Catching up

Hi everybody.

Here's a little summary of what I've been up to since I've been here. (I realize I need to get this blog current!)

Week 1 (August 31st - Sept. 6th): Orientation with our Stetson/Marist College group

• Met the 7 girls and 1 guy from Marist, walked around the city, learned how to use the Metro and buses, went with our Resident Director to the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, and El Rastro (a popular street market that is held each week). Explored Madrid a little bit and took a tour of the University we're studying at here, Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M). Saw a movie in Spanish; could follow the plot but couldn't understand a lot of the words.
• On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, two of the language professors from the University gave us a "Spanish Crash Course" - teaching us a little about culture, grammar, and practical vocabulary and giving us a chance to get to know them. One of them is my language teacher now.

Week 2:

• Orientation week at UC3M - We all took placement tests to determine what level language class we should be in and what group (A or B) we should be in for our other classes. For example, I am in a language class with about 15 other people who are at about the same Spanish level as me. I am in literature and history with people whose Spanish is either the same, a little lower, or a little higher than mine. And I am in Cine (film) and Environment and Society with people of all different language levels.
• On Friday, Katie, 3 other girls from Marist, and I went to Toledo for the day. We packed our lunches, got on a bus, and got there in about an hour. The city is small, up on a hill, and has narrow streets. It is marked with remnants from various cultures and times - churches, temples, and a mosque; centuries-old architecture, and paintings by El Greco (who lived in Toledo).

Week 3:

• Classes began at school
• I am taking Spanish literature of the 20th century, History of the Present, Language, Spanish Film, and Environment and Society. I've been learning a lot about Spain (and about the subjects themselves) and the classes are definitely complementing each other.
• On Friday or Saturday, about 12 of us went to Segovia for the day.

Week 4:

• 2nd week of classes
• Orientation week with a group that gives students studying abroad a chance to teach English while they're here. I went for two days and decided that the program was not for me. :0)
• On Saturday and Sunday, our whole group went with our Resident Director to Salamanca.
• We took the train since Salamanca is farther away and got to travel through some mountains and open country. (A welcome sight when you are used to living with open space around you and you have been in a city for a while). We stayed in Salamanca for the weekend.

I have to go soon, so why don't I finish up for now with some pictures from Madrid and our second day trip to Segovia.