Friday, June 22, 2007
22 june
I´m here in Irun, País Vasco (the region to the west of Navarra, where Pamplona is) in the hotel with my family right now. Colin is running his 8 mile run for the day while Mom and I are hanging out and getting hungry for breakfast. I met them in the airport in Madrid this past Friday and we saw a lot of Madrid that day, leaving on Sunday afternoon. We went to two art museums and Colin didn´t complain too much. I saw everything that I had heard about in all of my Spanish classes: paintings by Goya and Picasso and El Greco, el Retiro (huge park), el Rastro (flea market), la Plaza Mayor, the palace, and the communications building which looks like a huge palace also (I think it might have been at one time). We had fun riding the metro too. Sunday evening we arrived in Pamplona and Jodi met us at the airport so that we wouldn´t get lost driving to her house (we had rented a car). Monday we went to the castle in Olite, a small town about 30 minutes from Pamplona and brought along Nate, the oldest son of the family from my church. In the afternoon we had our last get-together with all of us from Pamplona and my family got to meet my friends. We went over to the apartment that evening so that my family could meet my flatmates. I got to play translator through supper, so didn´t ¨talk¨ much myself, just relaying comments between my mom and the girls. Tuesday morning I showed my family around the city of Pamplona in the old quarter and we drove by my university (not much to see there).
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Almost there!
As I am almost done with everything there is to do (academically speaking) this semester, I finally have time to write to all of you! Finals started last week on Monday with my Spanish final, I did an oral presentation with powerpoint on Tuesday about children represented in artwork and turned in an opinion paper, this Monday I turned in a 39 page group paper, yesterday took an essay final for my religions class, and by Friday I will turn in my last paper! All that remains to be done is to get started on the credit transfer and cross fingers about all of the work that I've done.
It really feels good to be done. It's kind of strange too. Here there is a whole month of exams instead of a week like in the states, so most of the students are still scurrying around finishing research papers and the sort and cramming for finals. The students line up before the university library opens at 8 am to rush and find a seat in the main room or on one of the other floors. I've heard it's quite a spectacle, though I was more content to stay at home and study and so missed seeing it. If you don't reserve a spot at 8 am you generally cannot find a seat in the library, as everyone leaves their papers and things on the desks to reserve them all day long. The computer labs are equally overcrowded, which makes me glad that my last paper will be turned in digitally, in CD.
Once again (the fourth time) we are out of hot water in the apartment. I called the Veldts to beg the use of a shower, and Jodi invited me to stay for awhile. So, I am sleeping on an extra bed in Amber's room. I just bring enough clothes for the next day, as I hope to go back to the apartment soon, but I am enjoying myself here. I brought some food over from my apartment, some fresh things that I had bought, as I don't want them going bad and thought that some fruit and veggies would maybe help me earn my keep. It's nicer running from here than from my apartment too. Nate (the oldest son of the family, Colin's age about), showed me a 2.5 mile loop that goes out on a dirt road toward the mountains and then returns back to the village. A lot nicer than running on sidewalk.
I've also been busy lately trying to coordinate things to travel with Colin here in Spain, and working with my mom to coordinate traveling with the family before then. They're coming on June 15, which is now less than 10 days away. I'll be home on June 28th. When I get home I'll have to start coordinating things for student teaching, which would normally have been done during this spring semester.
There's a book fair in town this week, which I am going to try to visit. Thursday there is a youth service (weekly) in the evening, Saturday the youth from church are meeting at the Veldts, and Sunday we all are going to Tafalla, a town about 20 minutes away, because Luke (the dad) is preaching. Two friends of mine, Paola and Rosa from Chile might come too.
I had to say goodbye to Suyoun on Sunday night. I don't like goodbyes, they're so awkward especially when they're between two cultures and you don't know whether to kiss on the two cheeks, hug, or do nothing. It's also hard to know what to say when you know that you'll probably never see them again in your life. She will be traveling for awhile in Europe alone and then with her family and then returning back to Korea for the rest of the time until the next semester here starts.
Well, that's pretty much all my news. I am enjoying myself and trying to make the best of the rest of the time I have here and with all of the people I have come to know this semester. I'll try to write again soon, or at least when something else happens. I'll be seeing some of you soon!
It really feels good to be done. It's kind of strange too. Here there is a whole month of exams instead of a week like in the states, so most of the students are still scurrying around finishing research papers and the sort and cramming for finals. The students line up before the university library opens at 8 am to rush and find a seat in the main room or on one of the other floors. I've heard it's quite a spectacle, though I was more content to stay at home and study and so missed seeing it. If you don't reserve a spot at 8 am you generally cannot find a seat in the library, as everyone leaves their papers and things on the desks to reserve them all day long. The computer labs are equally overcrowded, which makes me glad that my last paper will be turned in digitally, in CD.
Once again (the fourth time) we are out of hot water in the apartment. I called the Veldts to beg the use of a shower, and Jodi invited me to stay for awhile. So, I am sleeping on an extra bed in Amber's room. I just bring enough clothes for the next day, as I hope to go back to the apartment soon, but I am enjoying myself here. I brought some food over from my apartment, some fresh things that I had bought, as I don't want them going bad and thought that some fruit and veggies would maybe help me earn my keep. It's nicer running from here than from my apartment too. Nate (the oldest son of the family, Colin's age about), showed me a 2.5 mile loop that goes out on a dirt road toward the mountains and then returns back to the village. A lot nicer than running on sidewalk.
I've also been busy lately trying to coordinate things to travel with Colin here in Spain, and working with my mom to coordinate traveling with the family before then. They're coming on June 15, which is now less than 10 days away. I'll be home on June 28th. When I get home I'll have to start coordinating things for student teaching, which would normally have been done during this spring semester.
There's a book fair in town this week, which I am going to try to visit. Thursday there is a youth service (weekly) in the evening, Saturday the youth from church are meeting at the Veldts, and Sunday we all are going to Tafalla, a town about 20 minutes away, because Luke (the dad) is preaching. Two friends of mine, Paola and Rosa from Chile might come too.
I had to say goodbye to Suyoun on Sunday night. I don't like goodbyes, they're so awkward especially when they're between two cultures and you don't know whether to kiss on the two cheeks, hug, or do nothing. It's also hard to know what to say when you know that you'll probably never see them again in your life. She will be traveling for awhile in Europe alone and then with her family and then returning back to Korea for the rest of the time until the next semester here starts.
Well, that's pretty much all my news. I am enjoying myself and trying to make the best of the rest of the time I have here and with all of the people I have come to know this semester. I'll try to write again soon, or at least when something else happens. I'll be seeing some of you soon!
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