tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91008982360328813772024-02-07T09:08:25.074+01:00Semester in Spain 2010Denia, Spain ~ January - May 2010Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-8063324823804962752010-05-10T11:34:00.002+02:002010-05-10T11:39:23.603+02:00I think I can, I think I can, I think I canAlthough in reality, many times it feels like I can’t. In the middle of finishing final papers and homework, preparing presentations, and studying for exams we are also all worrying about class registration and housing for next school year, spending precious last moments with our families here, and having one more shebang before packing it all up again... in 9 days. Ready, set, go! <br /><br /> I can’t believe we’ve reached the last week of class; the last times Alfonso and Ge (and for many, María Elena) will see our bright and shining faces staring back at them alert and ready to venture out yet again into that fantastic faraway place known as the World of Knowledge. But we’ll no longer have to worry about the videos not working in Ge’s class, or the computer asking if we’d like to have a chat in the middle of a lecture, or trying to hear over the noise of motos, firecrackers, and the songs of birds or elementary schools nearby. No more frantically trying to copy down notes before the slide changes. No more listening to Alfonso talk about “rollos”, or picking on Anne in 368, and no more complementing him on his attractive ‘salt and pepper’ hair. No more making up questions to take up time. No more trips to the Mercadona/Mercadillo in between Lit and History. No more tutor sessions... No more class in Spain. All we have left are the many precious memories we have made to take back with us. And of course we keep making new ones!<br /><br /> We had been planning to throw a surprise party for María Elena’s birthday a little while before (surprise!) she actually invited us over for a birthday/pool party at her bungalow. Nevertheless, we were determined to make it work, so on Friday when she was busy at the UNED we snuck over early with all of the decorations and food to get everything ready. All of the other students (well, except poor Kelly!) came to quietly await María Elena’s return in her living room. As she came up to the house, Neal called to her that we were waiting out on the back patio, but as she walked in, “¡Sorpresa!” we were all there to greet her. Following this we had a wonderful time of eating coca (like coffee cake), showing the video message we had made, and then María Elena had a chance to tell us each individually how special we are :) After that it was party time! Many students (locos) jumped into the freezing pool and we all ate, drank, talked, and danced to our hearts’ content.<br /><br /> We have an awesome group/network of people here, not to mention unforgettable experiences, so you guys at home will have to forgive us if at times it seems like life has been so much better in Spain. The truth is that the differences have been so good, it’s hard to imagine going back. So much so that I’ve had to make some promises to myself in order to keep everything focused in these last days: I promise to remain a good student; I promise to not completely cut off communication with my friends and family back home (although you’ll have to expect a little less out of me;); I promise to make the most out of each day; I promise to take more pictures and eat more Spanish food; and I promise to have A LOT of fun. ¿De acuerdo? ¿Sí o no? Vale. It seems like a daunting task to get so much accomplished in so little time, but I know that as with all things, through Christ who strengthens me, I can.<br /><br />-Written by Hope McElroy (including some suggestions from other students)Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-83094285469387480082010-05-03T12:08:00.002+02:002010-05-06T19:01:39.189+02:00So Little Time...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> 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mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> One more week down, and most of us can’t believe that we only have 16 more days here in Denia. <span style=""> </span>It really has become our home away from home, and many of us have once again realized this after our last long weekend.<span style=""> </span>We didn’t have class on Friday again, so there were places to visit, of course!<span style=""> </span>A few of us stayed here in Denia, with a couple excursions nearby, but others found themselves out of the country yet again.<span style=""> </span>Dublin, Paris, Morocco, Rome and Vienna were the five places outside of Spain visited, and Valencia and Benidorm were hit by others here in Spain.<span style=""> </span>All in all, we had a great weekend and came back safely, although there are always travel issues.<span style=""> </span>We have learned a lot about transportation during this semester, especially the fact that you really can’t depend on everything going as planned, which brings us back to a characteristic that we all promised from the beginning of the semester: flexibility.<span style=""> </span>Many times we have found ourselves where we didn’t expect to be, or arriving or departing at different times, but we have ended up back in Denia safe and sound each time, thankfully.<span style=""> <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""><span style=""></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> So here we are back to our last full week of classes.<span style=""> </span>The schedule from here on out is short and sweet.<span style=""> </span>We have six more days of classes, with three days of exams after.<span style=""> </span>Then, we have a weekend free to hang out with our new-found friends and our host families for the last time.<span style=""> </span>The last Monday we will be thanking all the people who have helped us out this semester here in Denia with a farewell luncheon, and Tuesday we are having a little party for our host families.<span style=""> </span>More on that later, I’m sure! <span style=""> </span>It hasn’t quite hit us that we only have a short amount of time left to soak up the sun, swim in the Mediterranean, practice sports with the Spaniards, or hang out with our Spanish friends.<span style=""> </span>Those goodbyes are fast approaching, unfortunately.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>And all of a sudden we will all find ourselves back in the United States of America, wondering if we really did just live in Spain for four and a half months…is it really almost done?!<br /><br />-Written by Kaylee Veenstra<o:p></o:p></span></p>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-75295114170647821392010-04-29T13:01:00.002+02:002010-04-29T13:18:44.797+02:00Our Final Excursion Deserves Two PostsWell hello family and friends.<span> </span>We got back from Madrid yesterday (which included day trips to Segovia and Toledo) and had a blast.<span> </span>Sometimes I think we lose the wonder of what it means to be in a different country and see grand cathedrals and breathtaking artwork every time we travel to cities that are older than the United Sates, but Madrid still managed to keep me in awe of its splendor with one word: Prado.<span> </span>El Museo del Prado is arguably the best museum in the world possessing works by Pablo Picasso, Francisco Goya, Diego Velazquez, Rembrandt, and El Greco. <span> </span>We also went to the Escorial (a place where some of the kings of Spain are entombed), the Royal Palace (with over 2000 rooms, this place is humongous), and El Rastro (the biggest open-air market in Madrid). <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcNSYGrJzJkZtda4ex6FxV8HKpqhFpgBxY8o-tZUlbqlOH0UzFeqCVe-aU5E-VNXIGV6YADyY6F5sOxTUqquQ2yCZmryMCHVdhGXFZLm0f0mDw9eikbocCBWGiVxT1uoSwPW9fzqgX1QD/s1600/Adrian+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcNSYGrJzJkZtda4ex6FxV8HKpqhFpgBxY8o-tZUlbqlOH0UzFeqCVe-aU5E-VNXIGV6YADyY6F5sOxTUqquQ2yCZmryMCHVdhGXFZLm0f0mDw9eikbocCBWGiVxT1uoSwPW9fzqgX1QD/s320/Adrian+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465516059078303602" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">In Segovia we saw the aqueducts that the Romans used more than a thousand years ago (above).<span> </span>In Toledo we were taken aback by the splendor of the cathedral, also built so very long ago. <span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After one dinner at the restaurant near our hostel we were serenaded by a guitarist and singer duo that had many of us clapping and even dancing along.<span> </span>They played classic Spanish hits from Latin America like La Bamba and the Macarena as well as some American favorites like Killing Me Softly.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Pray for us so that we may finish this final stretch strong. Even though we are so far away and we have all these amazing things to experience, always know that there are always thoughts of you guys in the back of our minds. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>-adrian jaimon</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQa12DLDSrrETrgxPC5YpCHiuLNDxNZNegOHSeB3fJqNXKVlrYRtx5XjRIT7ujE_lNi2R09-CZUlKdgAIHbr4ZoorJjnZvmtqpGxIILxKya8qWnmqHl1xeWNzJ6yO-h0UIvo5EM4yh-MPm/s1600/Adrian+1.JPG"><br /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQa12DLDSrrETrgxPC5YpCHiuLNDxNZNegOHSeB3fJqNXKVlrYRtx5XjRIT7ujE_lNi2R09-CZUlKdgAIHbr4ZoorJjnZvmtqpGxIILxKya8qWnmqHl1xeWNzJ6yO-h0UIvo5EM4yh-MPm/s1600/Adrian+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQa12DLDSrrETrgxPC5YpCHiuLNDxNZNegOHSeB3fJqNXKVlrYRtx5XjRIT7ujE_lNi2R09-CZUlKdgAIHbr4ZoorJjnZvmtqpGxIILxKya8qWnmqHl1xeWNzJ6yO-h0UIvo5EM4yh-MPm/s320/Adrian+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465516046856380290" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">The beautiful view of Toledo</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe9N4Z6ycYVK3BtHrEeT-KfXPN0TIo7Xivu82qknm6486XIf-HJgKPp51v9v7iE8Wcmuk8yo-zEPzRDLoh8uIaaBg2InfXc0KxachhxPXjsN_BgzSHHSP4P_i-xgq7K7yZLCRNU5mXqqg/s1600/Adrian+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe9N4Z6ycYVK3BtHrEeT-KfXPN0TIo7Xivu82qknm6486XIf-HJgKPp51v9v7iE8Wcmuk8yo-zEPzRDLoh8uIaaBg2InfXc0KxachhxPXjsN_BgzSHHSP4P_i-xgq7K7yZLCRNU5mXqqg/s320/Adrian+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465516059911861826" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Some of us at the restaurant (with their colorful napkins!)<br /></p>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-56920585077766900382010-04-28T00:09:00.002+02:002010-04-28T00:16:25.657+02:00HomesickYes we are all a little bit homesick for the U.S. in one way or another, but that’s not what this blog is about. I’m talking about how homesick I’m going to be (and surely many others from the group will be) when I have to leave behind my family here.<br /><br />At first living with a family, or for some of us only mamas, was a weird change. Instead of living on our own like normal we all of a sudden lived in someone else’s house with someone else’s rules. We get our food made for us, our laundry washed, and the house cleaned! It’s nice to not have to worry about any of that, but like I said, quite a change.<br /><br />Well, after living here for four months now, it’s safe to say that those changes were actually simple. In fact, the truth is that our host families have become our refuge, a tool to help all the changes seem less scary. Our families are the normalness in our every-day, crazy lives! This really became evident to me upon returning from spring break vacations. After 12 days out of the country I was ready to go home. I was sitting on the plane feeling like I was going home to the U.S. Upon arriving in Denia I was not very excited because I still felt like I was not at home. All those feelings disappeared immediately when I walked in the apartment and saw my mama waiting for me. She was so happy to see me, she gave me a lot of besitos, family style! I immediately had forgotten those feelings of foreignness and quickly remembered that I do have a home here.<br /><br />Not only do I have a home, I have a whole extended network of people who care for me and my well-being (outside the Calvin group of course). I have my immediate family that I have developed an intense relationship with, but I also have all my brothers and their families, all my aunts and uncles, etc.<br /><br />In the home with the host family is by far one of the best ways to practice our Spanish. As a group we have found it a constant struggle to try to balance school work and family time. It’s a tough battle since I can’t even decide which one I learn more from, school or my family. I have also come to find that every time I decide to travel outside of Denia, that’s another time that I could be spending with my family.<br /><br />While the struggle sounds like a bad thing, it really does not inhibit the ability to build relationships with our families. They are fully aware that we are here for less than 5 months. They understand our goals, our lifestyle, our struggles, etc. and they are all very giving and here for us. We love it when our mamas pack us lunch to take on a trip and she slips in a bar of chocolate!<br /><br />While we have all developed routines for spending time with our families (i.e. eating meals together) we have also found ways to spend extra time together, trying to bond as much as possible in the little time we have here. Some of us have certain shows that we watch together, others play weekly games of dominoes, others go on walks, others are in the same church groups, others cook together, and so on and so forth.<br /><br />No one person can really compare their family, or home experience to that of another person. But it is certain that we can all say that the experiences are valuable, and the uniqueness of each one is what makes them attractive. Just like back home in the U.S. we all treasure the uniqueness of our own situation. Just like with our real parents, our host parents beliefs and customs can be seen in what we do and how we act here in Spain. If our mamas eat only yogurt for dinner, that’s what you’re supposed to eat for dinner. If our mamas take siestas, then we think that’s the right thing to do. It’s funny, sometimes when I am trying to make conclusions about Spain’s culture I have to take a step back and remind myself that that’s probably not all of Spain, but just my mama.<br /><br />In conclusion, living with a host family is a true blessing. Not only do we have the comfort and companionship of our own home with people who care about us, we also have a constant person to practice our Spanish with, and the opportunity to see/live in Spain like a Spaniard would. <div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSo8immB4kAyyxO67nP7ZNlJzW88vv49JyNmKCpzJSb3ebl3XlZnw8vk2GMluqUc62lUbDkJp-sL-sPZGPWppfxcEXktqAA0vl56SwkWfpkRy_vfCeqpV5FyBRVvnutPASIAI0vWp3_Kc/s1600/IMG_0240.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464944097732676738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSo8immB4kAyyxO67nP7ZNlJzW88vv49JyNmKCpzJSb3ebl3XlZnw8vk2GMluqUc62lUbDkJp-sL-sPZGPWppfxcEXktqAA0vl56SwkWfpkRy_vfCeqpV5FyBRVvnutPASIAI0vWp3_Kc/s320/IMG_0240.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Jessica picking oranges with her mama<br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W7FCFL09UnB0eC77xvuas7gfWwWSX38m1c-UTbH5idw9rkm8t8nxheocj12wSFCpYER49mzuqkrz-jrB8wj69DZesfvgQIFvYy4uxglA4DbaJH8eYmFSHE3kD2DjJp6T_uoDqYWPlUrL/s1600/P4180391.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464944106236518674" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W7FCFL09UnB0eC77xvuas7gfWwWSX38m1c-UTbH5idw9rkm8t8nxheocj12wSFCpYER49mzuqkrz-jrB8wj69DZesfvgQIFvYy4uxglA4DbaJH8eYmFSHE3kD2DjJp6T_uoDqYWPlUrL/s320/P4180391.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div align="right">Brittany celebrating her uncles birthday with he mama and sister</div><div align="right"><br /></div><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi5xF4BauE2lQjOr3PoNqQVvqYsUE4vMO5HMz3XjCKYRg0XS3wHq1n_MCfxxMpRVGrJ0GMwCWRjA4UqZWYxkZRy0NQa9m173qMLZmZXEqetCmw85EwIBNWE3pqE1-EPAABbazpKS81doB/s1600/SDC11219.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464944109342988530" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi5xF4BauE2lQjOr3PoNqQVvqYsUE4vMO5HMz3XjCKYRg0XS3wHq1n_MCfxxMpRVGrJ0GMwCWRjA4UqZWYxkZRy0NQa9m173qMLZmZXEqetCmw85EwIBNWE3pqE1-EPAABbazpKS81doB/s320/SDC11219.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div align="left">Me playing with my niece, like always.<br /></div><div></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-38330461005785264522010-04-27T21:34:00.003+02:002010-04-28T00:08:33.501+02:00Nuestra Viaje a Madrid – Una verdadera maravillllllla (Our trip to Madrid – a true marvel)<div><div><div>Last week Thursday we hopped the good ole’ ESTEVE bus for our last excursion to Madrid, laden once again with bags of tinfoil-wrapped “bocadillos” (sandwiches) and fruit, cameras, rain jackets, and móviles (cell phones). If there is one thing Spanish life has taught us it’s how to pack for a weekend vaca. </div><div><br />Our arrival brought us to a clean, modern “albergue” (hostel), where we dropped our stuff and headed down to the Prado Museum. Even though we had left the coast, the Spanish sun was still shining and we soaked in the sounds and smells of Madrid during our walk. I was surprised/delighted to find that Madrid is a city full of green spaces, and it wasn’t unusual to smell orange trees on the breeze there. Prado museum was incredible and overwhelming. Around every corner was another unbelievably famous piece of artwork by Velázquez or Rafael that I have seen countless times in art or history classes. So cool! Thank you liberal arts for allowing me to spend two hours in an art museum without falling asleep! </div><div><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvX6DbJgmTaf7g1UhmDgqbM44TABBYeCZ9fpFrfVsN5kFpqEDaC6-xCrUm-3T6RXf17BmisZdWcmMi68Hqz0rtzSAfOlUrEbr3ZoXLx0IyH_NV9tcrh6H9t8ntl4MMgJVGxUXa5kBM96B/s1600/DSC_4833.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464940977025798850" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvX6DbJgmTaf7g1UhmDgqbM44TABBYeCZ9fpFrfVsN5kFpqEDaC6-xCrUm-3T6RXf17BmisZdWcmMi68Hqz0rtzSAfOlUrEbr3ZoXLx0IyH_NV9tcrh6H9t8ntl4MMgJVGxUXa5kBM96B/s320/DSC_4833.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div><br />The next day we headed down to Toledo. Truthfully, the town looked like something out of a fairytale. The town itself is set up on a hill that is nearly surrounded by a river. Looking at Toledo from across the river, it looks like rows upon rows of salmon-orange houses, stacked one on top of the other up the hillside. Una verdadera maravillllla as our trusty guide Enrique said. Once again we were fortunate enough to soak up yet another beautiful day while we wandered through the historical buildings and streets.<br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3Vw1dhTALWtYFAnLZpGVLDAiZ8lVOzN4VViPK3DHt3jsePOkc0PIAo7ADgR2d-FT_2rhlBecGDWPwFHTedV1i6F-FLHJP7hg23joH7FoPsz8KDa2D162iER4TZE_t4Fc6NaKZou9rX6w/s1600/DSC_4958.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464940987864493650" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3Vw1dhTALWtYFAnLZpGVLDAiZ8lVOzN4VViPK3DHt3jsePOkc0PIAo7ADgR2d-FT_2rhlBecGDWPwFHTedV1i6F-FLHJP7hg23joH7FoPsz8KDa2D162iER4TZE_t4Fc6NaKZou9rX6w/s320/DSC_4958.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXD8tiWYDVIn2gQOuORfQFZAzG2zXgnlpTo03NugTweqlO4POtpWPe-pUw4EE2pEvnGWTptBNzd70Le-pzb3RU0Gw2d_egKsY8pmKp2oQjXJwU_OZztFKNF4bwnqxftDtfB6d3Fx0Zjdu/s1600/DSC_4986.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464940990929397314" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXD8tiWYDVIn2gQOuORfQFZAzG2zXgnlpTo03NugTweqlO4POtpWPe-pUw4EE2pEvnGWTptBNzd70Le-pzb3RU0Gw2d_egKsY8pmKp2oQjXJwU_OZztFKNF4bwnqxftDtfB6d3Fx0Zjdu/s320/DSC_4986.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div> <br />Saturday brought an early morning trip out to El Escorial and Segovia. I can’t help but mention that yet again, we had gorgeous weather – all sunshine and barely a cloud to be seen. El Escorial was somber and cold, but still fascinating. My favorite part was the library – one of the best in Europe at the time of its assembly, and full of books written in Latin and sitting old and wise in rows and rows of cases. It was a real bummer that here, like so many other famous places, it is absolutely forbidden to take pictures (something they usually take very seriously). After El Escorial, we headed over to Segovia, where we got to take pictures in front of the Alcázar (google it) – the absolute epitome of fairytale dream castle – blue roofed towers and all. Then we headed deeper into the city where we witnessed one of the marvels of modern Spain – the Roman aqueduct. It is still nearly whole, and awe-inspiring to behold. Thanks to my History of Art class here, I was able to applaud their incredible engineering and practical spirit with a deep appreciation. Finally, we headed off to La Granja de San Ildefonso, a summer palace for the Spanish royal family. Those of us who had been to Versailles (I have not) say that it is very similar. There we witnessed the shooting off of fountains in the extensive gardens there. I use “shooting off” here because that is exactly what they did --- they would turn on a fountain, and then gradually increase the water pressure until it absolutely soaked the onlookers. I was unluckily trapped in a corner and had to endure the rest of the day with wet feet --- thankfully though, I had remembered my trusty rain coat, which has come in very useful over the past few months! =)<br /></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464941001135878130" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdhxTSYuANXdW_bm-XzgGLbpaPm5W9MhMAYPa4EseU05_zlyJF8B-dmyR88RHFVmUURdZ0r7DY47euOhw2-ZjQQZCMPfUxhdN7Y51S5i973SWMDbnd0QNIVNhSInyBk7gFrANs3fD6lyi/s320/DSC_5050.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="left"><br /><br />Finally, Sunday. We could hardly believe it was already our last day! In the morning, the group split between heading to the Parque de Buen Retiro and the Rastro – a famous flea market. In the afternoon we had our appointment to enter the royal palace. I was extremely surprised to find that this was one of my favorite sites. The rooms were visually overwhelming - not only in size, but in luxury and decoration. It was fun to picture royals and nobles of the 18th and 19th century wandering in and out of chandelier lit salons and throne rooms. There was also an armory with metal armor for adults, horses and even children! After the royal palace, we jaunted over to the Gran Vía (a main street in Madrid) to grab some cheap lunch and then head back to Denia! (Once again --- PERFECT weather!)</p><div><br />Yet another adventure completed, but definitely “aprovechado” (enjoyed to the fullest!) </div><div> </div><div>-Written by Anne Bouman</div></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-21652276861128985232010-04-20T13:22:00.000+02:002010-04-20T13:23:25.465+02:00Home Sweet DeniaAs Emma said, we are all back safe from our incredible adventures throughout Europe. This week has been spent catching up with the people who truly feel like my new brothers and sisters, sharing our craziest and most memorable moments of our journeys. During break many of us experienced bumps along the way such as canceled flights, train strikes, missing the last metro of the night, or sleeping in strange places; however, all of the stressful times are nothing when we look back at the loads of amazing moments we experienced and the literally countless magnificent artworks and monuments we have anticipated seeing our whole lives, and finally have now! The Lord truly kept His hand on all of us while we were traveling, and answered so many of our prayers as well as our parents, I’m sure. There have been more than enough times this semester, and during break, when things haven’t worked out exactly how we wanted but God has most definitely shown that He works in mysterious ways, and blessed us in the end. <br /><br />I would not have changed my spring break with my brother and friends for anything, but hardly sleeping the entire time and traveling to 5 major cities in 4 different countries is taxing on the body. I couldn’t help but feel at peace when getting on my last mode of transportation, finally returning to our home in Denia, where we know how to get around and there are familiar faces. I know I speak for everyone when I say that we are happy to be back in our homes with our families and home cooked meals. <br /><br /> The fact that our reuniting at school on Tuesday with our classmates was so exciting to see everyone, sharing and hearing stories, makes everyone even more anxious for the reuniting on May 20th with our family and friends in the States! There are now only 11 more days of class, and wow can you tell! I don’t know of anyone that can pay attention for a whole class anymore (not that I could ever this semester). Our thoughts are on the beach, our upcoming excursion to Madrid in 2 days, family, friends… nearly anything with the exception of history or literature of any kind. Our time in Spain has flown by, and I am not ready to leave in the least. We will all be soaking up the sun on the Mediterranean (while studying of course) and the Spanish culture until the moment we leave.<br /><br />-Written by Jessica Van SlykeSemester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-25728210930343966902010-04-20T12:49:00.003+02:002010-04-20T13:21:40.588+02:00Meeting New PeopleOne of the most exciting parts about starting life in a new city is making new friends and building new relationships. Even after 4 months in Denia we're constantly making new connections that may last a lifetime! Check out some of our pictures of people we've met in Denia outside of our families.<br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqVPp6hWE2vt5OKkrKeEaExmltjy5pFEIlMgPMMOPfSPoGY9MdnI8XjXiVc0KddTcBfYam7FC6AeBRZEidNENTtbTXAkIuiV7OvrDJJXg34flloPTep3tG63islABEUO2kuhMilpQeXqM/s1600/DianiumXabia.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462177115644282658" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 197px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqVPp6hWE2vt5OKkrKeEaExmltjy5pFEIlMgPMMOPfSPoGY9MdnI8XjXiVc0KddTcBfYam7FC6AeBRZEidNENTtbTXAkIuiV7OvrDJJXg34flloPTep3tG63islABEUO2kuhMilpQeXqM/s320/DianiumXabia.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Sarah with her friends and coaches from the track team.</div><div> </div><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnKgOD9G3l-nu-oYMxud4wVEkY3in1D_RvtL9KETlIcoDK_0LLmvQWe7dd3tb_szrdo3ab6TLOH4qyi1chhfz_UgfDxOoNE-vqZ9BPxtXkXGw891kOTYMWL6jLTAnTi_Fmt5sneC4elpj/s1600/IMGP4360.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462177119639497474" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnKgOD9G3l-nu-oYMxud4wVEkY3in1D_RvtL9KETlIcoDK_0LLmvQWe7dd3tb_szrdo3ab6TLOH4qyi1chhfz_UgfDxOoNE-vqZ9BPxtXkXGw891kOTYMWL6jLTAnTi_Fmt5sneC4elpj/s320/IMGP4360.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div>Maria Elena, Seth and Kaylee with the Basketball team and the president of Denia's club. Seth and some other students practice with the team.</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N8IuUc74yPgkGaqSFgq5xIWxFhAlcGLibfLG2QdoiCQkb3T507A_r05Fum7-LLeKKx4CmcmoHOceRYBKKS93RFztXSQwMlmB2Watrn7oQUv5bCyPKbQ3soYGBeNZeda-yC_Ka0h-8OjF/s1600/DSC_3722.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462177125152572962" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N8IuUc74yPgkGaqSFgq5xIWxFhAlcGLibfLG2QdoiCQkb3T507A_r05Fum7-LLeKKx4CmcmoHOceRYBKKS93RFztXSQwMlmB2Watrn7oQUv5bCyPKbQ3soYGBeNZeda-yC_Ka0h-8OjF/s320/DSC_3722.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Maria Elena and Fuencenta with some friends from Cartagena. </div><div> </div><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxbl3DYNs_Zbj3_xJXEHf09mzzQ_how34zfKTf3IE4aTBaeiqEbZPHGLo_W2jo0BGpLwSHJIy6E9ozSc_1biU0kbN0hN91uU2pZ_zDoJgeKrxiprMtcppaYjaKy3kSBnu1_i7dNUsR7PV/s1600/IMGP3858.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462177133438378514" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxbl3DYNs_Zbj3_xJXEHf09mzzQ_how34zfKTf3IE4aTBaeiqEbZPHGLo_W2jo0BGpLwSHJIy6E9ozSc_1biU0kbN0hN91uU2pZ_zDoJgeKrxiprMtcppaYjaKy3kSBnu1_i7dNUsR7PV/s320/IMGP3858.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="right">Neal with the friend that he has made. =)</p></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-91227496511436780812010-04-15T00:43:00.004+02:002010-04-15T00:55:07.629+02:00Oh the places we’ve been!<div>Just under two weeks ago, all 25 of our group members left Denia for our spring break to experience more of Europe (save for Professor Bierling and Neal who stayed here to enjoy the visit of some of their grandkids and children!) We were ready for a break, as most of us had just taken a history midterm and all of us had been at the daily grind of school for a while. The last few days were a bit hectic, between packing, studying, printing out boarding passes, and trying to find some time to take in the sun that has just come out in Denia. But we got that all taken care of, and well, it was quite the exciting spring break for us – it’s not every year that we get to go gallivanting about Europe! Our trips were varied – some kept as close as Spain, for one group, in hiking the famed pilgrimage, the “Camino de Santiago,” and for another group, in taking in the sunshine of the beaches of the Canary Islands, a European holiday favorite. All the while, others went as far as Denmark and Norway to visit family and friends! The rest of us were somewhere in between – a few made it up to the UK and the Netherlands, while a good majority of us hit up Italy and/or France – and as far as I know from what I’ve heard – they were all amazing! We also had good traveling companions: members of our own Spain group, family and friends that came from home, family and friends that live in Europe, and new friends made along the way that hailed from places like Valencia, Italy, Ireland, Eritrea, and the US. (A few guys even got to meet up for coffee with one of our Spanish professors in his hometown in Northern Spain.) It is quite idyllic to be able to say to a friend, “let’s rendezvous in front of the fountains in Rome!” </div><br /><div>Speaking for myself, I had a ton of fun and learned a lot, too. I went to the south of France, Paris, and Cinque Terre, Italy. There were some awesome moments, like visiting old friends, experiencing the beauty of God’s creation through hiking and kayaking in Provence and Northern Italy, and seeing sights I had always dreamed of seeing, like the Eiffel tower and the Louvre. It was cool to see how what I had learned in my classes in Spain applied to my travels in other countries: for example, seeing Notre Dame in Paris was much more meaningful because I had studied gothic architecture in Spanish art history class. Even though our examples had been the cathedrals of León, Burgos, and Toledo, the same concepts still applied in France. (Some of our group members went to see the very cathedrals we studied in that class, like the ones in León and Santiago de Compostela.) But these trips included hard times too: for one, it was lost luggage, for another, it was a passport predicament, and for me, it was the French train strike on the day I had to make it from Paris to Cinque Terre, Italy, all by myself. Most of my connecting trains were canceled, and it ended up being a pretty stressful day. But if there’s anything that international travel teaches you, it’s flexibility – and coming to realize that things like a train strike are not the end of the world. God provided, and things worked out in the end. I can see his faithfulness in how he took care of me that day and throughout the trip, and I am confident that many of my group members have stories like this one. God is faithful, and he has blessed us so! </div><br /><div>Well, safe to say that this spring break was a blast, and now, as my grandparents would say, “all of the chickens are back in the nest.” Despite one group member who got delayed in Barcelona coming home, we have now, at last, all made it back to Denia. It was interesting and almost surprising to see how much Spain (and Denia, specifically), felt like home when we got back. For my travel mates and I, landing in Alicante and hailing a taxi was so refreshing, easy, and comfortable – “hey,” we realized, after having been in Italy, “we speak this language [Spanish] pretty well!” Our corner of Spain has become a home to us. And having experienced other cultures and environments on the voyage, we now have refreshed eyes to see Spain in a new way. So now we are hopefully all refreshed, energized, and (some of us) rested to head into our last 5 weeks in Spain. The adjustment back to doing homework and studying for tests will not be easy, but we’ll get through it, just as we always do. :) Thanks so much for your prayers and </div><div>support! </div><div> </div><div></div><div>--Written by Emma DeVries</div><div> </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBpLR4aIacj7P-EHj5xmszex-9bYllPCCYTYHhwBnbkWhuDirqv1pytiBXMBtrf9qE-sMBdrVcWxCRre7HYGPL0X5v55PnyxmoyhzrFo-ahb1A89MwB8HBwNs6T7MFh6sB4jTAc6PkRoy/s1600/IMG_2650.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460129122417588210" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBpLR4aIacj7P-EHj5xmszex-9bYllPCCYTYHhwBnbkWhuDirqv1pytiBXMBtrf9qE-sMBdrVcWxCRre7HYGPL0X5v55PnyxmoyhzrFo-ahb1A89MwB8HBwNs6T7MFh6sB4jTAc6PkRoy/s320/IMG_2650.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Hiking in Cinque Terre National Park, Italy</div><div> </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk38p6nT0fmp9SlBLhR_6Evj0XIK445qc_c4uW9B1biJHC4l1qoH9ftgOG3tpS-VJj-V6WPKUTeKvj1Ygtmyq0zghAGiloJ0T1QopFOW1Pk_vJRB_gSKEdRvqFvn6hguz_maqMt5r6hJIs/s1600/IMG_2295.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460129116316623410" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk38p6nT0fmp9SlBLhR_6Evj0XIK445qc_c4uW9B1biJHC4l1qoH9ftgOG3tpS-VJj-V6WPKUTeKvj1Ygtmyq0zghAGiloJ0T1QopFOW1Pk_vJRB_gSKEdRvqFvn6hguz_maqMt5r6hJIs/s320/IMG_2295.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Celebrating Easter in France with brothers and sisters in Christ from 6 countries. Celebrating Easter in various places was really cool, as we got to see the traditions of believers from many cultures!</div><div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-32321185084907458892010-03-29T13:29:00.006+02:002010-03-31T11:16:51.700+02:00Good Weather and the Upcoming Calvin Spring Break Diaspora<?xml:namespace prefix = m /><m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"><m:brkbin val="before"><m:brkbinsub val="--"><m:smallfrac val="off"><m:lmargin val="0"><m:rmargin val="0"><m:defjc val="centerGroup"><m:wrapindent val="1440"><m:intlim val="subSup"><m:narylim val="undOvr"> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The last full week before spring break. Here in Denia we have had our first week of amazing weather: sun, no clouds, no rain. Calvin students could be seen in most outdoor locales, scaling Montgó (Denia's mountain), enjoying the beach, running alongside th</span><span style="font-size:100%;">e sea, or meandering through the numerous sidestreets and older neighborhoods of Denia. After looking at this blog, readers may not realize that we are taking classes here in Denia as well. All of our classes are at the local university, the U.N.E.D. (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia). We have two professors from Spain, who teach 308, 309, art history, and Spanish literature. Alfonso is a witty Spaniard from a small pueblo in León, and I have no idea where Ge is from, but she smokes like a chimney and it's great when she uses her cigarette box and lighter to illustrate architectural concepts. María Elena, or Prof. Bierling, teaches 340 (linguistics) and 316 (contemporary Spain), along with working on a myriad of administrative tasks for the group. Tracy Ariza, an American who married a local Denian a few years back and who lives year-round in Denia, coordinates the ethnographic study and helps the group immensely with her knowledge of and connections in the area. I don't know who teaches 301 or 302, but I think we have or had those classes as well.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span >This weekend the tourists came pouring in from different parts of Europe to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather here in Denia. It is funny to see sunburned Brits wandering the streets of Denia in search of the English-speaking bars and consulting their tri-fold Rand McNally maps as they search in vain for any kind of street sign that will help them get their bearings. I feel a certain satisfaction in knowing that I would have to try quite hard to get lost in Denia by now. Today there was a large procession to commemorate Christ's entrance to Jerusalem; the locals stay true to the Biblical description with their palm fronds and olive branches. I was curious to see where everyone was going for spring break, and according to what I found out, Calvin students will soon be roving the following locales: Amsterdam, London, Paris, Montpelier, Nice, Cinque Terre, Rome, the Canary Islands, Venice, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Florence, Pisa, Lisboa, Oslo, Dublin, and northern Spain hiking the Camino de Santiago. I'm positive that I missed quite a few places, but at least this gives a hint as to the good times that will be had by Calvin students throughout Europe. Since Calvin's spring break was last week, we have seen a few significant others come out to spend time with their other halves; it is fun to see friends from the states come out. At this point, I think that most of us in the group realize how quickly the time has gone by here and are renewing our efforts to make the most of what time we have here. Every day provides a new opportunity to learn something of great value. We ask for readers' prayers as everyone is traveling everywhere this coming week; prayers for safety and discernment. <?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">--Written by Phil Videtich</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB8gQ-OdExks4IWrwuQXfr8hqsXZi7C3fYughGc0Z3JXsN6FF5p9pbWqwDkHGwO7kOA6XCxwuiwDZ2XgS2mdwyyIJDrnrOLhzjGPTjUFJ8ihodlgVxwvIq37uaXYxxxsZlb09aishxTNB/s1600/IMG_1350.JPG"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454017856081425314" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB8gQ-OdExks4IWrwuQXfr8hqsXZi7C3fYughGc0Z3JXsN6FF5p9pbWqwDkHGwO7kOA6XCxwuiwDZ2XgS2mdwyyIJDrnrOLhzjGPTjUFJ8ihodlgVxwvIq37uaXYxxxsZlb09aishxTNB/s320/IMG_1350.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;">Alfonso with some of us from his 368 literature class</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></m:narylim></m:intlim></m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:smallfrac></m:brkbinsub></m:brkbin></m:mathfont><m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"><m:brkbin val="before"><m:brkbinsub val="--"><m:smallfrac val="off"><m:lmargin val="0"><m:rmargin val="0"><m:defjc val="centerGroup"><m:wrapindent val="1440"><m:intlim val="subSup"><m:narylim val="undOvr"></m:narylim></m:intlim></m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:smallfrac></m:brkbinsub></m:brkbin></m:mathfont>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-35895093435730154222010-03-22T13:46:00.006+01:002010-03-22T14:52:19.259+01:00Fallas<p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451444122082083650" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JINlZG1cKpcLxu93ve0cFzTcO1V1G4orYUL-N8wx5cwbFSPm593TKIAeaHnGBT82KDQwntshgBcQG2VEYgW4ks0OyJP-Z2JZDwgU2db7gX2E3jGJL5AQT9NibH4XMz8rLY5bVj55BUid/s320/IMGP4080.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="left">The Falla worth 600 000 euros. </p><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XVsPXmhMozsM_M-exQwTqN2ry6NTd3pIBhGohSZcdPQLDrh0ZLrGrozbLgzk6IK8Q-xxp9sYQYGVP3YSwKo6G7Ts_ADMjvGRo60BJEqiL1JHnOzpaUaFdnHMWLQ8gYVy4RBfT9s-b5YM/s1600-h/SDC12211.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451444112398967090" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XVsPXmhMozsM_M-exQwTqN2ry6NTd3pIBhGohSZcdPQLDrh0ZLrGrozbLgzk6IK8Q-xxp9sYQYGVP3YSwKo6G7Ts_ADMjvGRo60BJEqiL1JHnOzpaUaFdnHMWLQ8gYVy4RBfT9s-b5YM/s320/SDC12211.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="right">Some of the group that went to a "corrida de toros"</p><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEgOm-iyeHdW-WO9NR4ImdS_Xf849OWoIskUp5gSHmWW-pxv1BSvUeQvwh95EHk-mBLk9cLz1fmftbJiQYwWwTSKFEmS23Y8HfwIOzRIR0kyA-EYmiDmufKVsPwSoP3EY-6QI_ngVYoRT/s1600-h/SDC12140.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451444109391160418" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEgOm-iyeHdW-WO9NR4ImdS_Xf849OWoIskUp5gSHmWW-pxv1BSvUeQvwh95EHk-mBLk9cLz1fmftbJiQYwWwTSKFEmS23Y8HfwIOzRIR0kyA-EYmiDmufKVsPwSoP3EY-6QI_ngVYoRT/s320/SDC12140.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left">Some of our girls imitating the balerinas of one of Denia's fallas.<br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br />This past week, all of us had to study for our midterms amidst the loud explosions of firecrackers that were part of the biggest spring festival in the community of Valencia: Las Fallas. The Fallas is one of the most important events where different groups make satirical sculptures made out of cardboard, wood, or styrofoam. These are set in different parts of the city/town and later burnt on the night of March 19th, saving the 1st place at last. Everybody in Denia was in the party mode throughout the entire week. There were also marching bands, people dressed up in their beautiful traditional fallas’ clothes, fireworks waking us up at 7am, and kids throwing firecrackers everywhere you went. On Thursday, after surviving throughout our midterms that lasted for three days, we all went to the city of Valencia, where the biggest Fallas were, with some Germans from our church. There were so many people in Valencia that everybody was just pushing everyone else around (there are 1million tourists coming to see the fallas in Valencia every year!). All of us just walked around looking at the different fallas (the sculptures) and a lot of us also went to watch a bullfight! Watching the bulls die for the first time was just really hard at first, but by the end of the show we were all “ole”ing just like the rest of the crowd. After walking around for hours and watching the fireworks at 2am, most of us went back to Denia, but there were some people like myself who stayed back in Valencia, because we had friends visiting us and we wanted to see the burning of the fallas in Valencia. Watching all those fallas being burnt was just amazingly awesome. Yet, I also kept thinking about the fact that it was all money burning down, as all those fallas were made out of money that is collected by their group members (the most expensive falla in Valencia was that of 600,000 euros). All in all, it was just so impressive and interesting. This week has been one of the most busy, crazy, fun, I-would-so-do-it-again weeks here in Spain. </p><p> </p><p>--Written by Ahn Chan Young</p>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-45508835833044814362010-03-15T22:46:00.002+01:002010-03-15T23:00:00.927+01:00PreparationIt has been a week of preparation. All of the students have been preparing for a plethora of exams and the people of Denia have been preparing for Las Fallas.<br /> At the beginning of the week the celebratory mood of Denia came alive. Some of the streets have been closed down in order to facilitate large colorful sculptures. These huge sculptures are called fallas and many are as large as the buildings around them. The falleros (teams of workers) have been working on these masterpieces all year, and all of the hard work culminates in the celebration of fallas this week. (I will only describe the preparation here and leave you in suspense as to what the celebration entails this weekend :) )<br /> Just a little tip for visitors during this time of year: ¡Ten cuidado! Watch out for groups of children in the street. A favorite celebratory pastime of the youth of Denia is to throw firecrackers in the street (and I literally mean lighting the firecracker and throwing it onto the sidewalk or into the middle of the street). A simple task like walking to the grocery store can turn into an action-packed scene with explosions from all sides! It seems to me like there is never rest during this week. Music, firecrackers, tourists, and paellas abound until all hours of the night.<br /> Other than that, we have all been working diligently to study for exams in the hopes that we will be able to better celebrate after we have finished. Keep us in your prayers as we continue to work hard at our classes!<br /><br />--Written by Clara DeJongeSemester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-75689460822184288692010-03-15T22:42:00.003+01:002010-03-15T22:46:08.727+01:00More Grandchildren<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkEA-1bzlGRlAAb4wEPCJ1ekxkWn6siVyh1u_YqnsR2Lfv9mR3cfCIBxhckD_3xa3mB-uOOuRB-jw1ZH0jYODXxxnkW-faVhde7bL4zmSpTvQqZcRNsT_6tgmYhRkmUDS7oZfdUCvGoc1/s1600-h/photo_1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448980052284086898" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkEA-1bzlGRlAAb4wEPCJ1ekxkWn6siVyh1u_YqnsR2Lfv9mR3cfCIBxhckD_3xa3mB-uOOuRB-jw1ZH0jYODXxxnkW-faVhde7bL4zmSpTvQqZcRNsT_6tgmYhRkmUDS7oZfdUCvGoc1/s320/photo_1.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br />Our professor Maria Elena and her husband Neal have now increased their total number of granchildren to 6 will the arrival of Kieran Alexander - born yesterday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Another healthy family member!Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-67380874898690842332010-03-08T14:04:00.003+01:002010-03-08T14:27:10.392+01:00The Charming South of Spain<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> 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intertwining and climbing the walls of La Alhambra like so many flowering vines following the steps of an exquisite dance.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve a feeling that experiencing these ancient sites would instill wonder in any human soul, but being obsessed (I don’t think I can describe the sentiment more strongly than that) with history and art as I am, I’m pretty sure I died from the rapture of it all at least about 10 times.<span style=""> </span>Imagine, for example, our first thoughts upon entering La Catedral de Granada.<span style=""> </span>This particular edifice was erected in “el estilo gigante” – gigantic style.<span style=""> </span>Shall I explain?<span style=""> </span>It’s quite possible that it took me 15 minutes just to gaze from the pearly tiled floors to the arching ceiling, that being supported by towering columns that bore a strong resemblance to giant sequoias.<span style=""> </span>I’m convinced that it would have taken at least half of the group to stretch our arms around one (ok, perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but these things were <i style="">monstrous!</i>).<span style=""> </span>To sit at the base of one of them would have felt akin to being an ant at the foot of an immense tree, staring up into the blue and pondering the world in all its wonder.<span style=""> </span>Surely the cathedral was meant to inspire that sort of awe, and I have to admit that my heart was ready to leap out of my chest in violent worship of our grand Creator.<span style=""> </span>If human hands can erect something of such grandeur, what wonder is the source of all this creativity capable of?<span style=""> </span>I’ve had a very small taste of that splendor during travels through mountains – veritable coffers of the riches of God, and that alone was enough to knock me off my feet.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Well dear friends, that was just the tip of the iceberg.<span style=""> </span>We spent the morning of the following day chasing foreign scents and frolicking music down the strange and labyrinthine alleys of el Albaicin, one of the oldest parts of Granada and home to some truly gorgeous Arabic architecture – a small hint of what awaited us in La Alhambra later that afternoon.<span style=""> </span>I’ll not spend much time with description as I’m anxious to get on to talking about the Mosque, but suffice it to say the ancient palace was like something out of Arabian Nights.<span style=""> </span>The walls really did seem to come alive with crawling decoration – flower stems twisting and turning like serpents twining their way through starbursts, diamonds, and the flowing script of passages from the Qu’ran.<span style=""> </span>It was every bit as staggering as the cathedral, though perhaps expressing power and beauty through playful mind-games and tricks of the eye rather than the somewhat forceful, engulfing power of the cathedral.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I should interject here that all of these delights for the eyes were supplemented throughout with gastric delights, the most famous of which was the cherished “churros con chocolate” (put frankly, deep fried dough dipped in molten chocolate), without a doubt the most calorie-laden fiesta my tongue has ever enjoyed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">With that, I arrive finally at the jewel of our tour, the dazzling ruby of Cordoba – La Gran Mezquita.<span style=""> </span>I’m willing to admit that any bitterness I had at the fact that the lions were absent from the Court of the Lions (they <i style="">would</i> choose to restore them when their greatest fan was coming to visit) in La Alhambra was quickly washed away by the Great Mosque.<span style=""> </span>I’ll not bore you all with dusty art history facts (though I’m dying to pour forth with all I’ve got), but the mosque is truly a feat to be admired.<span style=""> </span>It’s basically a building the size of a football field filled with row upon row of columns, each pair supporting a double arch of red and white stripes.<span style=""> </span>The affect is breath-taking, lit as it is by dim chandeliers that bathe the edges in shadow and trick the eye into thinking that the columns march into infinity.<span style=""> </span>To top it off, a giant cathedral has been plunked right in the middle of the mosque!<span style=""> </span>As unnatural as the mix seems, there’s something beautiful and magnificent about the way in which the two styles meld and clash.<span style=""> </span>It’s an incredibly strange, and certainly unique, experience.<span style=""> </span>I’d have loved to wander beneath those candied arches for hours, breathing in years of dust and the spicy-sweet scent of incense in the light flickering candles.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">--Written by Kyria Osterhouse</p><p class="MsoNormal">PICTURES from our trip to Andalucia:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsKCwctez1kGUq0pSPN21s5B1QS_p09zcBf3rlmLM6F0PUGsSwwb0C_GEbyrvoJbokaqub9IpfPEewtixmI43SHjb7x8bJu5XpZLVVycnn-GBB2YULs4BbvyPhLCVcMbI67_FngMDZgQn/s1600-h/DSC_3833.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsKCwctez1kGUq0pSPN21s5B1QS_p09zcBf3rlmLM6F0PUGsSwwb0C_GEbyrvoJbokaqub9IpfPEewtixmI43SHjb7x8bJu5XpZLVVycnn-GBB2YULs4BbvyPhLCVcMbI67_FngMDZgQn/s400/DSC_3833.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446249899353350162" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Group pic with La Alhambra in the background</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8mIfTlGDsBKzURMmSKQ_kdyXRYYkleJ8uFBHtbTltzLgULjdooIE5a5HwHaxukm2wtiaC06ifPx-d9Jmix2vXueJTYt_v5iqFA_YkLVi6v_vumv9eiQoy2QNH7_n3ni4H_EJiQyFsRBN/s1600-h/DSC_3954.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8mIfTlGDsBKzURMmSKQ_kdyXRYYkleJ8uFBHtbTltzLgULjdooIE5a5HwHaxukm2wtiaC06ifPx-d9Jmix2vXueJTYt_v5iqFA_YkLVi6v_vumv9eiQoy2QNH7_n3ni4H_EJiQyFsRBN/s400/DSC_3954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446249900050632546" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Funny group pic in the Plaza of the Alhambra</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0Y5kH4WbZgk74ZONHH7epWY65i0Qe20a7oW4Yrf7qlLhwB8kDAUhAZyRRDKrz-MlQhpXB9uxBaVsgk9X3f5rc78Lz-1wMnWmzXvma1WHov_VjuMMG5yaTZ21hF7QQ9VMfFcT0DmMYvf2/s1600-h/mosque,+cordoba+%282%29.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0Y5kH4WbZgk74ZONHH7epWY65i0Qe20a7oW4Yrf7qlLhwB8kDAUhAZyRRDKrz-MlQhpXB9uxBaVsgk9X3f5rc78Lz-1wMnWmzXvma1WHov_VjuMMG5yaTZ21hF7QQ9VMfFcT0DmMYvf2/s400/mosque,+cordoba+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446249886472583858" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Mosque and it's arches<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4a0bGfgAXqQGz3sB-NeUjZaE7p7NO2PqhYwxD-bMc439XQwfsE9yf6F_xIpE4iHiqJFnPF-w0mrkOimltVFlc4tFwt8svEnx2jvRa60Jicq3oTtFVsVMua7kcXhgcQymYmKlgqAvxMdE/s1600-h/DSC_4025.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4a0bGfgAXqQGz3sB-NeUjZaE7p7NO2PqhYwxD-bMc439XQwfsE9yf6F_xIpE4iHiqJFnPF-w0mrkOimltVFlc4tFwt8svEnx2jvRa60Jicq3oTtFVsVMua7kcXhgcQymYmKlgqAvxMdE/s400/DSC_4025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446249901847785506" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Some of the group "One foot in, one foot out" of the city proper of Cordoba<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_D-S6YsB27G-WHoTm-bI5ekKwuO0hWo20Su9Sx-MWg2w6vkxioRXmqCYHNiBch4zThkE__FI8cBzWniZy3b1YLTFHt6ED9Q-FXLGQf7p1Xt0e9M2DLECSp9oLtJng6vObetfXX2REBjCc/s1600-h/monestary.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_D-S6YsB27G-WHoTm-bI5ekKwuO0hWo20Su9Sx-MWg2w6vkxioRXmqCYHNiBch4zThkE__FI8cBzWniZy3b1YLTFHt6ED9Q-FXLGQf7p1Xt0e9M2DLECSp9oLtJng6vObetfXX2REBjCc/s400/monestary.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446249893928474146" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Monastery in Granada<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-75794252494990806942010-03-07T23:54:00.002+01:002010-03-08T00:04:51.648+01:00Photos from BenimaurellBetter late than never =)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446031012089971778" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6bMDW9_saNxd7xpgNNjiPMzMUxd_YpIDQM3FL5vYWSoA2tzm73m8gjAipXAWjS4qKjsf-l7bEkd-9mwZlz3OMlKYY2g_p3ItxHHykoZSSkuj55DKSvGxWNGmsyOPuoLREXGkm7BNTP0Z/s400/SDC11662.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />A group that climbed "Cabello Verde" on Sunday<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRroZ3-oAuo85uZ5tqAyZFRLggvgUgIouEuivR7eHsaYUyvjT9JyMURPkKd4cRWOzMXOeGXLVA-QIrg1cwOSUYtmyCYpx2ltJeQxolVbCoB32x2VOXpheJV3vxUpMWBAqSj2dNHIUsJaK/s1600-h/SDC11602.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446031003789553842" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRroZ3-oAuo85uZ5tqAyZFRLggvgUgIouEuivR7eHsaYUyvjT9JyMURPkKd4cRWOzMXOeGXLVA-QIrg1cwOSUYtmyCYpx2ltJeQxolVbCoB32x2VOXpheJV3vxUpMWBAqSj2dNHIUsJaK/s400/SDC11602.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A gran paella from a local restaurant<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZB8PgudQ9c0RI1J1ek1S_V3f-NZFrBubIyMUsKbZ-BANSnOXejEgTIURn8a5krSvYdn91Jr4Wu3XvzpieP7gndCBl63lPAeIl-q9ptigBQspmUn7U0zDtf65USB7UZvmZu8X63lnoARl/s1600-h/IMGP3904.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446030998848520866" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZB8PgudQ9c0RI1J1ek1S_V3f-NZFrBubIyMUsKbZ-BANSnOXejEgTIURn8a5krSvYdn91Jr4Wu3XvzpieP7gndCBl63lPAeIl-q9ptigBQspmUn7U0zDtf65USB7UZvmZu8X63lnoARl/s400/IMGP3904.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Some of the group hiking through "canon del infierno"<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6S-IEvmZP3lNwljn32PxApZgO3fepmNxx9Fc_CrSRFHi55Ov7KbnZwrlskCMsR_x1eChefW6CVTDCV306dyw6iMeXtsrN1IA7xKyMvRM3qwec1IHFuSLISSLYZ19MyKFWnbBrg-PTmwp/s1600-h/DSC_0283.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446030992599720322" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6S-IEvmZP3lNwljn32PxApZgO3fepmNxx9Fc_CrSRFHi55Ov7KbnZwrlskCMsR_x1eChefW6CVTDCV306dyw6iMeXtsrN1IA7xKyMvRM3qwec1IHFuSLISSLYZ19MyKFWnbBrg-PTmwp/s400/DSC_0283.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Entire group pic (minus Neal) at the end of the hike, posing at the fountain in Benimaurell<br /><br /></div><div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-74532439177212616212010-03-01T12:10:00.002+01:002010-03-01T12:17:04.691+01:00OpportunitiesWell this week much of the group is starting to feel like Denia is our new home. Each of us has our own separate routine that keeps us busy all week long with our host families, our jobs from ethnographic studies, our conversation partners (friends) from a local high school, our acquaintances from the UNED, etc. We still have that American love of a routine engrained in us, and most of us have our routine down pat. For me, and many others, a major part of that routine is the afternoon siesta which we’ll have a hard time leaving behind when we leave Spain!<br /><br />Along with getting our routine set we are also starting to notice how busy our lives are! The fact that our time in Denia has a definite end adds a little pressure to our schedules. Because each day we are one day closer to leaving Denia and returning home, we have this sense of having to do as much as we possibly can each day.<br /><br />My favorite slogan has become - ¡Aprovecha! – direct translation = take advantage! This week the group as a whole has had many opportunities to take advantage of. During the middle of the week we had 3 days of straight sunlight. One day it got up to 23 degrees Celsius which is about 73 degrees Fahrenheit. You could spot out a Calvin student from a mile away – we were the only people in Denia walking around in short-sleeved shirts and flip-flops…but we don’t care if we look foreign…we like the sun!<br /><br />Another opportunity we had to take advantage of was an optional excursion to Benimaurell. Benimaurell is a pueblo (small town) in the mountains. Our bus driver, Ricardo and his family have lived in Benimaurell for many years. Ricardo provided us bus transportation to and from Benimaurell for free – which made for a fantastic, cheap excursion to take advantage of.<br /><br />Benimaurell was founded a muslum town in the eight century and remain that way until the Christians kicked the moriscos out during the inquisition and repopulated the city with people from Mallorca. Ricardo shared with us the rich history of his pueblo and we had the chance to apply some of what we’ve learned in our classes.<br /><br />On Saturday we spent the whole day hiking through the “cañón del infierno” – canyon of hell. This was a good workout for all of us. The paths were the paths designed by the arabs since many hundreds of years. The paths wound up and down the mountain like serpents. We arrived at the bottom of the canyon two times before coming all the way back up again to Benimaurell. 300m below the canyon is the subterranean river “Río de Lucifero” – River of Lucifer. The water from this river is siphoned up naturally through the ground and was available for us to drink at various fountains along the way. It is some of the purest water in all of Spain.<br /><br />On Sunday we had the opportunity to attend mass at the church. Calvin students made up nearly 2/3 of the congregation. The priest was very welcoming. Maria Elena even played guitar with the rest of the worship band. After mass we were on our own and everyone made their own adventure. Some students climbed the “caballo verde” – the green horse. This mountain is called the green horse because its two tall humps make it look like the saddle of a horse. When the Christians came to expulse the moriscos they all gathered around the base of the mountain because according to legend their “caballero” was going to come sit on the saddle to lead them to victory over the Christians. Needless to say, their legened leader never came and they lost the battle. Also at this time other students returned to the cañón del infierno to explore on their own and revisit the waterfall that we came across the day before. Some students also decided to stay at our hostel and relax around the fireplace.<br /><br />While not everyone went on the trip to Benimaurell some folks stayed home. It is always nice to spend time with our host families. These students keep busy doing church activities, soaking up the sun on Denia’s beach, catching up on homework, etc.<br /><br />As a whole this past weekend was a great time to take advantage of. The group bonded more than ever. We’re coming to realize that we would have never known each other if it weren’t for this trip and that would have been a shame. More and more I am realizing how many opportunities I have here in Spain and I find myself saying at the end of each weekend – I am the luckiest girl in the world.<br /><br />--Written by Sarah OrndorffSemester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-34392105534868380232010-02-22T12:07:00.003+01:002010-02-22T12:14:59.873+01:00Photos from the past week<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfwblkvWhj_yYyCKqsMixn7dXtynsTAGWbXYkoP4g7fLHO0UCXwE92iO-sDqmfi5C5L5HpywdVvVoN7nIeRJ0JjQyE_5zvjwYtaUisrfptyrU6SwOmyW_9LFGM8xHPMGtAt59wHCkrkCU/s1600-h/IMG_3825.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441023918707553986" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfwblkvWhj_yYyCKqsMixn7dXtynsTAGWbXYkoP4g7fLHO0UCXwE92iO-sDqmfi5C5L5HpywdVvVoN7nIeRJ0JjQyE_5zvjwYtaUisrfptyrU6SwOmyW_9LFGM8xHPMGtAt59wHCkrkCU/s320/IMG_3825.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Some of our students singing in the choir at a local Baptist church.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpPc1ky0Hr8rVw8jWqSj8xhUPZjaJhO4G9dZUCdLc4oc8Bbv0kcZHSaRxUngE0HmegeFK7v58dHMcNIJLgsmXfKTRteOmKwqYl91xHhKq4uZOu2saP9SzMQYbl7HoowTPldBPYU13H0zt/s1600-h/IMG_3813.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441023912379813874" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpPc1ky0Hr8rVw8jWqSj8xhUPZjaJhO4G9dZUCdLc4oc8Bbv0kcZHSaRxUngE0HmegeFK7v58dHMcNIJLgsmXfKTRteOmKwqYl91xHhKq4uZOu2saP9SzMQYbl7HoowTPldBPYU13H0zt/s320/IMG_3813.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Most of us at a reception in the city hall with the mayoress.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441023907019791298" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTtiCNB-nc4Fsq74WaalUBOvQilJQw2iF0mTcPHd_z59401iGZ93OhMAKnYp-7alyZ_jlfh1nEGuLCIXq6JCEr8EJGjnQqUg4e5iYHYgecW_wiQbh2ceEXIYtMJu6gcl6JPFmEflkY2gh/s320/IMGP3832.JPG" border="0" /><br />A great view of Denia.Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-46395196288870543612010-02-22T11:55:00.004+01:002010-02-22T12:15:51.666+01:00News from the United States<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">course</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">every</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">member</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">our</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">groups</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">always</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">recieving</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">lots</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">new</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">from</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">friends</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">family</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">back</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">home</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">the</span> U.S. , <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">but</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">week</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">we</span>'ve <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">received</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">some</span> extra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">special</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">news</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Our</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">professor</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Maria</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Elena</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">her</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">husband</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Neal</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">who</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">also</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">here</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Denia</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">us</span>) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">have</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">been</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">blessed</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">with</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">new</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">granddaugter</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Natalia</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Shalom</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">was</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">born</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">last</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Friday</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">We</span> are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">very</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">thankful</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">despite</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">lots</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">family</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">events</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">back</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">home</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Maria</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Elena</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Neal</span> are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">willing</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">spend</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">their</span> time <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">here</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">us</span>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OrPU_TunU412AKgTKUWV_VuADlp9cc_A5AiBC2s87qQSHFFQrSzhKa7bSjzvIkkw_CkxoYd8AxQBfn95JpYUqVCALaVvjSoEX2arspqnBpoiZe7oBjIME44J3hvwrchjehaDdoToEODv/s1600-h/Natalia4130.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441020661126875762" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OrPU_TunU412AKgTKUWV_VuADlp9cc_A5AiBC2s87qQSHFFQrSzhKa7bSjzvIkkw_CkxoYd8AxQBfn95JpYUqVCALaVvjSoEX2arspqnBpoiZe7oBjIME44J3hvwrchjehaDdoToEODv/s200/Natalia4130.JPG" border="0" /></a>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-17722573350082362442010-02-22T11:42:00.004+01:002010-02-22T12:16:19.867+01:007 going on 8Week 7 is complete! I cannot even believe we have been here for 7 weeks already. As many people have mentioned already, Denia is starting to feel more and more like home. We're finally starting to get involved with activities in the community or with people from Denia that we're realizing that we are going to have a hard time saying goodbye in May...<br /><br />But let's not talk about that now! Let's talk about this week...This week was quite eventful. To kick it off, Sunday was a holiday--Valentine's Day. Different people did various things, but the majority of the group stayed after church (the Baptist church) for a Valentine's Day potluck. It was also supposed to go along with the sermon series on love that they have been doing since we've arrived. There was lots of good food, including food made by our very own, and lots of good friends. We are truly blessed to have found such caring people and such a wonderful place to receive spiritual support.<br /><br />A lot of us had yet another test, this time in history. I think after two tests, we might finally know what to expect from the Spanish professors. We're still adjusting to the difference in education styles here in Spain (well Europe in general)...<br /><br />On a more fun note, this weekend was our second long weekend. Some ventured to Marruecos, Africa and others to Sevilla. A lot of us just chose to stay in Denia however, and have a relaxing weekend. For those who stayed in Denia, Friday night consisted of the usual--going to cafes or restaurants in Denia. On Saturday, a group of us went to Calpe, a town about 40 minutes south of Denia, for the day to climb the mountain (rock) there, enjoy the beach, and walk around the old town. I'm pretty sure everyone who went said they would love to return, especially when the weather is warm enough to lay out on the beach. However, even though it is February, most of the group has sunburned faces, thanks to the strong Mediterranean sun! Saturday evening was capped off by watching the movie 17 Again at our professor (Maria Elena)'s house, while eating some homemade salsa (with chips of course) and brownies.<br /><br /><br /><br />Week 7? CHECK. Week 8 here we come!<br /><br /><br /><br />--Written by Carissa Ten Hoeve<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdISelBrWGU4YQQik7P6-bGTGygArXKKU-wj_8AH-nqQ4TXGLMHL21xzV6gLVU8-wQDBAvmAfwKSkngbZXkqR1C14EvdEVf85FxY6xlAF1lPFrnIbFXnWsgdTKRUgNLdHYwb4ieCdlQO4/s1600-h/IMG_3435.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441018933551846738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdISelBrWGU4YQQik7P6-bGTGygArXKKU-wj_8AH-nqQ4TXGLMHL21xzV6gLVU8-wQDBAvmAfwKSkngbZXkqR1C14EvdEVf85FxY6xlAF1lPFrnIbFXnWsgdTKRUgNLdHYwb4ieCdlQO4/s320/IMG_3435.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Group of girls on the beach in Calpe with some German friends from the Alpha y Omega church.Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-41161574874771960412010-02-15T12:13:00.004+01:002010-02-22T12:17:41.499+01:00Carnaval<div class="moz-text-html" lang="x-western"><p class="MsoNormal">We had heard stories from other students, and we were all excited. We were going to Carnival: an all-night party which is the Spanish equivalent of Mardi Gras. We all had costumes and masks to become an army of pirates, hippies, gypsies, ninjas, and traditional Andalusians. Prof. Bierling had reserved a bus to get us to Pego (the city with the biggest celebration in the area) at just before midnight, the time when the parade was supposed to start. We knew it was going to be cold, but we hadn’t counted on the rain. All day Saturday it poured, and a few hours before we were going to leave, Prof. Bierling called the city of Pego and confirmed that the festival had been canceled. So, instead of having some crazy pictures and even crazier stories, we have water-logged shoes, cold fingers, well-used umbrellas, and rested bodies. We are still waiting to find out if the celebration will be rescheduled for this coming Saturday. <span style="font-size:+0;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">But this makes it sound like the week was terrible, which is far from the truth. Over the past week, most of our small groups (studying either Acts or Cold Tangerines) have started up. The Spanish 308 class had their first literature exam (two essays, one short answer, two hours: go!). We have continued meeting with our conversation partners from the local high school. A group of students visited Denia’s cemetery to learn about how the Spanish Civil War affected this community. Friday night, the group went out to celebrate Kyria’s birthday, and Sunday afternoon, the Baptist church had a potluck in honor of Valentine’s Day and their current sermon series about being a community of love. Despite the abnormally chilly and wet weather, this past week fit the normal rhythm of life in Spain: laid back and full of people. </p><p class="MsoNormal">-Written by Cheri Ackermen<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">"SIS 2010"--can you read it?!<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vaZ9lpBuWRrQfiBgUuX7b4oKmpDYMGAJUSEiLfC0tHueY3m2I-jPd9NKOhe427kgE2OiNtlG054oKCKR7MznCHLYfR2FhSTG8Y58-TZteavZ1CLbbtU2tBmOEaRjljtSRfsTjL6zO0G9/s1600-h/IMG_0430.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438444464221659778" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vaZ9lpBuWRrQfiBgUuX7b4oKmpDYMGAJUSEiLfC0tHueY3m2I-jPd9NKOhe427kgE2OiNtlG054oKCKR7MznCHLYfR2FhSTG8Y58-TZteavZ1CLbbtU2tBmOEaRjljtSRfsTjL6zO0G9/s320/IMG_0430.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vaZ9lpBuWRrQfiBgUuX7b4oKmpDYMGAJUSEiLfC0tHueY3m2I-jPd9NKOhe427kgE2OiNtlG054oKCKR7MznCHLYfR2FhSTG8Y58-TZteavZ1CLbbtU2tBmOEaRjljtSRfsTjL6zO0G9/s1600-h/IMG_0430.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vaZ9lpBuWRrQfiBgUuX7b4oKmpDYMGAJUSEiLfC0tHueY3m2I-jPd9NKOhe427kgE2OiNtlG054oKCKR7MznCHLYfR2FhSTG8Y58-TZteavZ1CLbbtU2tBmOEaRjljtSRfsTjL6zO0G9/s1600-h/IMG_0430.JPG"></a></p></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-21774513623103596992010-02-09T10:28:00.002+01:002010-02-09T11:05:39.442+01:00TransitionIf I had to sum this past week up in one word it would be transition. We are now in the regular semester and not in interim. Last week was our first week of real classes and the start to a new semester. Most of us were trying this week to get used to a new rhythm and schedule. All students are being taught by two Native Spanards, G and Alfonzo. Everyone is finished before the main meal of the day by 1:30.<br /><br />And we are all starting to find the things outside of class to become involved in. Several students are in small Bible studies through the Baptist church. Others are in the choir at the same church. Also some students are starting their ethno -graphic studies in different organizations around Denia. Some students will be keeping up their new friendships with the Chavas students (who went to Barcelona with us) and be conversation partners with them. Some students are even learning how to dance true spanish dances.<br /><br />The best part of our week for almost everyone was probably our weekend. We had our first long weekend of the semester this weekend as well! So some students took advantage to explore around Spain, Europe, and even Denia. Some brave students went on a long trek of the mountain here for the entire day. Some stayed and hung out with the locals here in Denia. We even had one of our students, Sarah, run in a 10k. Others explored the providence in the south of us, Murcia, and experienced the nature of the country in the mountains. I had the opportunity to travel across the country to Seville and I was able to get a taste of the south of the country. Others students traveled to London and were able to see all the famous landmarks that London has to offer.<br /><br /><br />I think in the past month I have learned far more about Spain and culture than I ever imagined I would. The Spanish culture is so rich and diverse and the history is so old and interesting.<br />And after being in Barcelona and Seville, to me Denia is starting to feel more like home. It has definitely been comforting to come back to something familiar after being away (even just for 3 days), and get some good Mediterranean cooking from our mamás : )<br /><br />-Written by Annie NicholsonSemester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-91183178977668739172010-02-01T13:29:00.004+01:002010-02-02T11:27:13.708+01:00Busy week with new friends<div><br /><br /><div>This last week we wrapped up our interim class studying the regions of Spain and literature from certain regions as well. On Wednesday morning we finished our exams for both parts of the class – regions/history and literature – and left for Barcelona for a group excursion in the afternoon. This was somewhat of a stressful time for us students because they were our first exams in Spain! Despite some nervousness we got through it and set off for Barcelona excited for our first weekend excursion with the group and our last weekend with Professor Diana Zandstra. We got the chance to go with a group of about 25 seniors from the local high school here in Denia. Some Calvin students got to meet and get to know their partners for conversation groups for the semester. Others of us just got to make some new Spanish friends! Getting to know the students and learning what life is like for high school students in Spain was quite the experience. We found we had much in common with many of them and got along well. Also, meeting the students challenged our speaking skills as they were the fastest and most colloquial speakers most of us had encountered! Also, we became more aware of cultural differences like volume of speech and even the hours Spanish teenagers usually stay out! </div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKkgaGvpi0NsB8aX7op6v-VDnQfpBra2jZEQQUiolUXtp-GjYazoqViA-9efQKh8Kr_xiixcl2KMh2ahhXgZXGanSlFu2HiZ8-CCs58IIiOHun73V6IkshQIrEd3Zp53B2S_OnVl0Oyet/s1600-h/100_6175.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433256510201615570" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKkgaGvpi0NsB8aX7op6v-VDnQfpBra2jZEQQUiolUXtp-GjYazoqViA-9efQKh8Kr_xiixcl2KMh2ahhXgZXGanSlFu2HiZ8-CCs58IIiOHun73V6IkshQIrEd3Zp53B2S_OnVl0Oyet/s320/100_6175.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><div>Overall getting to know the Chabas students was extremely helpful for pushing our language skills and our abilities to adapt culturally. It was tough when our Spanish friends were used to staying up until 5 in the morning and then we had to get up around 7:30 or 8:00am to make it to breakfast and out to museums and sites all day! I personally got to spend a lot of time with a lot of different students from Chabas and got the chance to learn lots of new things from colloquial phrases to how to say bobby-pin in Spanish! Overall, spending time with the Spanish students really opened our eyes to Spanish culture from the point of view of people that are closer in age than our Spanish parents or professors. I know that because I spent time with Spanish students I got the chance to see Barcelona through a different set of eyes than my own. When you’re with Spaniards you don’t seem as much like a tourist and people <strong>DO</strong> treat you differently when they know that you can speak their language suddenly, we were able to appear more like Spaniards than like American tourists! Experiencing Spain and Barcelona in particular with the Chabas students was a window into a whole different cultural world. We are so grateful we got to know them and we had a blast in Barcelona seeing everything from Gaudi’s works, art museums, to the well know tourist street of Las Ramblas!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>-Written by Rebecca Larson</div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsZPTSy_2ZsDzBHyuU-w-UYgv6k8p_u_rObBSEu2qVHKKA3E_tvANAGRzNrOY6Wc81TfU3k1mONp8ro-wCIDX0_Iz7K-DmB-lCtnz4WeO1mdyyKqsIPqo-BHUcjwmVfacANRZfXgTvqd2/s1600-h/DSC_3459.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433576521325668818" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsZPTSy_2ZsDzBHyuU-w-UYgv6k8p_u_rObBSEu2qVHKKA3E_tvANAGRzNrOY6Wc81TfU3k1mONp8ro-wCIDX0_Iz7K-DmB-lCtnz4WeO1mdyyKqsIPqo-BHUcjwmVfacANRZfXgTvqd2/s320/DSC_3459.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TLTKWKI4vuHHB24ITWWuvK3V5ovrGL4n8SZyjSR7Vyf0T9QVOqLa0cNDKg0AeWPe5TM6HpGUJNihRjEaU92WDNUyq8c8StandDSsDZG_ilxFYhsiBtPXyOI-Rz2p9MTS68fWC3Rd0Tk7/s1600-h/DSC_3517.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433576523184232034" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TLTKWKI4vuHHB24ITWWuvK3V5ovrGL4n8SZyjSR7Vyf0T9QVOqLa0cNDKg0AeWPe5TM6HpGUJNihRjEaU92WDNUyq8c8StandDSsDZG_ilxFYhsiBtPXyOI-Rz2p9MTS68fWC3Rd0Tk7/s320/DSC_3517.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-91948026006749598062010-01-25T13:57:00.002+01:002010-01-25T14:01:30.344+01:00RhythmI have never written a blog post before so pardon me if this is not the norm. Rather than give a detailed account of what we did this week I’m just going to say a little bit about the general experience. There’s no way I could recount what everyone did anyways because I’m sure we all have a different experience.<br /><br />For me this week was about rhythm. I’m sure everyone reading this has experienced some sort of large transition in life that called for rhythm. Well coming to Spain has definitely been a large transition. First things first, sleep. As if trying to go to sleep thousands of miles away on a different continent in a strange house and a strange bed isn’t hard enough we are also 6 hours different here. This week I think we have all completely adjusted to the time difference and hopefully also to our new surroundings. I can finally fall asleep without needing the help of my Ipod (music can make you feel so much better sometimes).<br /><br />Language was also obviously a big part of the transition as well. While I’m sure none of us would claim to have mastered the Spanish language yet, I’m sure each and every student here would tell you they have improved drastically and feel at least a little more comfortable conversing in Spanish than when they arrived. I know I am reading better in Spanish than I ever have before thanks to all our homework! Believe it or not Spain is not all fun, games, beaches, and nice weather.<br /><br />However in between all our homework we are definitely having fun. Well I suppose I should not speak for everyone, but I know most of us are having a great time. Sure we all miss home, we miss families, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, English, not losing money to a terrible exchange rate; but we are also having experiences and making memories of a lifetime. Fortunately our group happens to be super cool which makes being in an amazing country like Spain even better! I know I have started to make some really good friends and am starting to appreciate every single person in our group (not a bad apple in the bunch!).<br /><br />Basically this week has been a week about establishing some rhythm in our lives that were rather chaotic when we arrived. We have figured out when we need to wake up for class, purchased any school supplies we didn’t bring along, received our books for classes, figured out where to score internet and coffee, discovered amazingly beautiful boardwalks to run on next to the Mediterranean sea, etc. Not to say we aren’t still doing some new things too. We visited the local castle on Friday and received a free guided tour. Some people also attempted to climb the mountain but decided to explore some caves instead. This coming weekend we are headed to Barcelona. Many of us also planned our spring breaks this week. It’s so fun deciding whether we would rather visit Rome, Paris, Sevilla, the Canary Islands, Marseille, London, etc. Truly we are having the chance of a lifetime over here.<br /><br />For everyone back home, I know I can speak for the entire group in saying you are all missed and thought of often. Hopefully you are thinking of us too. Prayers are appreciated as well. I know of at least one person who is, “praying a hedge of protection around me.” Always thought that expression was funny… Anyways, cyberhugs all around. And don’t worry we are being well looked after by our mamas and teachers here. The only thing you should worry about is us all coming back a little chubby from the large quantities of wonderful food our Spanish mothers are stuffing us with.<br /><br />-Written by Ryan DetersSemester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-19182284575481380392010-01-24T22:33:00.003+01:002010-01-24T22:55:55.216+01:00Finishing up interim<div><div><div>Our group has just finished the last full week of "interim" classes. That means a couple of things 1)final exams next week =( 2)excursion to Barcelona next week! Although all of us we quite busy this past weekend writing papers and studying we had some free time to roam around Denia. On Friday afternoon, we went to Denia's castle as a group (thanks to one of our profesor's at the UNED it was free of charge!). On Saturday a group of students headed out to climb Montgo'. Unfortunately the fogginess and chance of rain on Saturday prohibited a full climb and we only got to see an old Roman cave and a dedication to one of Denias most famous fathers partway up the mountain - too bad. More to come about this past week soon. In the meantime please enjoy the pictures! To read more about Denia's castle go to <a href="http://www.denia.net/uk/seccion/visitas/denia/patrimonio/castillo.asp">www.denia.net/uk/seccion/visitas/denia/patrimonio/castillo.asp</a> .</div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC1jzarApB3RsKtXLu-XaIg-p9tih7ek61zVcnN7RpJ_ycjnABq1-d_QxaPxYPCvVWear93EiW6tm_q_s2rSa_6TL5dZq312ah2BHVX4bTefVT5Wa6RMz3isLixxGzuldmPAvdXMT6kll/s1600-h/IMGP3760.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430427554589971010" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC1jzarApB3RsKtXLu-XaIg-p9tih7ek61zVcnN7RpJ_ycjnABq1-d_QxaPxYPCvVWear93EiW6tm_q_s2rSa_6TL5dZq312ah2BHVX4bTefVT5Wa6RMz3isLixxGzuldmPAvdXMT6kll/s320/IMGP3760.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>The entrance - arabic style<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhovLY5iPN7LJaBcViWPWasqf-TixMktdSZNZqHows6VC3iasGfJc00BDkaXJZr9tOuHgUvO7BcyHnQTjWFxXm3UmOTokT8mj_Z3Sl0MsXxlsxn4BJ3hLH5fwxVOhXpG9t8ynIEcSqMqoG/s1600-h/IMGP3745.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430427541212419970" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhovLY5iPN7LJaBcViWPWasqf-TixMktdSZNZqHows6VC3iasGfJc00BDkaXJZr9tOuHgUvO7BcyHnQTjWFxXm3UmOTokT8mj_Z3Sl0MsXxlsxn4BJ3hLH5fwxVOhXpG9t8ynIEcSqMqoG/s320/IMGP3745.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Our tour guide Jaime</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSz4M1TYQD8vnpDRIxb9-NjX1RpXgKiWXTAUp6ZFF_cRatybzfwGGaKWWSMBIgd8Kep5mlXF2O5AkuwAOFu0Qv9Ky23X_Ncb04PX6t76z7E0WdVa5WhXGjX2hYeN0HDvJpk6l5B0ZT_sC/s1600-h/IMGP3757.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430427549048855042" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSz4M1TYQD8vnpDRIxb9-NjX1RpXgKiWXTAUp6ZFF_cRatybzfwGGaKWWSMBIgd8Kep5mlXF2O5AkuwAOFu0Qv9Ky23X_Ncb04PX6t76z7E0WdVa5WhXGjX2hYeN0HDvJpk6l5B0ZT_sC/s320/IMGP3757.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgathrzhI81n8shfBE4ZoItJYgICOYGPkO12NbQETZwJ5oxHkhHFMDzd3W5UzaooUGGfZFbkalFWZfYFTl-xQoqfLoCxXHwCXU8RzLGr5HUxs4sShV8SCHkTLR75Rp6EOXfxG-gwDOCCnoq/s1600-h/SDC10714.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430427571500415106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgathrzhI81n8shfBE4ZoItJYgICOYGPkO12NbQETZwJ5oxHkhHFMDzd3W5UzaooUGGfZFbkalFWZfYFTl-xQoqfLoCxXHwCXU8RzLGr5HUxs4sShV8SCHkTLR75Rp6EOXfxG-gwDOCCnoq/s320/SDC10714.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Resting outside the cave - great view of the city even with the fog</div></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-81637495198915933162010-01-17T23:15:00.009+01:002010-01-18T23:02:27.030+01:00Photos from the weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzanKoJl5OLOOossdBK6v_HN8d247XMpd5YxrtbiEX6fRLcgZH46aHSq27orE5BvouHMIOk7yj0WSnBIbZGOFmrys0IdKqFCcwWCjlwCTeHRk5H2yF9qTK52x98U10doNJTm_Fp2fG9Z5d/s1600-h/Emma.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428111103835397314" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 268px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzanKoJl5OLOOossdBK6v_HN8d247XMpd5YxrtbiEX6fRLcgZH46aHSq27orE5BvouHMIOk7yj0WSnBIbZGOFmrys0IdKqFCcwWCjlwCTeHRk5H2yF9qTK52x98U10doNJTm_Fp2fG9Z5d/s400/Emma.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The group in front of the church in Javea--our only group photo so far!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDWayDGlrIkQDBnqg-hlOPHuGCA-1bIJN_l8w5SuLFj2Xu1bztlDVw7ZJcqS6e-mqVWKPgbHzj3zi-vt_vCehrTIQtiGdMznBmG_QiSFxvwZ2S86RIhpI1uAFSvUlIhkLF3pKT-CrwlhV/s1600-h/SDC10393.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427840000979056882" style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDWayDGlrIkQDBnqg-hlOPHuGCA-1bIJN_l8w5SuLFj2Xu1bztlDVw7ZJcqS6e-mqVWKPgbHzj3zi-vt_vCehrTIQtiGdMznBmG_QiSFxvwZ2S86RIhpI1uAFSvUlIhkLF3pKT-CrwlhV/s400/SDC10393.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The group hanging out on the roof of the gothic church in Javea. We had a great view in all directions from up there.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0tI0SA8xYXMB4OYiza8M8TXBcjf25CqwsmVjQkWUtkTatdJHckQxyi5hAquQ9d9X4uVrw4M9TfTV1yfe7kO5rmEatLUPq5o4wsBZD0m31yCKwgQ7qAHGHAKlqr7aM-5U5lPUbGgPhF5Q/s1600-h/SDC10472.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427839996393648466" style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0tI0SA8xYXMB4OYiza8M8TXBcjf25CqwsmVjQkWUtkTatdJHckQxyi5hAquQ9d9X4uVrw4M9TfTV1yfe7kO5rmEatLUPq5o4wsBZD0m31yCKwgQ7qAHGHAKlqr7aM-5U5lPUbGgPhF5Q/s400/SDC10472.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Some of the group at the reception in Javea - before the vino and tapas!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKpICXnpOG4x024tLOa2vExXAjQrsVB7lOz0uYFrBRegF_qBkvFg25RGd5LJLMYi5NuZY1WJLS5rxgNubU_Dt5O23oG6gcSq6bsm7B17YwdQDW47z3ORWp9bx7rUEqTBP2iM7pI2l8DEQ/s1600-h/SDC10581.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427839995538936130" style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKpICXnpOG4x024tLOa2vExXAjQrsVB7lOz0uYFrBRegF_qBkvFg25RGd5LJLMYi5NuZY1WJLS5rxgNubU_Dt5O23oG6gcSq6bsm7B17YwdQDW47z3ORWp9bx7rUEqTBP2iM7pI2l8DEQ/s400/SDC10581.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />El Catedral where "The Holy Grail" is located. (Valencia)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3GVja7ixKOwlwo9R_WiFFzVecz0nbdAMzaaqiOF4JwgOQr-mpR0dW4MHRDvmTZ1Q-A8W97nMHpeh8_41l3UaHEYJL0oV8ehEMBXPEcBu3dc1NEwtM4FASO2wwHCacHXczHBOawZll7EQ/s1600-h/SDC10587.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427839984523829298" style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3GVja7ixKOwlwo9R_WiFFzVecz0nbdAMzaaqiOF4JwgOQr-mpR0dW4MHRDvmTZ1Q-A8W97nMHpeh8_41l3UaHEYJL0oV8ehEMBXPEcBu3dc1NEwtM4FASO2wwHCacHXczHBOawZll7EQ/s400/SDC10587.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The most diverse aquarium in the world in "la ciudad de las artes y ciencias". (Valencia)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMnYJ2wzZnAYJYMgUuGOdS6Wl8vbQhyphenhyphenEcNJzjLqudAggCie0c-QADsjBEk1whw7KXpnXWQNrdr9VFjrQOeiIQbvU-rsbD74Bx5eIXTCiP60oqRq-xS-W355npMp80oeM-IZVLpjctVlOx/s1600-h/SDC10503.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427839980490153682" style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMnYJ2wzZnAYJYMgUuGOdS6Wl8vbQhyphenhyphenEcNJzjLqudAggCie0c-QADsjBEk1whw7KXpnXWQNrdr9VFjrQOeiIQbvU-rsbD74Bx5eIXTCiP60oqRq-xS-W355npMp80oeM-IZVLpjctVlOx/s400/SDC10503.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Post Office (Valencia)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100898236032881377.post-90548130529826318482010-01-17T19:38:00.006+01:002010-01-17T23:44:39.380+01:00Week of January 11-16, 2010<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl726h64mGxE855ZBvX_BO31jQgX50r2Ho0mVjPHXbfAtk5oDEHXbFaRNII_10fJcGDK8doSjArb9NEZgQX3BqAaQwf1Zt3I5d2cmANTb6P_Q-5rrsBLf8x3Mf9E3bAALh0cgd07oz78nP/s1600-h/DSC_0215.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427801487409162898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl726h64mGxE855ZBvX_BO31jQgX50r2Ho0mVjPHXbfAtk5oDEHXbFaRNII_10fJcGDK8doSjArb9NEZgQX3BqAaQwf1Zt3I5d2cmANTb6P_Q-5rrsBLf8x3Mf9E3bAALh0cgd07oz78nP/s320/DSC_0215.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hey all! So this morning, I was getting ready for church and making myself some fresh orange juice with oranges hand-delivered by a friend of my mama’s from his orchard, and I couldn’t help but think, “This is the life.” We’ve been in “The Land of the Fruit,” as my mama calls Spain, for almost two weeks now, and the things we’ve experienced can’t be captured in words, though I’ll do my best. We’re starting to get used to drinking milk out of the box, walking everywhere, speaking Spanish always, and having one large meal in the middle of the day. Most of our host moms give us one huge meal and two almost-equally big meals a day, so we’re also getting used to jogging on a more frequent basis!</p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">This past weekend we went to Javea, a little town to the south, on Friday night for a reception and a tour of the city with our wonderful hosts. We went up to the roof of the church there (climbing stairs barely wide enough for one person!) and got to see the entire city and the sunset over the mountains in the distance. The view was… incredible. There are no words to describe what it felt like to be standing on the edge of a wall a good 15 stories off the ground seeing the light of the sun go down and those of the city go up. That night we split up, some going out to various places of the city, and a smaller group of us to the beaches for the first time. The next morning we woke bright and early to go to Valencia, a bigger town to the north that hosts Europe’s largest aquarium, some incredible churches, museums, and, of course, a market full of fresh fruits and foods to buy. At the aquarium we got to watch a great dolphin show and throughout our time in Valencia took advantage of the “Rebajas” (a two-month long period of sales in Spain), toured the city, and got back onto the bus wanting to go back immediately.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqkH920e2gDQUQ5YVY3xZZ4PWv1UcaVgBGmKiQqpzfNo0YLO5OIoT7BIVWAZ1bU9hmFcMLEelI2ESJ0bJIqU-7QMRvhSbHzAfWGbOrhxbogzataFoqZ8OZvJsLU4J5Ev1wk3ZIWHJXn3U/s1600-h/Carissa.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427801487830481058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqkH920e2gDQUQ5YVY3xZZ4PWv1UcaVgBGmKiQqpzfNo0YLO5OIoT7BIVWAZ1bU9hmFcMLEelI2ESJ0bJIqU-7QMRvhSbHzAfWGbOrhxbogzataFoqZ8OZvJsLU4J5Ev1wk3ZIWHJXn3U/s320/Carissa.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Our interim class is going well and giving us time to continue to be acclimated to Denia, figure out our way around, and settle in with our families. Our Spanish is also improving daily, like today when I realized that I could understand almost the entire sermon in church, whereas last week I could only understand about half of it. The church here has affected us already, the largest discovery being the fact that, though we come from different homes, different cultures, and different languages, our God is a God of the world, and in Him, we can come together and worship in any language.</p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Our group is becoming like a large extended family, celebrating birthdays, and helping with homework, talking about you all when we’re lonely, and having fun together always. It’s bizarre that we’ve already been here for two weeks, and the time is only going to go faster until we’re on the plane back home to the States. While we love and miss all of you, it’s going to be difficult to come home. Life is not quite the same without Meijer and Reese’s cups, but the Internet cafés and churros with chocolate almost make up for it. Check back again next week for more news from this side of the world!</p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">-Written by Kelly McCormick<br /></p></div>Semester in Spainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416154119890088119noreply@blogger.com0