Thursday, January 24, 2008
The last week
I figured I should probably put something on here because I'm starting to forget the list I had going in my head of things I wanted to write on here. These last two weeks have seemed a lot longer than just two weeks because so much has happened! We started classes, and it's great; We have classes Mon-Thur, and always get out before 2, so that leaves plenty of time for playing! Although, our professor gives us plenty of reading to do about the History of Spain, so we are very studious as well.
During our play time, we've been able to do a lot of great things. First of all, we went to the Prado museum last week! We didn't get to spend a whole lot of time in it this first time, but I'm very excited to live so close to where we can go back often. I loved it, it's a lot of fun and very interesting to me to look at all these amazing paintings, many of which are the originals which is even better! We also went to a beautiful park nearby the museum, called the Parque Retiro. It has so many paths and walkways through trees, and there's a big lake where you can take a row boat out. We plan to go back many times, especially when everything becomes green again. We also had fun seeing Minnie and Mickey Mouse at the park, and just so everybody knows, they speak Spanish! No wonder they don't talk at DisneyLand, haha and I've wondered why all these years?!
Another evening after spending a little time walking around Madrid, a few of us went to take some pictures by the temple. It's was very beautiful at night with it all lit up, and it was really neat to me because you can feel such a difference being at the temple. The spirit definitely is there, and it was very comforting to feel that same spirit here, being on the other side of the world. I had another neat experience this week; my roommate Natausha and I planned to go with the sister missionaries to an appointment, but unfortunately the appointment fell through. Instead, we met with a girl who is also here on a study abroad. Her name is Angela, and she's from Utah, but is attending a University in Pennsylvania. She was baptized a month ago, and now being here she feels homesick or lonely a lot becuase all of her friends go out partying a lot and so she doesn't get to go out and do anything a lot of the time. It was great to meet her, and hopefully she can come hang out with all of us from BYU. Anyway, we all had a little study group with the missionaries, and talked about things we can do to get through trials, and what a strength studying the scriptures can be. The spirit was really strong, and there was an overwhelming sense of happiness and peace. It was great to see how happy everyone was, especially Angela.
About twice a week now, a few of us go up to the Universidad de Alcala's Instalaciones Deportivas, where there are basketball and soccer courts. We play a game of both usually, and it's always been combined with other people who are there. It's been really fun, not only to be playing soccer again, but we get to meet a lot of people, mostly around our age because it's where all the college kids are. The best was two days ago, we had this really old guy Jose playing soccer with us. My guess is that he was somewhere in his 60's or 70's...he was actually really good, but just couldn't move very fast, haha. It was great. I hope I last that long playing soccer!
Well, that's all that I can remember for now...I'll put some pictures up too. I hope everyone is doing well, and know that I miss you and love you all! Hasta Luego
During our play time, we've been able to do a lot of great things. First of all, we went to the Prado museum last week! We didn't get to spend a whole lot of time in it this first time, but I'm very excited to live so close to where we can go back often. I loved it, it's a lot of fun and very interesting to me to look at all these amazing paintings, many of which are the originals which is even better! We also went to a beautiful park nearby the museum, called the Parque Retiro. It has so many paths and walkways through trees, and there's a big lake where you can take a row boat out. We plan to go back many times, especially when everything becomes green again. We also had fun seeing Minnie and Mickey Mouse at the park, and just so everybody knows, they speak Spanish! No wonder they don't talk at DisneyLand, haha and I've wondered why all these years?!
Another evening after spending a little time walking around Madrid, a few of us went to take some pictures by the temple. It's was very beautiful at night with it all lit up, and it was really neat to me because you can feel such a difference being at the temple. The spirit definitely is there, and it was very comforting to feel that same spirit here, being on the other side of the world. I had another neat experience this week; my roommate Natausha and I planned to go with the sister missionaries to an appointment, but unfortunately the appointment fell through. Instead, we met with a girl who is also here on a study abroad. Her name is Angela, and she's from Utah, but is attending a University in Pennsylvania. She was baptized a month ago, and now being here she feels homesick or lonely a lot becuase all of her friends go out partying a lot and so she doesn't get to go out and do anything a lot of the time. It was great to meet her, and hopefully she can come hang out with all of us from BYU. Anyway, we all had a little study group with the missionaries, and talked about things we can do to get through trials, and what a strength studying the scriptures can be. The spirit was really strong, and there was an overwhelming sense of happiness and peace. It was great to see how happy everyone was, especially Angela.
About twice a week now, a few of us go up to the Universidad de Alcala's Instalaciones Deportivas, where there are basketball and soccer courts. We play a game of both usually, and it's always been combined with other people who are there. It's been really fun, not only to be playing soccer again, but we get to meet a lot of people, mostly around our age because it's where all the college kids are. The best was two days ago, we had this really old guy Jose playing soccer with us. My guess is that he was somewhere in his 60's or 70's...he was actually really good, but just couldn't move very fast, haha. It was great. I hope I last that long playing soccer!
Well, that's all that I can remember for now...I'll put some pictures up too. I hope everyone is doing well, and know that I miss you and love you all! Hasta Luego
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
A Night out on the Town
Tonight, a big group of us went up to Madrid after class. It was great fun, we saw a lot of cool stuff like a mariachi band, big ugly fish in the windows of mercadoras, lots and lots of stores...it was awesome! The city is beautiful, the streets are pretty narrow for what I expected for a big city like that, and the buildings all have a really pretty older looking style. We all tried speaking all spanish the whole night, but that didn't last very long. We did better than we thought we would, but we're still bad enough that everyone within hearing range laughs at us because it's so obvious we're Americans.
We stopped at a cafe for the famous chocolate y churros, and it was very delicious! Not very nutritious, but well worth all the extra calories. :) It's almost like a chocolate bar melted down into a drink for you to dip your churros in. Actually, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound very good, but it was good! On our way home, we all got on a train that would end up in Alcala de Henares, which is the town we live in, and it is about 30 minutes from Madrid taking the train. We had been riding for about 20 minutes when someone realized we were on the wrong train! It was dark outside so we couldn't see where it was taking us. It ended up taking us in a big circle to some outskirts of town, and then back to where we started...and THEN on to Alcala de Henares. The whole thing ended up taking a good hour and 40 minutes to get to Alcala. It was actually not too bad, we all had fun hanging out and getting to know each other better. The bad news is I've got class early tomorrow, and I've stayed up too late posting this, so I'll leave it at that and get to bed! Adios!
We stopped at a cafe for the famous chocolate y churros, and it was very delicious! Not very nutritious, but well worth all the extra calories. :) It's almost like a chocolate bar melted down into a drink for you to dip your churros in. Actually, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound very good, but it was good! On our way home, we all got on a train that would end up in Alcala de Henares, which is the town we live in, and it is about 30 minutes from Madrid taking the train. We had been riding for about 20 minutes when someone realized we were on the wrong train! It was dark outside so we couldn't see where it was taking us. It ended up taking us in a big circle to some outskirts of town, and then back to where we started...and THEN on to Alcala de Henares. The whole thing ended up taking a good hour and 40 minutes to get to Alcala. It was actually not too bad, we all had fun hanging out and getting to know each other better. The bad news is I've got class early tomorrow, and I've stayed up too late posting this, so I'll leave it at that and get to bed! Adios!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Finally in Spain!
¡Hola todos!
I´m in Spain finally, and it is awesome! Getting here was a little crazy...it took about 24 hours of traveling and I was exhausted once we arrived. On the flight from Vienna to Madrid, there were about 14 students from BYU with me, so I wasn´t worried about not knowing where to go. It was funny to have 14 of us walking in one big mass in the metro all pulling two huge rolling bags, haha, it definitely got everyone´s attention!
I met my family the second day here, and they are great. They are members of the church, which makes me feel really at home. My madre y padre is Susie and Paco, and they have two sons Miguel, who is 17, and Fran, who is 14. The sons are really nice and funny. Susie is very enthusiastic about everything, and loves to cook :) and so far the Spanish food is delicious! I haven´t met Paco yet; he´s been out of town for work and should be home tonight.
The language is pretty hard to understand right now because they all talk so fast!!! I think I´m starting to get used to that, and I´m beginning to understand a lot more of what they are saying. The biggest problem is when I try to say something-it never comes out making any sense, haha. I keep telling myself it´s all part of the experience, and it´s gonna come sooner or later. I absolutely love it though. We start classes on Tuesday, and then we´ll start traveling next week, I believe. I can´t wait to see everything here! I especially can´t wait to go to a soccer game! I wish I had some pictures to put up, but that will have to wait. Well, I guess that´s all I have to say right now...hasta luego!
I´m in Spain finally, and it is awesome! Getting here was a little crazy...it took about 24 hours of traveling and I was exhausted once we arrived. On the flight from Vienna to Madrid, there were about 14 students from BYU with me, so I wasn´t worried about not knowing where to go. It was funny to have 14 of us walking in one big mass in the metro all pulling two huge rolling bags, haha, it definitely got everyone´s attention!
I met my family the second day here, and they are great. They are members of the church, which makes me feel really at home. My madre y padre is Susie and Paco, and they have two sons Miguel, who is 17, and Fran, who is 14. The sons are really nice and funny. Susie is very enthusiastic about everything, and loves to cook :) and so far the Spanish food is delicious! I haven´t met Paco yet; he´s been out of town for work and should be home tonight.
The language is pretty hard to understand right now because they all talk so fast!!! I think I´m starting to get used to that, and I´m beginning to understand a lot more of what they are saying. The biggest problem is when I try to say something-it never comes out making any sense, haha. I keep telling myself it´s all part of the experience, and it´s gonna come sooner or later. I absolutely love it though. We start classes on Tuesday, and then we´ll start traveling next week, I believe. I can´t wait to see everything here! I especially can´t wait to go to a soccer game! I wish I had some pictures to put up, but that will have to wait. Well, I guess that´s all I have to say right now...hasta luego!
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