Hello once again!
I have my first test this coming Friday in my Women in Literature course and I am slightly terrified. My other Erasmus friends and I are somewhat belittled in that class by the professor. She calls us out to make sure we understand, and specifically writes things out and says stuff in English to us. I appreciate it, however there's a twist. She is a little condescending, like asking if we know how to say black in Spanish. As my friend Annalea put it: “Just because we don’t speak Spanish fluently doesn’t mean we are stupid.” I am a Dean’s List student in the United States, but because I can’t articulate myself as well here, some Spaniards assume I am dumb. That is beginning to grate on my nerves. Although sometimes I really appreciate someone going the extra mile to help me, but then again I don't like being treated like a child.
This past weekend was amazing, however. I now have a wonderful group of friends who I hang out with a lot: Sophie, a Welsh girl, Lisa, who is from Germany, and Claire, who is French. All four of us go to a British pub called Shakespeare’s to hang out, have drinks, and play cards or watch rugby. It’s amazing to me. We “outlawed” speaking in English one time and we all managed to continue playing our game in three different languages.
It’ll be three in the morning and we will be sitting in my friend’s apartment discussing how each of our countries political systems works (who knew Germany had 6 major political parties?), healthcare (British healthcare is great, by the way), and how each of our countries responded to mass shootings and 9/11.
We were all walking by the beach in Málaga yesterday on our way to get tapas, and Sophie told me something that really stuck: “We are actually doing it,” living and having friends in a foreign country. It still blows my mind that every night I go to sleep in SPAIN.
I also went to this breath-taking cathedral in Málaga yesterday, since we had a holiday off from school. It was Andalucía day! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%ADa_de_Andaluc%C3%Ada).
It is called Santa Iglesia Catedral Basília de la Encarnación. I was in awe: the soaring ceilings, the gold leaf, the silence, and the massive organs. It was a sobering and joyous place at the same time. It had many different altars to different saints with candles burning near each. The cathedral is nicknamed “La Manquita” which basically means “one armed woman” because only one of its two towers was ever finished. I put some great photos up on Facebook if you want to check them out. (http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/cathedral.htm)
But yeah, I am going to Cordoba this coming Saturday and I am very excited. Amanda Binion and I are both going to meet in Dublin for Semana Santa!
I miss my family. Can’t wait for my mom to visit in April.
Un Saludo,
Natalie
I have my first test this coming Friday in my Women in Literature course and I am slightly terrified. My other Erasmus friends and I are somewhat belittled in that class by the professor. She calls us out to make sure we understand, and specifically writes things out and says stuff in English to us. I appreciate it, however there's a twist. She is a little condescending, like asking if we know how to say black in Spanish. As my friend Annalea put it: “Just because we don’t speak Spanish fluently doesn’t mean we are stupid.” I am a Dean’s List student in the United States, but because I can’t articulate myself as well here, some Spaniards assume I am dumb. That is beginning to grate on my nerves. Although sometimes I really appreciate someone going the extra mile to help me, but then again I don't like being treated like a child.
This past weekend was amazing, however. I now have a wonderful group of friends who I hang out with a lot: Sophie, a Welsh girl, Lisa, who is from Germany, and Claire, who is French. All four of us go to a British pub called Shakespeare’s to hang out, have drinks, and play cards or watch rugby. It’s amazing to me. We “outlawed” speaking in English one time and we all managed to continue playing our game in three different languages.
It’ll be three in the morning and we will be sitting in my friend’s apartment discussing how each of our countries political systems works (who knew Germany had 6 major political parties?), healthcare (British healthcare is great, by the way), and how each of our countries responded to mass shootings and 9/11.
We were all walking by the beach in Málaga yesterday on our way to get tapas, and Sophie told me something that really stuck: “We are actually doing it,” living and having friends in a foreign country. It still blows my mind that every night I go to sleep in SPAIN.
I also went to this breath-taking cathedral in Málaga yesterday, since we had a holiday off from school. It was Andalucía day! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%ADa_de_Andaluc%C3%Ada).
It is called Santa Iglesia Catedral Basília de la Encarnación. I was in awe: the soaring ceilings, the gold leaf, the silence, and the massive organs. It was a sobering and joyous place at the same time. It had many different altars to different saints with candles burning near each. The cathedral is nicknamed “La Manquita” which basically means “one armed woman” because only one of its two towers was ever finished. I put some great photos up on Facebook if you want to check them out. (http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/cathedral.htm)
But yeah, I am going to Cordoba this coming Saturday and I am very excited. Amanda Binion and I are both going to meet in Dublin for Semana Santa!
I miss my family. Can’t wait for my mom to visit in April.
Un Saludo,
Natalie