for every moment that I spent on the trip with our group from CSU.

Las Fallas Valencia 2010

2 weekends ago I traveled down to the city of Valencia on the Mediterranean Coast for the celebration of Las Fallas, which is the huge fiesta in honor of the Patron Saint of Valencia San Jose taking place between March 15 to March 22. I traveled there with my friends John McGough and Noah Sandoval for one day of fiesta in Valencia. Thousands of people were gathered to watch the spectacles of fireworks and bonfires that spread across the city. Constantly for hours one could hear the explosions of artillery shells and pops from the endless supply of fireworks. Then at night we marvelled at the burning of Las Fallas which are these huge constructions of combustible materials that are decorated to imitate various figures and animations. It was a celebration I will not forget standing in the middle of a crowd of thousands not being able to move, watching the impressive show of music, colors, explosions, and fire, and then retreating to the beach for our own bonfire and night of fun. Pictures will be coming!

Barcelona Day 2: (already posted park guell and sagrada familia on day 1 sorry!)

Barcelona Day 1: Las Ramblas, Catedral de Santa Maria del Mar, y Flamenco!, and some of day 2