El albaicín y la alhambra

14 enero

The Albayzín is an impressive white wash neighborhood set in the hillside of Granada. Arabic influences are still very prevalent here, as it is in the Alhambra, horseshoe arch doorways and garden Carmen, which means garden in Arabic, are remaining examples.

Narrow, cobblestone streets wind up into the hill, where some of the eclectic, habitants reside in

caves. You´ll notice I took lots of pictures of outdoor pets in this neighborhood, there were plenty to capture in the Albayzín.

16 enero

On Sunday January 16th we went to visit the Alhambra, a Moorish fortress built during the 14th century, although it was eventually taken over by the Charles V, grandson to the catholic king and queen, Ferdinand and Isabella (who are also all buried in Granada).

The views from the Alhambra were so refreshing as well as amazing. The entire city and countryside could be seen, as well as the cathdral, Albayzín and Sierra Nevadas. This trip definitely brought my spirits up after such difficult first weeks.

La segunda semana

16 enero - 21 enero

Jealous.

The second week of living in Spain did not come with lifted spirits, like I might have hoped.

I moved in with my host mother Saturday, January 16 and realized almost immediately, during the greeting with two kisses that the smoking was going to be too much for me. I moved in nonetheless and was bombarded with the life of a heavy smoker. I thought this to be odd, because I had requested no smoking when applying for my housing last November. I knew that there was nothing I could do about it on Saturday and figured I could take care of it Monday morning.

While in limbo, waiting to find out about a new host mother who didn't smoke and didn't live a 20 minute bus ride from school, I felt extremely jealous. I was jealous of people in my program that landed a great living situation, jealous of Spaniards who had the comfort of their family, their home, and their things nearby, jealous of couples walking down the street together (though I’m still a little envious of that).

However, the time past by quickly with a visit to the Alhambra, tarot card readings, and the first week of classes.

La primera semana (más o menos)

11 enero - 15 enero 2010

Stressed.

This is the only word that I can think to describe myself after living less than two weeks in Spain. Maybe it was the delayed flight, the missed connection, the lost luggage, or the withheld debit card, but probably it was the combination, on top of not being prepared to feel stressed at all. After all, is it not Europeans, and Spaniards more specifically, who live relaxed lives, taking siestas during the middle of the day to enjoy good food and the company of friends? I had none of that in my first few days in Spain.

However, I did not come out of this experience empty and frustrated. I learned not to use an ATM machine which isn't attached to a bank, especially when traveling in a foreign country. I also realized quickly that these incidents, in a way, reflect on the tranquil Spanish culture. It's not just the siesta that marks their slow-paced lifestyle, its how they look at all aspects of life. I was frustrated because I thought with my stubborn American mindset, that "if this were an American airline I'd have made my connection" and "in the United States they would have delivered both suitcases on the same trip". Luckily, I outgrew that frustration and began to appreciation their culture. Allowing oneself to just slow down and not let these type of events become stressful is one of the larger differences I've noticed between people from the United States and people from Spain, thus far.