Syllabus Week: CEGRI Style

Hey hey!

This was the first week of classes at CEGRI!  I finally feel like this semester abroad has arrived—I’m settled in my home, I have my class schedule, I’m learning my way around Granada, ohhh and an oral report due on Tuesday…

I forgot about the “homework” part of studying abroad. 

It’s been a while since my last blog.  (I wanted to wait a couple days to make sure reading it was worthwhile.)  Let me break it down.

Monday:

First day of escuela.  We all woke up bright and early to be at CEGRI (our school) by 8:30 to see our schedules.  For the first week when we walked past CEGRI on our tours, it was just a giant wooden door.  But inside it is beautiful.  It has a little atrium with all these plants.  I’ll take pictures for my next blog post.  There are a couple classrooms and two computer labs.  Although CEGRI is quaint and charming in its own way, it does have oddities.

After the most confusing 7 minutes of my life, I figured out my schedule.  My mind does not operate the same when I schedule using the Spanish words for the days of the week.  My schedule is thus:

Monday: Literatura 1-2:30pm; Spanish Art History 6:30-8

Tuesday: Culture of Spain 9-10:30; Culture of Islam 4:30-6

Wednesday: Lit. 1-2:30; Art 4:30-6 (We have field trips on Wed.)

Thursday: Spain 9-10:30; Islam 6:30-8

Since I had some time before my class, I got my phone fixed (yay for being able to communicate in a foreign country!) and we all went out for chocolate con churros.  We had heard a lot about chocolate con churros from those that have experienced the joy before.  I had high expectations, but I was still shocked when I saw the mound of churros (real ones, not the sugary coated things we eat in America) and the cup full of not Hot Chocolate as I had assumed, but a steaming cup of dipping chocolate.  It was in the moment that the waiter returned with about 30 churros and 5 cups full of chocolate that we realized we didn’t need to each order our own.  Still we did some major damage on that “snack.” 

After buying a notebook, MaryPat and I headed to our Literature class.  (I had so much sugar in my stomach, I felt that I had eaten an entire family of chocolate bunnies.)  I was apprehensive for these classes as they are all in Spanish spoken by actual Spaniards.  Around Literature teacher, Yaniera, is very sweet and really easy to understand.  Her class was a lot of fun for me because I was able to participate and feel confident in my Spanish, limited as it is. 

            I went home after class for lunch and a nap before returning for my Spanish Art History class with Monica.  Monica was our guide for the “Touristy” Tour.  She was as sweet as ever and easy to understand.  Needless to say I left CEGRI feeling pretty happy about the next four months with these classes.

A Toilet that doesn't take Toilet Paper? Weird

            That night we had a free Salsa lesson at this bar in the center of Granada.  The only Salsa dancing I know is what I learned in 6^th grade gym class.  It was pretty funny to watch at about 40 people attempted to squeeze in this tiny area and dance some pretty basic steps.  My partner and I mastered the spins and some other fancy Salsa moves.  The best part of the night was when the teacher (this short Spaniard) made MaryPat his partner.  Give MaryPat a couple more lessons and I think by the end of it, she’d be teaching him how to salsa!

We get excited to spend euros...they look like Chucky Cheese coins.

Tuesday:

            Since Monday went so well, I assumed my Tuesday class would also.  Ehh…my Culture of Spain teacher, Anxion (pronounced An-choin) is from northern Spain.  I am just starting to understand the Andalucian accent (the accent they have in Granada).  He comes in with something entirely different and quite quickly I might add.  I assumed I was just tired.  But I think this is going to be my most challenging class.  Looking ahead we have quite a few tests and some oral presentations.  Woohoo!

            My Culture of Islam class was really interesting.  The teacher, Alicia, is very nice and understandable.  As I have always been fascinated by history and other cultures, I think I will really enjoy this class.  (At least what I comprehend of it!)  I vaguely remember all this information about Muslim history from AP Euro and AP World.  But not enough to retell it in Spanish. 

            Tuesday night we went out for a bit.  We had tinto verano which is red wine with lemonade.  It tasted very good, which means of course, it had almost 0% alcohol.  (Don’t worry, Ma!)  It was a pretty laid back night the highlights being when we bought Kinder Bueno at the end of the night—a really delicious Spanish candy, and when a boy in our program started to rap in the bar.  He was really good and if that wasn’t impressive enough, he began rapping in SPANISH.  Rhyming and all!  And here I am forgetting the word for aunt today.  (I’m pretty sure I actually slapped my forehead and said “DOH!”  The Simpsons is a popular show here, so you know…just reinforcing those American stereotypes.)

Wednesday:

            This morning I woke up and had my cereal alone in the kitchen.  This is what I noticed:

 Considering I have an irrational discomfort with pigs since reading Animal Farm, I sort of lost my appetite and now dislike being in the kitchen.  Especially the way the leg looks as if it’s pointing like a pig dictator. 

           

On Wednesday I had literature.  It was good.  Nothing too interesting there.  But Wednesday afternoon I caved and went shopping.  They have these huge sales through the end of February in Granada.  I don’t know why, but there are some good deals!  I bought a cute leather jacket—one purchase toward my effort of coming back to the states looking as if I learned a little bit about fashion while abroad.

            My art class on Wednesday we go on little field trips.  We are currently studying Gothic architecture and art.  There are no great examples of Gothic art in Granada, but the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) is a pretty good example.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the Royal Chapel, but it was really beautiful.  The Shield of Carlos V and other artwork made for the Reyes Catolica were present throughout the chapel.  It is really interesting that these people were such devote Catholics and yet they decorated all these cathedrals and chapels with some religious art…but mostly their own symbols and crests. 

In Spain, and Granada especially, la familia de Reyes Catolicas are a very important part of their history.  In the chapel there were beautiful artwork on the alter.  It was sort of designed as a house with 9 boxes.  Each box had a different religious scene.  They had the usual, the birth of Christ, etc.  But then (because Isabel and Ferdinad’s favorite Saints were John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, they had artwork of their graphic deaths.)  Yes there was a box with a 3D representation of a man on his knees with no head, while a woman holds it over a platter.  They included all the sinews and bones in the decapitated neck.  It was disturbingly beautiful art.  Beautiful in the level of detail and skill, I mean.  Something else very interesting about the artwork on the altar was the human representation of God.  Normally Catholic art does not include any sort of picture of God, but this artwork had God at the top of it, with the Holy Spirit in the middle, and then Jesus.  Really lovely.  I wish I could have taken pictures.  The best part of the tour: the bodies Isabel, Ferdinad, their daughter Juana, her husband, and their son Carols V are all kept in Capilla Real. When Isabel had reigned she decided to make Granada the capital of Spain and the burial place for Spanish royalty because with the conquest of Granada, Christianity had finally overcome Islam in Europe, her marriage with Ferdinand and the conquest marked a united Spain, and she agreed to sponsor Columbus here! We were able to look at their coffins.  I got the chills when we saw them.  There were bouquets of flowers resting on the coffins (Ferdinad and Isabel were in the middle of course) and in the back of the tomb resting on a pillow was a crown and a scepter.  I could not believe I was looking at an item that was actually worn by such important historical figures in Spain.  We also were able to see Isabel's crown and scepter and Ferdinand's sword in an art gallery they had in the chapel.  Isabel's crown was silver and ringed with pomegranates to symbolize Granada.  

Thursday:

            Classes again.  In my Culture of Spain class we have to do volunteer work two hours a week in the community. They gave us a sheet with options.  Things like working in a hospital, with a movie club, children sports teams, teaching English to children.  It vaguely reminds me The Giver when they choose their volunteer hours…I’d like to work with sports teams or teach English to the children!

            After class, Kelly and I went out for some tea and then shopped around a bit.  It's really interesting to see some of the clothes they have with English phrases.  It is almost as if they don't have anyone who can speak both languages look over these shirts...and I've met quite a few Spaniards who know both...     
      

"Don't Say You Can't Cause You Can." Sage advice on a sequined t-shirt.  

"Check me out" "Can you do it?" "Back to the 50s"  There seems to be a lot going on here...

And my favorite...

"MURDER" "Passional American Murderers." "Guns! Surrounded by Love! Low on Gas!" Mmmk...

Of course I couldn't resist buying an owl shirt...es un el buho!

            In Culture of Islam we had to choose a Muslim country to present on Tuesday.  I chose Morocco.  The program here is planning a group trip to Morocco the first week of February.  As my brother put it, my family doesn’t want me to go anywhere I couldn’t easily be “extradited” I am not going to be attending this trip.  I chose to present about Morocco.  I figure that way I’m still learning about the country even if I am not going.  (Plus Katherine isn’t going to go with either, so we are planning a separate trip to the Canary Islands or somewhere!)

            Thursday night we went to bed early because on Friday we were going to get up early to head to Sierra Nevada!

Friday:

            We all met up at 7am and headed up to Sierra Nevada.  Only an hour away (much closer, but going up the mountain takes a while.)  It was very cold at first up there, but once the sun was directly above it really warmed up. 

            I chose not to ski, as all my past experiences led to me crashing into things such as trees.  I felt attempting to ski again in a mountain—where the “bunny hills” are still on the mountain, I chose to just hang around the resort.  They had many restaurants and the view was unbelievable beautiful.  

Top Gun Pose.

Maverick and Goose.

Shoveling snow off the roof...glad that's not a normal chore back home...

There was a rollercoaster that we went on that, though short and not very high, was incredibly fast with lots of curves.  Basically we were able to control our own speed and the ride didn’t seem too safe as all these signs said to slow down whenever there was a turn.  Normally I love roller coasters, but I was scared for this one.  You couldn’t really enjoy the ride unless it was going fast, but at the same time the ride didn’t have safety railings along it.  Katherine and I rode together and I controlled it.  We, of course, screamed the whole time.  Me yelling, “I don’t want to kill us. I don’t want to kill us.”  So that was nice. 

Getting ready for the ride!

I couldn't decide on which picture...

Both of Katherine's faces were too good!

Reaction to the Roller Coaster...

Our own Betty Boop!

            Afterwards we took a lift up to the top of the mountain where there were a couple cafeterias.  We then ate lunch and talked for several hours.  All in all it was a really great day.  Being able to sit with friends and enjoy the magnificent view was a great way to spend our Friday.

I was exhausted when I got home, went to bed, and didn’t wake up until 1:00 today! Oops!  Overall the week has been really good.  I'm getting to know my host family better.  They're pretty low key, laid back people who feed me lots of protein.  I think I've eaten an entire school of fish in one day before.  With all the protein I'm eating I SHOULD be pumping some iron.  I've spent a lot of time with Eduardo, my senora's father.  I get the impression that he has an interesting view of Americans.  I wonder why...

Oh that's right...Passional American Murders...

Last night we went to a Flamenco show and then out to a discotecca.  The Flamenco show was really interesting.  We went to the neighborhood where La Alhambra is and that was the background view.  There was  curtain behind the stage and as the show started it lifted up to reveal the gorgeous view of the palace and Sacromonte neighborhood.  I wish that I knew more about the history of Flamenco dancing.  I think that I would have appreciated it a little more.  Still it was really great to see it.  Afterwards we went to a couple bars and discoteccas to dance. 

The first couple were fun.  The last place we went to was Granada 10.  It was huge and full of lots and lots of people.  I'm sure I'll be going back there again.  But it was way too late last night! We didn't get home until around 4:30am!  Now its time to do some homework...fun!




Hasta Luego.

Quote of the Night: "This is just like Zero Gravity! But not as much fun..." 
~ Kelly Gustafson


That reveals a lot about you there, Kel.