Saturday, March 7, 2009
Emma Wilson
Today we had to say our good-byes. I woke up at 5:15 am to be at the school for 6 am. I was the first one there, and I began to panic when no one else was there, not even the bus! Everyone wanted to be there before 6 am but with the Spainsh culture, it's always 20-30 minutes later than expected. Giving everyone hugs and sharing tears really made the time fly by until we were late leaving. The bus ride to Madrid was very quiet. I think we were all thinking about how much we were going to miss everyone. When we got to the airport we saw Angeles, our tour guide, again. She helped us get our bags checked and then said good-bye. We had about 3 hours in the Madrid airport, most people walked around. On the plane I sat with Meghan and Sara. I was falling asleep the whole time, I think the only time I spent awake was to eat. I don't think either of them slept the whole 9 hours. When we landed in Philidelphia I couldn't believe our time in Spain was over and we were back in America. To waste our time in our very long layover we walked around again and Sara, Rachel, and I read magazines. The plane ride from Philly to Burlington was only a little under two hours, I think, and I sat with Rachel. We spent the first 30 minutes laughing about nothing because we were so tired after a 22 hour day, then we finally fell asleep on each other. When we got out of the terminal in Burlington all of our families were there waiting for us, some were even holding signs, no one wanted to go first. It feels nice to be home, but I miss Spain and will never forget it.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sara Weinberg
Today, I started off my day in a Language Arts class at 8A.M. At 9A.M., all the American students of the exchange met in the library. Rachel, Lindsay, Meghan, and I played cards while we waited for a guide to arrive to take us shopping. About an hour later, Diego´s mother was kind enough to take all 20 of us to the downtown area, alone. We shopped in the region of La Plaza Mayor, a large courtyard that houses many souvenier shops and a few restaurants. For the majority of the time, Emma and I wandered the streets, trying to find a store we hadn´t gone into yet. We went to the grocery store, where I bought a bunch of Kinder chocolate. We next explored a perfume store, but left rather quickly. An hour later, we found ourselves empty handed (except for my Kinder chocolate), so we continued on to the next street with the group. We had to be back at La Plaza Mayor at 12:30P.M., so we only had an hour to check out the surrounding streets. We had never been to this area, so we were not familiar with the stores. Emma and I wandered from store to store, until we found ourselves back on the original street. Finally, we gave in and went to Zara for the fifth time. Prior times, I had been uninterested in the selection, but this time I found many things I liked. We ran into a lot of our classmates here, including Gabby, Haley, and others. When we met back at La Plaza Mayor, Diego´s mother said that we could continue to shop if we needed more souveniers, so I went to a couple souvenier shops, then to a jewelry store. When we returned to La Plaza Mayor, everyone was ready, so we walked to the bus station and rode the bus back to El Colegio Montessori. Our students were in class, so we went to the library. Rachel, Lauren and I played cards, until about 2P.M., when Vega came to get me. We walked home, ate lunch, then I packed up my suitcase. At 6:30P.M., I am going to go see Marta and some friends; then, later tonight, everyone will be getting together for one last hoorah!
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Daniel Tolan
I arose at six to do my traditional half hour of exercise on the elliptical before getting prepared for the day. Once I had done my exercise for the day I washed, put on my uniform, and headed downstairs for breakfast. On this day we had the choice of a variety of fruit, cornflakes, coco pops, doughnuts, and assorted local pastries. We made a swift departure at 7.40 as we commuted to the Colegio Montessori from Villamayor, the town in which Diego resides.
The day got off to an enjoyable start as we had my favourite teacher, Don Chisco, for Philosophy. Once this class ended, our group reunited at 9.00 and discussed the events of the Capea from the day before.
Once we had finished sharing, we reunited with our Spanish students to go take our tapas break. Diego, Iván, Enrique, and I went to the supermarket. This was unusual as we normally went to a tapas bar for our peridium of patatas bravas. However, we went to the supermarket for more food as we would be in class until three compared to the usual release time of two. So for tapas I split a tuna pastry, and then a chocolate pastry with Iván.
Upon returning to the school we had to do our first round of presentations. I was terribly excited for this as Diego’s little brother Carlos was in the audience. So, Ryan and I told the class of 10 year olds all about American food, and foods unique to Vermont. After presenting, I went on to technical drawing, a very practical class, but very deadpan. Once classes were done for the day, we ate lunch at the school. I was pleasantly surprised with the lunch provided by the school, as the fish was quite delicious.
Once we had alleviated our hunger, we went on to play soccer, and then went home to rest. That evening, we went into the town with the group. We stopped off at a couple of bars before settling on a location to play foosball, here Iván and I squared off with Diego and Chris in a few rounds before calling it a night.
Upon returning to the house, we had another heaping dinner prepared for us, which as always was delicious. Directly after, I returned to my bedroom, as the day had been full of activity.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Haley Leavitt
Today we went to class like the other days with our students. At one o’clock we all had early dismissals with our Spanish students. Maria, Lindsay and I went back to Maria’s house for lunch. We relaxed for about an hour and then we went off to a capea on a ranch owned by a grandfather whose granddaughter was hosting a student. A capea is a place where they train young bulls and young matadors to bull fight. When we first got to the ranch they let us play with a bull that had lost it’s mother and so it was raised by humans. The bull was really nice and allowed us to take pictures with him and pat him. After that we watched three young bulls run around while the matadors waved their flags at it. Once the last bull was really tired, Kyle Giard-Chase, Jon Lee, and Phil Charash all went in the ring and got to train with the matadors. This was really fun to watch. After the bulls were put back, we all hung out and played football and soccer and walked around the ranch. The parents brought a huge spread of food with meat, cheese, bread, pastries, cookies, and deserts. It was all delicious. We all ate food and sat around a campfire for the rest of the night. At nine o’clock I went back to Maria’s house and went right to bed because I was very tired. We had a great day.
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Monday, March 2, 2009
Samantha Gagnon
Today I went to school around 9 am with my host mother and sister and brother. My exchange student stay home from school today because she had a headache...or at least that what I think...Anyway, when I got to the school we all met as a group and we met with Valencia and Phillips. Today we got some sad news that Antonio would not be with us for the rest of the exchange so today was pretty chaotic. Nancy took Ryan, Gabby and I to a classroom in the other building of the school to observe the class for a few hours. These students were two and three-year-olds. We immediately identified the trouble makers of the class, the first being a kid named Hugo. The second, and worst, I do not know the name of. This kid was put in time-out by the teacher for making another student drink a cup of crayons and doing so himself. While in time-out, he repeatedly tried to steal my bag, shoes and foot. Then Ryan and I switched places and he didn´t dare do it to Ryan.
After about an hour Gabby and I moved to another classroom of fifth graders. They LOVED us. They were jumping all over us and asking us tons of questions. Eventually we got them to settle down. There was an uproar of boo´s and hooray´s when they asked us what our favorite soccer team was and we replied Real Madrid. Later I went home and had lunch with my host family. We ate chicken, tortilla de patatas (my favorite Spanish dish), bread, salad, and pineapple juice. After lunch, my host mother took me to meet the other Americans. We went to a meat pie factory that makes Hornazos which are a kind of empanada (fancy name for meat pie) that has ham, Chorizo, y lomo(a thin pork) in it. It is eaten around this time of the year, during Lent, at picnics out in the country. After we ate and ate and ate, we went to a mall right outside of the center city called El Tormes. Here we shopped at Blanco, Zara, H&M, Mango and others. We also complained about how expensive McDonalds is in Spain (7 american dollars just for a McChicken). Maria, Rachel, Mica, Kyle, Lauren, Ana and I missed the bus so we had to wait twenty minutes until the next bus came. Once we got off the bus I walked home with Rachel and Maria and fell asleep soon after that.
Lindsay Huyer
Today, I woke up at 7:30 for school at 8. I went to (my host student's) first class, which was calculus. Then all of the American students went to the computer lab to work on our projects for Wednesday. After about 45 minutes to work on our projects, we all went for break at 10:00 to a small cafe across the street from the school. Today, I got a spanish omelette with ham and cheese but I usually have patatas (potatoes with a sauce on it that I don´t really know what it is but tastes so good). When we finished eating at the cafe, we went to a candy store next door. The candy here is delicious, I love it, I get it almost every day.
When we returned to the school we split up into groups of three to go to the classes of the little kids. I was in a group with Jon Lee and Chris Messer. The kids were really cute--I think they were 3 or 4. In the class, we read them the story ¿Donde esta el Nieve? They also had English class while we were there. They were learning colors and numbers in English. When we left this class, I went to a 6th grade class with Kyle Giard-Chase, which was interesting because the whole time we were there they were asking questions. One of the kids asked what we eat in the U.S., because they think that all we eat in the U.S. are hamburgers and fastfood.
When this class ended, I went home for lunch, then left for the meat pie factory. They showed us how to make the traditional meat pies and then after that they gave us pizza to eat.... it was really good. When we left the factory, we all went to a mall nearby and shopped for a couple hours then Kale, Emma and I caught the bus to go meet up with Lucia at the river at around 9:15. Before we went home, Lucia took me to a cafe with some of her friends. By the time we left for her house it was around 10:30, so we got a ride with her friend Luis. As soon as we arrived home, I ate some bread with nutella and a yogurt, then finally got to bed at 11:15.
Sunday March 29, 2009
Kyle Nolting
I woke up this morning at 1 in the afternoon after a night of Discotecas. Today was a family day so after waking and eating breakfast/ lunch Mica and I went on a walk down to el Rio Tormes, the famous river that borders the city of Salamanca. Both of us dressed warmly and hiked down the hills from her neighborhood. Although it was cold when we first started, the sun came out and warmed up the countryside. Mica and I walked around listening to music on her IPod, singing, and remembering what concerts we have been too. Our walk back to the house took us through the old part of town with the European characteristic rundown houses and old folks peering at us from their doorsteps. Waiting for us back home was a heaping pile of delicious pasta with seaweed. Mica’s mother is Italian so I’m fortunate to have a lot of pasta, no offense to traditional Spanish food lovers.
After lunch Mica and I took the bus downtown to see Slumdog Millionare with some friends. Even though it was in Spanish, I understand everything. After the movie, which was good, we met up with some more students and had some ice cream at the local milkshake café. I ordered a huge plate of chocolate covered sundae. It was the most amazing thing I had ever eaten in my entire life. My peaceful Sunday afternoon ended having another great meal at home and watching Futbol with Mica’s Dad.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Ryan Corey
Today we went to Portugal. I woke up at 7:45 a.m. and went to the school with my exchange student. We got on the bus and drove for about an hour and got off in this village called Ciudad Rodrigo. We walked around there for about two hours just looking at the village. Then we went to Portugal. There wasn´t really a border for Spain and Portugal. We stopped at this market where gypsies were selling their fake designer clothes and broken toys for kids. Then we ate at this restaurant. I was disgusted by this restaurant. First of all, my silverware and my glass were dirty which made me lose my appetite. The first course came out and... I was told it was fish and potatoes but I couldn´t tell. After that we had some steak and chicken which was actually pretty good. After the restaurant we went on a guided tour of the Portuguese town. This was great because the tour guide was speaking Portuguese so we had to translate it to Spanish and then translate it again to English. The town looked like it was abandoned because there were very few people and a lot of random abandoned dogs. We saw many fields with lots of either sheep or goats, I couldn´t tell. After the tour, we got back on the bus to go home. But, surprise, we didn´t go straight home, we stopped at this truck stop near the border for like an hour. That was really fun. After that there was another hour of driving and then we finally got home. At 9:00, we went downtown to go to the clubs in Salamanca. This was very fun. The main club that we went to was owned by my host father so a lot of my exchange students friends went there. We got home around 2:00 and I went straight to bed.
Lauren Mihan
Today was the day we went on our excursion to Portugal. We woke up about the same time as we do for school and met at the Montessori. My student had never been to the part of Portugal that we were going to so it was new for us both. We departed around 9 a.m. On the way, well after an hour or so, we went to pick up Haley and Maria because they lived so much farther away than the rest of us.
The first place we stopped at was a small town around the border to stretch our legs, use the bathroom, and look at a church built there. We then had about an hour to walk around the plaza, just students. Most of us ended up buying some sort of food then sitting on a wall with a great view of the neighboring city. We got back on the bus and made our way to Portugal.
By the time we arrived, it was around time for lunch. We had reservations as a small restaurant right outside the city of Almeida which we would later be touring. There was a flea type market taking place outside, which was a little weird because most of the people were gypsies, but it was cool to see. The food at the restaurant was okay, not the best, but good. The dessert was my favorite, of course. Who could turn down a bowl of chocolate mousse?
The city of Almeida was really interesting. It was very old, so the architecture wasn't outstanding, but the unique thing was the shape the town was built in. From a bird's eye view, the town looked like a star with six points. The whole perimeter was enclosed with a stone wall, which must have taken years and years to build. Our tour guide spoke Portuguese so it was twice as difficult to understand what she was saying, but being able to walk in the city we could basically get the gist of it.
Towards the end of the day, I personally was exhausted and also wasn't feeling 100%. The bus ride home was the perfect place for a two hour siesta. I was really glad I slept too, because all of the spanish kids wanted to meet later in the evening to hang out. I stayed with Rachel and Fra while Ana spent time with her boyfriend. He is in the military and she only gets to see him maybe once a month or so. I met him later and really liked him. He was very nice and his English was extremely good, which was great!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Paul Bracchitta
I got out of bed at around 7:40 in the morning. This was a little bit late, seeing as I now had only 20 minutes to shower, get dressed, eat, and brush teeth. I decided to stuff a few muffins in my pocket, brush my teeth in under a minute, and shower so fast I barely had time to get wet. I was under the impression that today the American students did not need to dress up for school. However, when I walked into class, there was Dan, Chris, and Sam all dressed up. Sick, I thought. I didn't exactly blend with my neon blue t-shirt. After one class, all the Americans met up in the Green Chair room, which got its name because there are green chairs. We walked out to a bus stop and waited for about 20 minutes before a bus came to get us. We got off at one of the entrances to the University of Salamanca. It was pretty ornate, and hidden somewhere in the decoration was a frog about the size of your fist. Facing this facade, there was a wall that had a bunch of faded red writing on it. We soon learned that this writing was pig's blood, and written on the wall were the names of students who had received their medical degree.
We walked through this building and into an old courtyard where we saw old stones and an old well, but the old stone carvings and statues were very pretty. After leaving this courtyard, we trekked to the New Cathedral of Salamanca. We walked around inside while the guide fed us bits of history in the various rooms. It was quite interesting, despite the fact that we had already seen three cathedrals which were all very similar in style and design. Mr. Phillips and I explored this room where two of the tombs were slightly cracked open, but not much was visible. The guide told us a story about hazing in its early stage: way back when, the professors would lock a group of students in this cathedral tomb for the night. For what, I have forgotten, but it had something to do with school and graduating and getting some degree. The students were given food through this little grill and just sat in this cold stone room about the size of the SBHS lobby's carpet for the whole night, chillin' with a dead bishop who's grave was right in the center of the room. I'd be a little sketched out if I had to sit there for the night.
After this little excursion, we went to Tourist Avenue and I walked up and down the street quite a few times but didn't buy anything except for some plastic-tasting candy. Soon we returned back to Montesorri School and Alberto and I walked to his house to chow down on this huge lunch of bread soup, which was incredibly odd, then beans with rice, followed by fish, and lastly strawberries with cream. I also ate about a half a loaf of bread. After an hour of digestion, we walked to one of the numerous parks in Salamanca. Almost immediately, we left because I had to go to the Post office to pick up some money, which was a real hassle to get in Spain. After a good hour, we returned to the park and sat on some stairs and relaxed. Eventually, we returned back home and looked at some YouTube videos of people randomly wiping out doing various activities. Then i went to bed because tomorrow we were going to Portugal.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Rachel Blair
Hola, today was our first normal day of school at the Colegio Montessori. We all got to experience what a normal day at school is like for our Spanish students. It was interesting to see how different classes were run and how different each teacher was. I noticed that some classes were much more relaxed than the others and that some teachers were much more strict with their students. I also noticed many differences than the classes in Vermont. Here you are not allowed to put your feet on the seat and yawning is considered rude, while in Vermont neither of those things are a big deal to our teachers. It was very difficult for me to understand what was going on in most of my classes because all the students and teachers talk so fast that I can´t tell what they are saying. All the people are very nice and I have become friends with many of the other students.
After school, I went with one of the other girls on the exchange, Lauren, to her host student, Ana´s, house to have lunch while my host student, Maria, was studying for her exams. They have a lot of exams within the next couple of weeks. At Ana´s we had pork and mashed potatos for lunch, which were both really good. After lunch Lauren, Ana, Ana´s cousin, and I all started watching Friends until Lauren and I fell asleep for a two hour nap (or siesta). After our nap we went with Ana to a park in Salamanca, by the Cathedral, with a big group of other Spanish and American students. We all hung out in the park for a couple of hours and then a group of us went our for dinner around 9 30. The food here is so good. I didn´t know if I would like any of it but I ended up liking almost everything I tried. After dinner Maria and I went home and I took a shower and went to bed early because I was very tired. We have very busy days here but it´s amazing.
Wednesday, February 25th.
Jonathan Lee
Today started off like any other. I woke up at seven in the morning, ate a breakfast of ¨Frosties¨ and toast, and took a shower. However, today was unique in that it was also our first day of class at Montessori. I donned the specified SB uniform (black pants, white shirt, black sweater) and caught the bus to school with Kike.
Class in Spain is a bit different from in the US. I find that ours are much more interactive and interesting (perhaps it was the language barrier). The teachers here are a lot more strict (you´re not permitted to fidget around, make noise, or leave the classroom). Nonetheless, the day passed by relatively smoothly. I listened to a few classes (including philosophy, which is taught by this hilarious guy who pronounced Phil´s name ¨Phlollop¨) and did homework the rest of the time.
Around midday, the juniors and seniors from Montessori took a break to prepare a welcoming celebration for us. We were all packed into a relatively small room and listened to short speeches by Mr. Phillips, Sra. Valencia, Mrs. Walker, the director of the school, and Antonio before participating in the introductions of the Americans by the Spaniards. Basically, it was hilarious. Diego started off by describing Chris Messier in great detail and then stating quite simply ¨Dan is a normal kid.¨ Everyone laughed really hard. Other highlights included Mika´s presentation of Kyle Nolting. As soon as they stood up together everyone started applauding (he´s about twice her height). After the presentations were completed, three younger Spanish students dressed in traditional clothing gave us bags of goodies including a hat and a small flag.
After school, I walked home with Kike and was bombarded with the biggest lunch I´ve ever eaten in my entire life. We were seated immediately after entering the house and didn´t get up until we had devoured the three-plate meal of rice and eggs, steak, and pasta with beef (all served with salad and bread). The bread is very typical here and it is eaten with practically every meal. For dessert I ate a piece of fruit and then waddled to my room to digest for awhile.
An hour of not-moving did me wonders and I decided to go for a run. The thing about running in Salamanca is that every street has practically the same name. San Antonio. San Alvarez. San Rio. Gran Via. The Spanish gets all jumbled up and I was lost within five minutes. I ended up running for an hour, stopping to ask people for directions 5 times and running past my house twice before meeting Ana and Eliza in the street by chance. I quite literally asked Ana where I lived and with her directions I made it home safely.
For me, the day ended in a bar watching the Liverpool vs. Real Madrid game. Needless to say, the people here take soccer very seriously and everyone was extremely upset when Real Madrid lost. I thought the walk home was more interesting than the game--hundreds of people coming out of bars and clubs waving their arms in anger and yelling.
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Philip Charash
Today was our last day in Madrid. In the morning there was a problem with the wake-up calls and several rooms didn’t wake up in time, mine included. The rest of the group had a strict time-table to keep and had to get to the Royal Palace promptly to get admitted. Because of this a few of us couldn’t go on the tour. We took this opportunity to visit the royal grounds instead. We walked around Madrid a bit and then returned to the hotel.
After taking an hour or so to pack, the whole group loaded onto our coach bus and sat back for our three hour ride to Salamanca. In Madrid we had been getting up early and going to bed late and I wasn’t alone in the desire to sleep. We all caught up with sleep on that ride. However, once we got into the city of Salamanca and approached the school, everyone began to get really tense and nervous. Of course we were all very excited as well, but the overriding feeling was nervousness.
Once we got to the school we poured off the bus and the reunion was great. Everyone was incredibly happy and we were sad when we all had to go back to our individual houses so soon. From this point I can’t speak for the whole group but I’m sure our experiences were similar. My family were incredible hosts. I wasn’t sure when they found time to do anything but make sure my stay was as comfortable as possible. My little brother was very enthusiastic and we got along well. Of course it was also shocking to get thrown into a Spanish speaking household and suddenly become totally immersed.
Before I even had time to settle down, Cris and I left the house and took a bus to downtown Salamanca. Public transportation is much more efficient and used here. Tonight is the last day of Carnival which is a Spanish holiday similar to Mardi Gras. Lots of kids get dressed up in costumes and go out to discos. We went to a club owned by Luis’s father and danced there for a few hours. After that we all went home and crashed because everyone was exhausted and we had school the next day.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Meghan Titus
Regretting staying up late the night before, my roommate, Sara, and I woke up and rushed to breakfast. I only had toast as the hot food at the Florida Norte just looked to appetizing to try.
Tired and late, we all got on the bus for our hour-long ride to one of the oldest cities in Spain, Toledo. Immediately, I fell asleep and awoke to tall green hills and a moat. We were on the outside of Toledo. Our bus took us around it before we entered and we took advantage of this by taking many scenic photos of the small city.
Before we went into Toledo, we stopped at a shop where they specialized in swords and gold jewelry. We learned a little about the creation of swords and then were let loose to buy gifts. I bought a gold pendant and bracelet for my step mom and sister and a poster of a bullfight for my dad. Surprising us all, three people bought swords to take home.
In Toledo we went to an old hospital where there were many ancient paintings. After we visited one church with a very famous mural, whose painter’s name escapes my mind, we visited the cathedral of Toledo. This was one of my favorite cathedrals in Spain. It had tall arches and many details that made it unique. There, I touched a stone that supposedly the Virgin Mary walked on.
For lunch we stopped at El Fin Café, its name meaning the end was significant as it was located at the end of a cobblestone street. A lot of people ordered paella or pizza. After lunch we visited the synagogue of Toledo. There we were permitted to take photos but were yelled at numerous times anyways.
We returned to the hotel in Madrid, late afternoon, and I rested until Kyle, Sara, Rachel, and I went across the street to the mall where we ordered desserts. Around 8:00 we went to dinner. I had steak and potatoes and asparagus. For dessert I had gelato. This restaurant was one of the nicest that we went to while in Madrid, the service and food was excellent.
Kyle Giard-Chase
Today we arrived in Salamanca! Finally, the day all of us had been waiting for (or at least I had). We began our trip heading out from the Hotel we had stayed at for the past 4 or so days. Our tour guide, Angeles, wished us luck and was sure to give us some last minute advice.
Most of us took time to sleep, catch up on homework, or procrastinate on homework. However, the one thing we all had in common was how nervous we were. After taking a pit stop to grab some lunch we continued on for the rest of the two and half our bus trip.
It was cool seeing the countryside and how flat Spain is compared to Vermont. You go down the highway in Vermont and see hundreds of trees and hills. But going through Spain we only saw flatness and the occasional cluster of trees.
Finally, the trees turned into the city and we started seeing signs we were nearing the school. By that time everyone was out of their seat craning their necks for the chance of spotting the school for the first time. Before we knew it we pulled into the parking lot.
Let me tell you, if you weren’t nervous before then, you started to be when you saw the group of students and parents waiting beside the bus. We all made it off to a rush of hugs, hellos, and excitement. I was quickly ushered to my exchange parents and brother and found them to be the warmest and welcoming people I had ever met. The people on this exchange are really what made the whole experience.
I quickly realized trying to talk to Sandra and her family that my Spanish was in need of some work. No one seemed to mind though. All they will do is smile at you, laugh, and ask you to try again. Everyone there really wants you to learn.
After unpacking, I was given a chance to try the famous ham in Spain…and found it to be pretty good. (Little did I know I’d be eating much more of it in the coming days).
We didn’t have much time to settle in, as all of our exchange students whisked us off to buy costumes for La Carnival. All in all, it was an amazing day and start to a trip I’m sure will be phenomenal.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Chris Messer
We woke up this morning at 7 a.m. and ate some breakfast before getting on the bus at 8:45. Our first stop today was to El Escritorial, an old monastery just outside of Madrid. It was built by King Phillip II of Spain, then the most powerful man in the world. He was a very religious king, and paid for the construction of the monastery out of his own pocket, just to thank God for winning a battle. It was dedicated by the king to Saint Lawrence, and so the monastery is laid out like a grill in rememberance of him. Inside, it was very modest and simple but still very elegant. There are many religious works of art, and depictions of different famous battles in the history of Spain. Down in the bowels of the building, all of the kings and queens of Spain are buried in one huge fantastic room, in marble and gold caskets, with their names carved in plates of gold.
After a quick lunch, we went to El Museo del Prado, the spanish equivalent of the Louvre in Paris. Inside are many of the most famous paintings in the history of Spain, and our guide, Angeles taught us about the three greatest Spanish painters, and how they related to Spain´s history: El Greco, Diego Velasquez, and Francisco de Goya. Their paintings were amazing, and the coolest part was that they were painted so that the eyes in the painting followed you as you moved in front of them.
For dinner, I had fish and several other dishes. It was very good.
Thursday February 19, 2009
Patrick Phillips
After a morning of tying up loose ends at SBHS, I found a couple of early-arriving members of our TIE Spain group at the Burlington Airport before the announced 1 PM meeting time. Students and families were able to check in luggage quickly, although several, with suitcases open on the floor, had to move items from check-in luggage to carry-on bags to stay within the weight limit. Eventually, most of the group arrived and assembled upstairs, saying last goodbyes and getting final words of parental wisdom as we waited for the last few members of our group. Once all assembled, we moved to the security check and breezed through with minimal difficulty. While parting appeared easy for most students, some parents looked as though letting their son or daughter go was a bit wrenching.
Boarding the tiny jet for the flight to Philadelphia was a bit of a challenge, with students being placed around the aircraft, some carrying cumbersome backpacks and bags. Eventually we were off, above the clouds and into the sunlight, all the meetings, fundraising, and other preparatory things behind. As is usual these days in air travel, we were offered not a peanut, pretzel, nor cold beverage on our southbound flight. Closer to Philly, we descended and were clearly in some fairly strong surface winds, bumping and shaking the aircraft, and reminding us of recent bad news relative to air travel. Dropping in altitude for the final descent, we could see the strong winds over the water and whipping the flags of the stadium where the Eagles play. Shaking up and down, wings tipping side to side, we approached the runway with the landing gear loudly clunking as it deployed. When we descended to within one to two hundred feet alongside a parallel runway, the engines suddenly roared, the nose tilted up at a steep angle and instantly we were shooting up and away from the runway. No one spoke, but clearly we were all unsettled and were even less comforted when the captain got on the PA and announced that another aircraft had been on the runway, causing him to make the sudden maneuver. Eventually, we landed safely after another forty minutes of touring Philadelphia by air. It seemed that many people were surprised to note that their pilot looked not much older than out students as we gratefully exited the plane.
Once in Philadelphia, we found our gate for the Madrid flight, established an encampment, and took turns heading off for meals. Spanish was the lingua franca all around us and several students carried on a bizarre conversation with una mujre loco who was making the rounds to all awaiting the flight. Fed and ready to continue our travels, we boarded the aircraft and were eventually able to sit all in one area on the less-than-filled-jet.
The long flight was extended by a late departure, but soon we were in the air and all were situated, watched in-flight movies, talked, read, wrote, or tried to sleep. Most were mindful of the warnings received prior to departure about the need to get adequate rest. The contorted manner in which everyone sat or slept probably was a chiropractor’s dream or nightmare, depending upon your perspective. Somewhere mid-Atlantic, we passed into Friday while dreams or nightmares of the unknown swirled in the minds of our travellers. As we moved closer to the continent, the skies brightened with an orange glow and the smell of coffee wafted through the air, indicating breakfast was soon to be served – in spite of the fact that our bodies longed to remain resting. Combs and brushes rearranged coiffures mussed by pillows and a few students made their way to the restrooms prior to the almost compulsory caffeination. Before long, the coastline of Portugal was observed and in short order we on the ground in Madrid.
Aground, we made our way off the aircraft, declaration forms in hand, and got in line to be permitted entry by Spanish customs. Ensuring that we left no one behind, we picked up our baggage and moved en masse to the doors of the welcoming area. There we were warmly greeted by the wonderful Maria-Angeles, our past and present tour guide during our stay in Madrid. Her knowledge of Spanish art and history is incredible and, as a madrilèna by birth, she is intimately familiar with the city. Our students will surely appreciate her knowledge and good-natured manner once they get to know her.
Maria-Angeles led the caravan of students and luggage to the bus for transport to the hotel. Once we were all on board, she provided each person with a map of Madrid and led us on a mini tour of the city by bus. While students snapped pictures of many of the sites, their fatigue was evident and a number of them voiced the desire for a hot shower, some food, and a little sleep. Fortunately for all, we reached Hotel Florida Norte about the time that it reached a crescendo.
Last edited
April 8, 2009
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